Head-to-head Updated

Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — 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 + 18 road tests and 21,600 + 30 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: CrossClimate 2 and Pilot Alpin 5 are level at 87.

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Michelin CrossClimate 2
Tire AMichelin

CrossClimate 2

All Season

± 4

Tests 87 · 32 tests Owners 87 · 21,600 reviews

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.”

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Alpin 5

Winter

± 4

Tests 90 · 18 tests Owners 82 · 30 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 31 in 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 95

    Dry

    CrossClimate 2 +7
    88
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / 14 tests9991
    Reviews found online8984

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 99.1 + 40% × 88.5 = 95

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 91.1 + 40% × 83.7 = 88

  2. 87

    Wet

    Pilot Alpin 5 +4
    91
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / 18 tests8394
    Reviews found online9286

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 83.4 + 40% × 91.8 = 87

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.5 + 40% × 86.4 = 91

  3. 91

    Snow

    CrossClimate 2 +4
    87
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / 17 tests9994
    Reviews found online7878

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 98.9 + 40% × 78.4 = 91

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 77.7 = 87

  4. 78

    Comfort

    Level
    78
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 3 tests6580
    Reviews found online8777

    CrossClimate 2: 40% × 65.1 + 60% × 86.5 = 78

    Pilot Alpin 5: 40% × 79.5 + 60% × 76.8 = 78

  5. 80

    Noise

    Pilot Alpin 5 +5
    85
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 14 tests7997
    Reviews found online83≈ 67 (est.)

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 78.6 + 40% × 82.7 = 80

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 96.5 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 85

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Alpin 5. 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. 83

    Treadwear

    Pilot Alpin 5 +1
    84
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 5 tests8184
    Reviews found online8782

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 81.1 + 40% × 87 = 83

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 84.4 + 40% × 82.3 = 84

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Alpin 5 +3
    85
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5
    Reviews found online8285
  8. 90

    Efficiency

    CrossClimate 2 +16
    74
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / 14 tests9074
Scores at a glance
Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin CrossClimate 2Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Relative Score 87 87
Dry 95 88
Wet 87 91
Snow 91 87
Comfort 78 78
Noise 80 85
Treadwear 83 84
Handling (owners) 82 85
Efficiency 90 74

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
± 4

CrossClimate 2

± 4

Pilot Alpin 5

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.

DisciplineCategoryCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 100% #1/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #4/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 100% #2/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 90% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 78% #9/11 · 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 93% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 100% #1/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 98% #2/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking (concrete) Wet 94% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 99% #5/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 95% #5/5 · 2025 TUV Hankook iON FlexClimate EV Report 77% #22/30 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 93% #5/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 99% #3/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 100% #1/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 100% #1/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 93% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 93% #8/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 97% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 98% #3/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 100% #2/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 100% #1/4 · 2023 TUV Report All Season Test 50% #2/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Slalom Snow 100% #1/9 · 2025 Auto Bild All Season Camper Van Tyre Test 99% #3/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 96% #5/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 96% #3/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 80% #3/8 · 2025 Teknikens Varld Summer Tyre Test 70% #3/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 98% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 98% #6/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Abrasion Treadwear 100% #1/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 100% #2/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 95% #4/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 83% #4/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Fuel Consumption Efficiency 98% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 93% #5/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 89% #10/20 · 2025 Autobild 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 72% #9/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #3/15 2024 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test #16/20 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 47% #14/15 · 2025 ADAC All Season Tyre Test 55% #19/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #2/6 2026 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R17 #2/18 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – 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
All owner themes in the CrossClimate 2 review

Tire B Pilot Alpin 5

Pros

  • Outstanding dry and wet grip and handling, feeling similar to a UHP summer tire
  • Great snow traction and stability for mountain driving and aggressive winter cornering
  • Excellent steering response and high feedback compared to traditional winter tires

Cons

  • Subpar performance and braking on pure ice or severe slush
  • Stiffer sidewalls can lead to a firmer, sometimes bumpy ride quality and transfer road imperfections
  • Fuel economy can be negatively impacted
All owner themes in the Pilot Alpin 5 review

What real owners are saying

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.

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.”

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”

r/tires ·14 upvotes ·2024-01-14

“Michelin Cross climate 2 in winter snowstorm 1/2024 review I had these installed on my 2021 Honda CR-V hybrid AWD back in August from the OEM Hancook tires. The road noise went away after driving about 500 miles. These tires are freaking amazing! Large puddle on the road? No hydroplaning. My MPG didn’t suffer that much (about 0.3-0.5 mpg decrease). Recently got hit by the snowstorm in Michigan and it’s nice having the confidence driving in the bad road conditions. On my way home from work, there were so many accidents with cars in ditches and unable to go up a hill. I had to take backroads and I had no problem traversing through the back dirt roads. There was a hill that a lot of cars weren’t able to get up but I just squeezed past them without any issues. I was amazed how great these tires are. So glad I spent the extra money for these - I hope they last a while before I get another set!”

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

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin CrossClimate 2 B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
CategoryAll SeasonWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available9281
Rim diameters15″ – 21″16″ – 23″
Tread depth9 - 10/32″—
UTQG640 B A—
Treadwear warranty60,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common3737

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5

Too close to call: Michelin CrossClimate 2 and Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 are within 2 points overall. Michelin CrossClimate 2 is stronger on efficiency, dry and snow. Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 is stronger on noise and wet.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 74 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 88 on dry.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 80 on noise.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 91 vs 87 on snow.

Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate 2
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5

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CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin 5?

Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 91 vs 87 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 88 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 91 vs 87 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 80 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 78 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 83 vs 84 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin 5?

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