Below are all the data points for the Is there a true all season tyre? We find out, displaying how each tyre performed across all test categories. The spider chart below provides a complete overview of performance, where one hundred percent represents the best performance in each category. The larger the area covered by each tyre's plot, the better its overall performance.
How to read these charts:
For each test category, data is presented relative to the best performing tire. The direction indicates whether lower or higher values are better - pay close attention to this when interpreting results.
Spider chart cannot be displayed because there are no test categories common to all tires.
The thread is a bit old, but still interesting. I asked myself if anyone ever did a test like this with tyres which are near end of life, i.e., approx 5 years old and worn down to say 2mm, which, btw, is still well in the legal range in most countries. I'd expect that the meters till stop, especially on wet, will dramatically increase and the handling capabilities under all but dry conditions will dramatically dwindle. I'd predict that under almost all adverse conditions a fairly new All-Season with full profile will easily outperform a worn down specialist tyre. Testing with new tyres is surely interesting, but it's, IMHO, always the
combination of old/worn tyres, bad weather conditions and a bad tyre
choice which gets you in real trobles.
Read this New vs 4mm vs 2mm test: http://www.tyrereviews.co.u...
The two best allseasons remains on top in their entire lifespan, with Crossclimate losing the least performance of the tested tyres on snow and wet, while gaining performance in dry conditions, and actually beating the pure summertyre as they wear down both wet and dry. I would have no worries using Michelin Crossclimate all their threadlife down to 2mm. Since 3mm is the limit in winter in Norway, they will be used as summers only below 3mm. As I have new winters in storage on alurims, these Crossclimate tyres really have been saving me money, and will continue to do so for seasons to come..
Would really like to know if Michelin has any plans of making this tyre available in 165/65 R15! They have not responded to my mail yet! Shame on them!
Hi Milos
Sadly we've no plans at present to make CrossClimate+ in your size. We have capacity limits and can't make every option in every size, but we do make a winter option and an excellent BF Goodrich All Season 2 which is not CrossClimate but a very similar type of product
Jamie (Technical - Michelin UK)
I highly appreciate your honest reply, Jamie! I do understand that Renault Clio 3 tyre size is not that standard. I will definitely consider going for BF Goodrich All Season 2. Thank you!
Your tests are good at defining the performance envelope of new tyres. But how does this relate to Jo/e Average driver? I would like to see a test regime designed to find which tyre best encompasses the driving performance envelope of ordinary motorists in UK conditions.
What I mean is this: the dry/wet performance benefits of one tyre over another are wasted on me, I would simply not explore their limits with my daily driving and would not notice any differences, except in emergency braking. But I do notice the difference on snow/slush. I could drive a rear-drive (MX-5) confidently in the snowy Lake District on decent winter tyres, whereas my front drive MPV on budget winter tyres is quite dicey on snow and slush.
Perhaps you could double-up with "non-enthusiast" drivers to get their honest take on driving each of the tyres across the various conditions, to see which give performance benefits they can actually notice in a normal driving style. It would help if they did not know which tyre they were testing.
I'd also like to know how these tyres perform (especially on snow) when the first 2-3mm has worn off. I get the feeling your results only really apply to people who change their tyres monthly!
I'm currently writing up a test which covers new vs 4mm vs 2mm.
The reason we tests tyres at the limit, is that's where the differences are.
If a budget tyre can only reach 50% of a premium tyres grip, but you drive around at 10% most of the time, the differences aren't going to be noticeable. It's when you need to make an emergency maneuver the grip potential makes the difference, and that's what we test.
I have used Michelin Cross-Climates on my Land Rover Freelander for a couple of years and they're excellent. I use Michelin Pilot Sport PS3s on my Audi A3, but don't know if it's worth switching to Cross-Climate's for winter use. Unfortunately, this otherwise good test is only half-useful, as you didn't test the summer tyre in conditions where summer tyres performance fades and winter/all season tyres should be used (under 7 degrees C) which would have given a more useful comparison.
Sent you an e-mail, so now you have mine aswell. :P
Do you know if they have plans to release 225/50R17 XL V/H for the likes of the Ford S-Max, do a lot of touring through Europe and we cross a fair number of weather zones, something all round like these would be ideal.
Thanks for the write, very helpful
I have GY 4season G2. It's very good tyre on wet and AQ!
Just wanted to thank you for the write-ups and communication with users - very inspiring and nice of you :)
As for the CrossClimate, they really look like a game changer - shame they don't make them in more sizes though. I need them in 175 70 R14 (new Skoda Fabia has them on base model), yet only 4Season is available at that size and few comments (including yours) about how they feel on dry roads worry me a bit.
I was entertaining a thought of buying a tad smaller CrossClimate's @ 175 65 R14 but I don't feel completely comfortable with that.
Do you have any idea if Michelin might introduce new range of sizes any time soon?
We've asked the question to Michelin.
As for running a smaller size, this isn't advisable, especially on a new car. At the very least, if you do run a smaller size you will have to notify your insurance company as it will be classified as a modification.
Yes, I will not go with a smaller tires - thank you for your insight. Atm I may get 4Seasons and then CrossClimate (or whatever will be the best at the time) in the future.
In the spirit of TyreReviews you could try both. Goodyear for this winter season, then Michelin for next, and leave reviews of how you feel about them on your vehicle :)
Indeed.. It seems I'm gonna go with Firestone Winterhawk 3 for the winter and maybe even stretch them until June. Then sell them with whichever summer tires come on Skoda Fabia (it should arrive in a few days) and just stick CrossClimate from there on. Cheers :)
175/70 R14 is due to launch in June 2017 :)
Amazing! Thank you so much for this - I tried writing to Michelin but got no response. You people on the other hand obviously have more influence - thank you! :)
How about a brake / handling test for all tyres in both dry and wet conditions, conducted not on snow but at freezing temperatures? What results could we expect to see? I ask because I drove in minus 2 the other day on summer tyres that felt like blocks of concrete. And slipped and slithered like them as well...
We believe tests at freezing temperatures are otherwise known as ice tests :)
Most decent magazines, including Auto Express, test their winter tyres in the wet as close to freezing point as the sprinkler systems allow.
We'd certainly like to see some dry testing performed in minus conditions.
Thanks for replying! I see the tests in the video above were carried out in warm weather, apart from the snow climb. I appreciate a full winter test will be done with cold water sprinklers, but the trye will still have latent heat within it. This is why I would be interested to see a summer/winter/cross-climate tyre test done in near freezing conditions, dry, wet, snow - when the tyres are at ambient (freezing) temperature. I have a feeling the results would be horrifying in terms of the summer tyre!
