Michelin Pilot Sport 5 vs Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport
- TR Score
- 9.4/10
- Owners say
- 85% · 135
- TR Score
- 9.6/10
- Owners say
- 86% · 24
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Pilot Sport 5 finished ahead 1 times and the CrossClimate 3 Sport not once. The Pilot Sport 5 stopped 10.5% shorter in the wet.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
For a driver prioritising grip and steering on wet and dry roads, with little exposure to winter conditions or a separate winter set, choose the Michelin Pilot Sport 5. For year-round use where snow is possible and responsive dry handling still matters, choose the Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport.
Where the Pilot Sport 5 is stronger
- Michelin Pilot Sport 5: shorter wet braking distances in both shared tests
- Michelin Pilot Sport 5: quicker wet and dry handling laps in both tests
- Michelin Pilot Sport 5: best road steering feel in Tire Reviews' 2026 range test
Where the CrossClimate 3 Sport is stronger
- Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport: retains snow ability close to the standard CrossClimate 3 in Tire Reviews' 2026 test
- Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport: precise, dynamic dry handling noted by Auto Motor und Sport in 2025
- Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport: about 10% lower rolling resistance in Tire Reviews' 2026 test
Conclusion
Both shared tests show the same road-performance pattern. In Tire Reviews' 2026 Michelin range test and Auto Motor und Sport's 2025 comparison, the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 braked shorter and handled faster on wet and dry surfaces. The wet gap was the most consistent and substantial: its braking distances were about 10% and 11% shorter, while its wet handling laps were roughly 4% and 6% quicker. Dry braking also favored it in both tests. Dry handling was closer, especially in the Tire Reviews test, where less than 1% separated their laps. These are measured advantages for the summer tire, not grounds for treating a mixed summer and all-season field as a like-for-like overall contest.
The Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport makes a different trade-off. Auto Motor und Sport described its dry handling as precise and dynamic, and Tire Reviews noted useful mid-corner adjustability. It remained close to the Pilot Sport 5 in straight-line aquaplaning in the Tire Reviews test, although the summer tire had the clearer margin in curved aquaplaning. The CrossClimate 3 Sport also recorded about 10% lower rolling resistance there. Its tread and compound must work in winter as well as on summer roads, which helps explain why it concedes braking distance and wet handling pace. Tire Reviews found that it retained snow ability close to the standard CrossClimate 3; the Pilot Sport 5 offers no winter capability.
Choose the Pilot Sport 5 if wet braking, steering feel and summer-road precision matter most, and winter conditions are covered by another set of tires or rarely arise. Choose the CrossClimate 3 Sport if you enjoy responsive handling but want one set for year-round driving, including snow. Its dry handling is notably close for an all-season tire, but neither shared test suggests it can match the Pilot Sport 5's wet-road stopping or pace.
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
Pilot Sport 5 vs CrossClimate 3 Sport at a glance
| Category | Pilot Sport 5 | Gap | CrossClimate 3 Sport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won2 shared tests | 1 | 0 | |
| Dry4 measurements | 4 | The Pilot Sport 5 stopped 6% shorter in the dry (2 tests) | 0 |
| Wet6 measurements | 6 | The Pilot Sport 5 stopped 10.5% shorter in the wet (2 tests) | 0 |
| Value1 measurement | 0 | 1 | |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 9.4/10 | The CrossClimate 3 Sport by 0.2 | 9.6/10 |
| Owner rating135 and 24 reviews | 85% | Too close to call | 86% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 83% | The CrossClimate 3 Sport by 3 points | 86% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 66 | 28 sizes made in both | 63 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tires; a tick marks the tire ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 2 tests, 2025 to 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Pilot Sport 5 | Field | CrossClimate 3 Sport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelin Range Test - CrossClimate 3, 3 Sport, Primacy 5, Pilot Sport 5 and Cup 2 | P1 of 5Summer | P1 of 2All Season | |
| Michelin CrossClimate 3 & 3 Sport vs Pilot Sport 5 vs Primacy 5 | P1 of 4 | P3 of 4 |
Performance profile
7 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Pilot Sport 5
CrossClimate 3 Sport
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it.
