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Head-to-head Updated

Firestone Winterforce 2 vs Michelin CrossClimate+ — 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 + 13 road tests and 28 + 120 owner reviews. How we score

CrossClimate+ is ahead, 79–59

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Firestone Winterforce 2
Tire AFirestone

Winterforce 2

Winter Premium Touring tires

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 56 · 28 reviews

Michelin CrossClimate+
Tire BMichelin

CrossClimate+

All Season

± 5

Tests 81 · 13 tests Owners 78 · 120 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2019 Summer and All Season Tyre Test (dry handling)

Category by category

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

  1. 50

    Dry

    CrossClimate+ +37
    87
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2CrossClimate+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 13 tests≈ 57 (est.)94
    Reviews found online4177

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 56.8 (est.) + 40% × 40.8 = 50

    CrossClimate+: 60% × 93.9 + 40% × 77.4 = 87

    No road tests of dry for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 65

    Wet

    CrossClimate+ +16
    81
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2CrossClimate+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 13 tests≈ 66 (est.)81
    Reviews found online6381

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 62.7 = 65

    CrossClimate+: 60% × 80.8 + 40% × 81.2 = 81

    No road tests of wet for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 74

    Snow

    Winterforce 2 +6
    68
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2CrossClimate+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests≈ 72 (est.)65
    Reviews found online7773

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 76.7 = 74

    CrossClimate+: 60% × 65.1 + 40% × 72.8 = 68

    No road tests of snow for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 51

    Comfort

    CrossClimate+ +24
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2CrossClimate+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 64 (est.)71
    Reviews found online4377

    Winterforce 2: 40% × 63.5 (est.) + 60% × 42.9 = 51

    CrossClimate+: 40% × 70.9 + 60% × 77 = 75

    No road tests of comfort for Winterforce 2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 58

    Noise

    CrossClimate+ +9
    67
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2CrossClimate+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests≈ 66 (est.)68
    Reviews found online46≈ 66 (est.)

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 45.8 = 58

    CrossClimate+: 60% × 67.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 67

    No road tests of noise for Winterforce 2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

    No owner ratings of noise for CrossClimate+. 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. 59

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate+ +23
    82
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2CrossClimate+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 62 (est.)83
    Reviews found online5480

    Winterforce 2: 60% × 62 (est.) + 40% × 54.1 = 59

    CrossClimate+: 60% × 83.2 + 40% × 79.7 = 82

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

  7. 49

    Handling (owners)

    CrossClimate+ +23
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2CrossClimate+
    Reviews found online4972
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinterforce 2CrossClimate+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests–74
Scores at a glance
CategoryFirestone Winterforce 2Michelin CrossClimate+
Relative Score 59 79
Dry 50 87
Wet 65 81
Snow 74 68
Comfort 51 75
Noise 58 67
Treadwear 59 82
Handling (owners) 49 72
Efficiency – 74

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
± 8

Winterforce 2

± 5

CrossClimate+

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinterforce 2CrossClimate+ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #16/15 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires #2/4 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Winterforce 2

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and capability in deep snow
  • Highly competitive price point
  • Reliable performance for daily winter commuting

Cons

  • Increased road noise compared to all-season tires
  • Noticeable 'mushy' or soft handling feedback on dry pavement
  • Limited performance on ice without studs
All owner themes in the Winterforce 2 review

Tire B CrossClimate+

Pros

  • Strong snow and cold-weather traction for an all-season tyre, with many owners reporting winter-tyre-like confidence on snow, slush and hills, including on front-wheel-drive cars.
  • Excellent dry handling and steering response with precise, summer-tyre-like feel, along with generally very good wet grip and braking.
  • Long tread life: many reports of 30,000–55,000+ km or miles with low wear, including taxi and van use and 4-year/50,000-mile ownership.

Cons

  • Performance degradation with age: several owners report grip (wet and snow), noise and ride deteriorating after about 1–2 years, with hardening or cracking of the rubber in some cases.
  • Limitations on ice, packed snow and deep or steep snow, where some owners found them inferior to dedicated winter tyres or to rivals such as the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons.
  • Wet-weather concerns for some, including aquaplaning, being pulled around by standing water, and scary steering feel as the tyres aged.
All owner themes in the CrossClimate+ review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Firestone Winterforce 2 B · Michelin CrossClimate+
CategoryWinter Premium Touring tiresAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available3163
Rim diameters14″ – 18″13″ – 19″
Tread depth12/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure44 psi—
Sizes in common2323

Which one should you actually buy?

Firestone Winterforce 2

Michelin CrossClimate+

Winner: Michelin CrossClimate+ — better dry, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Firestone Winterforce 2 if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 87 vs 50 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 75 vs 51 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 82 vs 59 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 72 vs 49 on handling.

Tire A · Firestone Winterforce 2
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Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate+
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Winterforce 2 or CrossClimate+?

Which is better in the wet, Winterforce 2 or CrossClimate+?

Michelin CrossClimate+, 81 vs 65 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winterforce 2 or CrossClimate+?

Michelin CrossClimate+, 87 vs 50 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Winterforce 2 or CrossClimate+?

Firestone Winterforce 2, 74 vs 68 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winterforce 2 or CrossClimate+?

Michelin CrossClimate+, 67 vs 58 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winterforce 2 or CrossClimate+?

Michelin CrossClimate+, 75 vs 51 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Winterforce 2 or CrossClimate+?

Michelin CrossClimate+, 82 vs 59 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