67
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
65/100
8 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 vs Michelin CrossClimate+ — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
88/100
16 professional tests
User signal (40%)
82/100
117 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin CrossClimate+ — better comfort, wet and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
CrossClimate+ leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta AST KU25 | CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 87 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
CrossClimate+ leads by 19
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta AST KU25 | CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 66 | 85 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta AST KU25 | CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 70 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 82 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
CrossClimate+ leads by 32
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta AST KU25 | CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 78 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 49 | 86 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta AST KU25 | CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 76 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
CrossClimate+ leads by 15
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta AST KU25 | CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 71 | 86 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
CrossClimate+ leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Ecsta AST KU25 | CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 73 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 | Michelin CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 83 |
| Dry | 83 | 88 |
| Wet | 66 | 85 |
| Snow | – | 75 |
| Comfort | 49 | 81 |
| Noise | – | 76 |
| Treadwear | 71 | 86 |
| Handling | 65 | 73 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Tire A
83
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 is generally regarded as an affordable, entry-level tire suitable for daily commuting rather than performance-oriented driving. While users appreciate its dry-weather grip and aesthetic tread pattern, the tire is frequently criticized for significant road noise and inconsistent performance in wet conditions.
Pros
- Attractive and aggressive tread design
- Strong dry-weather traction and handling
- High value-to-price ratio
- Satisfactory tread longevity for daily driving
Cons
- Excessive and intrusive road noise
- Unpredictable and poor wet-weather performance
- Abrupt loss of grip when pushed to limits
- Not suitable for spirited or performance driving
Observations
- Users noted that the tire's stiff sidewall provides good steering feedback, which some drivers appreciate for daily handling.
- Performance characteristics are highly polarized, with some users reporting confidence in heavy rain while others report dangerous instability.
The Michelin CrossClimate+ is widely regarded as a benchmark all-season tire, praised for its exceptional versatility and ability to bridge the gap between summer handling and winter safety. While most users report high levels of confidence in wet, dry, and snowy conditions, a minority of users note a decline in performance as the tread wears down or express dissatisfaction with noise levels and ride harshness on specific vehicle setups.
Pros
- Excellent traction and confidence in light to moderate snow and ice.
- Strong wet and dry road handling that rivals dedicated summer tires.
- Impressive tread longevity and durability over high mileage.
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality for the majority of users.
- Consistent performance across a wide range of temperatures.
Cons
- Performance in wet conditions can diminish significantly as the tire wears.
- Increased road noise reported by some users compared to dedicated summer tires.
- Occasional reports of a harsh or 'bouncy' ride on certain vehicle suspensions.
- Higher price point compared to competitors.
- Some users report a 'spongy' or less precise steering feel during aggressive cornering.
Observations
- Users with heavier diesel vehicles or high-torque setups occasionally report faster tread wear and increased road noise.
- Drivers of lighter vehicles (e.g., small hatchbacks) often report improved steering responsiveness and comfort compared to OEM tires.
- Performance on SUVs and 4x4s is frequently cited as a major upgrade over standard summer tires, particularly for winter mountain driving.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 | B · Michelin CrossClimate+ |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season High Performance tires | All Season Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
Kumho
83
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin CrossClimate+ — better comfort, wet and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 81 vs 49 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 85 vs 66 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 86 vs 71 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin CrossClimate+ scores 73 vs 65 on handling.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta AST KU25
Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate+
More comparisons
Also compared with
Kumho Ecsta AST KU25 also compared with
Michelin CrossClimate+ also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.