Tests 81 · 13 tests Owners 78 · 120 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2019 Summer and All Season Tyre Test (dry handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin CrossClimate+ 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 13 + 33 road tests and 120 + 21,761 owner reviews. How we score
CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 87–79
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Tests 87 · 33 tests Owners 87 · 21,761 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 35 in 2023 All Season Tyre 35 Set Shootout (dry braking)
“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.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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87
Dry
CrossClimate 2 +895Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 31 tests 94 99 Reviews found online 77 88 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 90% 100% Lane Switching (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 100% 100% Lateral Stability (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 90% Slalom (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 90% 100% Three Lane Switchings (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 95% 100% CrossClimate+: 60% × 93.9 + 40% × 77.4 = 87
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 99.2 + 40% × 88.4 = 95
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81
Wet
CrossClimate 2 +687Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 31 tests 81 83 Reviews found online 81 92 Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 90% 80% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 100% 100% CrossClimate+: 60% × 80.8 + 40% × 81.1 = 81
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 83.1 + 40% × 91.7 = 87
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68
Snow
CrossClimate 2 +2391Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 27 tests 65 99 Reviews found online 73 79 Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 90% 100% Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 95% 100% Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 90% 100% CrossClimate+: 60% × 65.1 + 40% × 72.8 = 68
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 98.6 + 40% × 78.8 = 91
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74
Comfort
CrossClimate 2 +478Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests 71 67 Reviews found online 77 86 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 90% 80% CrossClimate+: 40% × 70.9 + 60% × 76.9 = 74
CrossClimate 2: 40% × 67.1 + 60% × 86 = 78
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67
Noise
CrossClimate 2 +1279Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 20 tests 68 77 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) 83 Interior Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 90% 80% Exterior Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 90% 90% CrossClimate+: 60% × 67.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 67
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 76.9 + 40% × 82.5 = 79
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.
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82
Treadwear
CrossClimate 2 +284Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 7 tests 83 81 Reviews found online 80 88 CrossClimate+: 60% × 83.2 + 40% × 79.7 = 82
CrossClimate 2: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 88 = 84
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72
Handling (owners)
CrossClimate 2 +1082Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ CrossClimate 2 Reviews found online 72 82 -
74
Efficiency
CrossClimate 2 +1690Why this score
Source CrossClimate+ CrossClimate 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 23 tests 74 90
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin CrossClimate+ | Michelin CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 87 |
| Dry | 87 | 95 |
| Wet | 81 | 87 |
| Snow | 68 | 91 |
| Comfort | 74 | 78 |
| Noise | 67 | 79 |
| Treadwear | 82 | 84 |
| Handling (owners) | 72 | 82 |
| Efficiency | 74 | 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
79
/ 100
CrossClimate+
87
/ 100
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.
In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Michelin CrossClimate+ finished ahead 0 times and Michelin CrossClimate 2 1 times.
| Discipline | Category | CrossClimate+ | CrossClimate 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 90% | 100% | −10.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #2/9 · 2021 AZ 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% #13/13 · 2019 Swedish Summer Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Lane Switching | Dry | 100% | 100% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Lateral Stability | Dry | 100% | 90% | +10.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Slalom | Dry | 90% | 100% | −10.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Three Lane Switchings | Dry | 95% | 100% | −5.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 95% #8/9 · 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test | 93% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 90% | 80% | +10.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% | 100% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 60% #13/13 · 2019 Swedish Summer Tyre Test | 83% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 195/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 100% #4/7 · 2020 ADAC SUV All Season Tyre Test | 93% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 90% | 100% | −10.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 95% | 100% | −5.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 90% | 100% | −10.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 90% | 80% | +10.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 90% | 90% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Interior Noise | Noise | 90% | 80% | +10.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Noise | Noise | 100% #1/9 · 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test | 98% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 94% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | 95% #4/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 89% #6/9 · 2021 AZ 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) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 76% #9/9 · 2021 AZ All Season Tyre Test | 55% #12/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Price | Cost | 100% | 90% | +10.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #3/14 2020 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | #3/15 2024 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 75% #10/14 · 2020 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | 47% #14/15 · 2025 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Weight | Other | 85% | 100% | −15.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/4 | #1/4 | – | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 · 225/45R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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.
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
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
Positive
Michelin CrossClimate 2
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.
r/Subaru_Outback
·14 upvotes ·2024-01-17
“My Official review of the Cross Climate 2 tires. I put some new shoes on the Outback after reading some threads on here and decided with my weather here in Missouri the Cross Climate 2s were the best fit. In rain, they are great so no more sliding or hydroplaning what so ever. In snow, they are even more amazing. They grip extremely well. The one downside to them that concerns me, and I didn't think about this when I purchased them, is that fact you can't do a full tire rotation to them like conventional tires as they are directional so you can only do front to back and vise versa. For this reason I am concerned if I will get 60K out of them and avoid the inner/outer wear. Sure you can dismount the tire from the wheel and remount them but I had heard that's bad for them. Overall, they are excellent. If you are concerned about the tire rotation thing, I would say the Michelin Defenders or the Falkan Wildpeaks are probably a better bet. I plan on getting the Falkans next but hopefully that wont be for at least 50K more miles. Read more”
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.”
r/ecoboostmustang
·2 upvotes ·2025-07-28
“On a 2015 Highlander Hybrid, the CC2 is excellent anti-hydroplaning, wonderful snow and ice handling, both moving and stopping. I am a rideshare driver averaging 200 or so miles per day. The tires are only just now a bit noisier at 78,000 miles. Wear is down to 3/32 and went through a wild, heavy rain storm today with no lack of confidence whatsoever. Only downside is that >80 degrees F and gas mileage goes down by 2 mpg. Love the tires so much that I feel the slight loss during summer is still worth it.”
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+ | B · Michelin CrossClimate 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 63 | 92 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 19″ | 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 common | 50 | 50 |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Michelin CrossClimate+
87
/ 100
Michelin CrossClimate 2
Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better snow, efficiency and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 91 vs 68 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 74 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 79 vs 67 on noise.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 82 vs 72 on handling.
Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate+
Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate 2
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CrossClimate+ or CrossClimate 2?
Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate+ or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 87 vs 81 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate+ or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 87 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, CrossClimate+ or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 91 vs 68 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, CrossClimate+ or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 79 vs 67 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate+ or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 78 vs 74 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, CrossClimate+ or CrossClimate 2?
Neither, by our numbers: 82 vs 84 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
Which rolls more easily, CrossClimate+ or CrossClimate 2?
Michelin CrossClimate 2, 90 vs 74 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