Where each scores higher
Pilot Sport 5
CrossClimate 3 Sport
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Pilot Sport 5
CrossClimate 3 Sport
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 5 85% from 135 reviews and the CrossClimate 3 Sport 86% from 24. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | Pilot Sport 5 | Gap | CrossClimate 3 Sport | Wins | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | 6% | 124 | 2-0 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| 76.23 | 1.6% | 77.51 | 2-0 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| 94 | 10.5% | 105 | 2-0 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| 95.05 | 5% | 100.1 | 2-0 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| 49.7 | 0.8% | 49.3 | 1-0 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| 12.8 | 7.4% | 11.9 | 1-0 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| 8.57 | 10.4% | 7.68 | 0-1 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Sport 5 scores 9.4 and the CrossClimate 3 Sport 9.6 out of 10.
| Pilot Sport 5 | Category | CrossClimate 3 Sport | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | Dry | 100 | ||
| 96 | Wet | 59 | ||
| 22 | Comfort | 23 | ||
| 59 | Value | - | ||
| - | Snow | 100 | ||
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
What owners say
| Pilot Sport 5 | Category | CrossClimate 3 Sport | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Dry Grip | 8.8 | ||
| 9 | Wet Grip | 9 | ||
| 8.1 | Road Feedback | 8.7 | ||
| 8.3 | Handling | 8.4 | ||
| 8 | Wear | 8.8 | ||
| 8.2 | Comfort | 9.2 | ||
| - | Snow Grip | 9.4 | ||
| - | Ice Grip | 9.4 | ||
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 5 85% from 135 reviews and the CrossClimate 3 Sport 86% from 24. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
- 85%from 135 reviews
- 83%would buy again
- 1,150,326 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 very highly overall, with most highlighting standout grip in both the dry and wet and plenty of confidence for fast road driving. Comfort and refinement are also frequently praised for a UHP tire, with many finding it quiet and easy-going day to day. Wear is more divisive: many report strong mileage, but around one in ten complain of quicker wear than expected (and a smaller group mention uneven wear). Around one in eight owners also wish for sharper, more precise steering feel compared with sportier rivals.
- Outstanding wet grip and confidence in the rain
- Very strong dry grip with big reserves
- Comfortable, compliant ride for a performance tire
- Refined, relatively quiet motorway manners (especially when new)
- Steering feel can be a bit vague or slower to respond than rivals
- Can wear quicker than expected for some drivers
- Not happy when pushed hard on track; can overheat and lose grip
Summarised by AI from 121 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 135 Pilot Sport 5 reviewsI have driven on PS5 for the first season in my 150HP car (Cupra Leon ST).
The grip both in dry and in the wet is excellent - I tried to push them to the limit many times and have never been able to lose the grip so far.
Although I have to mention that they feel very soft close at the limit - even though the grip always delivers in the end, the tire often „floats” when turning that you may start wondering if the tire will make it out of the corner.
Due to their softness, I find them comfortable as for the summer tire on small bumps.
Summing up - the grip is excellent, very safe and stable, breaking is sharp and… the tire itself looks amazing.
Something worth mentioning is that the rim protector doesn’t exist in this tire - if that’s something you care about, the PS5 is not for you.
Although I can’t find any cons in terms of safety in PS5, as a tire geek, I think about replacing them for the next season for something with more sharp/sporty steering (I would appreciate any recommendations).
Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport
- 86%from 24 reviews
- 86%would buy again
- 88,237 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport very highly overall (86.1% average; 18 of 20 positive), most consistently praising how quiet and comfortable it is while still delivering strong, predictable grip in both the dry and the wet. Around half of reviewers mention the low road noise and smooth ride, and many also highlight confident dry performance and wet traction that feels close to a summer UHP tire for everyday driving. Downsides are less common, but around one in seven owners raise faster-than-expected wear, and around one in ten criticise the lack of rim protection.
- Quiet on the road, even at speed
- Smooth, comfortable ride
- Strong, predictable dry grip
- Confident wet grip and traction
- Faster-than-expected tread wear for some owners
- Little to no rim protection / exposed rims
- Steering feel not as sharp for everyone
Summarised by AI from 20 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 24 CrossClimate 3 Sport reviewsFitted on my Golf 7.5 GTI Performance as a replacement for a winter tire (Zagreb, Croatia - there hasn't been much snow in a couple of years, only wet conditions).
