Tests – · none yet Owners 56 · 9 reviews
Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS vs Michelin CrossClimate 2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 33 road tests and 9 + 21,726 owner reviews. How we score
CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 88–61
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Tests 87 · 33 tests Owners 87 · 21,726 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 35 in 2023 All Season Tyre 35 Set Shootout (dry braking)
“CrossClimate2 in. Alenza Run Flats out. Swapped the Alenza run flats for CrossClimate2 all-weather tires. Sharper handling. Better ride comfort. Very quiet after an initial break-in period. Just make sure the tire pressure is as recommended on the door sill sticker, shop techs don’t always check. I’m an early adopter of CC2 tires, been using them on my old Jeep since 2022, super durable and perfect for inclement weather, still had some tread remaining at the 60k-mile warranty mark.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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64
Dry
CrossClimate 2 +3195Why this score
Source Potenza RE980AS CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 31 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 99 Reviews found online 63 88 Potenza RE980AS: 60% × 65.7 (est.) + 40% × 62.6 = 64
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 99.2 + 40% × 88.3 = 95
No road tests of dry for Potenza RE980AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
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66
Wet
CrossClimate 2 +2187Why this score
Source Potenza RE980AS CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 31 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 83 Reviews found online 64 92 Potenza RE980AS: 60% × 66.9 (est.) + 40% × 63.7 = 66
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 83.1 + 40% × 91.7 = 87
No road tests of wet for Potenza RE980AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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56
Snow
CrossClimate 2 +3490Why this score
Source Potenza RE980AS CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 27 tests ≈ 62 (est.) 99 Reviews found online 45 78 Potenza RE980AS: 60% × 62.5 (est.) + 40% × 45.2 = 56
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 98.6 + 40% × 78.2 = 90
No road tests of snow for Potenza RE980AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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54
Comfort
CrossClimate 2 +2579Why this score
Source Potenza RE980AS CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests ≈ 64 (est.) 67 Reviews found online 47 86 Potenza RE980AS: 40% × 64.2 (est.) + 60% × 46.5 = 54
CrossClimate 2: 40% × 67.2 + 60% × 86.1 = 79
No road tests of comfort for Potenza RE980AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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62
Noise
CrossClimate 2 +1779Why this score
Source Potenza RE980AS CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 20 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 77 Reviews found online 55 83 Potenza RE980AS: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 54.5 = 62
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 77.2 + 40% × 82.7 = 79
No road tests of noise for Potenza RE980AS. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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56
Treadwear
CrossClimate 2 +2884Why this score
Source Potenza RE980AS CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests ≈ 60 (est.) 81 Reviews found online 49 88 Potenza RE980AS: 60% × 60.2 (est.) + 40% × 49 = 56
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 88 = 84
No road tests of treadwear for Potenza RE980AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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55
Handling (owners)
CrossClimate 2 +2782Why this score
Source Potenza RE980AS CrossClimate 2 Reviews found online 55 82 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison90Why this score
Source Potenza RE980AS CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 23 tests – 90
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS | Michelin CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 61 | 88 |
| Dry | 64 | 95 |
| Wet | 66 | 87 |
| Snow | 56 | 90 |
| Comfort | 54 | 79 |
| Noise | 62 | 79 |
| Treadwear | 56 | 84 |
| Handling (owners) | 55 | 82 |
| Efficiency | – | 90 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Potenza RE980AS
CrossClimate 2
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Potenza RE980AS
Pros
- Excellent dry grip and sporty handling characteristics
- Sharp and responsive initial turn-in
- Competitive pricing within the premium high-performance category
Cons
- Increased road noise as the tread wears down
- Poor snow and ice traction compared to other all-season options
- Stiffer sidewall impact comfort relative to competitors like Michelin
Tire B CrossClimate 2
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in snow, slush, and winter weather conditions
- Strong braking and handling performance on dry and wet pavement
- Long-lasting tread wear and durability
Cons
- Higher initial purchase price
- Slight negative impact on fuel economy / EV range for some drivers
- Potential for increased road noise or harshness as the tires wear down
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Michelin CrossClimate 2
The community overwhelmingly praises the Michelin CrossClimate 2 for its exceptional snow, ice, and wet-weather traction, often describing it as an ideal all-weather tire. While many drivers report a quiet, comfortable ride and solid durability, some users note potential downsides including reduced fuel or battery efficiency, road noise on certain surfaces, and premium pricing. A few commenters also point out that the tire may be overkill for regions without significant winter weather.
