Michelin CrossClimate2 Review: Honest Opinion After 12,000 Miles of Use
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Last Updated: November 15, 2023
Brand: Michelin
Model: CrossClimate2
Warranty: 60,000 miles
Rating: 4.9/5.0 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: $137.00 - $420.00 per tire
Load Range: SL - XL
Features: Touring, All Season, Performance
Weight: 20.99 - 36.55 Lbs
Load Index: 91 - 114
Speed Rating: H - Up to 130mph - V - Up to 149mph
Max PSI: 50 - 51 PSI
I purchased the Michelin CrossClimate2 all-season tires for my car over a year ago and wanted to share my thoughts on them. Overall, I have been impressed with the performance of these tires. They have provided excellent traction in various weather conditions, including rain, snow, and even ice. Michelin CrossClimate2 tires are excellent all-season tires for any vehicle that you drive. They have performed extremely well on my BMW, and I have seen them on a wide variety of cars from Subarus to Mercedes SUVs.
The tread life has also been impressive, with no noticeable wear after 12,000 miles of use. Since I was used to driving my BMW on Run Flat Tires, I have realized that the ride comfort of the CrossClimate2 has been much better. I highly recommend these tires to anyone in need of reliable all-season tires.
Since I live in Michigan and the roads here are pretty rough, I had to go with a size up on the tire than what's recommended by the manufacturer. However, it has been great so far, and I do not regret my decision of switching away from run flats.
Pros and Cons of Michelin CrossClimate2 All-Season Tires
Pros
- All-season tire with exceptional lateral grip in dry conditions
- Impressive handling and take-offs even when lots of snow on the ground
- Dry roads have very short stopping distances
- Wet roads require excellent lateral grip and braking
- It is easy to drive in wet conditions
- Direct and responsive steering
- Excellent handling and braking in snow and slush
- A firm but composed ride
Cons
- Some buyers may find it too expensive
- They are directional, therefore you will not be able to rotate them
- It's not extremely great in turns when there is heavier snow on the ground, even with a AWD car
- Some people on various forums or Facebook groups find them more noisy than other all-season tires (not me)
Testing Conditions, Equipment, Results
Vehicle: 2015 BMW 535i xDrive
Tire Size: 245/45 R19
Terrain: Light snow, icy conditions, very heavy snow, heavy rain, wet road, dry and cold conditions
Michelin CrossClimate2 Testing Results
Light Snow Rating: 4.9/5.0
Wet Traction Rating: 5.0/5.0
Dry Traction Rating: 5.0/5.0
Uneven Pavement Rating: 4.4/5.0
Comfort: 4.8/5.0
Noise Levels: 4.6/5.0
Overall Rating: 4.8/5.0
Michelin CrossClimate2 All-Season Tire Overview
The CrossClimate2 uses Michelin's Thermal Adaptive all-season tread compound. It is molded into a VFormation directional tread design that delivers dry, wet, and wintertime performance. Michelin used their Noise Reduction Tuning, which uses advanced tread pattern modeling to reduce airborne noise. This involves increasing tread element geometry and timing variation.
The tread's center section promotes longitudinal dry grip. It has blocks that align with the fore and the aft forces. This increases uninterrupted block area contact when decelerating or accelerating. V Ramp Chamfers are embedded into the leading and tailing edges of the blocks to increase road surface contact under load. This further enhances brake traction.
The shoulder blocks extend further outboard and align laterally with the tread, increasing cornering forces and control. 3D SipeLock technology is integrated into the tread. It provides support for rigid handling and increases traction in adverse weather conditions.
Speaking of adverse weather, below is one an image depicting one of the days that I extensively tested these tires. 29" of snow fall was reported within the 24 hour period that day. While I was a bit scared to go out there and "play" in snow, once I started driving around, the xDrive paired with Michelin CrossClimate2 helped me calm my nerves down. I had no trouble getting in and out of parking lots, changing lanes on the road, or any other issues whatsoever.
