Head-to-head Updated

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS vs Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV — 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 3 + 4 road tests and 6,420 + 2,579 owner reviews. How we score

CrossClimate 2 SUV is ahead, 83–78

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Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS
± 5

Tests 76 · 3 tests Owners 81 · 6,420 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2024 Tire Rack UHP All Season Tyre Test (ice braking)

“I ran the dws on my 700whp corvette ZR1 for 5 years . Never a problem and wear really good . I’ve tracked them in the qtr mile and roll racing . They hooked pretty good ls at the track . Had a 1.60 sixty foot on them”

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV
Tire BMichelin

CrossClimate 2 SUV

All Season

± 5

Tests 87 · 4 tests Owners 82 · 2,579 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2023 SUV All Season Tyre Test (dry braking)

“I have the Michelin Cross Climate 2 SUV tyres . The many reviews I read approved of their performance in snowy conditions (if that is an issue where you live) and also their dry condition performance. They supposedly have a decent life span. They felt nicer to drive on than the Primacy tyres . They weren't cheap at about £170 each fitted but will give me some insurance about snowy conditions and will hopefully last until I swap the car in about 3 years.”

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 80

    Dry

    CrossClimate 2 SUV +7
    87
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 4 tests7686
    Reviews found online8888

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS: 60% × 75.5 + 40% × 87.5 = 80

    CrossClimate 2 SUV: 60% × 85.9 + 40% × 88.1 = 87

  2. 81

    Wet

    CrossClimate 2 SUV +3
    84
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 4 tests7584
    Reviews found online9185

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS: 60% × 74.7 + 40% × 91.4 = 81

    CrossClimate 2 SUV: 60% × 83.9 + 40% × 84.7 = 84

  3. 77

    Snow

    CrossClimate 2 SUV +13
    90
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests8097
    Reviews found online7280

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS: 60% × 80.3 + 40% × 71.5 = 77

    CrossClimate 2 SUV: 60% × 97.4 + 40% × 80.1 = 90

  4. 79

    Comfort

    CrossClimate 2 SUV +6
    85
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 2 tests7481
    Reviews found online8388

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS: 40% × 74.5 + 60% × 82.6 = 79

    CrossClimate 2 SUV: 40% × 81.3 + 60% × 87.6 = 85

  5. 75

    Noise

    CrossClimate 2 SUV +1
    76
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 4 tests7182
    Reviews found online79≈ 66 (est.)

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS: 60% × 71.4 + 40% × 79.4 = 75

    CrossClimate 2 SUV: 60% × 82.1 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 76

    No owner ratings of noise for CrossClimate 2 SUV. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 69

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate 2 SUV +1
    70
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7173

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 70.9 = 69

    CrossClimate 2 SUV: 60% × 68.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.7 = 70

    No road tests of treadwear for ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for CrossClimate 2 SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 83

    Handling (owners)

    CrossClimate 2 SUV +6
    89
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUV
    Reviews found online8389
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    87
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests–87
Scores at a glance
Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS vs Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryContinental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSMichelin CrossClimate 2 SUV
Relative Score 78 83
Dry 80 87
Wet 81 84
Snow 77 90
Comfort 79 85
Noise 75 76
Treadwear 69 70
Handling (owners) 83 89
Efficiency – 87

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.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS

± 5

CrossClimate 2 SUV

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUSCrossClimate 2 SUVΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 99% #2/5 · 2025 AutoView Ultra High Performance All-Season Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 Quattroruote All-Season Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 100% #1/5 · 2025 AutoView Ultra High Performance All-Season Tyre Test 83% #6/9 · 2025 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ All-Season Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #3/5 · 2025 AutoView Ultra High Performance All-Season Tyre Test 99% #3/7 · 2025 Quattroruote All-Season Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #3/9 · 2024 Tire Rack UHP All Season Tyre Test 83% #6/9 · 2025 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ All-Season Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 92% #3/9 · 2024 Tire Rack UHP All Season Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 Quattroruote All-Season Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 98% #2/9 · 2024 Tire Rack UHP All Season Tyre Test 100% #1/9 · 2025 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ All-Season Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 99% #2/5 · 2025 AutoView Ultra High Performance All-Season Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 Quattroruote All-Season Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Noise Noise 99% #4/5 · 2025 AutoView Ultra High Performance All-Season Tyre Test 100% #3/9 · 2024 Motor SUV All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/5 2025 AutoView Ultra High Performance All-Season Tyre Test #1/7 2025 Quattroruote All-Season Tire Test R19 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS

Pros

  • Exceptional wet traction and resistance to hydroplaning
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality that transforms vehicle dynamics
  • Strong dry grip and responsive, predictable cornering capabilities

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear and shorter-than-expected lifespan for some drivers
  • Increased road noise and drone developing as the tires wear down
  • Softer sidewalls can result in slightly delayed initial steering response or a 'squishy' feel
All owner themes in the ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS review

Tire B CrossClimate 2 SUV

Pros

  • Exceptional wet, ice, and snow traction that inspires winter-weather driving confidence
  • Significantly improved ride comfort and impact absorption over road imperfections
  • Impressive tread life and durability yielding long-term value

Cons

  • Higher initial purchase price compared to competitors
  • Minor fuel economy or range drop reported by some users, especially on hybrids and EVs
  • Occasional low-pitched or increased road noise at highway speeds (between 50-70 MPH)
All owner themes in the CrossClimate 2 SUV review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS

Positive

The community generally views the DWS 06 Plus as one of the best ultra-high-performance all-season tires. Owners praise its wet and dry grip, ride comfort, quietness, and light-snow manners, and many compare it favorably to the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4, often at a lower price. Criticisms include inconsistent tread life (some report about 25k miles while others get 50k), balancing difficulty, soft sidewall or squirmy feel, noise as the tires age, and the fact that they are not a substitute for dedicated winter tires.

r/Golf_R ·102 upvotes ·2026-09-21

“Apex VS-5RS 17x9 on Mk. 8.5 Just had my Apex 17” wheels shoed with Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus XL tires in 245/45/17 size. I’ve only driven it a few miles but the ride quality is definitely superior to the OEM wheel/tire combo on bad road surfaces. Wheel color is Anthracite. For anyone in the Westchester / Yonkers / Bronx area I highly recommend The Wheel Doctor for fitments.”