I have spent some time looking for such a test but cannot find one. But I do note the massive increase in accidents during cold snaps in Britain. I had one myself a few years ago in the early hours of the morning. BMW 330CD sport, summer tyres (Michelin Pilot Sport) in minus 5 (2011 I think) after hitting (whilst cornering) an ice patch caused by run off from a field in otherwise completely dry conditions.
I have no idea how far the tyres had deteriorated in minus 5, but I now think had I been on winter tyres I might not have crashed. Hence my interest in cold weather testing!
If there is such a test out there, could you direct me to it? If not, will you conduct one yourselves?
Kind Regards
Paul Weston
While we're not 100% sure, we believe the majority of the European winter and all season tests manage to test the dry and wet performance under 7c, so tests like Auto Bild and ADAC are worth checking.
http://www.tyrereviews.co.u...
http://www.tyrereviews.co.u...
Both publications have the full tests available on their German language websites.
Thank you:-)
Hello i have recently bought a Suzuki SX4 4x4 to replace my ageing BMW (e36) which as I live in the north east of England and live in in a rural location (900ft above sea level) I fitted winter tyres when November came. But as I half expected a recent fall of snow showed up the short comings of having summer tyres fitted even on a 4 wheel drive car. The question I ask is My budget will only stretch to buying two CrossClimates as my car is has a 2 wheel and a 4 wheel drive option what would be the best option. Fit 2 CrossClimates to the front or rear leaving a pair of summer tyres on the remaining axle?
Sadly there is no good combination when driving on snow or ice for only 2 "winter marked" tyres.
The imbalance of grip will either lead to snap oversteer with the tyres front mounted, or a traction / braking imbalance if mounted to the rear of the car. Either way, these aren't things we'd be comfortable suggesting people deal with on the public roads on a day to day basis.
I need to replace the fronts on my 2 year old focus. The rears still have a fair bit of wear. I am thinking that the CrossClimates are the optimum replacement one, but can't decide to get 2 and put the rears on the front, or replace all 4? Anyone got any advice please?
Michelin are ok with mixing pairs, as long as you put the new CrossClimates on the rears.
We would likely put the new two on the rear, and try and wear out the older fronts changing them for CrossClimates before the weather gets too inclement!
I live in Denmark and am seriously considering an all season tyre for my Hyundai i30. This review has been very helpful but one question lingers in my mind. Since I would need 185/65R15 tyres, can these results still be used as a guideline? Or would the test results be totally different on tyres of a different dimension?
As a rule, the results will follow the same trend in different sizes. Where the results are extremely close, slight variations can occur, but for this test we're confident the general message would remain.
Thanks. While reading a bit more on this, I found this article: http://www.tyrereviews.co.u...
So, I still cant decide between goodyear and michelin :(
If you're expecting a lot of snow and ice, get the Goodyear. If you're expecting more dry and wet, the Michelin is the better choice :)
Just a tip: you may also fit 195/65R15 tyres on older Hyundai i30. I did so on on my 2010 i30. Subjectively, the car looks much better than having 185 tyres.
Thanks. Did you notice any difference in tyre wear? I am guessing my rims are 5.5 inch wide and I think 195 mm on 5.5 inch wide rims is a bit on the limit.
I have the original alloy rims and Dunlop Wintersport 3D tyres, did not notice any problems after 25000 km spread over 6 winters. When I bought them I found some information that it's ok, maybe from the car registration papers, I don't remember now.
I've recently just returned to the southern UK from being in Germany for the last 11 years.
I got a UK car and I am looking at winter wheels and tyre packages, as I will be on the road a lot in my new job. But I am thinking that maybe these crossclimates would be a better choice.
I still have my place in Germany, Dusseldorf, So will be going over a few times a year.
in the last few years the winter weather has been milder in this region.
But this is no guarantee...
Ive been used to changing the wheels and tyres over yearly, its a bit of a faff but can do at home any way.
But if these would be better for UK and occasionally into Europe then they would be cheaper to get than a second set of winters...
anyone used these crossclimates in Uk and europe winter weather, be interesting to hear your feed back on them...
Thanks
Keep an eye on the site in November, as we plan to do just that. We're taking a CrossClimate equipped car and driving from London, to the Alps, then "playing" in the snow to see how good they really are!
please give me your feedback about wear?
Not much wear, after 14 months and 17.000 klm, no cuts or attrition to the tyres, for once more the crossclimates are great and still perfect
For years I have changed from Continental summer to winter tyres each year on various Mercedes C Class saloons. Two winters ago I fitted Michelin Cross Climates and really noticed absolutely no difference from dedicated Summer or Winter tyres. (Live in Scottish Highlands so need winter-type tyres in December - March) Great tyres. Will certainly fit them in October on my new C Class. Absolutely gutted I cannot get them for my wife's Suzuki Swift yet. Michelin hurry up and release them!
I've got the Continental WinterContacts on at the moment and have been using them all year round. The fronts now need replacing and I was thinking of moving to CrossClimates. Would it be OK to have temporarily have CrossClimates on the front and WinterContacts on the rear or should I perhaps have them the other way around? I don't really want to throw away the rear WinterContacts as they still have quite a bit of tread.
Thanks.
I am thinking the very same thing. I have been running a full set of Nokian weatherproofs since last October and the fronts are now down to near minimum tread after just 8k miles... I have run full winters year round and had better mileage. The weatherproofs have been superb but with the temperature now warmer they do still move around when cornering etc as per winters so I am thinking maybe the cross climate could be the answer.
I also only want a pair as the rears are still in great condition, so I may fit them to the front until winter bites and then swap the Nokians onto the front for the winter. I guess this may make the rear a little wayward during the warmer weather if the fronts act more like summer tyres but I think it will be fine.
Like mixing new and old tyres, our advice would be to fit the CrossClimates on the rear and move the older winters to the front. This will help with both car balance (more prone to understeer rather than oversteer in the dry and wet) and it will also wear the winters out more quickly allowing you to fit two more matching tyres, assuming you drive a FWD vehicle.
Thanks for the reply. If the older winters made it through to the cold weather, would you swap them around again? i.e. have the winters on the rear as they would provide more grip in cold/wet/snow conditions.
Difficult question, it would depend largely on wear levels of the two tyres come the winter!
Assuming the CrossClimate would be largely unworn on the rear, and the winters would be sub 4mm on the front, it would make sense to take the opportunity to replace the winters on the front as their ability to perform on snow and ice will be vastly reduced.
Thank you for the interesting comparison.
I am now faced with the problem of purchasing new tyres for my car.
Why do I say it's a problem?
Well, everywhere you look its just loads of advertising and it's difficult to find a true and honest opinion regarding a specific product.
