Head-to-head Updated

Firestone Destination LE3 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 2 + 33 road tests and 14 + 21,726 owner reviews. How we score

CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 87–66

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Firestone Destination LE3
Tire AFirestone

Destination LE3

All Season

± 8

Tests 68 · 2 tests Owners 64 · 14 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 30 in 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test (ice traction)

Michelin CrossClimate 2
Tire BMichelin

CrossClimate 2

All Season

± 4

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.

  1. 69

    Dry

    CrossClimate 2 +26
    95
    Why this score
    SourceDestination LE3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 31 tests7099
    Reviews found online6688

    Destination LE3: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 65.7 = 69

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 99.2 + 40% × 88.3 = 95

  2. 65

    Wet

    CrossClimate 2 +22
    87
    Why this score
    SourceDestination LE3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 31 tests6483
    Reviews found online6792

    Destination LE3: 60% × 64.3 + 40% × 66.7 = 65

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 83.1 + 40% × 91.7 = 87

  3. 69

    Snow

    CrossClimate 2 +21
    90
    Why this score
    SourceDestination LE3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 27 tests7799
    Reviews found online5778

    Destination LE3: 60% × 76.8 + 40% × 56.7 = 69

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 98.6 + 40% × 78.2 = 90

  4. 57

    Comfort

    CrossClimate 2 +22
    79
    Why this score
    SourceDestination LE3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests≈ 65 (est.)67
    Reviews found online5286

    Destination LE3: 40% × 65.2 (est.) + 60% × 51.6 = 57

    CrossClimate 2: 40% × 67.2 + 60% × 86.1 = 79

    No road tests of comfort for Destination LE3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 67

    Noise

    CrossClimate 2 +12
    79
    Why this score
    SourceDestination LE3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 20 tests≈ 66 (est.)77
    Reviews found online6883

    Destination LE3: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 68.2 = 67

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 77.2 + 40% × 82.7 = 79

    No road tests of noise for Destination LE3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 65

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate 2 +19
    84
    Why this score
    SourceDestination LE3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 7 tests6481
    Reviews found online6688

    Destination LE3: 60% × 64.2 + 40% × 66.4 = 65

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 88 = 84

  7. 61

    Handling (owners)

    CrossClimate 2 +21
    82
    Why this score
    SourceDestination LE3CrossClimate 2
    Reviews found online6182
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    90
    Why this score
    SourceDestination LE3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 23 tests–90
Scores at a glance
Firestone Destination LE3 vs Michelin CrossClimate 2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryFirestone Destination LE3Michelin CrossClimate 2
Relative Score 66 87
Dry 69 95
Wet 65 87
Snow 69 90
Comfort 57 79
Noise 67 79
Treadwear 65 84
Handling (owners) 61 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 and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
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
± 8

Destination LE3

± 4

CrossClimate 2

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.

DisciplineCategoryDestination LE3CrossClimate 2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 97% #5/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 100% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #7/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 92% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 94% #4/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 95% #5/5 · 2025 TUV Hankook iON FlexClimate EV Report – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 96% #6/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 93% #5/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 87% #8/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 93% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Ice Traction Snow 95% #4/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 58% #7/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 83% #20/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 97% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 95% #4/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 – Different tests
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 82% #14/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 100% #1/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 79% #19/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 96% #5/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #14/30 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test #2/6 2026 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Destination LE3

Pros

  • Smooth and quiet highway ride quality
  • Excellent traction in snow, rain, and light off-road conditions
  • Impressive tread life and long-term durability

Cons

  • Potential concerns regarding sidewall durability, with isolated reports of bulges or blowouts
  • May struggle in very deep snow conditions
All owner themes in the Destination LE3 review

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
All owner themes in the CrossClimate 2 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Firestone Destination LE3

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Positive

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.

mavericktruckclub.com ·9 upvotes ·2024-08-12

“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.”

bobistheoilguy.com ·19 upvotes ·2023-03-10

“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.”

r/TyreReviews ·35 upvotes ·2026-01-18

“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.”

Top themes
#Snow and ice traction#Wet handling and hydroplaning#Road noise and comfort#Fuel economy and range#Tread wear and longevity#Premium price point#Directional tread design

Based on 762 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Firestone Destination LE3 B · Michelin CrossClimate 2
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6792
Rim diameters15″ – 22″15″ – 21″
Tread depth10/32″9 - 10/32″
UTQG700 A B640 B A
Treadwear warranty70,000 mi60,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlack Side Wall
Max pressure44 - 51 psi50 - 51 psi
Sizes in common1212

Which one should you actually buy?

Firestone Destination LE3

Michelin CrossClimate 2

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

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 69 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 87 vs 65 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 79 vs 57 on comfort.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 69 on snow.

Tire A · Firestone Destination LE3
Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate 2

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Destination LE3 or CrossClimate 2?

Which is better in the wet, Destination LE3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 87 vs 65 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Destination LE3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 69 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Destination LE3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 90 vs 69 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Destination LE3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 79 vs 67 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Destination LE3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 79 vs 57 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Destination LE3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 84 vs 65 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