Michelin All-Weather Tires: CrossClimate Product Line Review

All-season tires are designed to provide snow traction comparable to a winter tire, dry and wet handling comparable to a summer tire, and a comfortable ride. Still, they can’t compete with proper winter tires in snowy conditions or summer tires in hot weather.

As a result, tire manufacturers such as Michelin began producing all-weather tires, which are a variation of existing all-seasons that focus on providing better snow traction without sacrificing dry and wet handling.

Michelin is by far the most innovative and trustworthy tire brand, constantly pushing the limits of what is possible. Their tires are rigorously tested to ensure that the end user receives a high-quality product.

They surprised consumers and tire experts with their first 3PMSF-rated all-season tire, the CrossClimate, in 2015. Despite the tire’s failure to deliver on summer handling and performance, Michelin was finally able to bridge the gap between winter and summer. Since then, Michelin has made significant improvements to the later CrossClimate models making them the most dependable all-weather tires on the market today. 

All of the models meet industry-severe snow service requirements. They are intended to be a one-time solution for drivers in areas that experience all four seasons but do not receive enough snowfall to necessitate using a dedicated winter tire. As such, they all have the 3PMSF symbol on their sidewall. 

The CrossClimate lineup has been consistently rated as some of the best all-weather tires. We’re confident you’ll love them, and this article provides a detailed review and comparison of Michelin’s CrossClimate tires so you can better understand each and choose the best one for your needs.  

Features and Performance of Each CrossClimate Tire

Michelin CrossClimate +

The CrossClimate + tire was developed for drivers of sedans, coupes, station wagons, and crossover vehicles looking for refined comfort on the daily drive and confident performance in the dry and wet, plus premium light snow traction. 

The model features an all-season compound moulded into a directional tread pattern with nearly continuous transverse ribs for better dry traction and steering stability. For hydroplaning resistance, wide lateral grooves and open shoulders at the center rib aid in evacuating water from the tire’s footprint.

Furthermore, bevel-edged tread blocks provide grip on wet surfaces, while 3D self-locking sipes create additional biting edges for wet-weather traction and emerging grooves in the shoulder aid in the retention of confident winter traction as the tire wear.

Pros

• Offers impressive braking and handling in dry conditions
• Excellent performance on snow 

Cons

• A little bit stiff
• Poor wet braking
• Noisy

Michelin CrossClimate SUV

The CrossClimate SUV is Michelin’s CUV and SUV touring all-weather tire originally developed for Original Equipment use on the Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLS vehicles. It is the successor to the CrossClimate + passenger car tire, and it borrows many features from it, such as the tread pattern, bevel-edged tread blocks, and 3D self-locking sipes.

The CrossClimate SUV’s internal construction consists of a single-ply polyester casing supported by two steel belts, which increase tire strength and handling at high speeds.

This SUV tire also has a low rolling resistance, which saves you fuel, especially at higher speeds. However, if you drive on the highway, you should expect slightly more noise.

Overall, the CrossClimate SUV has shorter stopping distances on snow than typical all-season tires. It also has exceptional handling, braking, and acceleration on dry and wet pavements, making it one of the best in the category. 

Pros

• Exceptional braking in both wet and dry conditions
• Excellent maneuverability in all conditions
• Impressive highway stability 
• Good overall performance on snow
• Fuel efficient 
• Extended treadwear warranty

Cons

• Pricey
• Noisy at higher speeds
• Snow braking performance is slightly inferior to that of other tires in the class.

Michelin Agilis CrossClimate

There aren’t many all-weather tire options for truck owners, but Michelin seems to have made a breakthrough with the Agilis CrossClimate. The Agilis CrossClimate is specifically designed for drivers of trucks who need a durable tire that can withstand high-stress use, including heavy loads and rough terrains. 

Michelin produced the Agilis in two variants: light-duty trucks and heavy-duty trucks. The light-duty truck has a newer all-season tread compound moulded into a symmetric pattern to improve overall performance. In contrast, the heavy-duty has a directional tread for durability and stability.

Both tread patterns use Michelin’s StabiliBlok Technology, which provides wider and longer tread blocks to manage heat and withstand the high torque loads delivered by commercial vehicles.

In addition, Curb Gard Sidewall Protectors help prevent curb damage in congested urban areas, and SipeLock technology provides hundreds of biting edges for wet and snow grip while assisting in maintaining tread block stability for handling and increased wear.

Deep lateral grooves and open shoulder slots evacuate water from the footprint, preventing hydroplaning, while independent tread blocks and sipes work together to provide confident light snow traction.

Pros

• Outstanding grip and traction on dry roads
• Extremely safe to drive on wet roads
• Better traction on snow than any other all-season truck tire
• Comfortable and not overly loud
• Extremely durable, even when fully loaded 

Cons

• Expensive 
• No treadwear warranty
• Significant variations exist between the heavy-duty and light-duty models.

Michelin CrossClimate 2

The Michelin CrossClimate 2 is the latest addition to Michelin’s award-winning family of all-weather tires, which took the world by storm. It has a Thermal Adaptive all-season tire compound from Michelin that is moulded into a V-Formation directional tread design, giving the car a more dependable grip on dry, wet, and snowy conditions.

Additionally, Michelin used their PIANO Noise Reduction Tuning, which uses sophisticated tread pattern modelling to reduce airborne cabin noise.

The leading and trailing edges of the blocks have V-Ramp chamfers moulded into them that increase contact with the road surface when the brakes are applied, further enhancing braking traction.

The incorporated 3D SipeLock technology enhances block rigidity for sure-footed handling while also boosting traction in inclement weather.

The steep angles built into the tread pattern help channel water away from the contact patch, increasing hydroplaning resistance. This grooveless pattern creates more biting edges for winter traction while distributing load forces to improve wear characteristics.

Thanks to its numerous spectacular features, the CrossClimate 2 will allow you to ride in a comfortable, relaxing, and peaceful environment. So, it is definitely one of the options worth trying. 

Pros

• Excellent handling and braking on dry roads
• Outstanding wet traction and grip
• Supremely comfortable and quiet driving experience
• Very good traction and handling on snow
• Rides responsively and steers controllably

Cons

• Shorter treadwear warranty than regular all-season tires
• Expensive

Our Take

Michelin has made an effort over the years to meet the needs of most drivers. One of them is having all-weather tires that deliver long tread life, excellent snow traction, and steady performance in wet and dry conditions.

Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, as we’ve discussed above. Whatever model you choose, you get all of the appealing features of summer and winter tires in one without sacrificing quality or safety. Hopefully, this article has assisted you in selecting the best one for your vehicle.

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