I own a 2005 Audi TT Quattro and I'm thinking of the CrossClimate tyres. I live in Warsaw, central Poland and I'm trying to guess if the CrossClimate will be a good choice in my circumstances. 4 wheel drive does provide good levels of grip by handling, but braking is just another issue.
Any comments about my scenario?
Thanks in advance.
I currently live in Germany, near Ingolstadt, and just now ordered the Michelins. Hoping that I made the right decision (I looked more at the tire lables than all reviews, but on ReifenDirekt the Michelin was reviewed slightly higher by users).
Had been using Summer-Winter for the last decade or so, but have been getting increasingly frustrated about the change ever October and March (it's mandatory in Germany to have Winter or All-Season tires between October and March), having to store the tires when not in use, and having them age and degrade while not in use.
Used to live in Southern Europe and there I had Summer tires all year round.
My Mom lives in Wisconsin, Northern USA since 1992 and has always used All-Season tires.
My reasoning for changing to All-Seasons:
- No more changing in Months where getting an appointment is becoming increasingly difficult;
- Winters have not been extreme in the last few years in the Lowlands. In the past 2 years we've maybe had 1 month of real Winter with snow, and I've encountered 3-4 days where Winter tires were really needed because the roads hadn't been cleared yet. Having had "old" Winter tires I didn't feel particularly safe on those days either. Just because the old tires still have enough tread to meet the legal minimum, doesn't mean that after 4 Winters that they're that good.
- I don't take my car to go skiing in the Alps, and when I do cross the Alps in the Winter it's on the Brenner Autobahn which gets regularly cleared as it's a main European throughway (besides, if I'm not mistaken, Italy mandates you to have snow chains on board).
- Lots of rainy weather in Bavaria year round.
From how I read your review, the CrossClimate performed well in wet conditions, and those are the conditions I'm looking for, because even as I write this it's raining outside.
It is interesting your write up. As I am living in south Europe near sea where are temperatures are between 5 to 20 degrees C I have no doubt to buy Michelin Crossclimate. But, once per year I am travelling to Germany (Hamburg). This year I am going on end of November and returning on beginning of the December. I have already ordered these tires. Now I am concerning will I encounter snow on my way to the Germany (via Slovenia- Maribor through Austria, Graz, entering in Germany in Passau and continuing to Hamburg) and will these tires keep me safe on autobahn?
Unless we have an extremely cold fall with snow this year then they should keep you safe.
I have them on my car now since June and they have so far performed well in both dry and wet summer conditions, and now we have cooler wet conditions (a few nights temperature has dropped to 3°C).
No one can tell you with certainty that there won't be any snow when you come, but the Autobahn gets cleared quite well, and I'm feeling confident that the tires can handle light snow. Just keep in mind to adjust your speed to the conditions you encounter.
Even the best winter tires can have difficulty when you're going 250km/h.
Many thanks for your kind and quick reply. So far, I read plenty positive comments about Crossclimate. I was looking on weather forecast for the area that I will pass and temperatures will be from -3 to +7 in that period with some occasional snow and rain (only God know how the weather will be). I am hoping that will be no heavy snow falls in that time that I have to pass. Anyhow, I am moderate driver (even I do not have so fast car) and I am hoping that Autobahn will be enough clean in order to maintain safe speed around 80 km/h (I have never used Autobahn during snow). I hope only that I will not encounter any dense fog. In 10 days will come my Crossclimate and I will have some time to get used on them before my journey. Before I was using summer tires Hankook and winter tires Toyo but never get opportunity to try them on snow (usually traveling to Germany during March and summer time). Thanks again and my best regards.
Sascha is correct with his answer - the CrossClimates will perform as safely as any other all season tyre on the market for the majority of conditions.
In extreme conditions (ie untreated ice) the CrossClimates will be at a slight disadvantage to winter-bias all seasons and full winter tyres, but everyone should be driving slow enough to mean it's not an issue.
Let us know how your trip goes :)
I will let you know, in front of me is more then 4200km (only trip to Germany and back to my home).
I live in Finland, and I can assure you, that there is no such thing, than All season tyres. All of them have no grip compared to real winter tyres (spiked or not). Here you can see the diffence: https://www.youtube.com/wat...
That last tyre was "a real central european winter tyre test winner", and it's completely useless on ice. Even on snow they could't drive car on medium uphill...can't find the episode, but it was so called all season tyre.
So if you plan to drive with those, you should go very slowly when it gets slippery. I think you can manage somehow, even with summer tyres...but when the worst happens, you always should have the best possible grip on your car. At least I have, because I have 3 children in my car.
Hi,
I have a 180bhp auto A5 with all round Mich Primacy 3. Wondering if my due front tyre change is worth the Cross climates or to stick with the Primacys. I do a lot of motorway miles and cover around 17k a year.
Thanks
Craig
If you need to be able to use your car in year round conditions, we suggest switching to the CrossClimates would be a good choice, and if you can get your rears worn out and changed to matching tyres before any extreme weather, all the better!
You can't mix summer tires with cross climate, at least if you plan to drive it on different climate conditions. That could work on summer, but you always have to have better (or the same) grip on rear than in front, especially at winter. Otherwise your car will be very unstable and behave dangerously.
The best choice: for summer - Michelin CrossClimate, for winter - Continental WinterContact TS850, : and there is no fear during autumn and spring
There are two things missing from this test. Firstly the tyre performance on cold damp winter days. I've found my winter tyres (Dunlop) feel far more secure than summer tyres when its close to freezing outside. How do the Cross Climate and 4Seasons perform in such conditions? Secondly, what is the wear like using the Cross Climate and 4Seasons in the summer? Without answers to these questions I am unlikely to go back to one set of tyres for year round use.
Hi Mark,
Sadly due to time constraints, we were unable to test in all the conditions possible.
Fortunately, a number of people and magazines have reviewed the CrossClimate and All Season tyres at various temperatures, which can be found here: http://www.tyrereviews.co.u...
Is it safe to fit Cross Climate tyres to the front wheels of a Golf while keeping summer tyres on the back wheels?
We expect the official answer will be "no".
Given the variance between the summer and CrossClimate is very small in wet and dry, less than the difference between say a premium and mid range tyre, we wouldn't have too much issue mixing them.
Where you need to be careful is snow performance. The CrossClimate vastly out performs a summer in snow and ice, which will lead to snap oversteer if you fit them as described.
If you have to fit just two CrossClimates, fit them to the rear, move your rear summers to the front, and once they're worn fit a further two CrossClimates (again to the rear, and move the rears to the front)
I had great difficulty in the snow a year or so ago with summer tyres. (car is FWD). Putting cross climates on back I doubt would help in any way - (we are talking about slow speeds and not making any good progress up snowy road). So in this case would not having them on the front make more sense?
