August 9, 2019
Crossovers and small SUVs are quickly replacing the sedan as the family vehicle of choice in the U.S. As a result, these automobiles that originated with an emphasis on utility have quickly evolved. While their utility is still a large part of the appeal, features like style and, significantly, refinement are moving to the forefront. Fortunately, the tire manufacturers are keeping up with this trend, and as the vehicles become more car-like, the tires being introduced are continually evolving to match their personalities, while also improving in all-season capability to maintain the utility drivers expect and demand.
Three new products have recently been introduced in the Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season landscape by some of the biggest names in the tire industry, so in theory they should be the latest and greatest, the best of the best in the category. Fortunately, we don’t have to rely on "in theory," so we decided to get these heavy hitters together and find out what they have to offer.
The Continental CrossContact LX25 is the follow-up to a strong-performing, successful product currently in the category. The manufacturer built on previous lessons learned to deliver an even more satisfying product. Michelin’s CrossClimate SUV is a three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) branded tire, and we were impressed when we tested its passenger car equivalent. The Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II utilizes a familiar, proven pattern, but pairs it with an updated compound and internal construction to improve on the foundation built by its predecessor while preserving its strengths. With three different approaches to develop products for the same position in the market, we were excited to find out how the tires compare. Our evaluation used 2019 Audi Q5 2.0T Premium vehicles fitted with new, full tread depth 235/60R18 tires mounted on 18x8.0 wheels.
Our 6.0-mile loop of expressway, state highway and county roads provides a great variety of road conditions that include city and highway speeds, smooth and coarse concrete, as well as new and patched asphalt. This route allows our team to experience noise comfort, ride quality and everyday handling, just as you would during your drive to school or work.
As one may have predicted, the three tires in our test group were all very good on the road. They had differing personalities, and there are aspects where each tire may have performed better or worse than the others, but all three should satisfy any driver looking for a touring tire for their crossover or SUV.
The Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II delivered an excellent blend of satisfying, responsive steering and an engaging personality (they are sport utility vehicles, after all) plus poise and comfort over all surfaces and impacts. The steering was direct and natural with just the right amount of effort, which earned the highest subjective handling score from our team. Similarly, the Pirelli took top marks for ride and noise comfort thanks to tread noise that was distant and broad over coarse surfaces and nearly disappeared over the smooth stuff. Its ride was compliant and controlled. The CrossContact LX25 felt slightly softer and more aloof, with steering that was light and just a touch vague, though still completely acceptable for the category. Noise comfort was top-notch. Tread noise was just a touch louder than the Pirelli with a slight ring over impacts. The ride was the softest in the test, which was great over small bumps, but we felt it could use slightly firmer damping as it crashed a little bit over big hits. In contrast, the CrossClimate SUV had the sportiest feel on the road thanks to quick, precise steering and a ride that was taut and controlled and maybe a touch firm for a touring tire. The directional, moderately aggressive tread pattern of the Michelin did create a small amount of tread growl over all surfaces, which became more apparent, though still acceptable, on coarse pavement.
Our 1/3-mile per lap test track course includes 90-degree street corners, simulated expressway ramps, and a full ABS braking zone. Run in both dry and wet conditions, the test track allows our team to experience the traction, responsiveness, handling and drivability normally only encountered during abrupt emergency avoidance maneuvers or competition events.
Vehicle manufacturers are eager to fill every niche, even those we may not have known existed, and as a result there are some Crossovers and SUVs on the market that are impressively and surprisingly capable ultra-high performance vehicles. Our more pedestrian Audi Q5 test vehicles aren’t at that level, but they still have what it takes for an emergency avoidance maneuver or some spirited backroad driving, and all three tires were confident and sure-footed in our dry track testing. The Michelin earned the highest subjective score thanks to its quick steering response, strong front-end authority and reassuring braking performance. The Continental followed, feeling slightly less natural on the track but still proving plenty capable. The Pirelli set the fastest average lap time and was nicely balanced, but it tended to glide around corners, feeling a little less locked down than the other two, which hurt its overall score somewhat.
Wet traction is very important for Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tires, particularly because the vehicles they’re installed on are often all-wheel drive. While many drivers think AWD guarantees sure-footed capability in wet conditions, it really only helps the vehicle accelerate. The advanced AWD systems can usually compensate for weak wet traction to build speed, but tires are the only things that help the vehicle stop or turn, so poor wet grip can result in a nasty surprise for the unsuspecting driver.