They are by far superior to other All-Season tires, that I have ever tested. Sure I would not advice drifting sideways close to some sidewalks, but normal driving and a little push on gas will probably put a smile on your face, if you are into that type of stuff. I know I am.
The steep-angle tread pattern channels water away from the contact area, increasing hydroplaning resistance. The grooveless tread pattern improves wear characteristics and provides more traction for winter. The Thermal Adaptive Tread compound further enhances snow performance, ensuring that the tire is flexible at lower temperatures to increase snow traction.
CrossClimate2's internal construction consists of a cross-ply polyester casing and two steel belts. In addition, a polyamide reinforcement was added to improve high-speed stability and performance further. Non-winter tires with the three-peak mountain skin flake (3PMSF) symbol may offer more longitudinal snow traction than all-season (M+S) tires without the symbol, but they are less capable in adverse weather conditions.
Michelin has a new tire with an innovative design and all-season promise. CrossClimate 2 may look familiar as it builds upon the CrossClimate+ design, but if you look closely, you'll notice that Michelin is making significant improvements. The French tire company designed the new tire to deliver better snow and ice grip and improved rolling resistance, comfort, and dry and wet traction, and rolling resistance.
Testing of Michelin CrossClimate2 Tires
Purchasing Process - Where to Buy Michelin CrossClimate2 Tires
After tons of shopping, I purchased these tires through the Tire Rack website. I went with Tire Rack over Discount Tire because Discount Tire forced me to enter the vehicle and wouldn't allow me to check out with the size I had chosen. Because I wanted more wheel protection from bad Michigan roads, I was aiming to get more sidewall, so I went with a slightly oversized tire.
The last tire on my F10 BMW 535i was a Bridgestone DriveGuard run-on-flat 245/40 R19, and the Michelin CrossClimate2 I ordered was 245/45 R19. From what I have gathered online, going with this size will provide better protection than the 45 sidewalls and get me closer to driving at the speed that the BMW speedometer shows (stock tires show more than the actual speed).
Also, switching to non-ROF tires should provide better comfort when driving and handling. ROF tires tend to be very stiff and are not an overall great experience; there must be a reason why BMW does not put them on M car sedans and coupes.
Installation of Michelin CrossClimate2 at Discount Tire
While I got the tires from Tire Rack, after checking the installer network on Tire Rack website and making a few calls, I quickly realized that the best place to get them installed is Discount Tire. I just had to double check that Discount Tire will install tire that's a bit bigger than the manufacturers recommended tire size. After a quick call, I was set up for the appointment and reassured that there will be no issues installing them.
Discount tire of Novi, MI provided incredible service and I was in and out of there within 1 hour. The image that you see above is right outside of that location after they installed my new Michelin CrossClimate2 tires.
Dry Grip and Traction
The Michelin CrossClimate 2 has a unique design. It features a V-formation directional tread pattern similar to a summer performance tire. As a result, many journos consider it a summer/all-season tire. There is more to CrossClimate 2's tread design. First, the tread blocks are aligned with the fore- and aft forces to create an uninterrupted block area that increases longitudinal traction. As you see in the Tire Rack's testing video above, Michelin CrossClimate2 was built to handle any situation, that it's put into, extremely well.
It improves longitudinal traction or acceleration and brake performance. The V Ramp Chamfers improve lateral grip by increasing road contact. This further enhances dry performance. Finally, the 3D Sipe lock tech interlocks block to increase tread rigidity.
The tire is a unique design. But does it translate into outstanding real-world performance in the real world?
It will, you bet! The CrossClimate 2 outperforms all competitors in dry road testing with a great lateral grip comparable to a summer touring tire. It also performs well at the limit and does not lose grip as quickly as less expensive tires.
The stopping distances of all-season tires are also the shortest, making them a great choice for summer touring. If this weren't enough, Michelin all-season tires offer exceptional acceleration traction. The CrossClimate 2 is the best all-season dry tire and performed very well in all tests. Does this mean Michelin has cut corners elsewhere? Let's find out more!