V interesting article by the way. Thank you.
Correct, you will get more benefit from fitting the all season tyres to the front axle, but there is also more risk due to the factors described above.
You can legally fit whatever you're comfortable with, just stay mindful of the car balance in difficult conditions and get four matching tyres as quickly as possible.
What happens during braking and your front wheels have grip but your back wheels don't? It's safest to ensure that all four wheels have similar levels of grip.
7000 klm after my 3d review, and still very satisfited with CrossClimate to dry and wet both, the wear also still great, seems that they have strong materials. Finaly i tested them at snow. First of all you don't stuck nowhere! Even to snow or ice. When you start once, you have the full command of the car. They are not for WRC but they are ownest and do the job. Dont forget, they are summer tyres! But also very good to snow, not top but very good! Better than all weathers and almost equal to winters. Overall is the most complete summer tyre ever made for all weather conditions!
PS. And very-very quiet too!
Is there any info on how the CrossClimate performs and how quickly the tyre deteriorates when used in high temperatures (over 30 degrees centigrade) and over longer distance (motorway driving for example)? I ask because I live in north eastern Italy where winter temperatures are generally around 1 to 5 degrees but for a good 3 months in the summer not drop below 35 degrees. Although clearly a compromise regarding performance, is the CrossClimate a real alternative to seasonal tyre change for "normal" family car use?
I drive in Greece, i bought them at July, 40+ C, perfect grip on very hot roads, and they didnt destroyed or had wear problem like awinters have to high temrutures, or like all weathers too. Just to understand you buy a very good summer tyre, but you have also a raintyre, perfect for wet roads and the sametime a winter one real good to snow and ice. What else to want? I hope that i help u.
Why in Autobild test, Vector4Seasons is better than Crossclimate in wet performance, but according to tyre rating label it got B, while Crossclimate got A. Which test is more reliable?
It could be a number of reasons.
As we found out, the difference in wet braking between the two tyre is very close, likewise the difference between a B label and an A label, can be very close which means small test variances such as the temperature can change the results.
Manufacturers are also allowed to mark their tyres as a worse performing category (ie a B instead of an A) if they want to standardise the labels across the range of sizes, but we don't suspect this to be the case this time.
Also, keep in mind that the tyre manufacturers make their own labels, not an official institution. The official instances only do the occasional checkups of the labels.
Furthermore the Euro wet label does not include aquaplaning and handling on curves. Therefore this label is more limited than the Autobild test.
So I would trust Autobild.
Are you not writing up the az test? I summise that you have seen it as th results are showing up on the review pages for tyres that featured n it, with a link to the results...
Here for anyone who wishes to view;
http://www.tyrereviews.co.u...
I made a review table of all the reviews in percentages. If you copy/paste it to excel you can change the weighting yourselves.
You can find it here : http://users.telenet.be/mmo...
It seems that you missed to include best All Weather All Season tire and that is Nokian Weatherproof according to numerous tests this year, Nokian Weatherproof is winner in all season tyre test in Auto Express test, Auto Zeitung test and VOX TV all season tyre test.
At the time of organising this test, the all season tyre tests hadn't been published so the Nokian was an unknown quantity. The new Weatherproof does look to be an extremely good tyre, but looking at the test results we'd suggest it's also a bit too snow bias for the average UK climate.
I have only seen the Auto Express and Autobild test, I can't find the other reviews online. Have you read all the full reviews? If so, could you provide a link?
From the Autobild and Auto Express tests I conclude that there are 3 top All Season tyres : the Nokians with winter bias, the Goodyears with a more balanced approach between winter and summer and the Michelins with summer bias.
You can buy Auto Zeitung magazine online as e-paper edition it cost 2 Eur. Nokian Weatherproof is no doubt best in snow and according to those three tests it is best overall too.
Well, I checked all the results and again the Goodyear is a very close second in Auto Zeitung, while it was far ahead of the Nokians in the Autobild test. Furthermore, there was no wear test in the Auto Zeitung review, and there was no wear test or noise test in the Auto Express review. Lastly the CrossClimates were not testesd in Auto Express or Auto Zeitung. The Autobild review is imho the most complete and professional test of the 3.
If wear would be included in Auto Zeitung the Goodyears would have been the test winner.
You surelly agree that wear or tyre cost has nothing to do with tyre performance in wet or dry, so including wear and tyre cost like Auto Bild did, doesn't help at all in choosing the best tyre, contrary these numbers are great for economics, unfortunately moving focus from important facts like tyre performance to completely different field which doesn't have anything to do with tyre performance on the road (and saving your life in potentially unsafe condition on wet or snowy road). So imho the most professional test is Auto Express All Season Test 2015 where Nokian Weatherproof is clear winner as in numerous other tests... (have to check vox test numbers yet where Nokian is again the winner)
I agree that the price should not be part of the score, but wear is an important factor. More important than milage imho. Because wear does have a direct impact on performance. Auto Express does include milage but not wear. Therefore the Autobild test is more complete ( also because more tyres were tested ), and if you make your own excel and use the autobild results, you can make up your own weighting and final results.
Check my personal charts here : http://users.telenet.be/mmo...
I also checked the Auto Mobil ( VOX TV ) review, the Goodyears are second, but Auto Mobil did not use the latest Gen2 version and the CrossClimates are not tested at all. There are few hard numbers in there, so I won't take this review into account when choosing tyres.
TyreReviews, Could I thank you for doing this test, which as you can see from the record number of comments has generated a very interesting and quite informed debate. Although this doesn't help me as I run separate summer and winter tyres, it has helped a close relative make an informed decision as he couldn't decide what was best for him. He goes to Scotland and the North Pennines a lot in Winter and has gone for the Goodyear's on his soft roader AWD.
Thank you for your kind words, we're glad it was useful :)
renowned German car magazine AutoBild and its measurement (in the snow)
Winter tire test 2013.
http://imageshack.com/a/img...
all season tires test 2015.
http://imageshack.com/a/img...
in these two tests we have the same car the same dimension tires ...
It is very interesting power traction winter tires in 2013 compared with 2015. all season tyre test,where the Continental ts850 has a weaker traction of adapto save the test year-round in 2015 !! ??
and some "mysterious winter tire" that was used as a reference in the test 2015.all season has traction 449N stronger than the same up Conti?
I am interested in what is the tire so advanced !?
see the tests through the years as one and the same model all season tires progresses through the years ...
Can you explain it !?
Same car, same meters, the same size tires, snow pretty much the same what's the deal?
http://imageshack.com/a/img...
(Here we have the same car in the same plane of the tire and the upper two links)
other tests, also on snow all year round
http://imageshack.com/a/img...
http://imageshack.com/a/img...
