Tests 74 · 2 tests Owners 72 · 152 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin CrossClimate vs Pirelli P Zero — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
CrossClimate is ahead, 73–62
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests 73 · 3 tests Owners 51 · 3,469 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)
“I just put PZ5 on my vehicle! I live in Louisiana ! They are absolutely insanely sticky! Especially in the rain! My vehicle came with the P-zeros. I’ve had Pirelli’s on my car’s in the past and yes, Pirelli’s are soft. The trade off is sticking to the road! I am an aggressive driver & was aware the sacrifice. I have to change my tires every oil change. 9-12k miles. These PZ5’s grip in the rain. Crazy awesome! Pirelli knocked these suckers out!!! I love ‘em!!!”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
75
Dry
CrossClimate +273Why this score
Source CrossClimate P Zero Professional tests (TWG score) 77 79 Reviews found online 73 64 Dry Braking (% of best) 100% 97% Dry Handling (% of best) 100% 100% -
75
Wet
CrossClimate +471Why this score
Source CrossClimate P Zero Professional tests (TWG score) 75 80 Reviews found online 76 57 Wet Braking (% of best) 96% 99% Wet Handling (% of best) 99% 99% -
68
Snow
CrossClimate +1850Why this score
Source CrossClimate P Zero Professional tests (TWG score) 71 – Reviews found online 64 37 -
72
Comfort
CrossClimate +1062Why this score
Source CrossClimate P Zero Professional tests (TWG score) – 70 Reviews found online 75 51 -
69
Noise
CrossClimate +1059Why this score
Source CrossClimate P Zero Professional tests (TWG score) 71 61 Reviews found online – 55 -
72
Treadwear
CrossClimate +1953Why this score
Source CrossClimate P Zero Professional tests (TWG score) 73 65 Reviews found online 71 34 -
72
Handling
CrossClimate +1458Why this score
Source CrossClimate P Zero Reviews found online 72 58
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin CrossClimate | Pirelli P Zero |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 62 |
| Dry | 75 | 73 |
| Wet | 75 | 71 |
| Snow | 68 | 50 |
| Comfort | 72 | 62 |
| Noise | 69 | 59 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 53 |
| Handling | 72 | 58 |
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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
CrossClimate
62
/ 100
P Zero
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | CrossClimate | P Zero | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/45 · 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | +2.6 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #1/8 · 2017 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/8 · 2017 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | 73% #16/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +27.1 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test | 97% #18/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +3.0 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 65% #8/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test | 53% #20/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +11.9 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 91% #4/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test | 66% #15/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +25.2 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test | 20% #5/11 · 2015 Auto Express Tyre Test | +30.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 97% #3/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test | 93% #14/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +4.3 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #4/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test | 0% #17/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 96% #2/8 · 2017 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test | 99% #3/45 · 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | −3.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #2/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −0.2 | 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 P Zero
Pros
- Outstanding dry grip and handling performance
- Precise steering feedback and high-speed stability
- Good wet-weather braking and cornering when warm
Cons
- Rapid and uneven tread wear, often requiring replacement much sooner than expected
- Poor grip and unpredictable traction in cold temperatures (below 7°C/45°F)
- Prone to tramlining and tracking road imperfections
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
Pirelli P Zero
Community opinions on the Pirelli P Zero lineup are heavily polarized depending on the specific sub-model and application (automotive vs. cycling). While performance summer variants and the newer AS Plus 3 or PZ5 tyres receive strong praise for dry grip, steering feel, and value compared to Michelin or Continental alternatives, older OEM specs and certain summer variants face heavy criticism for poor wet weather traction, fast wear rates, and difficult mounting.
r/GolfGTI
·3 upvotes ·2025-09-23
“Pirelli P Zero AS Plus 3 OR Continental DWS06+ title pretty much says it all. wheel size is 235/35 19. plan on running these year round. TIA pirelli $1004 + tax installed Conti $1233 + tax installed Read more”
r/CarTalkUK
·1 upvote ·2026-01-24
“So many people seem to hate the p zero but I’ve got along with them so well, but yes they can go rock hard when they’re cold but once they’ve got some heat in them especially in the wet they grip so well for me. I have noticed though that anything below 4-5°c is when they become hard to keep heat in but once you work the tyre properly they’re brilliant. I have run them all winter on my 300bhp fwd car and can’t complain, I don’t get why no one likes them🤷♂️”
r/mazda3
·3 upvotes ·2026-04-07
“I put a set of Pirelli P Zero AS3's on my 2019 Mazda 3. After driving about 1,500 miles, I can say that I love them. The steering has a very direct feel - it turns in almost immediately. Needless to say the grip is fantastic. ... and that is only with outside air temps in the 50's. I can't wait to see how they perform when it gets to be in the 70's and they can get some heat in them. One of the reasons I was attracted to this tire is that Pirelli claims to have incorporated technology that helps the tires maintain the same level of performance as they wear over time. I have been frustrated in the past to see how tires loose their grip long before the treadwear gets low. Also, it didn't hurt that Pirelli had a $100 instant rebate!”
Top themes
#Wet weather grip performance#Treadwear and mileage longevity#Ride comfort and low noise#Difficult tire mounting process#Comparison with Michelin and Continental
Based on 107 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin CrossClimate | B · Pirelli P Zero |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 194 |
| Rim diameters | — | 17″ – 24″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 220 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Michelin CrossClimate
62
/ 100
Pirelli P Zero
Winner: Michelin CrossClimate — better treadwear, snow and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin CrossClimate scores 72 vs 53 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin CrossClimate scores 68 vs 50 on snow.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin CrossClimate scores 72 vs 58 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin CrossClimate scores 72 vs 62 on comfort.
Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate
Tire B · Pirelli P Zero
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.