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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Michelin Primacy 4+ — 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 + 10 road tests and 21,600 + 39 owner reviews. How we score

CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 86–78

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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)

“Installed CrossClimate2 Switched out the OEM tires with a set of CrossClimate on my '23 Grand Cherokee. Loving the increased grip and slightly more aggressive look of these tires. Noise levels did increase a bit for the first few hundred miles but has now improved. There was about a 2 - 3mpg drop after installation. Not sure if it's really the tires or use of Winter gas and drop of temperature right around the same time I got these tires. Overall fully satisfied and would definitely purchase again!”

Michelin Primacy 4+
Tire BMichelin

Primacy 4+

Summer

± 4

Tests 85 · 10 tests Owners 70 · 39 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (abrasion)

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 2Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / 9 tests9982
    Reviews found online8971

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

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.3 + 40% × 70.5 = 78

  2. 87

    Wet

    CrossClimate 2 +8
    79
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / 9 tests8383
    Reviews found online9274

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

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.6 + 40% × 73.8 = 79

  3. 91

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / – tests99–
    Reviews found online78–

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

  4. 78

    Comfort

    CrossClimate 2 +7
    71
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests6573
    Reviews found online8769

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

    Primacy 4+: 40% × 73.3 + 60% × 69 = 71

  5. 80

    Noise

    CrossClimate 2 +7
    73
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 7 tests7977
    Reviews found online83≈ 67 (est.)

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

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 73

    No owner ratings of noise for Primacy 4+. 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

    Primacy 4+ +2
    85
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 4 tests8195
    Reviews found online8769

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

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 95.3 + 40% × 68.9 = 85

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    CrossClimate 2 +17
    65
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Primacy 4+
    Reviews found online8265
  8. 90

    Efficiency

    CrossClimate 2 +12
    78
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / 8 tests9078
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin CrossClimate 2Michelin Primacy 4+
Relative Score 86 78
Dry 95 78
Wet 87 79
Snow 91 –
Comfort 78 71
Noise 80 73
Treadwear 83 85
Handling (owners) 82 65
Efficiency 90 78

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
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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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Important
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

CrossClimate 2

± 4

Primacy 4+

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 2Primacy 4+ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 96% #3/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #4/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 98% #4/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 70% #7/8 · 2024 Promobil Commercial Winter Tire Test R17 92% #5/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 90% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 86% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 93% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 82% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 91% #5/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking (concrete) Wet 94% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 86% #5/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 95% #5/5 · 2025 TUV Hankook iON FlexClimate EV Report 97% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 93% #5/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 95% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 100% #1/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 88% #2/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 80% #3/8 · 2025 Teknikens Varld Summer Tyre Test 88% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Exterior Noise Noise 100% #1/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 83% #4/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Noise Noise 98% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 96% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Abrasion Treadwear 100% #1/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 100% #1/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 95% #4/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 92% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Fuel Consumption Efficiency 98% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 98% #6/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 90% #2/8 · 2025 EV 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 52% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #3/15 2024 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test #5/8 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 47% #14/15 · 2025 ADAC All Season Tyre Test 67% #8/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #2/6 2026 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R17 #4/8 2025 EV 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 Primacy 4+

Pros

  • Excellent ride comfort and a smooth, compliant 'limousine-like' feel over bumps
  • Strong and reliable grip in both wet and dry conditions, inspiring confidence
  • Noticeable improvement in quietness and traction compared to predecessor tires or factory options

Cons

  • Loud road noise and a harsh drone on rough or coarse asphalt surfaces
  • Soft sidewalls can reduce steering agility and initial responsiveness compared to dedicated sport tires
  • High premium price point relative to competitors
All owner themes in the Primacy 4+ 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/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!”
r/VWiD4Owners ·2 upvotes ·2026-09-11

“CC2 is a super safe way to go, I’d just keep on with them if you’re happy so far. Other options probably won’t last as long or have as good traction in the occasional snow/ice. I have a set of 18” wheels so I use 235/60R18 tires and rotate them, live in the northeast, lots of snow in winter. I’ve used Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive, they were great, lasted a bit over 40k miles until they got down to just over 2/16th. I’m on Bridgestone UltraWeather now, feel fantastic so far, slightly better efficiency than WeatherActives, slightly quieter too. They’re basically a next gen version of WeatherPeak but in an XL load rating which the ID.4 specifies.”
r/crv ·53 upvotes ·2023-06-23

“Review of Michelin CrossClimate 2 tires. I recently purchased Michelin CrossClimate 2 tires for my wife’s 2018 CRV EX-L FWD and I have to say they are pretty stellar. Thus far we have put at least 2000 miles on them to include a 14 hour road trip. Excellent traction on wet roads and far superior to the Goodyear Assurance we had before. We have driven through a couple significant downpours and these tires have confidence on wet roads. As for the alleged noise complaints, I think they’re very quiet compared to the old tires. Rolling resistance/ MPG; no changes and I would have happily sacrificed a couple MPG for good traction in FWD vehicle. As for snow, I can’t say and we live in Texas anyway. Price; I spent about $1000 total for four tires and installs at Costco. That was with tax. Overall, I highly recommend these tires thus far.”
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 Primacy 4+

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin CrossClimate 2 B · Michelin Primacy 4+
CategoryAll SeasonSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available9266
Rim diameters15″ – 21″16″ – 21″
Tread depth9 - 10/32″—
UTQG640 B A—
Treadwear warranty60,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common4949

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Michelin Primacy 4+

Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better dry, handling and efficiency. Where the Michelin Primacy 4+ is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 78 on dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 82 vs 65 on handling.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 90 vs 78 on efficiency.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 87 vs 79 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate 2
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Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4+
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CrossClimate 2 or Primacy 4+?

Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate 2 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 87 vs 79 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate 2 or Primacy 4+?

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

Which is quieter, CrossClimate 2 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 80 vs 73 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate 2 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 78 vs 71 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, CrossClimate 2 or Primacy 4+?

Neither, by our numbers: 83 vs 85 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, CrossClimate 2 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 90 vs 78 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