Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Bridgestone WeatherPeak

Both the Michelin Crossclimate 2 and the Bridgestone WeatherPeak are grand touring all weather tires which bring a lot to the table, providing decent traction and comfort in multiple environments. But there are definitely some significant difference to note between the two. Let me share them with you.

Key-points to Note

Michelin CrossClimate 2 excels in:

• Hydroplaning Resistance: Offers efficient water evacuation with its V-shaped tread.
• Dry Grip: Provides enhanced directional control and faster braking due to its densely packed central lugs.
• Winter Performance: Superior in snow traction with elongated lugs and interlocking sipes.

Detailed Discussion on Michelin’s tire: https://tiredriver.com/michelin-crossclimate-2-review/

Bridgestone WeatherPeak leads in:

• Wet Handling: Superior due to full-depth interlocking sipes.
• Fuel Efficiency: Lower rolling resistance thanks to its lighter structure.
• Noise Reduction: Utilizes Whisper Grooves and Variable Pitch technology for quieter operation.
• Durability: Slower tread wear and increased longevity due to harder compound and lower rolling resistance.

Detailed Discussion on Bridgestone’s tire: https://tiredriver.com/bridgestone-weatherpeak-review/

Useful Info on Sizes

For Your Info: Have you considered other top grand touring tire’s I’ve personally reviewed? Well, you should: https://tiredriver.com/best-grand-touring-all-season-tires/

Structure Differences

Let’s start things off here with Michelin CrossClimate 2.

So this tire shows up with an innovative and unique, directional tread pattern characterized by V-shaped lugs, which are gracefully elongated, I should say.

These lugs function like traction spoons for the tire, displacing water, slush, and snow, thanks to their expansive, curving arms, allowing for epic winter traction, as you’d see in the upcoming topics.

If you consider the image, you’d see that the lugs are neatly divided by longitudinal slits, these basically separates the shoulder area form the central blocks.

The shoulder lugs have larger tread voids, and carry rectilinear sipes.

While towards middle, these lugs get closed up together, have snow vices on the edges, and are equipped with interlocking wave-like siping.

Overall, I must say, its a very genius design, as with closed up lugs, the tire offer dry traction, snow vices give winter performance, while the interlocking sipes help in wet conditions.

On the other hand, the Bridgestone WeatherPeak is also pretty unique.

It distinguishes itself with an advanced, symmetrical tread pattern where you see very squared off lugs, strategically placed to provide excellent traction and control.

They form 3 ribs in the middle, which together render 4 very tough passing circumferential grooves.

In this densely arranged central region, the lugs are fortified with zigzag siping, and chamfered edges, which basically enhance grip and stability in all conditions including snow and ice, allowing the tire to have 3 peak mountain snowflake rating, just like its counterpart.

Moving towards shoulders, you see relatively bigger lugs here, with smoother edges, and rectilinear sipes. These lugs also seem to be divided up by thick longitudinal slits as well.

A side note: Before diving deep in to the comparison, I think its best you check this video out. I am working with these guys.

Wet Traction

Wet performance is primarily influenced by two elements: hydroplaning resistance and wet grip. Let’s take a look at them both one by one.

Wet Grip

Simply put, wet grip highly depends on sipes.

Though, regrettably, the Michelin CrossClimate 2 is somewhat lacking in this aspect, due to its relatively fewer sipes, particularly towards the tire’s shoulders. This limitation impacts its overall handling proficiency in wet.

To explain the working, sipes are small slits embedded in the tread that function as water vacuums, soaking up particles, so that tread can easily contact the surface. So their flexibility also matters.

The CrossClimate 2 although features good enough wet grip, shown by braking distances, it’s handling times lack to most of the premium all season tires, like the WeatherPeak.

This is because, besides having lesser siping, it’s shoulders are also equipped with rectilinear ones, which often get stiffer on sharper turns (as such sipes don’t allow flexibility).

Here, the Bridgestone WeatherPeak stands out, as its full-depth interlocking sipes offering superior handling performance in all sorts of wet conditions.

Hydroplaning

While the Michelin CrossClimate 2 may not be a front-runner in wet handling, it notably shines in hydroplaning resistance.

And its commendable performance can be attributed to its unique V-shaped tread design, which provide very efficient pathways for the water particles coming at front (as the tire rolls), to easily move out through streamlined tread voids.

On the other side, the WeatherPeak faces certain obstacles here, due to it’s continuous longitudinal ribs.

These ribs basically are very closely aligned for one, and don’t allow as efficient of the water removal, especially sideways.

And this explains why the tire Bridgestone features better float speeds on straight aqua tests, compared to curved.

Fuel Consumption

Fuel consumption is greatly affected by rolling resistance, a factor heavily dependent on a tire’s internal and external construction.

Having said that, the Bridgestone WeatherPeak takes the lead here with its lighter overall structure. With this the lugs have smaller weight pressure on them, as they rub off the surface, and so you get lower rolling resistance values.

Moreover, the Michelin CrossClimate 2 showcases a slightly aggressive tread pattern, with more voids particularly towards shoulders.

