Choosing the right all-season tires is a critical decision for any driver. It’s about finding the perfect balance of year-round safety, long-lasting value, and confident performance in various conditions. Two standout names often lead the conversation: the longevity-focused Goodyear Assurance MaxLife and the severe-weather capable Michelin CrossClimate 2. But how do other top contenders compare?
This roundup puts eight leading all-season tires in the spotlight. We examine their key features, from tread life warranties and wet weather grip to ride comfort and overall reliability. Whether your priority is maximum mileage, quiet touring, or confident handling, understanding these differences will guide you to the ideal tire for your vehicle and driving needs.
Eight Top All-Season Tire Contenders
- Goodyear Assurance MaxLife All-Season Radial Tire
- Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack All-Season Touring Tire
- Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus 2
- Toyo Tires EXTENSA A/S II
- NEXEN N5000 Platinum
- Michelin CrossClimate 2 All-Season Radial Tire
- Continental TrueContact Tour All-Season Tire
- General AltiMAX RT45 All-Season Tire
Goodyear Assurance MaxLife All-Season Radial Tire
The Goodyear Assurance MaxLife is engineered for drivers who prioritize extended tread life above all. Its core benefit is Goodyear’s TredLife Technology, which is designed to deliver maximum wear performance. This focus on durability means you can expect reliable service for many miles, making it a strong value-oriented choice.
Performance isn’t sacrificed for longevity. The tire features a tread pattern with multiple biting edges to maintain traction in rainy conditions and light snow. Wide circumferential grooves effectively channel water away from the tread face, promoting better control and reducing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.
Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack All-Season Touring Tire
Bridgestone’s Turanza QuietTrack aims to provide a premium, comfortable driving experience. As the name suggests, it is engineered to minimize road noise, resulting in a noticeably quiet cabin. This makes it an excellent option for drivers who spend significant time on highways and value a serene ride.
Along with its quiet nature, this tire offers capable all-season performance. It is designed to provide confident control in both wet and snowy conditions, adding to its year-round versatility. Furthermore, it backs its performance with a long-lasting tread life promise, supporting up to 80,000 miles of use.
View Turanza QuietTrack Details
Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus 2
The Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus 2 is a modern tire built with advanced technology for balanced performance. It provides strong handling and secure traction across dry, wet, and light winter weather conditions. This well-rounded capability makes it a dependable choice for everyday driving in variable climates.
Comfort is a key highlight of this Pirelli model. It utilizes an optimized pitch sequence and phase design within the tread pattern to significantly reduce road noise. A large contact patch also contributes to its performance by boosting traction and handling while helping to prevent uneven wear for extended tread life.
See More for This Pirelli Tire
Toyo Tires EXTENSA A/S II
The Toyo Extensa A/S II is an all-season tire developed to offer a compelling mix of performance and value. It features a durable all-season tread compound designed to provide reliable service throughout its lifespan. This tire is a practical option for drivers seeking dependable performance without a premium price tag.
A major selling point is its strong tread life warranty. Toyo backs this tire with a substantial limited manufacturer warranty—up to 75,000 miles for T and H speed-rated sizes. This assurance indicates a focus on long-term durability and cost-effectiveness over the miles you drive.
NEXEN N5000 Platinum
Nexen makes a strong value proposition with the N5000 Platinum, highlighted by its comprehensive Total Coverage Warranty. This package includes an impressive tread wear warranty, road hazard protection, roadside assistance, and a trial period. It offers extensive peace of mind rarely found in the segment.
The tire itself is designed for longevity and all-season use. An optimized flat footprint and a unique tread compound work together to promote even, long-lasting wear. It carries the M+S (Mud and Snow) symbol and uses lateral grooves in its design to improve traction across a range of road conditions throughout the year.
Michelin CrossClimate 2 All-Season Radial Tire
The Michelin CrossClimate 2 stands apart as a leader in all-weather performance. It is designed to provide not just all-season, but true year-round capability, including confident traction in more severe winter conditions where many standard all-season tires struggle. This makes it an ideal choice for drivers in regions with harsh winters who prefer not to switch to dedicated snow tires.
Its distinctive V-shaped tread pattern is key to its performance, effectively channeling water and slush while providing numerous biting edges for snow and ice. Despite its winter prowess, it maintains respectable tread life and fuel efficiency. The CrossClimate 2 is often recognized for setting a new benchmark in the category.
Learn About CrossClimate 2 Features
Continental TrueContact Tour All-Season Tire
Continental’s TrueContact Tour is engineered with a focus on safety and longevity. It utilizes Continental’s proprietary Green Chili rubber compound and a symmetric tread design to achieve a notable balance of long tread life, fuel efficiency, and reliable all-weather traction. This tire is built for the driver who values safety and cost-per-mile efficiency.
