tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Yokohama AVID Ascend LX — 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 + 1 road tests and 21,600 + 34 owner reviews. How we score

CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 88–72

Check price on Amazon · CrossClimate 2 or AVID Ascend LX on Amazon
Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

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 +20
    75
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2AVID Ascend LX
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / – tests99≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8978

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

    AVID Ascend LX: 60% × 72.4 (est.) + 40% × 78.4 = 75

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

  2. 87

    Wet

    CrossClimate 2 +13
    74
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2AVID Ascend LX
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / – tests83≈ 73 (est.)
    Reviews found online9275

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

    AVID Ascend LX: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 75.1 = 74

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

  3. 91

    Snow

    CrossClimate 2 +26
    65
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2AVID Ascend LX
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / – tests99≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online7861

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

    AVID Ascend LX: 60% × 67.2 (est.) + 40% × 61.3 = 65

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

  4. 78

    Comfort

    CrossClimate 2 +6
    72
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2AVID Ascend LX
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests65≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online8774

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

    AVID Ascend LX: 40% × 70 (est.) + 60% × 73.9 = 72

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

  5. 80

    Noise

    CrossClimate 2 +12
    68
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2AVID Ascend LX
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 1 tests7963
    Reviews found online8376

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

    AVID Ascend LX: 60% × 62.8 + 40% × 76.4 = 68

  6. 83

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate 2 +12
    71
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2AVID Ascend LX
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / – tests81≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online8775

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

    AVID Ascend LX: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 74.7 = 71

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

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2AVID Ascend LX
    Reviews found online82–
  8. 90

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimate 2AVID Ascend LX
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / – tests90–
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin CrossClimate 2Yokohama AVID Ascend LX
Relative Score 88 72
Dry 95 75
Wet 87 74
Snow 91 65
Comfort 78 72
Noise 80 68
Treadwear 83 71
Handling (owners) 82 –
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

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

AVID Ascend LX

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 2AVID Ascend LXΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #2/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 93% #4/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 91% #6/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 93% #5/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 98% #4/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 93% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 89% #6/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 97% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC All Season Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 77% #4/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 100% #1/5 · 2026 TUV Test Report Goodyear Vector All Season 4 93% #4/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 80% #3/8 · 2025 Teknikens Varld Summer Tyre Test 88% #6/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/6 2026 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R17 #6/7 Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – 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 AVID Ascend LX

Pros

  • Exceptional treadlife with reports of high mileage remaining even after tens of thousands of miles
  • Smooth and exceptionally comfortable ride quality
  • Low road noise at highway speeds

Cons

  • A few users experienced poor wet weather performance and dangerous hydroplaning
  • Isolated reports of rapid, uneven front tire wear
  • Slightly higher road noise noted by a minority of drivers compared to previous sets
All owner themes in the AVID Ascend LX 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/LexusNX ·55 upvotes ·2026-06-14

“CrossClimate2 in. Alenza Run Flats out. Swapped the Alenza run flats for CrossClimate2 all-weather tires. Sharper handling. Better ride comfort. Very quiet after an initial break-in period. Just make sure the tire pressure is as recommended on the door sill sticker, shop techs don’t always check. I’m an early adopter of CC2 tires, been using them on my old Jeep since 2022, super durable and perfect for inclement weather, still had some tread remaining at the 60k-mile warranty mark.”
mavericktruckclub.com ·9 upvotes ·2024-08-12

“I replaced the factory Continentals at 9,258 miles at the end of August 2023 with the stock size 225/65R17 Michelin CrossClimate 2's. I waited until the local tire shop had a sale and had these mounted/balanced for under $800. 348 days, 10,004 miles and 4 seasons have passed since then. I spend much of my time around "town" with speed limits under 55 while also having a handful of longer highway drives. These are the closest thing to a "no-compromise" all season tire that I can imagine. They are smooth, quiet and have incredible grip in all weather conditions. Snow, rain, etc. Admittedly, I have not taken my FWD Maverick through any meaningful amount of mud. Maybe there is a tire better suited to this. There are also certainly performance oriented tires that will outperform this tire when it is hot and dry. Last, and certainly not least - there does not seem to be any fuel economy change. I have tracked every tank before and after these tires. Both my best (48.5MPG) and worst (27MPG) full tanks have happened since these were installed. 38.8 overall.”
r/Ioniq5 ·2 upvotes ·2025-07-26

“I got my new to me 2022 Ultimate RWD in May this year, the tyres were all crap so I went to CrossClimate 2s on all 4 wheels. I can’t tell you what it was doing beforehand but I get 3.7mi/kWh around town and 3.2mi/kWh on the motorway now. I have a fairly heavy right foot, but at 100% charge it shows 270ish miles but mine is an early 72kWh battery so bear that in mind.”
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

Yokohama AVID Ascend LX

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin CrossClimate 2 B · Yokohama AVID Ascend LX
CategoryAll SeasonAll-Season tire
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available9239
Rim diameters15″ – 21″15″ – 18″
Tread depth9 - 10/32″11/32″
UTQG640 B A800 A A
Treadwear warranty60,000 mi85,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side WallBlackwall
Max pressure50 - 51 psi51 psi
Sizes in common2525

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Yokohama AVID Ascend LX

Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better snow, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 91 vs 65 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 95 vs 75 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 87 vs 74 on wet.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 80 vs 68 on noise.

Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate 2
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Yokohama AVID Ascend LX
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

CrossClimate 2 or AVID Ascend LX?

Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate 2 or AVID Ascend LX?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 87 vs 74 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate 2 or AVID Ascend LX?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 95 vs 75 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, CrossClimate 2 or AVID Ascend LX?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 91 vs 65 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, CrossClimate 2 or AVID Ascend LX?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 80 vs 68 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate 2 or AVID Ascend LX?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 78 vs 72 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, CrossClimate 2 or AVID Ascend LX?

Michelin CrossClimate 2, 83 vs 71 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