I do not know just why with winter working test braking on snow at 50 km / h in all season at 40 km / h ... will be that they fear
This might be a question for Auto Bild :)
It's very difficult to measure the difference between tests, especially at different locations. The type of snow plays a huge role in stopping distances, traction and handling tests so a small variance can have quite a big change in the results.
We're sure the tyres haven't progressed as much as the 2013 to 2015 tests show, but there has been an improvement overall.
It's all one thing, and that is that such tests may be subjective from your database driver reviews.
Although often suspected the opposite situation.
@Gov I can't remember the last time we had 30-40 cm snow in Holland. When we do have snow, most of the time it isn't much and it's over within a few days. If you look at the German test you will notice the CrossClimate is clearly the best all season tire on dry roads. On wet it's one of the better ones and only on snow it does not do as well. At the moment I drive a summer tire (Michelin Energy Saver OEM fitted on my Peugeot 208) all year long. The great thing is that I can replace my old tires without compromising dry and wet weather performance (which I find most important) and still be a lot saver in the few days when it snows. No other all season tire can give me that.
What I do find weird is that it's not clear in the German test which summer and winter tire they used as benchmark. Does someone know?
Unlike the Auto Express tests, the Germans don't usually name their comparison tyres.
We believe the summer was a Continental Premium Contact 5, not sure about the winter.
Actually you make good point here you don't wan't to compromise dry performance? well buy summer tyre :) you don't wan't to compromise wet performance? again buy the summer tyre... Cross Climete gives you practicly summer tire performance with some abillity on snow but best all season all weather tyres are way better on snow then Michelins. To name few Nokian and Goodyear. It is all about priorities.
Exactly, the Crossclimates has the advantages of a summer tyre but does a hell of a lot better in the snow although not as good as other all season tyres.
I would suggest reading the latest german tests which consist of more than just a couple of brands. We see that Vredestein Quatrac5 and Hankook 4Salso perform much better on snow and ice than the Michelin. I had the Quatrac3 and since last year the 5. The 5 has clearly gained traction on ice now. Quatrac3 served me well in The Netherlands and nearby Ardennes and Eifel. Especially in NL where there was 30-40 cm snow covering the road so there was absolutely zero contact with the tyre and road surface and it plowed through for 2-3 kms like a sleeride undaunted.
Wintertyres and summertyres re a compromise when we look at the German tests when you live in a climate like we have in NW Europe. I agree the milder parts of the british Isles are different though. But on the continent, where I live, we have longer periods with snow and ice, we also have lots of aquaplaning in summer and winter, we have dry cold and mild dry weather. And it is clear the Quatrac5 and Hankook perform fine, "advised" by Autobild in D and Autoweek in NL, where both said the Goodyear was "exceptional". So in the higher parts of the UK and in the Scottish Highlands I would strongly advise the Goodyear V4G2 or the Hankook or Vredesteins.
What the GErman tests also clearly showed is that 195 mm vs 185 mm means much more than allseason vs wintertyre. The 195 mm allseasons, even the worst in their test fared better than the best wintertyres of 185 mm (!). We are not talking about a few more metres when you break, we are talking 15 m more simply by having 10 mm more width. And they noted this was true on snow and on wet surfaces....Something to think about, may be.
The crossclimates snow traction isn't too far off the winter tyre but it's ice and snow handling isn't as good as the winter tyre or vector 4 seasons gen2. It's good enough to get you about during winter in most parts of the UK Though, so is the best choice for all year round motoring in the milder parts of the UK, but to quote tyre reviews regarding the vector 4 seasons gen2 'we're not entirely comfortable with the dry braking and subjective handling penalty to recommending the tyre for year round use.'
Cheers
It is a matter of preference, but the Goodyears are the best all round all season tyres. If you want a some more summer performance and less winter performance, choose for the Michelins, if you want some more winter performance and less summer performance get the Nokians.
Either way, the Goodyears drive great in winter AND summer.
I certainly agree that generally the Goodyears are a well balanced all season tyre, but reading the summer handling and breaking performance I wouldn't be comfortable with them on my car during summer. However I've managed with summer tyres during the mild uk winters for years, even getting about in snow, so the Michelins are more than adequate for winters here I reckon. This is how I base my choice.
I understand your choice, and I agree, most people that are used to summer tyres all year round will be quite happy with the Crossclimates, being on par in the summer and improved in the winter :) Just want to add that from my personal experience, I find the handling and breaking performance of the Goodyears in the summer very good. And I sometimes drive hard.
But to each his own and it is a good thing the European All Season tyres ( Nokian, Michelin ) are in the same league now. Being European might convince me of buyng them in the future, regardless of specialty
Slight tangent, but if you have never driven on nokian tyres, give them a try! The Line is great, premium performance, good wear, nice saving on the pennies...
I think what also helped me decide was I had the older vector4seasons on a car a few years ago and found the dry breaking not as sharp and on it as the summer tyres they replaced, other than that though they were great tyres and were amazing in the snow going up country lanes in a RWD car! The gen2 should be even better so maybe north of the midlands they are the better choice and south of the Midlands the michelins!
Cheers
why do you say :-
"and while we're certain the Goodyear all season would outperform the CrossClimate in snow and ice handling"
when in the ski slope video the Crossclimate gets to the top well ahead of the Goodyear ?
The ski slope test wasn't scientific, we did multiple runs in different lanes and the Goodyear beat the Michelin as often as the Michelin beat the Goodyear.
Also we were only testing low speed traction and braking, the safety essentials to get yourself moving, and stopped in the snow. Snow handling tests would likely highlight the different design nature of the two tyres more than braking and traction.
Lastly, ice performance is largely down to siping, and there's no denying the Goodyear has a lot more sipes than the Michelin, and the Conti winter more again.
Check out the latest Autobild All Seasons test. There you will see the Vector4Seasons outperforms the Crosslimates in handling, braking and traction.
The type of snow will also make a difference. It seems that in the Tyrereview case the snow was of good quality ( fresh indoor snow for skiing or snowboarding ) while in the Autobild test you can see on the handling test the snow is more packed together, probably more icy.
Nice test. Shame the cross climate is only available on small wheels :(
Thank you. The CrossClimate will be release in certain 18" sizes next year, so there's hope yet. For the larger, more powerful cars which usually wear bigger wheels, it's still more appropriate to run a dedicated summer and winter combination.
Why is that? Do you mean with sportscars or SUV's or both?
I am happy with my Goodyear Vector4Seasons SUV.
Yes it's an interesting comment...