Performance in wet conditions is a particular strength. The tread pattern and compound are designed to provide shorter braking distances on wet roads, a critical safety benefit. It offers a smooth, comfortable ride suitable for daily commuting and long-distance touring, backed by a strong treadwear warranty.
General AltiMAX RT45 All-Season Tire
The General AltiMAX RT45 is a touring all-season tire known for delivering solid performance at a competitive price point. It is designed to provide a quiet and comfortable ride, making it a popular choice for family sedans, minivans, and crossover vehicles. Its value-oriented position makes premium features more accessible.
This tire performs reliably across various conditions, with a tread pattern engineered for good wet weather traction and light snow capability. It emphasizes a smooth driving experience and durability, offering a balanced package for everyday drivers who need dependable performance without exceeding their budget.
Buying Guide: How to Choose Between the Goodyear Assurance Maxlife and Michelin CrossClimate 2
When you’re staring down the list of all-season tires, two names consistently rise to the top: the Goodyear Assurance Maxlife and the Michelin CrossClimate 2. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at tests and user reports, and the choice between them isn’t just about picking a tire; it’s about picking the right philosophy for your driving. This guide is here to cut through the noise and help you figure out which of these leading all-seasons fits your life.
First, you need to be honest about what “all-season” means to you. If your priority is getting the absolute highest possible treadlife warranty and you live in a region with mild, wet winters, the Goodyear Assurance Maxlife is a compelling choice. Its whole identity is built around longevity, backed by an impressive warranty. The ride is comfortable, and it handles wet roads competently. Think of it as a dedicated, long-haul touring tire for people who want to forget about their tires for years.
Now, if your version of “all-season” includes legitimately facing snow and ice a few times a year, your path shifts dramatically. The Michelin CrossClimate 2 is in a different league for winter traction. It carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol, meaning it’s been tested and proven to perform in severe snow conditions. This isn’t just a slight edge; it’s the difference between feeling confident and feeling stranded. You trade a bit of that ultimate treadlife for this massive safety benefit. The directional V-shaped tread also means exceptional wet grip and hydroplaning resistance.
My advice? Make a quick mental map of your year. Do you actively avoid driving on snowy days, or do you need to get to work regardless? Is your main goal cost-per-mile, or is it year-round security? For pure, dry/wet mileage champions, the Assurance Maxlife is a top contender. For drivers who face a wider spectrum of weather and want one tire to handle it all with a strong emphasis on winter safety, the CrossClimate 2 is arguably the best all-weather tire on the market. This showdown between the 8 Goodyear Assurance Maxlife vs Michelin CrossClimate 2 truly highlights a battle of leading all-seasons with different core strengths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tire is better in snow, the Goodyear Maxlife or Michelin CrossClimate 2?
This is the most critical differentiator. The Michelin CrossClimate 2 is significantly better in snow and on ice. It has the 3PMSF severe snow service rating, which the Goodyear Assurance Maxlife does not. If you see regular snow, the CrossClimate 2 is the clear and only choice between these two.
Does the Goodyear Assurance Maxlife really last longer?
On paper, yes. The Assurance Maxlife often comes with a longer treadwear warranty (e.g., 85,000 miles on some sizes) compared to the CrossClimate 2 (often 60,000 miles). This is its main selling point. Real-world longevity depends on your driving, alignment, and rotations, but Goodyear has built this tire specifically for maximum mileage.
Are both tires good in heavy rain?
Both perform very well in wet conditions, but again, with a different focus. The CrossClimate 2, with its aggressive, directional tread, is exceptional at resisting hydroplaning and providing strong wet-road grip. The Assurance Maxlife is also a very capable wet-weather tire, offering stable and safe handling in the rain, just without the extreme aqua-channeling design of the Michelin.
Is the Michelin CrossClimate 2 louder or less comfortable?
Early all-weather tire designs often had a noise trade-off, but the CrossClimate 2 is known for being surprisingly quiet for its capability. In my research, most users find it comparable to a standard touring tire. The Assurance Maxlife, as a comfort-focused touring tire, might have a slight edge in cushioning minor road imperfections, but the difference isn’t dramatic.
Which one should I buy for mostly highway driving in a mild climate?
If you rarely, if ever, see snow and you spend most of your time on highways, the Goodyear Assurance Maxlife is a fantastic fit. You’ll benefit from its long treadlife, comfortable ride, and solid all-season performance for rain and dry roads, likely at a more budget-friendly price point than the Michelin.
Can I use the Michelin CrossClimate 2 year-round, even in summer?
Absolutely. That’s the entire point of an “all-weather” tire like the CrossClimate 2. It’s designed to be a true four-season tire you never have to swap. Its summer dry performance is excellent, with responsive handling. You don’t need to change it out when the snow melts.