Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Alpin A4 vs Michelin CrossClimate 2 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 84–78

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Tire AMichelin

Alpin A4

Winter

Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 83 · 54 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (wet braking)

Tire BMichelin

CrossClimate 2

All Season

Tests 85 · 32 tests Owners 82 · 21,600 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 5 in 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 (rolling resistance)

“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.”

Category by category

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

  1. 78

    Dry

    CrossClimate 2 +14
    92
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin A4CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7596
    Reviews found online8284
  2. 80

    Wet

    CrossClimate 2 +4
    84
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin A4CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7582
    Reviews found online8787
  3. 74

    Snow

    CrossClimate 2 +15
    89
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin A4CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)6997
    Reviews found online8276
  4. 77

    Comfort

    Alpin A4 +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin A4CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–65
    Reviews found online8483
  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    78
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin A4CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–76
    Reviews found online–80
  6. 75

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate 2 +5
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin A4CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–79
    Reviews found online8181
  7. 86

    Handling

    Alpin A4 +6
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin A4CrossClimate 2
    Reviews found online8680
Scores at a glance
Michelin Alpin A4 vs Michelin CrossClimate 2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Alpin A4Michelin CrossClimate 2
Relative Score 78 84
Dry 78 92
Wet 80 84
Snow 74 89
Comfort 77 72
Noise – 78
Treadwear 75 80
Handling 86 80

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Alpin A4

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.

DisciplineCategoryAlpin A4CrossClimate 2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 98% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 100% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 −1.7 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 88% #8/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 −11.9 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #6/16 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test #2/6 2026 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 85% #7/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 93% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 −7.7 Different tests
Ice Handling Snow 86% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 89% #8/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 −2.7 Different tests
Ice Traction Snow 89% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 58% #7/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 +30.7 Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 98% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 97% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 +0.3 Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 95% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 96% #5/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 −1.1 Different tests
Straight Aqua Wet 96% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 93% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 +2.4 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 92% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 +8.0 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 93% #5/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 +5.2 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Alpin A4

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice
  • High level of confidence and stability in wet, cold conditions
  • Impressive tread life and durability over multiple seasons

Cons

  • Reduced steering feedback and 'numb' handling feel
  • Performance decline in dry conditions when temperatures exceed 10°C
  • Occasional reports of increased rolling resistance
All owner themes in the Alpin A4 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

Michelin Alpin A4

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.

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/LexusNX ·55 upvotes ·2026-06-14

“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.”

r/KiaEV9 ·2 upvotes ·2026-06-25

“We downsized from 21” stock on GTline to 20” rims and put on the CC2s—can’t stand the ugly stock rims and plastic covers. It got so much quieter that we noticed we could turn the radio down from 6 to 4 on the secondary roads, and down from 8 to 5 on the highway. Efficiency improved slightly, possibly due to lighter weight wheels.”

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 · Michelin Alpin A4 B · Michelin CrossClimate 2
CategoryWinterAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available992
Rim diameters14″ – 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

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Alpin A4

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better snow, dry and treadwear. Pick the Michelin Alpin A4 if handling and comfort matter most to you.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 89 vs 74 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 92 vs 78 on dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 86 vs 80 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 77 vs 72 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Alpin A4
Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate 2

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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.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

84

Leads

CrossClimate 2

Amazon