I guess it may be down to putting down a large amount of power? An all season doesn't necessarily give 100% in winter so given a mire powerful and/or heavier vehicle, you need all the grip available... Tis all I can think of atm...
The bigger, heavier and more powerful the vehicle, the more obvious the compromise of a siped tyre is.
Most of the premium winter tyre manufacturers offer a different pattern of winter tyre for sports cars, which moves the focus more towards steering and body control under dry and wet conditions. No one is making an all season tyre like this yet, and we suspect scaling up current all season patterns (potentially CrossClimate is the exception) would result in similar issues.
As demand for all season tyres grow, the tyre companies will find a solution for the larger vehicle
Pretty much what I thought then!
"The bigger, heavier and more powerful the vehicle, the more obvious the compromise of a siped tyre is."
Up to a point, that is probably true, but you do have to remember that the bigger, more powerful, vehicle will usually have wider tyres. If that results in the bigger vehicle having lower pressure (static force per contact patch unit area) then I can't quite see why being a bigger vehicle makes matters worse.
What doesn't scale linearly, and is therefore more difficult to estimate, is Aquaplaning; the wider a tyre gets, the more difficult it gets to move water sideways and the tyre either needs a bigger air:land ratio, with more space given to channels to move water longitudinally, or aquaplaning becomes a more serious possibility.
Just to be clear to anyone reading this discussion, my info is for those who have some idea what they are doing with tyres, as a member of the public.
If you do not understand what I have written, then DO NOT mix tyres!
Living in the southeast with snow for a few days every couple of years, I like most others drivers ran summer tyres all winter. Very few change their tyres twice a year and the UK has no tyre legislation requirements. - perhaps this should change?
Most southern Uk drivers will be making a choice between a Primacy or other test winning summer tyre. The Crossclimate is good for a small premium you can have some winter capability without sacrificing much summer performance. I bought a set of 4 this summer - I'm glad now the tests are backing up Michelin's claims.
Agreed the Crossclimates are good tyres and Michelin made a top All Season tyre that can go head to head with Goodyear. It is great to see a top tier brand jump on the All Season bandwagon. More competition is good :)
Exactly :) The CrossClimate isn't a perfect tyre for any conditions, as mentioned if there's extreme snow or ice performance you're better off with the Goodyear or Continental winter, however we believe for the average motorist, it provides the best overall balance of performance for the milder UK climate.
Is it feasible to run all-seasons on the rear of a FWD car year round and just swap the fronts for Summer and Winter as appropriate? It means you only need pay for 2 extra wheels/tyres/TPMS and take up half the storage. The rear tyres do very little work on most FWD car's and can easily last twice as long as the fronts.
Not recommended. For best handling front and rear tires must be the same. In case of budget issues put the best tyres on the back, not in the front. Also for FWD cars the rear is very important in the bends. You could get into some serious over steer. I experienced this with summer tyres in the back and Vector 4 seasons in the front during cold days. It was OK in the summer
Yes it is, I have been doing so for a while with Bridgestone a001 on the back, the rear has been totally stable in all conditions, wear has been good, and so-on.
Of course it is still a compromise, but as the front tyres do most of the braking there is less of a trade-off in summer than a full set, and in snow/ice the rear end was always unshakeable, literally!
What results you get depends on what specific combination you use, but in my case the a001 were a more stable nicer handling tyre than the conti eco contact 3 they replaced during spring/summer/autumn being more neutral with a whole lot less oversteer when pushing-on for example.
This is not best practice, at all.
Why would you want to go through the hassle of changing tyres if you can put All Season tyres on all 4 wheels?
The performance will not be better with a mix, I am 100% sure that your performance will be worse with a mix of tyres VS 4x good all season tyres.
Nope, there is no sound argument for doing this.
IMHO, either you suck it up and switch tyres for summer and winter or you use all season tyres year round. If you want better dry performance get the Crossclimates, if you want better winter performance get the Vector 4 Seasons Gen2
I would have thought it would greatly improve braking distance as the all-season tyre is weak in the summer and the braking will be limited by these tyres on the front, as opposed to Summer tyres.
The All-Season is not weak in the summer, just not as good. You should get the Crossclimates ( which are also All Season tyres ) and you won't see the difference in dry breaking and handling.
Did you look at the dry results and the minuscule difference between the Crossclimate and the Summer tyre?
Either way, you will handicap your handling by mixing tyres, I don't think that is a good idea, even if your braking would be slightly better.
The crossclimate are indeed a game changer, and are exactly what UK drivers on the whole need.
But, you can have a nice performance balance with a mix, giving better winter performance than crossclimate with similar summer behaviour. The stopping distances would probably be similar, with the crossclimate being marginally weaker at front than the summer tyre, but stronger at the rear than the all season. It does depend on the particular tyres though. And yes, all four the same is the sensible, default choice.
What about crossclimates for the rear and conti ts850 for the front? On a fwd car, for the winter..
If you like experimenting, are in tune with your car, have some knowledge about it and are an experienced driver, go ahead :p
Otherwise, just buy 4 of the same tyres !
We're not sure what you're hoping to achieve, but in the case of serious snow and ice, you would have a oversteer handling balance which isn't the safest balance to have on a road car!
No, i was thinking just for median winter conditions in a city and for this crossclimates to be the rear tyres for the entire year..or maybe i'll go for the "4 of a kind".. :) thank you for your comnents!
Yah imho it is not worth the hassle of rotating your front tyres between winters and summers and risk getting a sub optimal setup. Just phase out your summers.
Make sure you rotate the summers so they are all worn at the same time. Get "4 of kind" All Seasons for the winter and once the summers are worn, you use the All Seasons year round :)
Indeed!
As the others have said below really. The crossclimate aren't really ideal for this kind of setup, you need a more winter biased all season tyre if mixing and matching but still with good dry properties, like the quatrac 5 for example, but, and its a big but (I like big buts, I cannot lie...) you are better going for 4 crossclimate if you can.
As I said, mixing can work nicely indeed, but only if you have an idea about what you are doing in the first place.
As an example; the ts 850 is a very strong winter tyre, so you need a strong winter all season to keep the rear end in check. The best match would be the nokian weatherproof as this is just as strong, generally speaking, but come the summer it is one of th e weaker tyres, so you may get a wandering rear end if used with a strong summer tyre, so you then need to move away from the nokian onto a strong dry all season like the crossclimate, but that will leave the rear lacking in the winter as there is too much of a performance differential, with possibly dangerous results... it's all about balancing the tyre dynamics. If anybody reading this finds it confusing or unclear, just buy all matching tyres of the best quality you can.
The Vector4Seasons are the most balanced of the All Seasons tyres and they perform as good in the winter as the Quatrac 5 and marginally better in the wet as the Crossclimates.
