While sports car owners probably prefer Michelin’s ultra-high-performance tires, the CrossClimate 2 has made a serious name for itself in the world of all-season and all-weather tires. Much like your knees, though, the CrossClimate 2’s gotten old, and Michelin decided it needed a replacement in the form of the CrossClimate 3. Instead of simply introducing a replacement for the CrossClimate 2, Michelin also added another option called the CrossClimate 3 Sport that promises better performance for enthusiastic drivers who still want great all-weather performance.
Since this is Michelin we’re talking about, you can pretty safely assume the CrossClimate 3 and CrossClimate 3 Sport will at least be pretty good. Michelin doesn’t really make any bad tires, after all, nor should it when you consider what it charges for its tires. But how does the CrossClimate 3 compare to the best all-weather or all-season tires you can buy, and how does the CrossClimate 3 Sport actually perform? Is it going to be a total gamechanger for drivers who want a performance tire they never have to swap out when the weather warms up, or is it the kind of tire better suited for a daily driver that’s, at best, mildly sporty?
Sadly, the new owners still have yet to give us a tire-testing budget of our own, but the good news is, our friends over at Tyre [sic] Reviews recently got their hands on some CrossClimate 3s and CrossClimate 3 Sports, and they actually do have the budget for a proper comparison test. So how do the new Michelins stack up against the competition?
Michelin CrossClimate 3 and CrossClimate 3 Sport
For their test of the two new Michelins, Tyre Reviews grabbed a set of Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3s, as well as some Bridgestone Turanza All Season 6s. It would have been great to see a more comprehensive comparison test that included other tires, but it also isn’t like either the Pirelli or the Bridgestone are some no-name budget tires you really only buy because you can’t afford something better.
As for the CrossClimate 3, it beat the CrossClimate 2’s performance in every area but couldn’t quite beat the Pirelli’s overall score. It’s the quietest and most comfortable tire in the test and performed the best in three out of four snow tests but didn’t quite have the performance in wet or dry conditions to secure the win. The CrossClimate 3 Sport, however, came in first overall, thanks to its superior wet and dry performance, as well as its admirable snow performance. It isn’t the best in the snow or the quietest tire they tested, but it’s still right in line with the Pirelli and Bridgestone when it comes to noise.
If you don’t live in an area that gets a lot of rain but does see a good bit of snow, the CrossClimate 3 might still be the tire for you. On the other hand, since you’re reading Jalopnik, where sportier is better, it sounds like the tire you really need to check out is the CrossClimate 3 Sport. Especially if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain.
