These US-spec tires are all made by Michelin. However, they’re not all the same.
It’s that time again, friends. It’s snowing in northern latitudes. This means that drivers can be vulnerable to slippery conditions. We’ve shared many videos showing the incredible benefits of snow tires to people who regularly face such conditions. This is a special one for several reasons. It’s an all-Michelin showdown with US-spec rubber.
This allows us to take a look at the best all-season tires in North America and compare them with dedicated winter tires. Tyre Review took the test to Michigan’s northern Keweenaw Peninsula, where the snow was deep and dry. There’s also a track that allows for testing grip in low-grip conditions. The test also includes high-performance summer tires for fun. They are terrible in snow, but that’s not surprising.
The test pits the Michelin X-Ice Snow against the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4. With the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S as comic relief, The X-Ice tires are the most dominant in all tests scoring the fastest acceleration, braking and overall laps on the snow-covered track.
The winter tires were also able to provide confidence-inspiring grip for all conditions, including turning and going. Rear-wheel-drive Genesis G70 was easy to control, which can be crucial in low-grip situations. It’s been said before, and it will be repeated again: dedicated winter tires are capable of driving in snow borders. They are so good that it is hard to believe until you actually try them.
What about all-season tires? An all-in-one tire is usually a bad idea. But here’s the thing: it can do everything well. The Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires did not compromise snow performance. The lap times took 23 seconds longer than the winter tires. However, acceleration and braking were only a few seconds slower. It was the amount of control these tires had, gripping snow with enough bite to allow the car to handle and accelerate even from a dead stop. Interesting.
Although all tires are not created equal, the Michelin all-season tires performed admirably in this case. Although they didn’t perform as well as the snow tires, the video shows that the tires may be an option for drivers who don’t deal with snow every day.
The Pilot Sport 4S took 23 seconds to reach 20 mph in snow. It also took 23 seconds to turn and stop. This is all you need to know regarding winter tires.