Wet grip, Traction, and Braking
CrossClimate 2 has a tread that is quite steep, which helps channel water away. This contrasts with all-season tires with a non-directional design or circumferential grooves. Despite its differences, CrossClimate 2 is just as capable of hydroplaning resistance as its competitors. So driving in heavy rain won't be an issue.
The tire features large sipes in each tread block that help to dissipate water and a tread compound that can withstand extreme temperatures. Our wet road test revealed that the CrossClimate 2 is the best all-season tire in rainy conditions. It beats every competitor in every metric.
The tire's acceleration and braking traction are superior to any other all-season tires. So even if your vehicle is more powerful, you'll still be able to accelerate out of corners with no problem. The braking distances are also the best of all-season tires.
Michelin's all-season offering is even more impressive when you tackle corners. Even if your vehicle reaches the traction limit, it will still be stable and easy to manage. It also has the best lateral grip in rainy conditions, which adds to its impressive wet performance.
Michelin CrossClimate2 in Light Snow
Tires focused on wet, and dry traction/grip often have trouble in winter conditions. Michelin is the only company to design a tire that works well across all terrains. The French tire giant, known for its dry/wet tires, delivered the impossible.
Michelin did this by using its all-season rubber compound Thermal Adaptive, which is flexible in freezing conditions. Additionally, each tread block has to sipe along its length. This includes sipes in the middle of the tire. These sipes create additional biting edges that trap and transfer snow.
What does this new design offer? According to our snow road test, CrossClimate 2's acceleration and braking in light snow were exceptional for this category. This is quite impressive, considering the tire's type. The tire also handles well in corners and is largely stable. This gives you confidence that your vehicle won't spin or get stuck.
It can also be used to tackle deeper snow. However, in such cases, I recommend that you use a winter tire like Bridgestone Blizzak WS90. The same goes for ice traction. So while the CrossClimate 2 is a great all-season tire, it could be better than a winter tire. This is a great all-season tire for driving in winter conditions. It has good acceleration/braking traction and confident handling.
Michelin CrossClimate2 in Heavy Snow
Not much to say here. These tires made me feel very comfortable driving in heavy snow. We got around 10" of snow within a span of 24 hours, so there was ample of opportunity to test these tires. Acceleration was great and very steady. There was minimal amount of wheel spin-out.
I was actually quite surprised to be able to cruise at 50-60mph in 10" of snow in a fairly low car without feeling like the car is wobbling or not sliding at any moment. Michelin CrossClimate2 tires really blew me away in the feeling of safety and performance in heavy snow that they provided.
Handling and steering feel
The steering response is excellent for this category, but the tire never feels twitchy. Instead, it builds up nicely and feels straight through corners, showing Michelin's ability to design a good tire. I have yet to experience a bad Michelin tire, and CrossClimate2 just continues the trend. The only time that I noticed some instability was in turns on heavy snow. However, with AWD that shouldn't be a problem, as a matter of the fact, that's actually more fun.
Although you may not consider responsiveness important, it makes a real difference in the real world. CrossClimate 2 makes driving easier and more enjoyable and inspires confidence. The whole experience is much better than the RFT Bridgestone tires that I have been driving on for the past year which I had to keep filling up with my Ryobi tire inflator.
Comfort and Road Noise
Michelin made significant progress in improving noise characteristics when compared with the CrossClimate+. It used its PIANO Noise Reduction Toning, which tunes out noise by increasing tread element geometry and timing variation. The new model is quieter than the old one, especially at higher speeds.
The tire will make a slight growl when it is on rough tarmac. However, your vehicle's wind/engine noise will easily overpower the sound. The CrossClimate 2 continues to be a solid tire you can feel when you hit larger potholes, just as before. But I prefer the way it rides on most surfaces. The taut nature of the cabin limits vibrations and makes the ride more composed.
What are the Maintenance Indicators and Specifications?
The Michelin CrossClimate 2 is available in several sizes. They range from 16-inch to 21-inch wheels, which cover compact and mid-size cars, crossovers, and, as well as some SUVs. It features two (tread wear indicators) that are industry standard. They can tell you when your tread depth has reached 2/32 inches. This is important because a tire with less tread depth than 2/32 inches will perform poorly in wet conditions.