So if one would want to do to an experiment I think that the Vector4Seasons would be the best tyre for combining with summers and winters.
The Nokian Weatherproof would be the best match for the winters. But do you see what you did there? You basically propose a summer ( with CrossClimate ) and a winter ( with Weatherproof ) set :)
I mean that would be a cool experiment as well I am sure ...
And then you could run full All Season tyres for the inbetweens, like when it is getting colder but not below 7 degrees yet, or when it is getting warmer but not above 7 degrees yet, this way you are ready for what is to come. But make sure you put the Nokians in front when winter is comming and the Crossclimates in front when the summer is comming.
Oh and while we are at it, you could also get another pair of winters for running full winters for those really cold times, like -20° C and a lot of snow and ice.
And then of course another pair of summers so you can run full summers for when it is 40° C
Even better is when you have a garage with the needed tools and storage space so you can watch the weather and prep your car formula one style for the next day.
The sky is the limit :)
All joking aside, if one has to ask the question, it is most likely not the best idea ( for that person ) :p
Indeed!
I wasn't suggesting any pairs though, just examples of how the differing dynamics should be considered and balanced...
I just like o encourage people to think and ask questions though, as this way the curiosity is sparked and research afoot, which all leads to more educated motorists, hopefully... This is why I wrote the last paragraph above, if the info on the differing dynamics is baffling to someone, then just take the sensible option, but if it all made sense and fuels further investigation, then that is, on the whole, a good thing.
I was a bit over simplistic in my original post to Scott I do appreciate, so I'm trying to provide more in-depth detail!
Thanks for the interesting discussion :)
Thank you, that was helpful.. i don't mind buying a full set for the winter,but as i said,i was hoping for some strong all-season pair and i was thinking that this crossclimates will do the job for a good winter or summer mix.. anyway,i'll see about that! I'll be fain :)
This is based on sound principle indeed, but in practice not entirely accurate. It is a compromise, as is running 4 all season or 4 winter in the summer...
As I said in my post below, it depends on which tyres and their performance/behaviour. It can work well though, and for those of us who simply cannot afford 4 tyres all in one go, it can offset the cost, and there are only half the fitting charges too.
Personally I have done this as said below and it works well.
The behaviour of differing tyres can even be used (by those of us who are in tune with their vehicle) to improve the hanging of the vehicle (it can indeed also make it worse). For example my current vehicle, a mk1 scenic diesel, has an understeering preference due to the physics of its design and layout, but using a combination of different tyres front and rear can change this. With the sharp handling nokian H on the front and continental eco 3 on the rear it would quickly change to oversteer, but a bit too much, but with the Bridgestone a001 on the rear it behaved much more neutral, and safer than with the summer tyres rear. Same story currently with nokian line upfront and a001 rear. In the winter with Dunlop wintersport 3d on front it was much the same, and believe me, in the snow and ice the back end was unflappable, infact it had better performance than the front end fitted with full winters.
A full set of 4 matching tyres is the best way to go, but when purchasing tyres, any tyres, there's always a compromise to one degree or another, and what compromise a particular user decides to take is down to their own preferences.
So all season rear with front changes is a compromise, but a good one, and is better in summer (to a small degree) than a full set of all season when it comes to stopping and steering, but again, the tyre choice has to be educated.
Okay, but be carefull giving such advice to a less experienced driver ... ( not saying Scott is :p but he did ask so ... )
And once you get the cash for the second 2 all seaons, I would replace the summer tyres immediatly.
What Scott proposed tho was getting 2 summers + 2 all seasons and then also 2 winters ... so it is not an enonomic issue here.
I say that your average performance would be better and have less hassle by just getting 4 all seasons tyres.
Yes, hence why I try and give reasoning and notes as to my advice/experience/opinion!
Thng is, like in my case, I had two good summer upfront, changed the rear to all season, and then fitted winters to the front, it's was 3 purchases of 2 tyres but the gap between was enough for finances to recuperate.
I wouldn't advocate anything unsafe, but doing this isn't unsafe, it's just a compromise in performance. Look at how many idiots have four different budget tyres on their car but manage not to total the vehicle! Nor that that makes that ok, cos it isn't at all, and I'm often ranting at how many accidents each year will be caused by this..,
When mixing tyre types, we would agree with Ibe and advise against a mix of tyres which can have, in some situations, drastically different performance qualities.
In reality, mixed tyres happen all the time, and can be dangerous without people even realising (premium summers fronts, budget summers rear in the wet) so I'm sure there are people running with this mix safely, but for optimum balance we prefer against mixing siped and non-siped tyres.
Yes for those out there who have no idea it is best to play safe!
Good all season tyres do in practice behave perfectly well on the rear In combination with summer tyres upfront though or I wouldn't condone it on a public forum.
I personally expected more rear end movement and such, but they feel and behave very well indeed, and were better than a premium summer tyre.
Due care and attention MUST be used though by anyone deciding to mix tyres, or it CAN INDEED be dangerous.
But as I have said in all my posts, 4 matching tyres are the correct way to go!
Strange that your numbers contradict the numbers from Autobild, especially in the wet, where the Vector4SeasonsGen2 did better than the CrossClimates.
If you read through enough tyre tests, you'll unfortunately find a lot of data variance. Temperature, tyre size tested, vehicle used, water depth, surface coarseness all have an impact on tyre performance. The wet performance of the tyres were extremely close in both our testing, and the Auto Bild testing and wouldn't be a differentiating factor for our purchase decision.
Okay, so it basically boils down to better snow handling and aquaplaning resistance versus better dry performance. Personally I choose for snow and aquaplaning, cause even if you don't need these as much year round, it is at those times that good grip is most important imho.
Me too....Dry conditions in generally mean better sight as well. Dry is simply far less dangerous than snow and aquaplaning. I also dislike how the bars are used. They do not start at zero and give a false impression. 35 m or 37 m....there are a lot of other things that can have a more significant.
Also: I have not seen (but I might have missed it) how the sideway grip is of these tyres. Very important too....
In general the Germans simply tend to test much more thorough than English do.
i would never buy the Michelin unless I lived on Guernsey, Cornwall, Wales or Ireland or so....really rainy and/or very mild climates.
As we rarely get snow down south, I will be buying the Michelins. Most of the time here it is wet and mild.
Just found this discussion and hoped someone could advise on the suspension/cushioning abilities of the Crossclimates compared to 'ordinary' summer tyres. I am hoping to buy a new Golf SV (GT spec with sports suspension and 225/45 R 17 tyres). The dealer said it is possible to change the tyres to All Season tyres at delivery (for a fee of course!). I was hoping that the Crossclimates would not adversely affect the ride which already slightly on the hard side.
