Michelin CrossClimate Plus Reviews - Page 4

Given 94% while driving a Citroën xsara picasso (185/65 R15 V) on mostly motorways for 5 spirited miles
Well what can i say....... they're excellent in pretty much every single way, i can't break grip even when pushing on a stupid amount round tight corners, ride confort is excellent and the car feels absolutely rock solid I had pirelli cinturato P1's before this which were good but often felt slightly floaty, all gone with the Michelin they feel rock solid constalty and i feel very confident to push my car in all conditions wet grip is absolutely phenomenal, zero aquaplaining, hardly any wheel spin etc very very happy with these
Helpful 10 - tyre reviewed on November 28, 2020
Given 91% while driving a Ford Focus mk2 (205/55 R16 H) on a combination of roads for 4,000 spirited miles
Everything is great, but one weak point is really weak. Gravel. On the same car, I have used very old Alpin 3 Michelin, they could go through forest and gravel paths without any problems. Same goes for Primacy 3 with very high mileage (cca 90.000 KM). But these tyres, completely new, they just drift and slide when there is a steep hill with gravel, not to mention driving across a grass, they are very very poor performers in those conditions. In past two months, it caused me to slide off the gravel road (luckilly without any damage), and yesterday, I just could not climb the steep part of the hill I always managed without problems, using very old Alpin and heavily used Primacy. They are just that bad for gravel and rocky roads. Wish I knew that earlier, now I am having a hard time getting to the places I need to go, if they dont have concrete roads, and lot of them dont...
Helpful 18 - tyre reviewed on October 7, 2020
Given 81% while driving a Ford Focus mk2 (205/55 R16) on mostly motorways for 30,000 average miles
Admittedly, yes, they are expensive. Also, I would not recommend taking these around a track, as their dry performance isn't as good as a summer tyre (but you don't buy them for that, do you?), that being said, they are by no means bad. However, as an all-round tyre with good performance in the wet English winters, with excellent wear properties, I have yet to drive on a tyre better than it. The fuel economy isn't quite as good as the Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance previously fitted, however, after 30,000 miles there is still 4 mm of tread on the front, whereas the Goodyear would be on the wear bars. Also, there has been very little deterioration in performance, unsurprisingly dry weather performance has improved as the tread blocks have worn, but there seems to be very little in the wet. I have only driven these for about 20 minutes in barely settled snow, and they seemed significantly better than any summer tyre I have driven on in the snow (I cannot comment on ice performance, unfortunately). I do not think I would buy these out of choice if winter performance was my main priority, but in the South of England it is more of a 'get yourself out of trouble tyre' if there is a freak snow storm (even though you will probably be stuck because no one else in front can move). Would I buy these again? Probably not. As Jon highlighted in his recent video, the game has moved on, but I would seriously consider the Cross Climate 2 when it is released. Also, I would probably only recommend these to higher mileage drivers now; with the competition now having caught up, lower mileage drivers may be better served looking to one of the cheaper competitors when looking for an all season tyre.
Helpful 18 - tyre reviewed on September 30, 2020
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Given 57% while driving a Nissan LEAF Tekna (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 800 average miles
With so many good reviews of the CrossClimate+ (both here and elsewhere) during my research of what to buy I felt it was necessary to give some balance and point out the very significant flaws these tyres have, after spending (wasting?) £547 on a set in 215/50/17 for a Nissan Leaf Tekna. In short, the ride is atrociously harsh compared to the summer tyres (Dunlop Enasave) they replaced. I've used All Seasons tyres before on previous cars (most recently Vredstein Quatrac 5) and they tend to ride a bit softer than the same size summer tyre - somewhere between a summer tyre and a winter tyre, as you might expect. I'm fine with that - I actually prefer a more comfortable ride to outright cornering grip for a daily commuter car like this. So I was pretty shocked and disappointed at just how bad the ride is after fitting these compared to the summer tyres in the same size. I'm a big Michelin fan, my other (petrol) car has Michelin Energy Savers on it which ride GREAT and over the years I have bought lots of Michelin tyres and been very happy. But Michelin have dropped the ball on this one, and it pains me to say so. Every tiniest line, crack or imperfection in the road crashes through the body of the car as if the tyres were solid rubber not pneumatic tyres. Potholes or recessed manhole covers feel so bad you think something is going to break. I don't think I've ever driven a harsher riding tyre in over 25 years driving. There is just no isolation from the road at all. It probably sounds like I'm exaggerating