Torn between a touring tire or a highway tire for your light truck? Let me help you choose the right tire by looking into Continental Crosscontact LX20 vs Michelin LTX MS2.
Michelin LTX MS is a highly-dependable towing tire that can provide superior highway performance, comfort, longevity, durability and road silence. Although CrossContact LX20 is a few points lower in wet and dry conditions, it is an attractive option because of its more affordable pricing.
| Factors | Continental Crosscontact LX20 | Michelin LTX MS2 |
| Dry | Competitive | Winner |
| Wet | Competitive | Winner |
| Snow and Ice | Equal, average in light snow | Equal, average in light snow |
| Comfort/ Ride Quality | Comparable | Winner |
| Noise | Low noise | Winner |
| Price | Cheaper | Expensive |
| Mileage Warranty | Equal | Equal |
Table of Contents
What are they?
1. Continental Crosscontact LX20
Continental Crosscontact LX20 is an all-season touring tire designed for crossovers, sport utility vehicles, and light duty pick-up trucks. It was launched in 2011 with 36 tire sizes ranging from 16-20 inches.
The tire features:
- TgF polymers – temperature-activated compound that improves longevity and gas mileage
- +Silane – grip-enhancing additive that enables the tire to stop quicker
- Traction Grooves technology- ridges in the outboard grooves that add bite for snow to snow traction
- Smooth Response technology- aims to deliver polished ride with reduced noise
- Eco Plus technology – for peace of mind when driving on rainy terrains
This touring tire sports a symmetric design composed of:
- Wide circumferential grooves for increased wet traction
- Continuous center ribs and interposed tread blocks for precise on-road steering control and straight line stability
- Twin steel belts with polyester cord casing to boost ride comfort
This tire was replaced by the Continental Crosscontact LX25. It was introduced alongside Continental Terraincontact H/T in 2019.
2. Michelin LTX MS2
Michelin LTX MS2 is a highway all-season tire built for vans, pickups, sports utility vehicles, and light trucks.
When it was rolled out in 2009, the tire was available in 38 sizes ranging from 15-20 inches.
It had the following features:
- 3D active sipes – provides tread block rigidity for 8% better snow traction and less fuel consumption
- Silica tread compound – improves wet performance by increasing wet stopping power
- Michelin Comfort Control technology – aims to minimize road vibrations and noise
- Michelin Advanced Max Construction – unique contact shape capable of evenly distributing impact during acceleration, braking and cornering
The LT sizes are branded with “Green X” to indicate high-grade fuel efficiency. The MS2 was replaced by the Michelin Defender LTX M/S in 2015.
Differences
1. Specifications
Michelin LTX MS2 is lighter than the Crosscontact LX20, but it has a bigger load capacity. It can also run faster than the touring tire.
The CrossContact LX20 has a higher treadwear rating (740), while Michelin’s highway tire has superior heat tolerance grade (A).
| Specifications | Continental Crosscontact LX20 | Michelin LTX MS2 |
| Brand | Continental | Michelin |
| Tire Category | All Season Touring tire | All Season Highway tire |
| Tire Size inspected | 275/55R20 | 275/55R20 |
| Tread Depth | 11/32 in. | 10.5/32 in. |
| Max PSI | 44 psi | 44 psi |
| Max Load | 2403 pounds | 2535 pounds |
| Tire Weight | 40 pounds | 37 pounds |
| Speed rating | 112 mph (S) | 130 mph (H) |
| UTQG rating | 740 A B | 720 A A |
| Mileage Warranty | 70,000 | 70,000 |
2. Consumer Reviews
Consumers rated the LTX MS2 higher than CrossContact LX20 in terms of performance, comfort, noise, and treadwear.
Both tires offer a warranty of 70,000 miles, but according to consumers, the LTX MS2 has better wear life than the CrossContact LX20 because it is puncture-resistant. It doesn’t pick up nails and can be driven for an average of 50,000 miles with excellent comfort and silence. Some even exceeded the projected wear life of 70,000 miles.
Conversely, the average tread life reported by most drivers on the Crosscontact LX20 ranges from 30,000 to 40,000 miles.
| Tires | Wet | Dry | Winter | Comfort | Noise | Ride Quality | Treadwear |
| Continental Crosscontact LX20 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 7.4 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 7.7 |
| Michelin LTX MS2 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 7.8 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.8 |
3. Wet
Although the Crosscontact LX20 has good steering response and doesn’t skid on damp roads and waterholes, the LTX MS2 wins the wet performance category because it has better hydroplaning resistance and wet traction. It runs well in the rain.
4. Dry
The LTX MS2 rules in dry performance because it scored higher in dry traction, cornering stability and steering response. Meanwhile, the Crosscontact LX20 is praised for good handling and dry braking.
5. Noise
The quietness of the Crosscontact LX20 is different from that of the Crosscontact LX Sport because the two have dissimilar features (Smooth Response vs. ContiSilent). Thus, instead of comparing Contisilent vs Michelin Comfort Control technology, we looked into the Crosscontact LX20’s Smooth response technology.
The result was that the LTX MS2 had superior noise control. Some attest that it has low noise on the highway while others find it quiet and relaxing even at over 70 mph.
On the other hand, Continental’s Crosscontact LX20 gave off minimal to low noise.
6. Comfort/ride quality
When you compare Continental LX20 vs Michelin LTX MS2, the latter offers a higher level of ride quality and comfort. The Continental tire delivers a firm ride in mud, around 2 inches of snow and dirt roads, while the Michelin tire has smooth performance on coarse surfaces, including gravel and dirt.
7. Snow and ice
Both tires are not snow-rated, so they are not impressive in handling deep snow and ice. Overall, the LTX MS2 shows more stability in light snow conditions than the CrossContact LX20.
The Michelin tire claims 8% more biting edges that make it grippier in snow. However, not all consumers are satisfied with its fair performance.
8. Towing Capability
LTX MS2 tires are reliable on long, heavy towing trips. It can pull an RV, cattle trailer, motorcycle trailer, utility trailer, dogs and more without any issues like cracking or deformities.
The LX20, though possessing a lower load limit, can tow RVs just fine.
9. Cost
Michelin’s LTX MS2 is more expensive than the Crosscontact LX20. For instance, the tire size we examined can be bought at $297.34, which is almost $43 higher than CrossContact LX20 price at $254.62.
Pros and Cons
Continental Crosscontact LX20
- Reliable wet and dry performance
- Comparable comfort and ride quality
- Cheaper
- Unusable in moderate to extreme snowy conditions
- Shorter tread life
Michelin LTX MS2
- Superior performance in wet, dry, and light snow conditions
- Attractive heavy towing capabilities
- Long lasting tread life
- Expensive
FAQs
Are Continental CrossContact LX20 tires good in snow?
Yes. Continental CrossContact LX20 is usable in light snow conditions. As long as the ice isn’t too thick, it’ll do just fine.
What does LTX mean on Michelin tires?
LTX refers to tire designs that are suitable for sports utility vehicles and light trucks. Aside from the MS2, Michelin also produced the LTX A/T2 for all terrains.
Conclusion
In this Continental Crosscontact LX20 vs Michelin LTX MS2 review, we learned that Michelin’s LTX MS2 was magnificent in combining all-season performance, longevity, and comfort. It is practical for drivers who are into highway driving and occasional mild off-roading adventures.
However, if you do not need heavy towing or are not challenged by off-road conditions at all, Continental’s CrossContact LX20 can offer similar wet and dry performance with a lower price tag.
If this comparison is useful to you, stay tuned for our Michelin Defender vs Continental Crosscontact LX review.
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