Tests 79 · 7 tests Owners 79 · 49 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (dry handling)
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 7 + 32 road tests and 49 + 21,600 owner reviews. How we score
CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 87–79
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Tests 79 · 7 tests Owners 79 · 49 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (dry handling)
Tests 87 · 32 tests Owners 87 · 21,600 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 35 in 2023 All Season Tyre 35 Set Shootout (dry braking)
“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.”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 30 tests | 75 | 99 |
| Reviews found online | 82 | 89 |
WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 74.8 + 40% × 81.5 = 77
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 99.1 + 40% × 88.5 = 95
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 30 tests | 89 | 83 |
| Reviews found online | 87 | 92 |
WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 89.4 + 40% × 87.1 = 88
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 83.4 + 40% × 91.8 = 87
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 26 tests | 78 | 99 |
| Reviews found online | 73 | 78 |
WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 78.1 + 40% × 72.7 = 76
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 98.9 + 40% × 78.4 = 91
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 3 tests | 77 | 65 |
| Reviews found online | 79 | 87 |
WinterContact TS 860: 40% × 77.4 + 60% × 78.8 = 78
CrossClimate 2: 40% × 65.1 + 60% × 86.5 = 78
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 19 tests | 78 | 79 |
| Reviews found online | ≈ 67 (est.) | 83 |
WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 78.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 74
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 78.6 + 40% × 82.7 = 80
No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 860. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 7 tests | 73 | 81 |
| Reviews found online | 76 | 87 |
WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 72.8 + 40% × 76 = 74
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 81.1 + 40% × 87 = 83
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 82 | 82 |
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 22 tests | 76 | 90 |
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 | Michelin CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 87 |
| Dry | 77 | 95 |
| Wet | 88 | 87 |
| Snow | 76 | 91 |
| Comfort | 78 | 78 |
| Noise | 74 | 80 |
| Treadwear | 74 | 83 |
| Handling (owners) | 82 | 82 |
| Efficiency | 76 | 90 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
WinterContact TS 860
CrossClimate 2
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.
| Discipline | Category | WinterContact TS 860 | CrossClimate 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #11/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #1/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 98% #4/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 60% #7/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 70% #7/8 · 2024 Promobil Commercial Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 94% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 93% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 94% #2/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 92% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #4/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 93% #5/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 100% #1/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 93% #6/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 93% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 100% #1/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres | 89% #8/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 86% #8/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 58% #7/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 97% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #9/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 90% #2/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/4 · 2023 TUV Report All Season Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 98% #6/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 96% #5/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 90% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 80% #3/8 · 2025 Teknikens Varld Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 100% #2/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 98% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 90% #2/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 95% #4/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 95% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 60% #19/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 55% #12/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #10/20 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | #3/15 2024 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 70% #16/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 47% #14/15 · 2025 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/16 2021 ADAC Winter Tire Test R15 | #2/6 2026 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
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.
“On a 2015 Highlander Hybrid, the CC2 is excellent anti-hydroplaning, wonderful snow and ice handling, both moving and stopping. I am a rideshare driver averaging 200 or so miles per day. The tires are only just now a bit noisier at 78,000 miles. Wear is down to 3/32 and went through a wild, heavy rain storm today with no lack of confidence whatsoever. Only downside is that >80 degrees F and gas mileage goes down by 2 mpg. Love the tires so much that I feel the slight loss during summer is still worth it.”
“My Official review of the Cross Climate 2 tires. I put some new shoes on the Outback after reading some threads on here and decided with my weather here in Missouri the Cross Climate 2s were the best fit. In rain, they are great so no more sliding or hydroplaning what so ever. In snow, they are even more amazing. They grip extremely well. The one downside to them that concerns me, and I didn't think about this when I purchased them, is that fact you can't do a full tire rotation to them like conventional tires as they are directional so you can only do front to back and vise versa. For this reason I am concerned if I will get 60K out of them and avoid the inner/outer wear. Sure you can dismount the tire from the wheel and remount them but I had heard that's bad for them. Overall, they are excellent. If you are concerned about the tire rotation thing, I would say the Michelin Defenders or the Falkan Wildpeaks are probably a better bet. I plan on getting the Falkans next but hopefully that wont be for at least 50K more miles. Read more”
“Michelin Cross climate 2 in winter snowstorm 1/2024 review I had these installed on my 2021 Honda CR-V hybrid AWD back in August from the OEM Hancook tires. The road noise went away after driving about 500 miles. These tires are freaking amazing! Large puddle on the road? No hydroplaning. My MPG didn’t suffer that much (about 0.3-0.5 mpg decrease). Recently got hit by the snowstorm in Michigan and it’s nice having the confidence driving in the bad road conditions. On my way home from work, there were so many accidents with cars in ditches and unable to go up a hill. I had to take backroads and I had no problem traversing through the back dirt roads. There was a hill that a lot of cars weren’t able to get up but I just squeezed past them without any issues. I was amazed how great these tires are. So glad I spent the extra money for these - I hope they last a while before I get another set!”
Based on 762 community posts
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 | B · Michelin CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 47 | 92 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 17″ | 15″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 9 - 10/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 640 B A |
| Treadwear warranty | — | 60,000 mi |
| Sidewall | — | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 - 51 psi |
| Sizes in common | 22 | 22 |
Continental WinterContact TS 860
Michelin CrossClimate 2
Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better dry, snow and efficiency. Where the Continental WinterContact TS 860 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 77 on dry.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 91 vs 76 on snow.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 76 on efficiency.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 83 vs 74 on treadwear.
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Neither, by our numbers: 88 vs 87 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 77 on our dry score.
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 91 vs 76 on our snow score.
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 80 vs 74 on our noise score.
Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 78 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 83 vs 74 on our treadwear score.
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 90 vs 76 on our efficiency score.
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