Michelin CrossClimate 2 Review - Hybrid - 10,000 Miles

[MaveRichard]

I replaced the factory Continentals at 9,258 miles at the end of August 2023 with the stock size 225/65R17 Michelin CrossClimate 2's. I waited until the local tire shop had a sale and had these mounted/balanced for under $800.

348 days, 10,004 miles and 4 seasons have passed since then. I spend much of my time around "town" with speed limits under 55 while also having a handful of longer highway drives.

These are the closest thing to a "no-compromise" all season tire that I can imagine. They are smooth, quiet and have incredible grip in all weather conditions. Snow, rain, etc.

Admittedly, I have not taken my FWD Maverick through any meaningful amount of mud. Maybe there is a tire better suited to this. There are also certainly performance oriented tires that will outperform this tire when it is hot and dry.

Last, and certainly not least - there does not seem to be any fuel economy change. I have tracked every tank before and after these tires. Both my best (48.5MPG) and worst (27MPG) full tanks have happened since these were installed. 38.8 overall.

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[TheSEARCH]

Tire reviews are hard to determine unless you do a side by side comparison.
The closest I came with the OEM Continentals on my 23 Hybrid XLT. was when I took off my WS90 blizzak snows early this past March and it snowed two times after that . I got to see how BAD those all season tires really are compared to my snows. Good you kept same MPG.

 

[tom_tucker]

I don't believe for a second that those heavy tires match the efficiency of the lightweight OEM tires. The light weight tire is also about taking it easy on your suspension.

They are certainly a better tire all other ways, but I have a hard time thinking mpg is unchanged.

 

[Rlward]

Tire reviews are hard to determine unless you do a side by side comparison.
The closest I came with the OEM Continentals on my 23 Hybrid XLT. was when I took off my WS90 blizzak snows early this past March and it snowed two times after that . I got to see how BAD those all season tires really are compared to my snows. Good you kept same MPG.

I agree with you. All season tires are only good for three seasons. No grip for when it is cold and there is ice and snow. I put my Blizzaks on FX4 rims.

 

[MaveRichard]

I don't believe for a second that those heavy tires match the efficiency of the lightweight OEM tires. The light weight tire is also about taking it easy on your suspension.

They are certainly a better tire all other ways, but I have a hard time thinking mpg is unchanged.

If I remember correctly the stock tires are 24lbs per corner and these are 27lbs.

I am not relying on anything other than miles driven and gallons used to calculate MPG. You are allowed to be skeptical, I was as surprised as you are.

 

[MaveRichard]

Tire reviews are hard to determine unless you do a side by side comparison.
The closest I came with the OEM Continentals on my 23 Hybrid XLT. was when I took off my WS90 blizzak snows early this past March and it snowed two times after that . I got to see how BAD those all season tires really are compared to my snows. Good you kept same MPG.

I agree, and they are very subjective.

The CC2’s are rated as a snow tire and the performance in snow is reflective of this. We had a mild winter, but it still involved driving through 4-6” of snow on two different occasions.

I thought this was a good comparison because I had a similar number of miles with each tire.

 

[tom_tucker]

If I remember correctly the stock tires are 24lbs per corner and these are 27lbs.

I am not relying on anything other than miles driven and gallons used to calculate MPG. You are allowed to be skeptical, I was as surprised as you are.

Right on, I thought they were closer to 29 lbs. After checking the compare, my new conclusion is that you simply bought one hell of a tire in the Mich. CC 2. It has "eco focus" and Mich. makes the best tires. The price reflects the quality. I went the other route with a dedicated winter set, Mich. X-ICE. My plan was a more summer focused Mich., but I'll have to keep the CC 2 in mind when I choose a new summer.

The other thing I always say is that the Hybrid programming accounts for these subtle changes. Driver inputs, tires, etc. I'll bet my bed cap creates a bigger mpg hit than most tire upgrades.

 

[MetalsGeek]

Did you do any tread depth measurements on the OEM Continentals before replacing them? I see that the Continentals start with .250" and the Michelins 0.325". The tread wear ratings indicate the Michelins should last much longer.

 

[Scott Asheville]

There are symbols on the sidewall indicating performance in extreme conditions. Also, several outlets, including Tire Rack, give unbiased performance ratings in various conditions (performance, summer, extreme cold).

Anyone who buys tires should understand sidewall markings...

https://www.tirerack.com/upgrade-ga...e sidewall markings&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1

 

[A.Bursell]

Pictures of them mounted?

The tread design definitely is different and I wonder if it stands out -- and if it does, is it bad or good? Ever get any comments from people on the look?

 

[MaveRichard]

Did you do any tread depth measurements on the OEM Continentals before replacing them? I see that the Continentals start with .250" and the Michelins 0.325". The tread wear ratings indicate the Michelins should last much longer.

I did not. But your post reminds me that I need (want) to get a tread depth gauge. The directional nature of these tires does limit rotation options also. Treadwear warranty 55k IIRC

 

[MaveRichard]

There are symbols on the sidewall indicating performance in extreme conditions. Also, several outlets, including Tire Rack, give unbiased performance ratings in various conditions (performance, summer, extreme cold).

Anyone who buys tires should understand sidewall markings...

https://www.tirerack.com/upgrade-garage/what-do-tire-sidewall-markings-mean?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiOy1BhDCARIsADGvQnB67ukeHudUh_gNcqP1Xv9-6KsR8DGXNja4-zWVPYnNKg8oC_wNazQaAmMtEALw_wcB&ef_id=Cj0KCQjwiOy1BhDCARIsADGvQnB67ukeHudUh_gNcqP1Xv9-6KsR8DGXNja4-zWVPYnNKg8oC_wNazQaAmMtEALw_wcB:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!354820920236!b!!g!!tire sidewall markings&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1

3PMSF

 

[MaveRichard]

Pictures of them mounted?

The tread design definitely is different and I wonder if it stands out -- and if it does, is it bad or good? Ever get any comments from people on the look?

Pics added to original post. They definitely stand out…. to me.

Nobody else has ever noticed or commented on the tread pattern specifically.

 

[ndmiller]

We put 30K on small mercedes EV with CC2 and their #1 rating in everything was well justified. I couldn't get them for my EB as they were OOS so grabbed Falken Wildpeaks another highly rated tire.

 

[MetalsGeek]

I did not. But your post reminds me that I need (want) to get a tread depth gauge. The directional nature of these tires does limit rotation options also. Treadwear warranty 55k IIRC

I bought this Tread Depth Gage last year and it works well. I kinda prefer mechanical dial indicators for this sort of thing to avoid battery issues, but we luddites have to accept that we're living in a digital age.

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