And with it’s heavier overall structure, it’s weight distributing on a relatively smaller rubber area creates a lot more friction levels, relatively.

And of course, it’s softer compound isn’t helping to that either.

So you would slight drop in mpg, switching from WeatherPeak to Michelin’s tire.

A Side Note Here: If fuel economy is something that matter more to you (than other performance aspects), then maybe you should consider a standard touring tire instead. Find them on my main all-season tire page.

Tread Noise

Noise in tires is largely generated when air collides with the tread, primarily entering through the shoulders.

And Bridgestone WeatherPeak addresses this issue with its Whisper Grooves technology, (a term borrowed from Cooper Tires, I must add).

This tech basically involves in placement of ridges/connectors between the shoulder blocks. I other words, shoulder voids are somewhat blocked in order to entry of air particles.

Though despite these barriers, a small amount of air can still infiltrate, and that is dealt with Variable Pitch technology on this tire.

Now this tech accounts for altering the geometry of the lugs slightly, in order to create varying pitches when air particles strike around (the lugs on different areas). And those tones with varying frequencies don’t allow sound-waves to amplify.

On the other side, the Michelin CrossClimate 2 lacks, but only marginally, I mean you’d won’t notice much (comparing both tires), in real life scenario.

So why is that?

Well the tire although features wider shoulder voids that allow air entry, it still mitigates noise with it’s swooping lugs, which are actually very streamlined.

That means that air doesn’t directly collide with the tread walls, and instead, it flows smoothly in and out of the tire without striking the surrounding walls.

For Your Info: According to my tests, the Pirelli Cinturato SF2 (review) is the quietest “grand touring” tire (out of all I’ve reviewed so far, and I think I’ve covered them all).

Dry Traction

Dry traction can be explained by looking into grip and handling, with grip typically calculated through braking distances and handling assessed by evaluating lap times. And consider both I must say, both tires offer impressive performance in these aspects.

However, the CrossClimate 2 still get an upper hand here, especially in the grip department. This is largely due to its densely packed central lugs and a rounded contact patch, which allow for a firmer road grip leading to enhanced directional control and expedited braking performance.

On the other side, the the Bridgestone WeatherPeak shines in the handling department, providing outstanding stability and responsive steering, thanks to its lighter weight and interconnected shoulder blocks that afford a larger contact patch.

This is unlike the Michelin’s tire, which sports larger tread voids on the outer shoulder.

Durability and Tread Wear

Michelin’s tire exhibits a slightly elevated rolling resistance, which directly correlates to faster tread wear.

Its heavier weight results in each lug bearing more pressure, thereby increasing friction with the road surface and leading to quicker rubber wear.

Furthermore, its softer tread compound doesn’t aid its cause either, as the rubber is more prone to faster degradation.

Nonetheless, it’s crucial to note that the CrossClimate 2’s increased weight is a result of its robust internal construction, implying that it generally offers superior durability when compared to its counterpart.

Its sturdy design, inclusive of wide steel belts, a seamless full-cover reinforcement ply, and folded belt-edge tape, confers enhanced reliability and a better defense against punctures.

But yes, overall, this ones a win for Bridgestone.

Winter Performance

Winter traction is the area where CrossClimate 2 is the true champ, where the tire strikes an impressive balance, manifesting superior capabilities across all the requisite performance metrics.

I mean, its elongated lugs with snow vices and central interlocking sipes, effectively scoop up slush and snow as the tire rolls, creating enhanced forward momentum when compared to other competitors including the WeatherPeak (even though both tires are 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) rated).

For those not familiar, the 3PMSF rating primarily denotes an acceleration test. And its just a common misconception that it pertains to braking and handling on snow. It simply tells that a tire (with this rating) performs approximately 10% better than an average all-season tire, when it comes to snowy road acceleration.

Furthermore, CrossClimate 2 has narrower section width, and heavier weight (considering all its sizes). Both of these allow the tire to put more pressure on the snow, as they get effectively lodged in the tread, and then form optimal snow-to-snow contact.

This is important as snow sticks better with each other, instead of rubber.

So overall, although both tires are great here, the Michelin still takes the lead.

To Sum Up

In conclusion, choosing between the two tires can be a complex task, given that each demonstrates unique strengths in specific areas.

I mean, when it comes to winter traction, the CrossClimate 2 undoubtedly comes out on top. Its unique design, featuring elongated lugs and thermally adaptive rubber, ensures optimal snow-to-snow contact.

Though Weatherpeak is also great, and has 3 peak mountain snowflake rating just like it’s counterpart.

Dry traction is another category where the Michelin’s tire slightly outperforms, thanks to its densely packed central lugs and a rounded contact patch.

Though in terms of handling Bridgestone’s tire also demonstrates impressive performance. It actually has better under and over steering balance thanks to its weight.

Speaking of which, its lighter construction also contributes to its longer tread life, and fuel economy. And the tire also excels when it comes to noise reduction, and overall wet traction.

Side Note: Did my comparison help you make a decision? I’d love your feedback.