but really I'm not. The tyres ride like they are massively overinflated at the correct 36 psi. To test this theory I've dropped them down to 33psi and they start to feel a bit more tolerable and more like a normal tyre with some isolation from road imperfections but even then they still ride a lot harder than the original summer tyre and this lower pressure may cause faster tyre wear. (But since I can't put up with the harshness at 36psi it will just have to stay like this) If you care about ride comfort and don't like a harsh ride do not buy these tyres, you have been warned. While it's true that they might ride slightly better in higher profile smaller wheel versions, I suspect the real issue is that these are XL rated tyres on a car which is not heavy enough to require XL tyres. They have extremely stiff sidewalls which are nearly flat and barely bulge at all even at the reduced 33psi. In other words the sidewalls have no give and consequently don't provide any isolation from the road surface. The second problem these tyres have is they are VERY noisy. Many reviews say they are quiet, but that is a lie. They are quite quiet at lower speeds when the car is coasting, yes. But as soon as you accelerate they make a loud "slithering" noise like an angry hissing snake which is proportional to the power you put down. It is more audible on smooth surfaces. Coast and they're silent. Accelerate and they hiss like crazy. They also hiss under stronger braking and cornering to a lesser degree. The Leaf only has 107HP so a car with more power would presumably make them generate even more noise under acceleration. I suspect reviewers overlook this because they are usually driving in petrol/diesel cars where the engine noise when accelerating will drown out the high pitched "hiss" the tyres make under acceleration (and braking) loads, however in an otherwise quiet EV with no engine noise the hiss they make every time you put your foot down is quite loud and intrusive, and easily loud enough for passengers to comment on and ask what the source of the strange noise is. The summer tyres they replaced were absolutely silent under acceleration - only the G forces would let you know you were accelerating. Another noise problem they have which has been reported on in some reviews is a weird buzzing noise which can be heard from around 50-70mph particularly on smooth motorway. This is supposedly a result of the V shaped tread pattern. It's not loud but in a quiet EV it is audible and very strange sounding. It sounds like you're on a motorway with grooves/ruts even when it's perfectly smooth, a sort of tonal droning noise. In a petrol/diesel car it would probably be drowned out by engine noise. If this was the only fault the tyres had I could live with it. Now for the good points - wet grip is fantastic just as the reviews have said, and dry grip in hot weather is also very good, comparable to the summer tyre. Steering precision is good although not quite as direct as the summer tyre probably due to the flexible isolated tread blocks. Cold weather grip is also excellent - no loss of grip noticeable at 2C vs 15C. I have not yet been through a winter with these so I cannot comment on their snow or ice performance, I presume their winter performance will be adequate and probably comparable to the Quatrac 5 I've used before. Would I buy them again ? Not a chance. I could almost live with the slithering noise under acceleration if the ride was comfortable, but the harsh ride totally ruins the driving experience for me and actually makes me want to avoid driving the car. I seriously regret buying these tyres and replacing some part worn still perfectly usable summer tyres instead of picking up a second set of smaller wheels and putting some conventional soft riding winter tyres on them. I drove Quatrac 5's all year round on my last car and had no real complaints with them except unusual tread wear patterns. But their ride comfort, snow, ice and wet performance were great and dry summer performance was adequate. (Although a little soft - I actually had to increase their pressure 2psi in summer, not reduce it like the CrossClimates!) Once the winter is over I'll be getting a second set of wheels to put the most comfortable riding summer tyres on I can find so that I can start enjoying driving the car again, and through the winter I'm just going to have to run them at a lower pressure to make them tolerable. Until manufacturers can start making non-XL rated All Season tyres in the larger sizes I think I'm going to have to stick to summer and winter sets of tyres. The loss in ride quality year round due to the XL rating just to get through a few days or weeks of snow just isn't worth it in my opinion.
Helpful 12 - tyre reviewed on September 24, 2020
Given 81% while driving a Honda HRV (225/45 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 12,000 miles
Have these on for 18 months now up in the Highlands, and driven around 12000 miles whilst on. Noticed a couple decibels quieter on all road surfaces and no decrease in MPG. They can feel a bit squishy on corners when on very warm days above 30cel but that depends on how hard you push the vehicle into corners etc,but still very manageable and predictable. Overall I'm pleased that I purchased them and would buy again.
