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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 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 + 23 road tests and 21,629 + 6,469 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: CrossClimate 2 86, Pilot Sport 5 87.

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Michelin CrossClimate 2
Tire AMichelin

CrossClimate 2

All Season

± 4

Tests 87 · 32 tests Owners 87 · 21,629 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 35 in 2023 All Season Tyre 35 Set Shootout (dry braking)

“I have the 235 that is a little higher load rating (105 vs 103 stock and 99 for 225). I'm probably getting about a 10% range reduction, but worth it to me for the improved handling and lower braking distance. I work from home and I charge to 90% about once a week unless taking a longer drive. If I did a lot of longer trips it might be an issue, but I am very happy with these tires.”

Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 5

Summer

± 4

Tests 86 · 23 tests Owners 88 · 6,469 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling (tester's mark))

“Put some 235/45 R17 ps5’s on my 9-5 They fill up the arches quite nice!”

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 +3
    92
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / 23 tests9993
    Reviews found online8991
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–189%97%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–196%98%

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

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92.9 + 40% × 90.8 = 92

  2. 87

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 5 +7
    94
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / 23 tests8394
    Reviews found online9294
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–191%93%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–181%96%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–193%98%

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 83.4 + 40% × 91.6 = 87

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 94.1 + 40% × 93.6 = 94

  3. 91

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / – tests99–
    Reviews found online78–

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

  4. 78

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 5 +1
    79
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 9 tests6571
    Reviews found online8785

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

    Pilot Sport 5: 40% × 71 + 60% × 84.7 = 79

  5. 80

    Noise

    CrossClimate 2 +33
    47
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 15 tests7933
    Reviews found online83≈ 67 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–096%93%

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 78.6 + 40% × 82.6 = 80

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 47

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 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 Sport 5 +4
    87
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 6 tests8192
    Reviews found online8779

    CrossClimate 2: 60% × 81.1 + 40% × 86.8 = 83

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 91.9 + 40% × 78.7 = 87

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 5 +7
    89
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5
    Reviews found online8289
  8. 90

    Efficiency

    CrossClimate 2 +26
    64
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / 17 tests9064
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%86%
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin CrossClimate 2Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Relative Score 86 87
Dry 95 92
Wet 87 94
Snow 91 –
Comfort 78 79
Noise 80 47
Treadwear 83 87
Handling (owners) 82 89
Efficiency 90 64

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
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Neutral
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Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

CrossClimate 2

± 4

Pilot Sport 5

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.

In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Michelin CrossClimate 2 finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 5 1 times.

DisciplineCategoryCrossClimate 2Pilot Sport 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 89% 97% −8.7 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19
Dry Handling Dry 96% 98% −2.4 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 91% 93% −1.5 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19
Wet Braking Wet 81% 96% −14.8 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19
Wet Handling Wet 93% 98% −5.4 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19
Noise Noise 96% 93% +2.6 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% 86% +14.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 55% 66% −10.1 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19
Overall Ranking Overall #10/10 #5/10 – 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tyre Test · 235/35 R19

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 Sport 5

Pros

  • Outstanding wet and dry traction with high resistance to aquaplaning
  • Superior tread life and longevity compared to competitors and previous generations
  • Noticeable improvements in ride comfort and a quieter cabin over rough road surfaces

Cons

  • Softer sidewalls can lead to initial steering vagueness or understeer during hard cornering
  • Higher price point compared to some tier-one competitors
  • Performance and grip degrade significantly under intense track heat or heavy circuit use
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 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/volt ·8 upvotes ·2026-09-18

“Michelin CrossClimate2 efficiency surprisingly good! Just put in a new set of Michelin CrossClimate2s to go along with a move from LA to New England. I was a bit worried about the mileage/range hit but figured the safety in the winter outweighed it. I'm pleasantly surprised! On an all-highway trip from Boston to New Jersey, gas MPG was a steady 42 mpgs and I got about 45 miles on the battery, although I drive like a grandma at the posted speed limits so I think I was close to 44 mpg/45 EV miles on the old OEM tires. Around town in suburbia in good weather I'm still running between 4.0-5.0 miles/kWh. I estimate, at worst, a 5% drop in efficiency. Pretty good considering the Michelins feel so much stickier!”
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/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.”
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 Sport 5

Positive

The community generally views the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 as an exceptional daily-driving tire that bridges the gap between high performance and everyday comfort. Users frequently praise its outstanding wet grip, low road noise, and impressive tread life compared to more track-focused alternatives like the PS4S. However, some enthusiast drivers feel the sidewalls and feedback can feel a bit numb or soft for aggressive track use, noting it is built more for sporty road use than dedicated circuit driving.

r/CarTrackDays ·17 upvotes ·2025-05-25

“Michelin PS5 Delaminating Near new PS5, running a low speed track, and the fronts basically fell apart after 2 sessions. I know these aren't track-focussed tires, but is this really expected for them? Looks like the tires got too hot, but I'm just shocked how poorly they performed on a stock car (Golf R). Not sure if it's worth contacting Michelin over this or not. Read more”
r/kereta ·9 upvotes ·2025-12-15

“Have to replace my tyres soon, MC7 or PS5? Hi guys, I need to replace the tyres on my civic soon and I’m stuck between the MC7 and the PS5. I not a guy who will driving 180km/h in raining day so i think both performance is good enough for me. I did some research, it seems like MC7 have better performance overall. Also found that MC7 is cheaper than PS5 in my country (around RM600-700 cheaper for 4 tyres). I prefer tread life > noise/ comfort > performance (rarely drive over 120). Any feedback on the 2 brands would be super helpful. Thanks! === UPDATED === Thank you all for suggestions and opinions. So at the end i pick the MC7. Reasons: It’s possibly quieter compared to the PS5 The price is cheaper and come with 1 year premium (or what name i forgot) warranty There’s a Continental authorized dealer near my place I’ve never tried Continental before, so I decided to give it a try At the moment, the driving experience is a bit quieter than the previous PS4 (which is expected since it’s a new tire). As for performance, I haven’t really pushed it to the limit, but it’s more than sufficient for me, didn’t experience any wheel spin or loss of traction so far. One thing I do notice is that I can constantly hear small stones sticking to the tire and hitting the wheel arch which is very annoying. Also, on a personal note, I still prefer the sidewall shape of the PS5, so it took me some time to get used to the rounded sidewall of the MC7 Read more”
r/abarth ·3 upvotes ·2026-05-10

“Great tires, used to run the stock Pirellis but the ride comfort was atrocious and there was really no performance benefit so I switched them for some PS5.”
Top themes
#Wet grip and safety#Tread life and durability#Road noise and comfort#Daily driving performance#Soft sidewall feedback#Comparison to PS4S and competitors#Value and pricing

Based on 177 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin CrossClimate 2 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
CategoryAll SeasonSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available9266
Rim diameters15″ – 21″16″ – 22″
Tread depth9 - 10/32″—
UTQG640 B A—
Treadwear warranty60,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common4747

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

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

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 80 vs 47 on noise.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 64 on efficiency.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 94 vs 87 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 89 vs 82 on handling.

Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate 2
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
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CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Sport 5?

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

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 94 vs 87 on our wet score.

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

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 92 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 80 vs 47 on our noise score.

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

Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 79 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, CrossClimate 2 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 87 vs 83 on our treadwear score.

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

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 90 vs 64 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