Pros
- Controllability! Even throughout the winter in Hong Kong (not snowy, not cold), I was quite satisfied with the tires' performance.
Cons
- Noisy.
MICHELIN X-Ice North 4 205/65 R16 99T winter Review
17
·
Very good
Rating
4.8
Automotive, 🚘 Tires & Wheels, 🔧 Tires & Wheels Parts, 🚘 Tires & Wheels
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Description of MICHELIN X-Ice North 4 205/65 R16 99T winter
The MICHELIN X-Ice North 4 studded tire provides a high level of braking and handling on ice, and at the same time has a low noise level. The Michelin X-Ice North 4 is a replacement for the 3rd generation model of the same name, which managed to hold out on the market for as long as 5 years. Most of this time, Finnish tire manufacturers have been developing a new tire that was created from scratch. This allowed her to surpass her popular predecessor in all major performance properties.
One of the key innovations was the increase in the number of spikes. Depending on the standard size, now there are at least 250 of them against 96 for the previous model. The layout of the steel elements is such that they form 22 lines, both in the longitudinal and transverse directions. This solution has significantly improved grip on packed snow and icy surfaces. At the same time, computer modeling used in the development of the stud layout provides a comfortable noise level when the studs come into contact with the road.
The spikes themselves have also changed. The alloy composition of the insert in direct contact with the road surface is based on iron. This solution ensures the same wear rate of this element and the running part of the tread. The shape of the carbide insert is borrowed from winter rally tires. It is cone-shaped with a small protrusion at the top. With transverse accelerations, the spike, bending, clings to the surface, penetrating into it to a great depth. As a result, the performance of the tire during acceleration and deceleration is improved. The effect is greatly enhanced by more than doubling the number of spikes in the contact patch.
The tread design is V-shaped. It is characterized by a reduced number of blocks, which are much larger than before. In this case, the arrow-shaped arrangement of the elements ensures the formation of very long edges. The efficiency of their work on winter surfaces has been significantly improved thanks to the new 3D sipes.
Another innovation in the design of the tread pattern was the increase in the size of the drainage grooves. These elements have a curved shape expanding towards the edges of the tread. Together with their tilt and rearward facing, this significantly improves resistance to aquaplaning and slashplaning. In addition, it should be noted the presence of cruciform grooves that enhance grip on the snow surface, picking up and holding snow from its surface. - 250 spikes form 22 longitudinal and the same number of transverse rows; ice; - iron-based carbide insert wears at the same rate as the tread; - new V-shaped tread pattern with massive swept blocks in the central part; - increased sizes of drainage grooves increase resistance to aquaplaning and slashplaning.
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Pros
- Controllability! Even though it didn't snow or get very cold in Hong Kong last winter, I was nonetheless impressed with the tires' performance.
Cons
- Noisy.
Pros
- Controllability! Even though it did not snow and was not particularly cold in Hong Kong last winter, I am quite satisfied with how the tires performed.
Cons
- Noisy.
Pros
- Controllability! Even though it didn't snow or get very cold in Hong Kong last winter, I was nonetheless impressed with the tires' performance.
Cons
- Noisy.
Pros
- Very good winter and off-season performance on both dry and rainy roads. They're not too loud, they handle the road well (the sidewalls are pretty strong even on the 65 profile, and the push wheel doesn't break in bends), and they don't sag in the sun. Unlike the XIN2, changing to winter tires (from summer Michelin PS4s to winter Michelin PS5s, both of which have a 55 profile, even higher load index, and very stiff sidewall) does not feel like going from a car to a bog. Although the grip is not as "anchor" as the 8 Hakkapelita's, the predictability of control is greatly improved; skidding does not occur suddenly as the lateral load increases, but rather the car begins to be slowly dragged long before the breakdown into a skid. Position of the car and the margin of the hold feel fantastic on ice, as if the tires were not spiked but rather coarse sandpaper.