The three tires continued their "good at everything" performance in the wet, nicely complementing our Audi test vehicles to deliver driver confidence whether accelerating, braking or turning. The Pirelli was arguably the best match for the Audi, turning the normally understeer-prone Q5 into a balanced and nearly neutral-handling vehicle that turned the fastest average laps. Combined with very strong, but not test-leading objective figures, the Pirelli earned the highest score from our team. The Michelin delivered the shortest average braking distance and highest lateral g-forces around the skid pad, so it has very good wet traction. But the tire’s quick steering response could be a bit too much and led to significant understeer in several corners on our track. This, combined with some interesting off-throttle rotation if the driver was attempting to really hustle the vehicle, dropped it to second place subjectively. While the Continental was a strong performer and had no bad habits, its objective figures were third of three by a very slim margin, and it trailed by a small amount with our testers, as well.
All three tires in the test performed quite well in our light snow testing, with the CrossContact LX25 leading the way. Acceleration and braking distances led the test by a small margin, but the tire really stood out when putting all disciplines together around the handling track. Combined with the vehicle’s AWD system, acceleration was brisk, and the front end authority and lateral grip allowed the driver to carry much of that speed through turns, building driver confidence and setting some very quick times. The CrossClimate SUV also accelerated with vigor, though it didn’t turn with quite the authority to match the longitudinal performance. It’s unlikely a driver would notice this imbalance on the road, but it ultimately had a minor negative impact on the tire’s subjective ratings, along with its lap times. The Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II felt similar in the snow to what we experienced on the wet track. When equipped with the Pirelli, the vehicle felt free and wanted to glide around the track. It was very controllable and easy to drive, though it didn’t feel quite as "locked down" as the other two tires. Ultimate traction was a small step behind the other tires, and the result was acceleration and braking distances, along with lap times and subjective scores, that were also a small step behind.
Braking distances on the ice were closely spaced, with only minor separation between products. The Michelin stopped in the shortest distance, and the Continental took 1.1 feet longer on average. The Pirelli required another 3.1 feet to stop from 12mph.
Our Real World Road Ride features a relatively flat 6.0-mile loop of 65-mph expressway, 55-mph state highway and 40-mph county roads along with three stop signs every lap. Our team drove each tire approximately 500 miles over the course of several days. Since we wanted to compare fuel consumption results that typical drivers would experience, our drivers were instructed to maintain the flow of traffic by running at the posted speed limits and sustain the vehicle’s speed using cruise control whenever possible. They did not use hypermiling techniques to influence vehicle fuel economy.
| Tire | Test MPG* | Gallons/Year @ 15,000 Miles |
% vs. Most Efficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental CrossContact LX25 | 26.9 | 557.6 | -0.4% |
| Michelin CrossClimate SUV | 26.8 | 559.7 | -0.8% |
| Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II | 27.0 | 555.6 | -- |
| Our evaluation used Race Technology DL1 data loggers to record true distance traveled. | |||
Fuel economy is a consideration for most drivers, and within this group we found an insignificant .2-mile per gallon disparity between our lowest and highest observed fuel economy. This difference would result in an additional 4.1 gallons of premium gasoline used per year for a vehicle driven 15,000 miles annually.
It’s important to note our test’s fuel consumption measurements follow consistent procedures designed to minimize variables that could influence the results; however, they do not represent an exhaustive long-range fuel consumption study. While our procedures require the test vehicles in each convoy to run under the same prevailing conditions, the week-to-week differences in ambient temperatures, barometric pressures and wind speeds that we experience over a season of testing can influence vehicle fuel consumption and prevent the absolute mpg values of this test from being compared directly against those of others.
Larger differences in consumption between tires may indicate a difference that might be experienced on the road, while smaller differences should be considered equivalent. As they say, your mileage may vary.
Crossovers and SUVs are seen as do-it-all vehicles; so ideally, they should be paired with tires to match, and the three new products in our test certainly proved they can do it all at a very high level.
The Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II does a successful job of improving upon the already high standards set by its predecessor. On-road refinement is first rate and would be an excellent match for a luxury SUV in addition to vehicles that are more entry-level. It’s sporty enough to be fun without detracting from the polished persona, and Pirelli definitely accomplished their goal of improved wet performance. The light snow traction is good, though a small step behind the other tires in this group. The Michelin CrossClimate SUV is the athlete of the test with a firm, controlled ride, sharp steering response and a little bit of noticeable tread growl on the road. The tire’s objective braking and skid pad figures also led the test in both the dry and the wet, and it is a confident performer in light snow. The Continental CrossContact LX25 is the most easygoing tire in the test. The steering is just a little bit slower or more relaxed than the others, and the soft, comfortable ride is slightly upset by large impacts. It’s capable and confident in both the dry and the wet, though it’s not intended to be a superstar on the track. Test-leading light snow traction and driving dynamics are additional positive notes, as well.
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