Tests 81 · 13 tests Owners 78 · 119 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2019 Summer and All Season Tyre Test (dry handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin CrossClimate+ vs Hankook Kinergy 4S2 — 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 13 + 24 road tests and 119 + 3,649 owner reviews. How we score
CrossClimate+ is ahead, 79–70
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Tests 79 · 24 tests Owners 60 · 3,649 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (curved aquaplaning)
“Softer alternative to HANKOOK KINERGY 4S2? Searching for alternarive to HANKOOK KINERGY 4S2 Good day to you! I recently decided to move to all-season tires. After checking reviews, costs and availability I went for HANKOOK 4S2. But i find them VERY stiff and not comfortable at all. (245 40 18). Would you please recommend an alternative with a softer ride? I am in Europe. Cheers and thank you!”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
Key facts
- In 7 tests that measured dry braking for both, CrossClimate+ won 7 and Kinergy 4S2 won 0 (average 99% vs 95% of the best).
- In 7 tests that measured wet braking for both, CrossClimate+ won 3 and Kinergy 4S2 won 4 (average 94% vs 95% of the best).
- In 5 tests that measured dry handling for both, CrossClimate+ won 3 and Kinergy 4S2 won 0 (average 100% vs 99% of the best).
- In 5 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, CrossClimate+ won 0 and Kinergy 4S2 won 5 (average 93% vs 97% of the best).
- In 5 tests that measured wet handling for both, CrossClimate+ won 2 and Kinergy 4S2 won 3 (average 97% vs 99% of the best).
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87
Dry
CrossClimate+ +1572Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 23 tests 94 83 Reviews found online 78 57 Dry Braking (% of best) · 7 shared tests · wins 7–0 99% 95% Dry Braking (cool) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 96% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 3–0 100% 99% Dry Handling (cool) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 100% CrossClimate+: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 78 = 87
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 82.6 + 40% × 56.5 = 72
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81
Wet
CrossClimate+ +378Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 23 tests 81 87 Reviews found online 81 64 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 0–5 93% 97% Wet Braking (% of best) · 7 shared tests · wins 3–4 94% 95% Wet Braking (cool) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 95% 84% Wet Handling (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 2–3 97% 99% Wet Handling (cool) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 96% CrossClimate+: 60% × 80.9 + 40% × 81.3 = 81
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 86.6 + 40% × 64.3 = 78
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69
Snow
Kinergy 4S2 +372Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 18 tests 65 79 Reviews found online 73 61 Snow Braking (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 1–4 94% 95% Snow Handling (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 1–4 98% 98% Snow Traction (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 97% 97% CrossClimate+: 60% × 65.5 + 40% × 73.2 = 69
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 79 + 40% × 61.3 = 72
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75
Comfort
CrossClimate+ +1164Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests 71 77 Reviews found online 78 55 CrossClimate+: 40% × 70.9 + 60% × 77.6 = 75
Kinergy 4S2: 40% × 76.6 + 60% × 54.9 = 64
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67
Noise
CrossClimate+ +166Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 18 tests 68 66 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 3–2 99% 99% CrossClimate+: 60% × 67.8 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 67
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 65.6 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 66
No owner ratings of noise for CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2. 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.
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82
Treadwear
CrossClimate+ +1567Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 9 tests 83 71 Reviews found online 80 59 Wear (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 98% 63% CrossClimate+: 60% × 83.1 + 40% × 79.5 = 82
Kinergy 4S2: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 59.4 = 67
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72
Handling (owners)
CrossClimate+ +1656Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ Kinergy 4S2 Reviews found online 72 56 -
75
Efficiency
CrossClimate+ +2154Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ Kinergy 4S2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 18 tests 75 54 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 4–1 90% 87%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin CrossClimate+ | Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 70 |
| Dry | 87 | 72 |
| Wet | 81 | 78 |
| Snow | 69 | 72 |
| Comfort | 75 | 64 |
| Noise | 67 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 82 | 67 |
| Handling (owners) | 72 | 56 |
| Efficiency | 75 | 54 |
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
79
/ 100
CrossClimate+
70
/ 100
Kinergy 4S2
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.
In the overall rankings of 11 tests that ran both, Michelin CrossClimate+ finished ahead 7 times and Hankook Kinergy 4S2 4 times.
| Discipline | Category | CrossClimate+ | Kinergy 4S2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 99% | 95% | +4.1 | 7–0 in 7 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Dry Braking (cool) | Dry | 96% | 100% | −4.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% | 99% | +0.5 | 3–0 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Dry Handling (cool) | Dry | 100% | 100% | +0.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 70% #13/13 · 2019 Swedish Summer Tyre Test | 95% #3/9 · 2026 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 225/40 R18 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 93% | 97% | −4.4 | 0–5 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 94% | 95% | −0.6 | 3–4 in 7 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Braking (cool) | Wet | 95% | 84% | +10.9 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% | 99% | −1.3 | 2–3 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Handling (cool) | Wet | 100% | 96% | +4.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 60% #13/13 · 2019 Swedish Summer Tyre Test | 91% #6/9 · 2026 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 225/40 R18 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 100% #4/7 · 2020 ADAC SUV All Season Tyre Test | 92% #11/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 94% | 95% | −1.9 | 1–4 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% | 98% | −0.6 | 1–4 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 97% | 97% | −0.3 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 90% #2/4 · 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 | 88% #8/9 · 2026 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 225/40 R18 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% | 99% | 0.0 | 3–2 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 98% | 63% | +34.4 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% | 87% | +3.1 | 4–1 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 68% | 88% | −20.1 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #3/14 | #13/14 | – | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Value | Cost | 84% | 72% | +12.0 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #4/9 | #6/9 | – | 7–4 in 11 shared tests Newest: 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test · 205/55 R16 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A CrossClimate+
Pros
- Excellent traction and confidence in light to moderate snow and ice.