CrossClimate 2 tires are extremely durable, so you won't have to look at the indicators often. This tire has covered almost 30,000 miles. I rotate the tires once every 5,000 miles. They have not shown any signs of wear and will last a long time. It outperformed its competition by 15,000 miles in Michelin's tests. This is quite impressive.
Michelin's treadwear warranty is only 60,000 miles, which is good, but it falls behind the class-leading grand touring all-season tires with 80,000-mile warranties. The CrossClimate 2 features Michelin's Total Performance technology. It should be able to perform in snow and rain, even if the tread depth is reduced to 2/32 inches. Contrary to this, cheap all-season tires have a noticeable drop in performance when the tread wears.
If you are a fellow BMW owner and your car came with BMW stock run on-flat tires, then Michelin CrossClimate2 could be a great alternative for them. I know that I haven't looked back once after switching over to these all-season tires.
Michelin CrossClimate2 Treadwear and Warranty
CrossClimate 2 is the result of rigorous research and development from Michelin. It has an optimized contact area and durable inner construction. In addition, your new Michelin all-season tires will distribute your vehicle's weight evenly and resist uneven treadwear. This means you can get all-season performance from a tire designed for long-term use. Michelin offers a limited treadwear warranty of 60,000 miles on all sizes of CrossClimate 2. You can make your vehicle all-season by upgrading it to a set of Michelin CrossClimate 2 tires.
Should I Purchase the Michelin CrossClimate2?
I am beyond impressed with the performance and safety that these tires have provided me over the last few thousand miles that I have been testing them for. From dry asphalt to blizzard conditions, they always made me feel very safe.
CrossClimate+ was already an innovative tire, Michelin has managed to make improvements to this model. CrossClimate 2 is a truly exceptional tire, and it competes with the best-in-class tires in all categories. This tire is the only all-season one used on snow-covered and dry tarmac. It also provides a smooth ride with a long tread life. Therefore, if you have the money (even though it is expensive), consider buying an all-season tire that can withstand all kinds of weather.
Michelin CrossClimate2 Tire Size Options
For 16" Diameter Wheels:
- 205/55 R16 - 91V
- 205/55 R16 - 91H
- 205/60 R16 - 92V
- 205/65 R16 - 95H
- 215/55 R16 - 97H
- 215/60 R16 - 95V
- 215/65 R16 - 98H
For 17" Diameter Wheels:
- 205/50 R17 - 93V
- 205/55 R17 - 95V
- 215/45 R17 - 91H
- 215/45 R17 - 91V
- 215/50 R17 - 95H
- 215/50 R17 - 95V
- 215/55R17 - 94V
- 215/65 R17 - 99H
- 225/45 R17 - 91V
- 225/45 R17 - 91H
- 225/50 R17 - 98V
- 225/55 R17 - 101H
- 225/55 R17 - 101V
- 225/60 R17 - 99H
- 225/65 R17 - 102H
- 235/50 R17 - 96H
- 235/55 R17 - 99H
- 235/60 R17 - 102H
- 235/65 R17 - 104H
- 245/45 R17 - 99V
- 245/65 R17 - 107H
For 18" Diameter Wheels:
- 215/50 R18 - 92V
- 215/55 R18 - 95H
- 225/40 R18 - 92V
- 225/45 R18 - 95V
- 225/50 R18 - 95H
- 225/55 R18 - 98H
- 225/60 R18 - 100H
- 235/40 R18 - 95V
- 235/45 R18 - 98V
- 235/50 R18 - 97V
- 235/55 R18 - 100H
- 235/55 R18 - 100V
- 235/60 R18 - 107V
- 235/60 R18 - 107H
- 235/65 R18 - 106V
- 235/65 R18 - 106H
- 245/40 R18 - 97V
- 245/45 R18 - 100V
- 245/55 R18 - 103V
- 245/60 R18 - 105V
- 255/35 R18 - 94V
- 255/60 R18 - 112V
- 255/65 R18 - 111H
- 265/60 R18 - 110V
For 19" Diameter Wheels:
- 225/55 R19 - 99V
- 235/40 R19 - 96V
- 235/45 R19 - 99V
- 235/50 R19 - 103V
- 235/55 R19 - 105V
- 235/55 R19 - 105H
- 245/45 R19 - 102V
- 245/50 R19 - 105V
- 245/55 R19 - 103V
- 255/40 R19 - 100V
- 255/45 R19 - 104V
- 255/55 R19 - 111V
- 255/60 R19 - 109H
- 265/50 R19 - 110V
For 20" Diameter Wheels:
- 235/45 R20 - 100H
- 235/50 R20 - 104V
- 235/55 R20 - 102H
- 235/55 R20 - 102V
- 245/40 R20 - 99V
