Michelin CrossClimate SUV review
The Michelin CrossClimate SUV is an all-season tire released in 2018 for urban SUVs whose performance characteristics are optimized for use in the weather conditions of the winter months in countries with mild climates. Introducing the new "Summer+" marketing category, they can be considered a good option for year-round use.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
78.3%By road tests
81.1%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 21 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Michelin CrossClimate SUV is widely regarded as a highly capable all-weather tire that excels in providing confidence-inspiring grip across diverse conditions, including rain, slush, and light snow. While the majority of users praise its quiet operation and ride comfort, a notable minority reports issues with increased road noise over time and a firmer-than-expected ride quality.
Pros
- Exceptional all-weather traction, particularly in wet, cold, and light snow conditions.
- High levels of ride comfort and low cabin noise for most users.
- Strong durability and longevity with minimal tread wear reported by many owners.
- Significant performance improvement over budget or standard OEM tires.
Cons
- Reports of increased road noise or 'growling' as the tire ages.
- Ride quality can feel overly firm or harsh on certain vehicle suspensions.
- Some users noted a decline in wet-weather performance as the tire reaches the end of its life.
- Higher price point compared to competitors.
Worth knowing
- Users with 103 XL load-rated tires reported a harsher, 'droning' ride, suggesting potential incompatibility with specific suspension setups.
- Drivers of larger SUVs (e.g., Audi Q3, Lexus RX) frequently report significant improvements in handling and noise reduction compared to factory-fitted tires.
- Some users noted a slight increase in fuel consumption immediately following installation.
4 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2022 Auto Bild SUV All Season tire Test · 225/50 R18
1st of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 11 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 11 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 11 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 11 | |
| Snow Braking | 8th of 11 | |
| Snow Traction | 7th of 11 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 11 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 11 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 11 | |
| Noise | 1st of 11 | |
| Price | 11th of 11 |
2019 Auto Bild 4x4 All Season tire Test · 235/65 R17
2nd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 8th of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 2nd of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 1st of 10 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 10 | |
| Price | 9th of 10 |
2019 Auto Bild All Season SUV tire Test · 235/55 R19
2nd of 7
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 7 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 7 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 7 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 7 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 7 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 7 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 2nd of 7 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 7 | |
| Noise | 4th of 7 | |
| Price | 7th of 7 |
2018 Auto Bild SUV All Season tire Test · 235/60 R18
2nd of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 8 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 8 | |
| Noise | 6th of 8 | |
| Price | 7th of 8 |
About the Michelin CrossClimate SUV
The Michelin CrossClimate SUV comes on the heels of the success of its passenger car version, the CrossClimate+, which managed to rack up a bouquet of prizes in European comparison tests in 2017.
The tread pattern and all-season rubber mixture of the Cross Climate SUV, as it is not difficult to guess, were inherited from the passenger car model. Changes have only affected the internal design, taking into account the peculiarities of heavy vehicles. The internal construction of the CrossClimate SUV consists of a single-layer polyester carcass with two steel breakers, which increases the strength of the tire and handling at high speeds.
The directional tread pattern of the Michelin CrossClimate SUV, with nearly continuous transverse ribs, offers steering stability and good dry traction. The centrally converging wide drainage grooves and open shoulder areas ensure fast drainage of the contact area and increase the tire's resistance to aquaplaning effects.
The Michelin CrossClimate SUV's grip edges, combined with a specialized compound, provide enough traction in the snow to earn it the 3PMSF (snowflake logo with three peaks in the background) label.