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Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.

Head-to-head Updated

Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 — 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 + 0 road tests and 21,600 + 11 owner reviews. How we score

CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 88–77

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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.”

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 +17
    78
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / – tests99≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online8983

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

    Pilot Alpin PA3: 60% × 74.4 (est.) + 40% × 83 = 78

    No road tests of dry for Pilot Alpin PA3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 87

    Wet

    CrossClimate 2 +6
    81
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / – tests83≈ 79 (est.)
    Reviews found online9285

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

    Pilot Alpin PA3: 60% × 78.7 (est.) + 40% × 85.1 = 81

    No road tests of wet for Pilot Alpin PA3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 91

    Snow

    CrossClimate 2 +23
    68
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / – tests99≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7867

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

    Pilot Alpin PA3: 60% × 69.4 (est.) + 40% × 67.1 = 68

    No road tests of snow for Pilot Alpin PA3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 78

    Comfort

    Level
    78
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests65≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8782

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

    Pilot Alpin PA3: 40% × 71.6 (est.) + 60% × 82.4 = 78

    No road tests of comfort for Pilot Alpin PA3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 80

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / – tests79–
    Reviews found online83–

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

  6. 83

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate 2 +7
    76
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / – tests81≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8782

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

    Pilot Alpin PA3: 60% × 71.5 (est.) + 40% × 81.7 = 76

    No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Alpin PA3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Alpin PA3 +1
    83
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3
    Reviews found online8283
  8. 90

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / – tests90–
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin CrossClimate 2Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3
Relative Score 88 77
Dry 95 78
Wet 87 81
Snow 91 68
Comfort 78 78
Noise 80 –
Treadwear 83 76
Handling (owners) 82 83
Efficiency 90 –

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
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
± 4

CrossClimate 2

± 8

Pilot Alpin PA3

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.

DisciplineCategoryCrossClimate 2Pilot Alpin PA3ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/6 2026 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R17 #6/7 2011 Auto Bild Performance 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 PA3

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and grip on ice, light-to-moderate snow, and wet roads
  • High comfort levels and very low road noise, comparable to summer tires
  • Durable tread life with slow, even wear over thousands of miles

Cons

  • Premium price point that some users find lacking in value
  • Not optimized for deep snow or slow-speed climbing in mountainous 'white' roads
  • Slight loss of braking performance felt on dry roads by some drivers
All owner themes in the Pilot Alpin PA3 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 PA3

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin CrossClimate 2 B · Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3
CategoryAll SeasonWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available92—
Rim diameters15″ – 21″—
Tread depth9 - 10/32″—
UTQG640 B A—
Treadwear warranty60,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3

Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better snow, dry and treadwear. Where the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 11 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 91 vs 68 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 78 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 83 vs 76 on treadwear.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 87 vs 81 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate 2
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3
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CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin PA3?

Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin PA3?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 87 vs 81 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin PA3?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 78 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin PA3?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 91 vs 68 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin PA3?

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

Which lasts longer, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Alpin PA3?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 83 vs 76 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