Helpful 17 - tyre reviewed on September 4, 2020
Given 20% while driving a Kia Motors Niro (205/60 R16 H) on mostly country roads for 75 easy going miles
Disappointed, also expensive compared with Goodyear, far noisier than I had hoped. OEM much quieter, I made a mistake in buying these
Helpful 25 - tyre reviewed on August 8, 2020
Given 100% while driving a Peugeot 3008 (225/55 R18 V) on mostly country roads for 100 easy going miles
Well I don't think I have ever had a better set of Tyres for years, the steering is so very precise but the one thing bearing in mind the tyres have only been on the car a month is the rolling resistance is nearly nil but to it means you have to change your style of driving or else you will find your self braking hard as the car keeps rolling, it does mean a saving in fuel also. So to finish if you find yourself on a strange road going a little fast and its been raining have no fear these tyres will keep you safe.
Helpful 19 - tyre reviewed on July 10, 2020
Given 89% while driving a Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI 200HP (235/50 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 2,500 average miles
Great choice. They are actually so good that I couldn't realise that I have a broken spring at the rear. Even with a high speed, the car is very stable in turns. Unique. I have no patience to try them on snow because that's the only fear that I have now. In wet you can't even find out that you have water under your tires. If they are as good in snow as in dry and wet, I would never buy other tire.
Helpful 13 - tyre reviewed on June 16, 2020
Given 93% while driving a Mercedes Benz E320 CDI (235/45 R17 W) on a combination of roads for 12,000 spirited miles
I bought an E320CDI Elegance estate - wth sport suspension, fitted with Michelin Primacy 3 tyres and found the grip lacking, especially in the wet and feedback was lacking. Although the Primacys had 7mm of tread I swapped for Michelin CrossClimate+ and the car was transformed in wet and dry plus, rode very quietly and was very secure in a couple of inches of snow. I sold the car after 12000 miles with minimal signs of wear.
Helpful 16 - tyre reviewed on May 30, 2020
Given 98% while driving a Ford Cmax (225/55 R16 V) on a combination of roads for 45,000 spirited miles
ONE LINE = BUY THESE. They are fantastic for all round weather - from the dry roads, muddy fields - also ice & snow! Fitted at 71k miles (excactly on the ODO) and currently at 116k (45,000 miles approx so far) and the rear still has 3.5mm tread and the fronts are 2mm which are being replaced next week. You want to go shopping with thick snow on the ground but dont have a 4x4? = No problem. These will do the job on your front wheel drive ford cmax (guaranteed by me as proof!) Watching faces of those while your passing them as they are struggling up hills in their posh "4x4" cars while your driving past, 100% grip and not even a slip. Perfection.
Helpful 13 - tyre reviewed on May 12, 2020
Given 66% while driving a Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer (205/55 R16 V) on mostly motorways for 50,000 easy going miles
Were very grippy and comfortable the first year with 15k miles. After that, they got progressively worse. Grip started to go a and noise was going up every the month. We're now at 50k miles and the fronts need replacing. Not only because the thread is almost gone, but it's rock hard and full of cracks. The rears still have enough thread on them, but are also very hard and cracked. Manufacturing date is mid 2016. TL;DR: started good, went downhill fast after a year. Dissapointing tyre.
Helpful 14 - tyre reviewed on April 14, 2020
Given 73% while driving a Volvo C30 1.8 (195/65 R15 V) on mostly town for 8,000 easy going miles
Very good all season tires, with market emphasizes on summer performance. Michelin approach sacrifices a bit of winter behavior comparing to Goodyear or Nokian all-season, yet it is remarkable in terms of majority of the year performance. Don’t get me wrong though, it is by far not incompetent in winter conditions, in slight winter or when it just got a bit chilly with frozen tarmac it is just wonderful. Taking into account climate changes and the fact that in continental Europe in majority of places snow is becoming a rear anomaly rather than usual factor, Crossclimate+ is a great product. These tires are comfortable in terms of noise as well as absorbing vibrations (even despite most sizes are made in Extra Load spec) and this withstands the test of time (running them 4th year currently). They are not the most precise in terms of handling characteristics but it may be about the non-sporty size I’m using. Their winter performance is enough if you expect retaining maneuverability when a bit (even quiet a lot) of snow falls. On flat surfaces it doesn’t skid that much even in 15cm snow, breaking is also surprisingly good in such conditions. The actual difference between the proper winter tire and Crossclimate+ is easily noticeable when you try to start at an angled surface full of snow. In such conditions it requires a bit of a talent to continue a commute but it isn’t impossible. For causal, city driving it is definitely worth a try. Especially in smaller, less powerful cars.
Helpful 15 - tyre reviewed on April 7, 2020