Any help gratefully received.
The Michelin CrossClimate 225/45 R17 91V would be miles ahead of any premium summertyres regarding suspension/cushioning abilities, known as "Comfort" in tests. Not because it's structural build is particulary softer then regular premium summertyres, but because of the softer silicarubber and that the 100's of rubber "fingers" are better suited for damping uneven surfaces like rough/worn tarmac. It's by far the most comfortable summertyre I've tested, and still keeping the proper summertyre performance and feel. Other more regular 4 seasons tyres might be as comfortable, like Goodyear Vector 4 G.2, but do not keep the proper summertyre performance as they have weighted the snow/winter performance more.
If the ride is borderline to hard, and you wan't to even out vibrations and surface annoyances without compromising to much on summer performance, you can not as of june 2016, buy a better tyre then the Michelin CrossClimate.
When you then add the fact that it's silent (noise in tests), far beyond any regular premium summertyre, especially on rough sufaces, you actually can have the cace and eat it to..
After lots of summertyre testing, on tarmac surfaces that would scare the living daylights out most drivers, which is the norm where I live in Norway, There was only one tyre that had the qualities I desperately seeked, and that was Michelin CrossClimate..
PS: I use the Michelin CrossClimate as a summertyre only, I have proper premium wintertyres, as winter here can get pretty bad and long. The fact that I can handle mixed weather early spring/late autum, and still drive around, is a pure bonus..
Hi, it has been over a year since your comment here, can you tell us if the tyres' quality changed over time? Thanks
I know you didn't ask me, but the reports I've seen indicate a smaller than average drop in performance across tread life. Michelin are big on "performance through the tyres life" at the moment, and there's some interesting tech in the CrossClimate to keep the performance as stable as possible to 1.6
Thanks. I am also wondering what is the cabin noise level in VAG cars like Golf mk7 which is known to be quite difficult with some 225/45 r17 tyres...
Without specific testing it would be very difficult to give you a definitive answer on your car, tyre and wheel combination, so it would be best to reference the label scores and the tyre tests featured on tyre reviews which rate noise.
My new car is a Golf mk7 stationwagon 150hk with every boxed ticked, with your exact wheeldimensions, 225/45 R17, and CrossClimate lowered cabin noise by an significant amount, and way higher ridecomfort aswell. Tested this car with the best pure summertyres from Continental/GoodYear/Nokian, and nothing comes even close to CrossClimate regarding cabin noise.
My previous car, E-Golf, also a mk7, had poor soundproofing, and nothing was acceptable at all on this car except CrossClimate or other allseasons/winter tyres. CrossClimate beats out summers on cabin noise by a huge margin on dry roads and good allseasons by a smaller margin. However CrossClimate beats every allseasons/winters on wet, since sipes causes whiny noise on full wet, damp or even slightly damp sufaces. CrossClimate has no sipes like that..
Thanks, mate. My 2015 hatchback is a 150hp/DSG with the sport suspension (never again) and 225/45 r17 Dunlops which are painfully noisy. I have recently bought a set of second hand 16'' alloys with 205/55 pirelli snowcontrols. These are quieter but the sound is annoyingly hi-pitched and I have lost the precision and stability of the 225/45 tyres. What you are describing here appears to me like a dream-come-true. I am ordering a set of CC+ 225 and will be back with a comment :)
I can say this, my mk7 went from noisy and borderline acceptable on the best, and lowest db, pure summers had to offer, to an completely different car on the CC+. On lower speed and low engine noise, wich is everyday use in city traffic up to 60-70km/t, cabin noise is among the best I've had the pleassure to experience, even compared to way more expensive cars. Make sure to get correct PSI, according to VW (29PSI on mine) not tyrepeeps, no matter how high they scream to avoid adjusting their default PSI, before you take you first drive :P If you notice rattles, I have eliminated everything in my car, so if you have any questions how to find most of them, just ask, I might save you some days googling or lisstening, and months on trial and error with easy cheap and inviseble fixes :) CC+ exceptional ridequality will not add anything, but lower noise might reveal something.
That is really nice of you. Would you like to use priv messages so that the public does not get bored with the Gulf War details :) ?
Sure, although, I'm not sure how to send PM via Disqus. If you know how, do it and I'll just reply :P
Two summers on same set, and they looked hardly worn and feels and
act like brand new, and thats on a E-Golf with lots of torque that I loved using whenever I could, I believe Michelins statement: Extreme Long Life. I can not tell the difference at all between two summers old and a brand new set I got for a new car a month ago..
As my new car has way better soundproofing for tyrenoise then the EV had, the difference between the higher pitched Continentals it came with and the CrossClimate+ lower pitch noise (alot easier for soundproofing to stop lower pitch noise) and way lower db rating, was extreme, as tyrenoise went from annoying to almost complete silence. My passengers usually do not notice these things, but this time it was big eyes and smiles as they really noticed the huge difference.
I had to modify and split my answer over a few post, as my complete original post was detected as spam, I hope you can make sense of them. Disqus will never release that post even if I mark it as no spam, experience tells me so :P
I drive a front wheel drive 2litre Volvo V70 but can't afford both summer and winter tyres. I live in the Central Belt of Scotland, some 12 miles east of Glasgow.
Our winters are variable - the worst of winters can see about 10 inches of snow freezing and lying for a few weeks but the last two winters we've had no snow. My choice of all-season tyres is limited to the Michelin Cross Climates or the Goodyear Vector 4Season, first generation. Can anyone advise me which I should buy?
I need to decide before 3.11.15
Hey, wat are your tyre specs? ( width , profile, size, speed ) How come you are limited to the first gen Vector4Seasons ?
If you really can't get the second generation Vector4Seasons then I would get the CrossClimates.
225/50/17/W98
None of my local garages or tyre outlets stock the gen2 so it would need to be a special order at extra cost. Can't afford the extra. So my choice is gen 1s or CrossClimates
Okay, so go for the CrossClimates imho.
Have you considered ordering your own then having them fitted? Can work out much cheaper or at worst equivalent... there are advertisers on here, or my favourite tyreleader.co.uk which is cheapest 9 out of 10 times. Oponeo can be good too and I think they may do a fast delivery option...
Worth a thought anyway, unless you are in one of those postcodes that spell trouble for deliveries?
I'm afraid you're gambling on the weather. The Goodyear would be the smarter choice if we have a bad winter this year, however if we have another mild one, the Michelin is the better compromise. It's a tricky situation!
true, but since he can't get the gen2 I would go for the CrossClimates thus getting the latest tech.
Personally if I lived north of Birmingham ( I have in the past), I would Run Vectors( Gen 2). In the South, I will run the cross Climates when they become available in my tyres size.