Head-to-head Updated

Michelin CrossClimate vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — 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 2 + 21 road tests and 152 + 12,691 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 81–75

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Michelin CrossClimate
Tire AMichelin

CrossClimate

All Season

± 6

Tests 75 · 2 tests Owners 74 · 152 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 14 in 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test (noise)

Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 4

Summer

± 4

Tests 85 · 21 tests Owners 76 · 12,691 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 45 in 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout (dry braking)

“Those are Pilot sport 4 (all season). If it had s after the 4 it would be the summer high performance version. I put the pilot sport 4 on wife's GTI autobahn 2016. Great handling tire, stiff side walls, not the smoothest ride but best overall.”

Category by category

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

  1. 76

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 +11
    87
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 20 tests7889
    Reviews found online7485

    CrossClimate: 60% × 77.8 + 40% × 73.9 = 76

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 89.1 + 40% × 84.5 = 87

  2. 76

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 +14
    90
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 20 tests7593
    Reviews found online7885

    CrossClimate: 60% × 75.5 + 40% × 78 = 76

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 93.1 + 40% × 84.7 = 90

  3. 69

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests71–
    Reviews found online66–

    CrossClimate: 60% × 70.9 + 40% × 65.6 = 69

  4. 74

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 +3
    77
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 70 (est.)83
    Reviews found online7672

    CrossClimate: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 76.3 = 74

    Pilot Sport 4: 40% × 83.4 + 60% × 72.4 = 77

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

  5. 69

    Noise

    Pilot Sport 4 +2
    71
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 13 tests7173
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    CrossClimate: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 73.4 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 71

    No owner ratings of noise for CrossClimate or Pilot Sport 4. 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. 74

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate +3
    71
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7478
    Reviews found online7560

    CrossClimate: 60% × 73.8 + 40% × 74.8 = 74

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 78.1 + 40% × 59.5 = 71

  7. 73

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 +8
    81
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Sport 4
    Reviews found online7381
  8. 76

    Efficiency

    Level
    76
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 14 tests7676
Scores at a glance
Michelin CrossClimate vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin CrossClimateMichelin Pilot Sport 4
Relative Score 75 81
Dry 76 87
Wet 76 90
Snow 69 –
Comfort 74 77
Noise 69 71
Treadwear 74 71
Handling (owners) 73 81
Efficiency 76 76

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.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

CrossClimate

± 4

Pilot Sport 4

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.

DisciplineCategoryCrossClimatePilot Sport 4ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 99% #2/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 90% #7/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 94% #4/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test 80% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 87% #9/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 70% #8/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 96% #4/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 70% #4/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Noise Noise 100% #1/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 99% #6/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 91% #4/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test 96% #5/16 · 2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/8 · 2017 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 80% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #4/10 2017 All Season Tyre Test #16/20 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 65% #8/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test 59% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #9/9 2018 ADAC All Season Tyre Test #7/9 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A CrossClimate

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability
  • Strong wet-weather grip and hydroplaning resistance
  • Reliable traction in light snow and cold conditions

Cons

  • Tendency to pick up and retain small stones in the tread pattern
  • Noticeable drop in performance as tread depth decreases
  • Potential for reduced fuel economy compared to dedicated summer tires
All owner themes in the CrossClimate review

Tire B Pilot Sport 4

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction with outstanding resistance to aquaplaning
  • Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and a reduction in cabin noise compared to standard run-flat tires
  • Progressive and predictable breakaway limits during spirited driving

Cons

  • Faster-than-average treadwear, particularly under aggressive driving or on rear-wheel-drive performance cars
  • Softer sidewalls can lead to a slight lack of initial steering precision and a vague feel at the limit for hardcore enthusiasts
  • Performance drops off significantly in cold, freezing, or snowy winter conditions
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 review

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

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Positive

The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 line as a premium upgrade offering exceptional dry and wet grip, precise handling, and superior ride comfort compared to OEM or run-flat tires. While celebrated for performance, users frequently discuss its high price tag, faster treadwear, and noticeable drop in EV efficiency. Some drivers also note increased road noise and reduced traction when temperatures drop near freezing.

Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Run-flat replacement upgrade#Treadwear and longevity#Cold weather performance#Road noise and comfort#EV range and efficiency#Comparison to Continental tires

Based on 246 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin CrossClimate B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
CategoryAll SeasonSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—62
Rim diameters—16″ – 20″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin CrossClimate

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better wet, dry and handling. Pick the Michelin CrossClimate if treadwear matters most to you.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 90 vs 76 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 87 vs 76 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 81 vs 73 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin CrossClimate scores 74 vs 71 on treadwear.

Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4

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CrossClimate or Pilot Sport 4?

Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate or Pilot Sport 4?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 90 vs 76 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate or Pilot Sport 4?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 87 vs 76 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, CrossClimate or Pilot Sport 4?

Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 71 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate or Pilot Sport 4?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 77 vs 74 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, CrossClimate or Pilot Sport 4?

Michelin CrossClimate, 74 vs 71 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, CrossClimate or Pilot Sport 4?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 76 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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