Cons
- Because their sidewalls are stiffer than those of the XIN2, they "flatten" less and row less efficiently on soil or a yard covered in snow. So-so directional stability in "track after a heavy snowfall" circumstances means you'll be continuously taxiing, yet on rolling snow, it slows down better than XIN2. The nature of this rubber makes it difficult to predict how it would perform in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pros
- Excellent behavior in the winter and off-season on both dry and wet pavement. The sidewalls are fairly strong, even on the 65 profile, and they steer properly on pavement. The thrust wheel does not break in corners, and it does not droop at warm temperatures. On the XIN2, switching from summer tires to a 55 profile Michelin PS4 with an even higher load index and very rigid sidewall didn't feel like going from a vehicle to a swamp. On ice, the grip is not as "anchor" as that of the 8 Hakkapelita, but the predictability of control is considerably better. Skidding as the lateral load increases does not come suddenly; instead, the car begins to drag somewhat long before it breaks down into a skid. The car's position and the hold's margin feel excellent because on ice the tires appear to be coarse sandpaper rather than spikes.
Cons
- Due to the stiffer sidewalls than the XIN2, they "flatten" and row poorer on soil or in a yard covered in snow. Since the entire line of XIN has historically had subpar directional stability in "track after a heavy snowfall" conditions, you have to constantly taxi, but XIN2 slows down more effectively on rolling snow. The rubber's composition is quite hard, therefore there are serious questions about how it would perform at -40 degrees.
Pros
- Superb performance in all weather conditions, especially in the snow. They're not too loud, they handle well on the road, and they don't sag in the heat (the sidewalls are pretty rigid even on the 65 profile, and the thrust wheel doesn't break in corners). Unlike the XIN2, changing to winter tires (from summer Michelin PS4s to winter Michelin PS55s with an even higher load index and a very rigid sidewall) does not feel like going from driving a car to wading through a bog. On ice, the grip is not as "anchor" as the 8 Hakkapelita, but the predictability of control is greatly improved; skidding does not occur suddenly, but the car begins to be somewhat dragged long before the breakdown into a skid. Position of the car and the margin of the hold feel fantastic on ice, as if the tires were not spiked but rather coarse sandpaper.
Cons
- They "flatten" less and row worse on soil or a yard covered with snow than the XIN2 do, because to the stiffer sidewalls. A common complaint about the XIN brand as a whole is its lackluster directional stability in "track after a heavy snowfall" conditions, necessitating frequent taxiing. However, on rolling snow, XIN3 is more effective at slowing down than XIN2. The composition of this rubber raises serious concerns about its performance at -40 degrees.
Pros
- Superb performance in all weather conditions, especially in the snow. They're not too loud, they handle well on the road, and they don't sag in the heat (the sidewalls are pretty rigid even on the 65 profile, and the thrust wheel doesn't break in corners). On the XIN2, changing to winter tires from summer tires (a Michelin PS4 to a 55 profile with an even higher load index and a very rigid sidewall) was like going from a car to a bog. Although the grip is not as "anchor" as the 8 Hakkapelita's, the predictability of control is greatly improved; skidding does not occur suddenly as the lateral load increases, but rather the car begins to be somewhat dragged long before the breakdown into a skid. When driving on ice, it seems like you have coarse sandpaper instead of spikes on your tires; this gives you a wonderful sense of control over your vehicle's placement and its holding power.
Cons
- They "flatten" less and row less well on dirt or a yard covered with snow than the XIN2 do, because to the stiffer sidewalls. So-so directional stability in "track after a heavy snowfall" circumstances means you'll be continually needing to taxi, although on rolling snow, it slows down better than XIN2. The composition of this rubber raises serious concerns about its performance at -40 degrees.
Pros
- Placebo, you think that branded rubber will last for several years.
Cons
- Drove no more than 20220 km
Pros
- High grip properties on slippery surfaces (rolled snow, ice) are combined with a fairly low (for spikes) noise level on asphalt.
Cons
- No, except for the price