- Strong wet and dry road handling that rivals dedicated summer tires.
- Impressive tread longevity and durability over high mileage.
Cons
- Performance in wet conditions can diminish significantly as the tire wears.
- Increased road noise reported by some users compared to dedicated summer tires.
- Occasional reports of a harsh or 'bouncy' ride on certain vehicle suspensions.
Tire B Kinergy 4S2
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather grip, braking, and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong performance and confidence in cold temperatures, light snow, and slush
- High overall value for money compared to premium tier alternatives
Cons
- Increased road noise and occasional highway 'whining' or howling between 120-140 km/h
- Some reports of faster-than-expected tread wear or uneven inner tread deformation
- Softer sidewalls can induce initial steering delay or a slight floating feel during aggressive cornering
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Michelin CrossClimate+
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Community members frequently view the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 as a solid, budget-friendly alternative to premium all-weather tires like the Michelin CrossClimate 2, highlighting its strong wet traction and good snow performance for the price. However, users report mixed experiences regarding tread longevity, with some noting rapid or uneven wear, as well as drawbacks such as highway humming noise, a stiff ride, and twitchy handling on ice.
subaruoutback.org
·3 upvotes ·2022-11-09
“I had the Kinergy 4s2 tires and they were not good. They wore unevenly, especially on the outsides of the fronts and handling was poor. When cornering the tire felt like the sidewall was folding under which would explain the increased wear on the outside tread block of the tires . The alignment was verified to be perfect. Go with the CC2 or anything Nokian . I ran some old Nokian WRG2s and was very impressed. Id imagine the latest versions are also very good.”
r/tires
·2 upvotes ·2024-11-16
“We're able to get the Kinergy 4S2 from Discount Tires (America's Tires) for less than half the price of. the Cross Climate 2's. We plan to give them a try on a Nissan LEAF and Prius Prime. Hot take: Hit the "found a lower price" feature on the Discount Tire site and see what they offer you! We were very pleasantly surprised!”
r/croautomobili
·22 upvotes ·2025-10-29
“Zimske gume - premium ili neka srednja klasa? Nakon 2 proklizavanja u skretanju ovaj vikend (po kiši) zaključila sam da je vrijeme da kupim nove gume. Otkako sam uzela auto (prosinac 2022.) imam jedne te iste cjelogodišnje gume, Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 225/45/R17. Prošlu zimu kad je bilo snijega jedva sam kući s posla išla koliko sam se klizala po ulici, kiša još nekako ali snijeg i led katastrofa. Ove godine je i na kiši počeo proklizavati. Auto je zadnji pogon, 115ks ništa specijalno. Ono što me zanima je koliko ima smisla uzeti neke premium gume obzirom da godišnje radim oko 15k kilometara, većinski po gradu (Slavonija), tu i tamo autoput do Zg, možda 2 puta godišnje Mađarska/Austrija/Slovenija. Vidim da svi hvale Continental Wintercontact TS870 ali poprilično su skupe pa imate li možda preporuku za nešto jeftinije, a kvalitetno? Više me zanima da su dobre za kišu jer snijega nema nešto specijalno i sve će biti bolje nego ove koje sad imam. Što se dimenzije tiče imam jedne alu felge pa bih onda uzela istu dimenziju čisto da se ne moram izut iz cipela zbog troškova s kupovanjem još i felgi. TLDR: Zimska guma, 225/45/R17, zadnji pogon, što kupiti? Read more”
Top themes
#Affordable CrossClimate alternative#Wet weather traction#Snow and winter performance#Tread wear longevity#Cabin road noise#Ride stiffness and comfort
Based on 33 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin CrossClimate+ | B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 63 | 95 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 19″ | 14″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 54 | 54 |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Michelin CrossClimate+
70
/ 100
Hankook Kinergy 4S2
Winner: Michelin CrossClimate+ — better efficiency, handling and dry. Pick the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 75 vs 54 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 72 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 87 vs 72 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 82 vs 67 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is straight aquaplaning
Hankook Kinergy 4S2 won 5 of 5 shared straight aquaplaning tests.
Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate+
Tire B · Hankook Kinergy 4S2
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CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2?
Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2?
Michelin CrossClimate+, 81 vs 78 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2?
Michelin CrossClimate+, 87 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2?
Hankook Kinergy 4S2, 72 vs 69 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2?
Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 66 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2?
Michelin CrossClimate+, 75 vs 64 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2?
Michelin CrossClimate+, 82 vs 67 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, CrossClimate+ or Kinergy 4S2?
Michelin CrossClimate+, 75 vs 54 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