From European roadtrips to weekend getaways: evaluating Michelin's all-season tyre for family adventures 

The CrossClimate 2 is already a well-received tyre, so what could Michelin do to improve this all-season favourite with the CrossClimate 3? We journeyed to Geneva, Switzerland to find out, putting the rubber through its paces on a BMW iX1 over the scenic hills and valleys west of Lac du Neuchâtel. 

Playing Tetris with the luggage, remembering to lock the windows, and packing snacks for the journey; tyres are often far down the checklist when it comes to getaways. But, when they’re the only thing between your vehicle and the ground, is that sensible? And what can you do to improve your next road trip? Well, Michelin’s new CrossClimate 3 all-season tyres might be the answer.  

No matter how often you check the meteorology reports — or refresh your app — the weather can be a flighty mistress, and keen to keep you on your toes, especially in the UK. So you want a tyre that can take everything that’s thrown at it, all-year round. Hence, the popularity of the all-season tyre: Michelin launched its first all-season model in 2015, and the segment’s only grown from strength to strength since.  

Now, with its third iteration – the CrossClimate 3 – Michelin's set to build on its market experience, and we were curious to see how... Enter our test vehicle, the BMW iX1. It was only fitting to explore the improvements in an SUV. As Britain’s leading vehicle segment, it provided the best opportunity to experience how the tyre would perform back at home.  

The first thing that caught our attention was the noise, or lack of it. While the new CrossClimate 3 doesn’t have an EV-mark, it is an EV-ready tyre. This is part of Michelin’s new strategy of developing all its tyres to be EV suitable from the get-go. And, while weaving through the urban streets in Geneva and unleashing some of the 326 hp on the motorway, the results were noticeable. There was no hum or overbearing noise coming from the rubber to disturb the sounds of the local radio. 

As the city fell away behind us to be replaced by quaint towns and hamlets, the improvements to the rubber’s stopping distance were put to the test. Medieval Swiss villages might be postcard cute, but they come with hidden walkways and blind-spots, making us grateful for the 4% improvement Michelin made to the tyre’s braking distance, over the CrossClimate 2. By widening the sculpture from the centre to the shoulder, water drainage has been increased, improving contact between the tyre and the road, when both new and worn.  

As we pushed further into the countryside and experienced the variety of weather conditions that Switzerland can offer in a 24-hour period: that Michelin expertise showed up again. Against the standing water on the open valley roads and twisting corners of the hillside passes: it was the grip of the CrossClimate range we’ve come to trust. 

On top of all that, the CrossClimate 3 also offers 15% more mileage than its predecessor thanks to MaxTouch technology. This improvement, notes Michelin, comes from the attention to force distribution, ensuring even dispersion from acceleration, braking and cornering across the tyre and thus guaranteeing ‘no red zone of wear’. And for the discerning driver, Michelin’s added a Wear2Check indicator that helps you monitor your tyre wear. Now, obviously, life mileage wasn’t something we could attest to from our sojourn in Switzerland, but that longer tread life would definitely come in handy for everyday drivers. And for their wallets... 

And speaking of purse strings, Michelin’s Energy Efficiency technologies and improved rolling resistance deliver optimised fuel consumption for traditional internal combustion engines. Or ensuring the 293 miles of battery range you should get from the iX1.  

The CrossClimate 3 delivered as you would expect, and while we weren’t able to witness all the product features, thanks to Switzerland’s climate we feel confident saying that the CrossClimate 3 will indeed help British motorists drive safely all year round, in any weather. 

It seems that Michelin has built on the CrossClimate 2: adding improved wet grip, lower noise levels, longer tread life, and maximised fuel efficiency – regardless of your power source. The only question left: will you choose CrossClimate 3 as your next tyre upgrade? 

Hero image credit:  © MICHELIN 2025 - Charly LOPEZ / DPPI