By: Kiran Parmar
For: Free Car Mag
In early September we took delivery of a set of Michelin’s award-winning all-season tyre, the ‘CrossClimate 2.’ You can read our introductory article here: https://www.freecarmag.com/michelin-crossclimate-2-first-impressions
After doing our first 600 miles on the tyres in our Audi A6 2.8 FSI Quattro during the autumn of 2024, we are now ready to deliver our autumn review.
On our first drive of these tyres on our regular test route around Kent which consist of town roads, twisty country lanes, dual-carriageways, A and B roads; we immediately noticed that the ride is much softer and far more comfortable compared to the previous tyres that were on the Audi that were fitted when we purchased the vehicle, namely Bridgestone Potenza S001.
Also, we noticed the annoying ‘crabbing’ sensation disappear completely. (It felt like someone grabbing the steering wheel from your hands momentarily whilst you were driving in a straight line at around 40 to 50 mph.)
The steering feels very positive and direct now, and the ‘tyre roar’ is much less. Some tyre noise is still present, but we suspect this is mostly due to the huge 19” wheels with a width of 255. On a smaller, slightly narrower wheel, we suspect that the noise would be almost non-existent.
The Michelin ‘CrossClimate 2’ tackles potholes, speed humps, and rough roads well with minimal transmission into the cabin.
With a fairly dry autumn, we didn’t get to test the tyre in very heavy rain, however in light rain we noticed that the grip is sensational and inspires confidence.
Pulling out of a narrow slip road to join a 40 mph dual carriageway in wet conditions is a breeze. Just plant your foot on the accelerator and aim the steering where you want to go and the ‘CrossClimate 2’ grips exceptionally well with zero wheel spin, confidence inspiring traction and quick steering. You can feel the Quattro system working seamlessly with the ‘CrossClimate 2’ tyres.
The car also stops very well and has no issues whilst braking in town or on country roads.
On a motorway trip down to the coast we enjoyed a quiet and comfortable journey with no issues.
As you will be aware from our previous article; the ‘CrossClimate 2’ has the ‘3 Peak Mountain with Snow Flake’ (3PMSF) logo which means it has the traction and braking benefits on snow and in low temperatures just like a winter tyre. It can even be used in countries where winter tyres are mandatory during the winter months.
With a harsh winter predicted in the UK, and many parts set to experience snowfall in the coming weeks, we are looking forward to testing the ‘CrossClimate 2’ in these challenging arctic conditions, so stay tuned to Free Car Mag for our next segment; Winter 2024 to 2025.
Take a look at our ‘Michelin Crossclimate 2’ photoshoot here, now updated with some autumnal snaps: https://500px.com/p/kirankparmar/galleries/michelin-crossclimate-2