So far so good - only down side for now is noise. They are louder than most of the tires I have driven on. Speaking as someone who has Bridgestone Potenza Evo Sport summer time.
Feedback on the steering wheel is good, sharp.Looks good on the car with their sporty side wall.
I will get back on this review after this winter and some snow potential.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 66 sizes of the Pilot Sport 5 and 63 of the CrossClimate 3 Sport, 28 of them made in both.
| Category | Pilot Sport 5 | CrossClimate 3 Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | All Season |
| Sizes made | 66 sizes, 16 to 22 inch | 63 sizes, 18 to 23 inch |
| Made in both | 28 sizes 205/40 R18215/40 R18225/40 R18235/40 R18245/40 R18245/45 R18255/40 R18225/40 R19235/35 R19245/35 R19245/40 R19245/45 R19and 16 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A89%B11% | A100% |
| EU label rolling resistance | C82%B10%A9% | B78%C22% |
| EU label noise | 70-75 dB B100% | 72-75 dB B81%A19% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 0 of 82 | 63 of 63 |
| On the market since | 2022 | 2025 |
| Replaced | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 (2015) | - |
| Awards | Winner: Best Tires for Hot Hatches (Compact Sports Cars) (DriverReviews, 2026/27) Winner: Best Tires for Hot Hatches (DriverReviews, 2024/25) | Winner: Best All Season Tires (DriverReviews, 2026/27) Winner: Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2025) |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Two independent tests put the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 and Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport side by side: Tire Reviews' 2026 Michelin range test and Auto Motor und Sport's 2025 comparison. This is a summer tire against an all-season tire, so the choice is between stronger wet and dry road performance and a tire intended to stay on the car through winter. Their placings in a mixed field are less useful than the measured differences.
The Pilot Sport 5 stopped shorter and lapped faster in both wet and dry conditions in each test. Its clearest advantage was wet braking: it needed about 10% less distance in Tire Reviews' test and about 11% less in Auto Motor und Sport's. The CrossClimate 3 Sport gave up less on dry handling, where its laps were roughly 1% and 2.5% slower, and it had about 10% lower rolling resistance in the Tire Reviews test. That pattern reflects what each kind of tire is built to do, rather than an overall verdict on either model.
Pilot Sport 5 vs CrossClimate 3 Sport: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 or the Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport the better tire?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 finished ahead 1 times and the CrossClimate 3 Sport not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Sport 5 scores 9.4 and the CrossClimate 3 Sport 9.6 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Sport 5 or the CrossClimate 3 Sport?
The Pilot Sport 5 led 6 of the 6 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 10.5% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Pilot Sport 5 led 4 of the 4 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 6% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.2/10 for the Pilot Sport 5 and 9.2/10 for the CrossClimate 3 Sport.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 5 85% from 135 reviews and the CrossClimate 3 Sport 86% from 24. 83% of Pilot Sport 5 owners would buy it again, against 86% for the CrossClimate 3 Sport.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Pilot Sport 5 is made in 66 sizes (16 to 22 inch) and the CrossClimate 3 Sport in 63 (18 to 23 inch). 28 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Pilot Sport 5 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the CrossClimate 3 Sport A and B.
Which is the newer tire?
The CrossClimate 3 Sport is the newer design: it reached the market in 2025, the Pilot Sport 5 in 2022. The Pilot Sport 5 replaced the Michelin Pilot Sport 4.
More comparisons with these tires
vs
Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
8-5 in 16 shared tests
vs
Continental SportContact 7 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
4-1 in 5 shared tests
vs
Continental PremiumContact 7 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
7-4 in 11 shared tests
vs 
Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport vs Michelin CrossClimate 3
6-0 in 7 shared tests
vs
Hankook Ventus Evo vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
3-4 in 7 shared tests
vs
Bridgestone Potenza Sport vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
7-4 in 11 shared tests
vs 
Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport vs Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3
3-3 in 6 shared tests
vs
Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
1-2 in 3 shared tests
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.
Discussion