124spider.org ·2025-03-04

“I have 4 of the DWS, manual transmission. I drive spiritedly most of the time. I just replaced the back two last week (at about 24,000 miles), because I didn't rotate them. The fronts still had 7-8/32nds of tread left in them. The traction light came on briefly the next day while entering the interstate. For the few miles to the next exit, the car seemed to sway as if in high winds, leading me to check the lug nuts, even though I witnessed the tire tech torque them the day before. Then I remembered posting here after the original 4 were installed that the the car felt like it was driving on Jello. I believe this is due to the tread design for snow and rain. The "wiggle" takes a while to go away, after some tread depth loss. Because of this, I will be replacing them with something else in the next wear cycle. I guess it's time to consider 4 new wheels for winter all season tires instead of riding on all season , all year.”

vwvortex.com ·2025-07-07

“Back in the day, I ran summer tires on an MK5 GTI and swore I’d never do that again, as I only got 20k miles out of them. I’ve had 3 other GTIs since and have always run Ultra High Performance All Seasons with zero issues. On my MK7.5 , I’m currently running CONTINENTAL EXTREME CONTACT DWS 06 PLUS and absolutely love them! They’re probably the best tires I’ve run on the 4 GTIs I’ve owned over the years!!! 👍🏾 BTW… I’m in Northern California, where the seasons don’t hit like other parts of the country. 😅”

Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Ride comfort and noise#Light snow capability#Versus Michelin PS A/S 4#Tread life variability#Balancing and squirm issues#Value and price#Fitment and wheel sizes

Based on 139 community posts

Tire B

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV

Positive

Community members generally view the Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV as a premium, dependable tire known for strong snow and dry performance, comfortable driving feel, and valuable 3PMS certification. Discussions frequently center around sizing availability, comparison to other models like the Primacy or standard CrossClimate 2, and choosing between specific speed or OEM ratings.

mbworld.org

“So here's the latest on Tires recommendations: (still dithering). Looking for smooth, soft ride, good mileage. I do have a mountain home; use ~30ish days during winter ski season, but mostly highway driving in Southern California ( don't disparage me for being a Californian. I cant stand the people or the government too lol. But it's a beautiful state). 2020 300GLC 4MATIC California car, 235/60 18H rating What will it be...?????? MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S - seems like you guys are in favor. But hard to get. And the size is a 235/60 106T designation. Is the T speed max of 116mph not safe enough when OEM was an H rating 130mph? MICHELIN DEFENDER2. $238. Tire rack MICHELIN CrossClimate2 SUV tire rack $248. - hearing both good and bad. I heard they're soft and mileage tanks. Check out reviews on the Michelin USA official site. Pretty interesting. CONTINENTAL CROSSCONTACT LX25 $222. tire rack high rating? Also just got this from TireRack customer service CONTINENTAL EXTREMECONTACT DWS 06 PLUS. $238. Not sure, seems like TR is trying to promote them for Cont.”

r/CarTalkUK ·2 upvotes ·2024-11-07

“Opinions please ... Michelin Primacy 4+ vs Michelin Cross Climate 2 SUV? Hi all ... I'm coming up to tyre replacement time so I've looking at what's around. Currently on Bridgestone Turanzas cos that's what came with the car, but I'm not hugely impressed with their lifespan, they seem to pick up sidewall damage easily and the tread seems to age quickly. Which is not much cop when all i do is commute round Southern England. I've pretty much settled on Michelin Primacy 4+ or Cross Climate 2 SUV but I'm having difficulty making a final decision. So I thought the hivemind might settle this: in your experience which one is best for lifespan and fuel consumption? Car is a 2018 SEAT Ateca with 18" alloys. Edit: well guys, I went with the Cross Climates, thanks for the advice!”

r/tires ·1 upvote ·2025-11-12

“I just bought Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV for my Range Rover Sport and the reason is that I needed/wanted 3PMS certification. Also in my driving career I’ve always found Michelin better for everyday use compared to Pirelli which I instead preferred for performance and weekend fun.”

Top themes
#snow and dry performance#speed and OEM ratings#tire size availability#comfort and driving feel#comparison with Primacy#SUV versus standard version

Based on 8 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS B · Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverSUV and 4x4
Sizes available12035
Rim diameters16″ – 22″17″ – 22″
Tread depth10/32″—
UTQG560 - 740 A - AA A—
Treadwear warranty50,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common1919

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV

Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV — better snow, dry and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV scores 90 vs 77 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV scores 87 vs 80 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV scores 85 vs 79 on comfort.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV scores 89 vs 83 on handling.

Tire A · Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS
Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV

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ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS or CrossClimate 2 SUV?

Which is better in the wet, ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS or CrossClimate 2 SUV?

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV, 84 vs 81 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS or CrossClimate 2 SUV?

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV, 87 vs 80 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS or CrossClimate 2 SUV?

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV, 90 vs 77 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS or CrossClimate 2 SUV?

Neither, by our numbers: 75 vs 76 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS or CrossClimate 2 SUV?

Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV, 85 vs 79 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, ExtremeContact DWS 06 PLUS or CrossClimate 2 SUV?

Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 70 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

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