- 245/45 R20 - 103V
- 245/50 R20 - 102V
- 255/45 R20 - 105V
- 255/50 R20 - 109V
- 255/55 R20 - 110V
- 265/45 R20 - 108V
- 265/50 R20 - 111V
- 275/45 R20 - 110V
- 275/50 R20 - 113V
- 285/40 R20 - 108V
- 285/45 R20 - 112V
For 21" Diameter Wheels:
- 245/45 R21 - 104V
- 255/40 R21 - 102V
- 265/40 R21 - 105V
- 265/45 R21 - 108V
- 275/40 R21 - 107V
For 21" Diameter Wheels:
- 285/45 R22 - 114H
Michelin CrossClimate2 Tire Review - Bottom Line
In conclusion, the Michelin CrossClimate2 is a top-performing all-season tire that provides excellent traction and handling in various weather conditions. In addition, these tires' comfort and ride quality is top-notch, with lower-than-average noise levels for a peaceful and enjoyable driving experience. And with a reasonable price point, the CrossClimate2 is a great value for its performance and reliability. Overall, I highly recommend the Michelin CrossClimate2 to anyone needing reliable and very well performing all-season tires.
The Car Data Tire Testing Methodology
We take pride in providing thorough and unbiased reviews of the latest tire models. To ensure that our ratings are accurate and consistent, we have developed a rating methodology that considers various factors and incorporates statistical analysis.
- Performance: We test tires for their performance in various driving conditions, including wet and dry roads, snow and ice, and off-road terrain. We also consider factors such as handling, braking, noise, and ride comfort. These tests are conducted using standardized procedures, and the results are analyzed using statistical methods to determine the mean and standard deviation.
- Durability: We assess the durability of tires based on factors such as tread life, resistance to punctures and cuts, and sidewall strength. These tests are conducted using standardized procedures, or data gathered from third-party websites where real users share their experiences with the products that we are reviewing. We then analyze the results using statistical methods to determine the mean and standard deviation.
- Value: We consider the price of the tire and compare it to its performance and durability to determine its overall value. We pay close attention to how long the tires last, reported life-span of the tires, as well as the ratio of those metrics when compared to the price.
- Customer reviews: We consider the experiences and opinions of other drivers who have used the tire. We do our best to disregard what seems to be fake reviews (good or bad), and make judgement calls based on our ability to filter bogus reviews well. We are human, therefore mistakes can be made. The best reviews that we provide are always the ones where we get to extensively test the products ourselves and share real-life experiences with our readers.
- Expert opinions: We consult industry experts and gather their insights and opinions on the tire. An expert can even consists of a person that has extensive knowledge through the use of the tires and has practical experience with them.
Our ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 5, with one being the lowest and five being the highest. We strive to provide detailed and comprehensive reviews that give drivers the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions. Overall, this methodology, which incorporates statistical analysis, allows us to provide accurate and reliable ratings for the tires we review on our site.
Steven Dillon
Author
Steven is the founder and product tested for The Car Data, that has extensive knowledge in automotive industry. While most of his free time he participates in typical "car guy" activities, his passion for cars, data analytics, and tech, always has his looking for the next cool tool, software, trend, etc. to share with his audience on The Car Data or on his Instagram.
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