FWIW, I've had both the Blizzak and the Michelin X-Ice tires in the past. From a snow and snow/ice perspective, I think the Blizzak tires are better. From a dry pavement road handling perspective, I think the Michelin tires are a bit better. That said, the Blizzak tires are surprisingly good even on dry pavement - they are of course much softer than the OEM tires, but actually sometimes a welcomed change from the harsh sidewalls of the runflat tires. Here in Utah, with trips to the mountains, I decided I would rather have the better snow performance and give up just a hair on dry pavement, so I got the Blizzaks for my 2018 Q7 (as well as my wife's minivan).

I agree with your assessment. I've had Blizzak DMV on an MDX and the Q7 and WS70 on an Odyssey and they're superior on ice/snow as compared to the X-ice tires I've had on an S4 and A6 and the current Latitude X-ice I have on the SQ5. The X-ice are quieter and the tread blocks aren't as "squishy" on dry pavement as the Blizzaks. And I think they wear slightly better, if that's a concern.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.aud...b8a175eae8.jpg
I just noticed your tire size and I don't think you'll ever get a speeding ticket. The above is a comparison between 255/55/19 and 255/55/18, and the speedo in your car is reading 3.44% too high. .

I messed that up I got 255/60/18 with overal circumference of 30". Sorry for any confusion.

Good choice if you're frequently dealing with snowy, slippery roads as you surely are in Utah (been there skiing quite a few times, and I appreciate what you have to contend with!). But for most of us here in the U.S. who don't have to deal with those conditions nearly as often, I think the Michelin's may be the better choice...better handling, ride and tread wear in nearly all conditions.

Suggest you go to tirerack.com, enter your specific Q7 year and model info, and look at the wheel/tire combinations that come up.