Head-to-head Updated

Michelin CrossClimate 3 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 9 + 32 road tests and 3,204 + 21,629 owner reviews. How we score

CrossClimate 2 leads, 87–85 Narrow edge

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Michelin CrossClimate 3
Tire AMichelin

CrossClimate 3

All Season

± 4

Tests 85 · 9 tests Owners 87 · 3,204 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2025 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test (snow braking)

“Winter ready: Michelin Cross Climate 3 All season tyres fitted today on the C63. Michelin Cross Climate 3 Sport (Front) Michelin Cross Climate 3 (Rear) Sizing availability is the reason for the slight difference in specifications. PS5s are wrapped up until next year! Read more”

Michelin CrossClimate 2
Tire BMichelin

CrossClimate 2

All Season

± 4

Tests 87 · 32 tests Owners 86 · 21,629 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 35 in 2023 All Season Tyre 35 Set Shootout (dry braking)

“Installed CrossClimate2 Switched out the OEM tires with a set of CrossClimate on my '23 Grand Cherokee. Loving the increased grip and slightly more aggressive look of these tires. Noise levels did increase a bit for the first few hundred miles but has now improved. There was about a 2 - 3mpg drop after installation. Not sure if it's really the tires or use of Winter gas and drop of temperature right around the same time I got these tires. Overall fully satisfied and would definitely purchase again!”

Category by category

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

  1. 85

    Dry

    CrossClimate 2 +10
    95
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 30 tests8499
    Reviews found online8888

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 83.8 + 40% × 87.7 = 85

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 99.3 + 40% × 88.1 = 95

  2. 84

    Wet

    CrossClimate 2 +2
    86
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 30 tests8183
    Reviews found online8991

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 80.9 + 40% × 89.3 = 84

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 83.2 + 40% × 91.4 = 86

  3. 91

    Snow

    CrossClimate 3 +1
    90
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 26 tests9999
    Reviews found online7878

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 99.2 + 40% × 77.9 = 91

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 98.6 + 40% × 77.7 = 90

  4. 89

    Comfort

    CrossClimate 3 +12
    77
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 3 tests8964
    Reviews found online8886

    CrossClimate 3: 40% × 89.3 + 60% × 88.1 = 89

    CrossClimate 2: 40% × 64.2 + 60% × 86.3 = 77

  5. 75

    Noise

    CrossClimate 2 +5
    80
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 19 tests8078
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)82

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 80.2 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 75

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 77.8 + 40% × 82.3 = 80

    No owner ratings of noise for CrossClimate 3. 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.

  6. 83

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate 2 +1
    84
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 7 tests8281
    Reviews found online8687

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 81.8 + 40% × 86 = 83

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 87.2 = 84

  7. 90

    Handling (owners)

    CrossClimate 3 +8
    82
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2
    Reviews found online9082
  8. 79

    Efficiency

    CrossClimate 2 +11
    90
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 22 tests7990
Scores at a glance
Michelin CrossClimate 3 vs Michelin CrossClimate 2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin CrossClimate 3Michelin CrossClimate 2
Relative Score 85 87
Dry 85 95
Wet 84 86
Snow 91 90
Comfort 89 77
Noise 75 80
Treadwear 83 84
Handling (owners) 90 82
Efficiency 79 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.

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Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

CrossClimate 3

± 4

CrossClimate 2

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.

DisciplineCategoryCrossClimate 3CrossClimate 2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Dry 96% #3/11 · 2027 AvD All-Season Tire Test R17 100% #1/8 · 2024 Promobil Commercial Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 95% #8/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 100% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #3/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 98% #4/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 70% #9/10 · 2026 Auto Zeitung All Season Tyre Test 70% #7/8 · 2024 Promobil Commercial Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 91% #10/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 90% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 97% #7/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 93% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wet Wet 93% #7/11 · 2027 AvD All-Season Tire Test R17 70% #8/8 · 2024 Promobil Commercial Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 91% #13/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 92% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 91% #11/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 95% #5/5 · 2025 TUV Hankook iON FlexClimate EV Report – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 95% #12/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 93% #5/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 42% #10/10 · 2026 Auto Zeitung All Season Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Snow Snow 100% #2/11 · 2027 AvD All-Season Tire Test R17 100% #1/8 · 2024 Promobil Commercial Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 97% #3/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 97% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Snow Circle Snow 100% #1/15 · 2025 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test 91% #6/8 · 2024 Motorhome Camper Van All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 100% #2/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 – Different tests
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 100% #1/10 · 2026 Auto Zeitung All Season Tyre Test 100% #1/4 · 2023 TUV Report All Season Test – Different tests
Snow Slalom Snow 98% #2/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 100% #1/9 · 2025 Auto Bild All Season Camper Van Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 98% #2/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 96% #5/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 98% #3/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 80% #3/8 · 2025 Teknikens Varld Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 99% #3/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 98% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Abrasion Treadwear 88% #5/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 100% #1/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 75% #11/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 95% #4/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 95% #7/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season 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)
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #5/15 2025 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test #3/15 2024 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 56% #15/15 · 2026 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 47% #14/15 · 2025 ADAC All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #4/11 2027 AvD All-Season Tire Test R17 #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 CrossClimate 3

