Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 — 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 32 + 7 road tests and 21,600 + 49 owner reviews. How we score
Best test result: #1 of 35 in 2023 All Season Tyre 35 Set Shootout (dry braking)
“Michelin CrossClimate 2 after 31.000 kilometers I have those Michelin CrossClimate 2 (EU version, made in Spain) for 26 months now and 31.000 kilometers on a heavy Mercedes EQE, the rears are still good but the front tyres are starting to give up on the shoulders. Usual tyre pressure is 2.8 bars, there is still some good tread left on the middle of the tyre. Steering feeling on the snow is also not as good as it used to be. Overall very happy with those tyres, I’ll have to decide between the Continental AllSeasonContact 2 or the CrossClimate 3 Sport (sadly the 3 isn’t available in 255/45 R19) to replace them this year. We have the Pirelli Scorpion SF3 on our second car. Given the car and my usage, I give priority to snow braking, rolling resistance, silence and longevity. I lost a bit of range, comfort and steering engagement when I swapped the factory Bridgestone Turanza T005 for the CrossClimate 2, but in general nothing to call-out.”
No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 860. 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.
83
Treadwear
CrossClimate 2 +9
74
Why this score
Source
CrossClimate 2
WinterContact TS 860
Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 3 tests
81
73
Reviews found online
87
76
CrossClimate 2:60% × 81.1 + 40% × 87 = 83
WinterContact TS 860:60% × 72.8 + 40% × 76 = 74
82
Handling (owners)
Level
82
Why this score
Source
CrossClimate 2
WinterContact TS 860
Reviews found online
82
82
90
Efficiency
CrossClimate 2 +14
76
Why this score
Source
CrossClimate 2
WinterContact TS 860
Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / 6 tests
90
76
Scores at a glance
Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860: scores by category (0–100)
Category
Michelin CrossClimate 2
Continental WinterContact TS 860
Relative Score
87
79
Dry
95
77
Wet
87
88
Snow
91
76
Comfort
78
78
Noise
80
74
Treadwear
83
74
Handling (owners)
82
82
Efficiency
90
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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
87
/ 100
± 4
CrossClimate 2
79
/ 100
± 5
WinterContact TS 860
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 2
WinterContact TS 860
Δ
Head-to-head
Dry Braking
Dry
100%#2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15
94%#11/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Dry Handling
Dry
98%#4/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4
100%#1/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark)
Dry
70%#7/8 · 2024 Promobil Commercial Winter Tire Test R17
60%#7/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning
Wet
93%#9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15
94%#5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Wet Braking
Wet
92%#9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15
94%#2/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Wet Handling
Wet
93%#5/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4
99%#4/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark)
Wet
100%#1/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17
100%#1/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Ice Braking
Snow
93%#10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15
93%#6/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Ice Handling
Snow
89%#8/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17
100%#1/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres
–
Different tests
Ice Traction
Snow
58%#7/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17
86%#8/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Snow Braking
Snow
97%#3/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15
99%#3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Snow Handling
Snow
100%#1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4
99%#9/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Snow Handling (tester's mark)
Snow
100%#1/4 · 2023 TUV Report All Season Test
90%#2/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Snow Traction
Snow
96%#5/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15
98%#6/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark)
Comfort
80%#3/8 · 2025 Teknikens Varld Summer Tyre Test
90%#5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Noise
Noise
98%#9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15
100%#2/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Wear
Treadwear
95%#4/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15
90%#2/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Rolling Resistance
Efficiency
100%#1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4
95%#5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price
Cost
55%#12/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test
60%#19/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership
Cost
#3/152024 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test
#10/202019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Value
Cost
47%#14/15 · 2025 ADAC All Season Tyre Test
70%#16/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Overall Ranking
Overall
#2/62026 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R17
#6/162021 ADAC Winter Tire Test R15
–
Different tests
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Michelin CrossClimate 2
Positive
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.
#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
Tire B
Continental WinterContact TS 860
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
Attribute
A · Michelin CrossClimate 2
B · Continental WinterContact TS 860
Category
All Season
Winter
Vehicle type
Passenger Car / Crossover
Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available
92
47
Rim diameters
15″ – 21″
13″ – 17″
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
22
22
Which one should you actually buy?
87
/ 100
Michelin CrossClimate 2
79
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 860
Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better dry, snow and efficiency. Where the Continental WinterContact TS 860 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Pick tire AYou want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 77 on dry.
Pick tire AYou drive through snowy winters
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 91 vs 76 on snow.
Pick tire AYou want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 76 on efficiency.
Pick tire AYou want the longest tread life
Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 83 vs 74 on treadwear.
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