“I replaced the factory Continentals at 9,258 miles at the end of August 2023 with the stock size 225/65R17 Michelin CrossClimate 2's. I waited until the local tire shop had a sale and had these mounted/balanced for under $800. 348 days, 10,004 miles and 4 seasons have passed since then. I spend much of my time around "town" with speed limits under 55 while also having a handful of longer highway drives. These are the closest thing to a "no-compromise" all season tire that I can imagine. They are smooth, quiet and have incredible grip in all weather conditions. Snow, rain, etc. Admittedly, I have not taken my FWD Maverick through any meaningful amount of mud. Maybe there is a tire better suited to this. There are also certainly performance oriented tires that will outperform this tire when it is hot and dry. Last, and certainly not least - there does not seem to be any fuel economy change. I have tracked every tank before and after these tires. Both my best (48.5MPG) and worst (27MPG) full tanks have happened since these were installed. 38.8 overall.”
“I have had the Cross Climate 2 tires on my VW All Track now for about a year and thought I would share some findings about them. 1. They are QUIET on the road. Looking at the tread, you might think they are noisy but they are not! Run as quiet as a normal tire. 2. They give excellent traction and handling on dry, wet and snowy roads. This past winter, I had two occasions to drive on roads covered with 6-10" of snow. Excellent traction. 3. They wear very well! After about 12,000 miles, they hardly show any wear. I expect to get about 50,000-60,000 miles out of these tires. 4. They do exact a mileage penalty. I lost about 2 mpg overall since putting on these tires. However, I do not mind that considering the excellent traction I get from them. 5. They tend to pick up stones in the tread, particularly after the great state of Pennsylvania in its wisdom covers the roads before, during and after a snowstorm with gravel. Overall, this tire is a winner. Handling is excellent as is wear and traction. I would recommend this tire to anyone who wants these features and wants to leave a set of tires on their car year around.”
“Michelin CrossClimate 2 after 31.000 kilometers I have those Michelin CrossClimate 2 (EU version, made in Spain) for 26 months now and 31.000 kilometers on a heavy Mercedes EQE, the rears are still good but the front tyres are starting to give up on the shoulders. Usual tyre pressure is 2.8 bars, there is still some good tread left on the middle of the tyre. Steering feeling on the snow is also not as good as it used to be. Overall very happy with those tyres, I’ll have to decide between the Continental AllSeasonContact 2 or the CrossClimate 3 Sport (sadly the 3 isn’t available in 255/45 R19) to replace them this year. We have the Pirelli Scorpion SF3 on our second car. Given the car and my usage, I give priority to snow braking, rolling resistance, silence and longevity. I lost a bit of range, comfort and steering engagement when I swapped the factory Bridgestone Turanza T005 for the CrossClimate 2, but in general nothing to call-out.”
Based on 762 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS | B · Michelin CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 1 | 92 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ | 15″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | 9 - 10/32″ |
| UTQG | 500 A A | 640 B A |
| Treadwear warranty | 50,000 mi | 60,000 mi |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | 50 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS
Michelin CrossClimate 2
Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better snow, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score. Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 9 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 56 on snow.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 64 on dry.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 84 vs 56 on treadwear.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 82 vs 55 on handling.
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Potenza RE980AS or CrossClimate 2?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza RE980AS or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 87 vs 66 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza RE980AS or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 64 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Potenza RE980AS or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 90 vs 56 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Potenza RE980AS or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 79 vs 62 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza RE980AS or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 79 vs 54 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza RE980AS or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 84 vs 56 on our treadwear score.
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology