Tests 75 · 2 tests Owners 74 · 152 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 14 in 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test (noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin CrossClimate vs Michelin Primacy HP — 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 + 0 road tests and 152 + 205 owner reviews. How we score
CrossClimate is ahead, 75–63
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Tests – · none yet Owners 62 · 205 reviews
“Sounds as if Aus is rationalising inventory John. Pity because the HP is a good dirt road tyre with stones around. That said the XM2 is also a tough tyre & designed to take knocks that would damage High Performance summer tyres.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
76
Dry
CrossClimate +1264Why this score
Source CrossClimate Primacy HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 78 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 74 62 CrossClimate: 60% × 77.9 + 40% × 73.5 = 76
Primacy HP: 60% × 65.6 (est.) + 40% × 62.2 = 64
No road tests of dry for Primacy HP. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
-
76
Wet
CrossClimate +1165Why this score
Source CrossClimate Primacy HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 75 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 78 63 CrossClimate: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 77.8 = 76
Primacy HP: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 63 = 65
No road tests of wet for Primacy HP. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
69
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source CrossClimate Primacy HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 71 – Reviews found online 66 – CrossClimate: 60% × 70.9 + 40% × 65.5 = 69
-
74
Comfort
CrossClimate +1361Why this score
Source CrossClimate Primacy HP Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 76 58 CrossClimate: 40% × 70.1 (est.) + 60% × 75.8 = 74
Primacy HP: 40% × 66.5 (est.) + 60% × 57.5 = 61
No road tests of comfort for CrossClimate or Primacy HP. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
69
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source CrossClimate Primacy HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 71 – Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) – CrossClimate: 60% × 70.7 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 69
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.
-
74
Treadwear
CrossClimate +1163Why this score
Source CrossClimate Primacy HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 74 ≈ 65 (est.) Reviews found online 75 61 CrossClimate: 60% × 73.8 + 40% × 75 = 74
Primacy HP: 60% × 64.6 (est.) + 40% × 61.2 = 63
No road tests of treadwear for Primacy HP. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
73
Handling (owners)
CrossClimate +1459Why this score
Source CrossClimate Primacy HP Reviews found online 73 59 -
76
Efficiency
No comparison–Why this score
Source CrossClimate Primacy HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 76 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin CrossClimate | Michelin Primacy HP |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 75 | 63 |
| Dry | 76 | 64 |
| Wet | 76 | 65 |
| Snow | 69 | – |
| Comfort | 74 | 61 |
| Noise | 69 | – |
| Treadwear | 74 | 63 |
| Handling (owners) | 73 | 59 |
| Efficiency | 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 starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. 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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
75
/ 100
CrossClimate
63
/ 100
Primacy HP
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.
| Discipline | Category | CrossClimate | Primacy HP | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #9/9 2018 ADAC All Season Tyre Test | #5/6 2010 Autocar Tyre Test - FWD | – | 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
Tire B Primacy HP
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and longevity
- Strong dry-road grip and handling
- High fuel efficiency and low rolling resistance
Cons
- Noticeable decline in wet-weather grip as tread depth decreases
- High retail price compared to competitors
- Increased road noise as the tire ages
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
Michelin Primacy HP
Community opinion on the Michelin Primacy HP is divided depending on use case: enthusiasts frequently criticize them for lacking grip compared to dedicated Pilot Sport performance tires, though many appreciate their playful, low-traction slide characteristics on cars like the GR86/BRZ. Owners also note their low rolling resistance and suitability for mild climates, but raise occasional discussions around shoulder cracking with age and their limitation as summer-only rubber.
mbworld.org
“Sounds as if Aus is rationalising inventory John. Pity because the HP is a good dirt road tyre with stones around. That said the XM2 is also a tough tyre & designed to take knocks that would damage High Performance summer tyres.”
r/ft86
·3 upvotes ·2016-01-25
“You will notice the difference, but if you don't track, autocross, or canyon carve, I wouldn't bother. You don't have to stick with Primacy but it's not worth the PSS. The only reason I would go PSS in that instance, is if the price is similar to Primacy HP (it might actually be similar). If you drive in snow at all I would not go with PSS. Do not go with anything more aggressive than PSS for day to day street driving. There are people who daily drive more aggressive RS3s, RE-71s, ZII Star Specs, etc. but they track/autocross, know the limits, and take it easy around standing water.”
g42.bimmerpost.com
“BIMMERPOST / Classifieds Asking Price: USD 30.00 Location: ✓ Local Pickup Only Item Interest These tires were removed from my F10 535i M Sport with 15k miles on them. They have 3/32nd (30%) of tread depth remaining. They are great for those of you looking to do some burnouts or donuts. Both tires have not been patched. I am asking $30 local pick up only in SoCal 91765.”
Top themes
#grip vs playfulness#comparison to pilot sport#summer tire limitations#tread cracking concerns#low rolling resistance#oem fitment discussion
Based on 36 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin CrossClimate | B · Michelin Primacy HP |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| UTQG | — | 240 A A |
Which one should you actually buy?
75
/ 100
Michelin CrossClimate
63
/ 100
Michelin Primacy HP
Winner: Michelin CrossClimate — better handling, comfort and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin CrossClimate scores 73 vs 59 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin CrossClimate scores 74 vs 61 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin CrossClimate scores 76 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin CrossClimate scores 76 vs 65 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate
Tire B · Michelin Primacy HP
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CrossClimate or Primacy HP?
Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate or Primacy HP?
Michelin CrossClimate, 76 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate or Primacy HP?
Michelin CrossClimate, 76 vs 64 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate or Primacy HP?
Michelin CrossClimate, 74 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, CrossClimate or Primacy HP?
Michelin CrossClimate, 74 vs 63 on our treadwear 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