Pros

  • Superior wet weather grip and braking performance
  • Enhanced ride comfort and smoothing of road imperfections
  • Low road noise levels and quiet operation

Cons

  • Premium price point compared to competitors
  • Softer sidewalls can reduce cornering precision or steering feel
  • Tread pattern tends to pick up and hold small stones
All owner themes in the CrossClimate 3 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 CrossClimate 3

Positive

The community views the Michelin CrossClimate 3 and its Sport variant as top-tier all-weather tires offering exceptional snow performance, longevity, comfort, and low noise, though some note they lag slightly behind competitors like Pirelli in wet and dry braking. Users appreciate the introduction of the Sport version for better handling and steering feel, though it may feature a slightly shorter tread life. Frustration remains high among North American drivers due to the lack of a confirmed release date in the US.

r/Mustang ·56 upvotes ·2025-10-10

“Switched to Michelin CC3s for the winter Changed wheels (back to OEMs PP) and tires (Michelin Cross Climate 3s) for the winter season. Decided to change them early this time (temps just dropped below 10C) in order to see how the tires behaved vs summer PZero (it would not be fair to do this at 0C). Only a few hundreds km so I can’t tell about MPG and wear yet but I’m happy with what seems to be good grip and comfort. Noise is louder but I still manage to cope with it (anyway the real culprits here are my Steeda dual rate springs that act like noise amplifiers 😝). Will report back to the group with findings as I plan to track them soon. Read more”

r/tires ·1 upvote ·2025-09-29

“Brand new Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport with sidewall defect Bought new Michelin CrossClimate 3 tires from an official dealer in Romania. One tire already shows a sidewall defect (cracked/missing rubber, no curb hit, no damage from me) I’m mostly worried about the sidewall, since I know that can’t be repaired and could be dangerous. I’m currently in Austria — do you think Michelin will replace this under warranty? Read more”

r/carsireland ·1 upvote ·2026-10-19

“I've Michelin crossclimate3 sports, they're a great tyre, highly recommend them for our roads, year round. One thing to be conscious of with all season tyres is if you need to replace one, it has to be with a all season or it can be dangerous, and you will fail a NCT (if they notice it)”

Top themes
#Snow and Winter Performance#Wet and Dry Grip#Tread Wear and Longevity#Ride Comfort and Noise#CrossClimate 3 Sport Variant#North American Availability

Based on 132 community posts

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/tires ·14 upvotes ·2024-01-14

“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!”

r/VWiD4Owners ·2 upvotes ·2026-09-11

“CC2 is a super safe way to go, I’d just keep on with them if you’re happy so far. Other options probably won’t last as long or have as good traction in the occasional snow/ice. I have a set of 18” wheels so I use 235/60R18 tires and rotate them, live in the northeast, lots of snow in winter. I’ve used Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive, they were great, lasted a bit over 40k miles until they got down to just over 2/16th. I’m on Bridgestone UltraWeather now, feel fantastic so far, slightly better efficiency than WeatherActives, slightly quieter too. They’re basically a next gen version of WeatherPeak but in an XL load rating which the ID.4 specifies.”

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 CrossClimate 3 B · Michelin CrossClimate 2
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available8292
Rim diameters16″ – 22″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 common4545

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin CrossClimate 3

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Narrow edge: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better efficiency, dry and noise. Pick the Michelin CrossClimate 3 if comfort and handling matter most to you.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin CrossClimate 3 scores 89 vs 77 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 79 on efficiency.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 85 on dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin CrossClimate 3 scores 90 vs 82 on handling.

Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate 3
Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate 2

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CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 2?

Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 2?

Neither, by our numbers: 84 vs 86 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 85 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 2?

Neither, by our numbers: 91 vs 90 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 80 vs 75 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 3, 89 vs 77 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 2?

Neither, by our numbers: 83 vs 84 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, CrossClimate 3 or CrossClimate 2?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 90 vs 79 on our efficiency 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