Crosswind A/T Tire Review and Rating

Dry Conditions – 60%

Wet Conditions – 60%

Snow – 50%

Comfort – 40%

Noise Reduction – 80%

Durability – 80%

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Pros

Admirable comfort and noise levels
Cheap
Decent off-road performance
50,000-mile treadwear warranty

Cons

Not the best on-road performer
Snow performance needs improvement

Today’s car industry is flooded with tons of various types of vehicles. Ranging from small city commuter cars to large trucks, there is a car type for everyone’s needs. Since the SUV and truck segment is slowly growing, today’s tire will revolve around those types of vehicles.

For the most part, people buy SUVs or trucks for two reasons. They either want the spacious interior and the cargo-hauling capacity, or they need a car that is capable of tackling off-road scenarios. Regardless of the reason, a crucial aspect in owning any car is the tire choice.

The set of tires you’ll have fitted to your car will depend on your needs. For example, if you’re the type of person that wants to go off-roading, you’ll need tires that can deliver performance in those conditions. On the other hand, If you’re not into off-roading that much and only do it occasionally, there is an option that balances between on and off-road performance.

All-terrain tires are still technically off-road ready, but they are also quite usable on the road. Many tire manufacturers have a few all-terrain models, but the one I’ll mention today is probably one you haven’t heard of.

Crosswind is a Chinese tire manufacturer that operates as a premium brand under the Linglong umbrella. The tire in question is the Crosswind A/T, an all-season all-terrain tire with decent performance at an affordable price. Chinese tires have a bad reputation when it comes to performance, so I’m eager to see how well the Crosswind A/T tire will fare in the tests.

What are the features of the Crosswind A/T?

Considering that the tire is Chinese, you shouldn’t expect features as we’d typically see with tires from the premium manufacturers.

The Crosswind A/T is an all-season tire, meaning that the company put some effort into making a rubber compound capable of performing in colder temperatures. There are no details in terms of the specifics, but the company claims to have used a rubber compound that will remain flexible even in freezing temperatures.

On the off-road side of things, there are several features worth mentioning.

To ensure consistent performance, the Crosswind A/T is designed with a tread that can eject stones that would prevent it from running optimally. In addition to that, the self-cleaning technology means that you won’t have to worry about lodged stones damaging the tire.
The tread design features massive staggered blocks that aim to provide traction in plenty of off-roading scenarios like mud, sand, and gravel, as well as on the road. On the shoulders, the Crosswind A/T has open blocks designed to help keep the grooves clean from mud or snow. As a bonus, this design, combined with the huge grooves, should provide excellent aquaplaning resistance.

In terms of refinement, the Crosswind A/T is tweaked to provide a more comfortable ride, reducing noise levels compared to its competitors.

How Does it Behave on Dry Roads?

Performance in dry conditions with the Crosswind A/T is decent if you don’t start comparing it to the premium tires in this class.

The traction levels are far from the best, but the tire is drivable. Keep in mind that the tire may struggle with traction if you’re overly aggressive, and the same can be said about the grip. There is enough for normal driving, but the tire will struggle if you push it into a corner hard. Another area where the Crosswind A/T doesn’t shine is the braking distances. I would categorize them as safe, but they are far behind the premium options.

Like most all-terrain tires, drivability isn’t the tire’s strongest suit. It’s not the worst responding tire in the world, and a regular driver may be fine with that. When compared with some of its competitors, it’s not the most driver-oriented tire.

How Does it Behave on Wet and Slippery Roads?

In rainy conditions, the Crosswind A/T remains the underdog in the category and performs okay-ish. There are much better options if you live in a place with a lot of rainy weather.

Like on dry roads, traction and grip are limited. This doesn’t make the tire unsafe for driving, but the levels are not as high as I’d like them to be. Braking distances are also nothing to write home about, as the tire’s stopping power isn’t massive. You will get longer braking distances even when you compare the tire with some of the mid-range options.

However, like I mentioned above, aquaplaning resistance is surprisingly good, which is thanks to the wide grooves and open shoulder blocks.

How Does it Go On Snow?

All-terrain tires are generally decent in the winter, which IS NOT the case with the Crosswind A/T.

The tire is usable in light snow conditions, and that’s as much as you can get out of it. In harsher conditions, the tire will struggle to find traction, especially on hard-packed snow. Ice performance isn’t any better as the tire cannot bite, meaning you are left with below-average traction. Braking distances are again disappointing when compared to its rivals.

In cases where there isn’t snow, the tire’s performance is similar to the dry and wet. While it is capable of delivering traction and grip, both are not something spectacular.

Is it Comfortable & Refined?

One area that I need to praise about the Crosswind A/T is its comfort.

Comfort levels are decent, and the tire is fairly nice over various surfaces. Despite the reinforced sidewall, there is some flex to it, and it can soften up most of the road imperfections and holes. You won’t get the comfort that a touring tire would offer, but it’s not terrible.

Off-road tires are prone to higher noise levels, which isn’t the case with the Crosswind A/T. Even though there is noise, especially at higher speeds or rougher surfaces, things aren’t terrible considering which category it falls in.

Is it Good for Off-Roading?

All-terrain tires are good in off-roading scenarios, with a few limitations and the same can be said about the Crosswind A/T.

In lighter conditions, the tire performs quite well. Traction on dirt is decent, and even though it’s not as good as mud-terrain tire, I would give it a passing mark. Mud and sand performance is similar as long as we are talking about shallow patches.

Extremer situations is where the Crosswind A/T will start to struggle, especially in deeper mud. It’s not like the tire will get stuck very easily, but it will struggle to find traction, something that’s essential in these circumstances.

You can use the tire for rock crawling, but it will struggle, so I can recommend going for a mud-terrain if you need that much performance.

Is the Crosswind A/T Ideal for Sporty Driving?

No, the Crosswind A/T is a terrible tire for sporty driving, and you shouldn’t even look at it from that perspective.

On the one hand, the grip is poor for sporty driving, meaning that whenever you chug it into a corner, the tire will squirm. On the other hand, the driving characteristics aren’t at all dynamic, so responsiveness and handling aren’t the highlights of the tire.

Crosswind A/T Warranty

In terms of warranty, the Crosswind A/T surprises, considering that it’s a cheap tire. The company sells the tire with a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty, which isn’t too bad, especially when you compare it with its rivals. The Kumho Road Venture AT51 has only a 5,000-miles longer warranty and is more expensive.

Crosswind A/T Pricing: Is It Worth The Price?

From a price standpoint, the Crosswind A/T is worth the money, mainly because it’s among the cheapest all-terrain tires on the market. With prices that start from below the $120 mark, it’s understandable why people on a budget would be after a tire like this one.

Should I Buy The Crosswind A/T?

Despite the lower price tag, the Crosswind A/T is a tire that I cannot recommend, at least not until you consider a few things.

Looking at the performance, the tire cannot be marked as excellent. On the road, the performance is below average, and the tire is drivable but lacks behind the competitors. Grip and traction pass the safe mark, as long as you aren’t driving like a maniac. Push the tire a bit, and it will show its weaknesses, especially in the braking distances department. On a positive note, the comfort and noise levels are admirable, which may be something that you’d be after.

When it comes to off-roading, the tire delivers on some performance, but again, it isn’t as good as its competitors. Going for something a bit more extreme and the tire will start to struggle. Dirt roads aren’t a big issue as the tire can bite into the dirt and find traction. Mud and sand performance is decent, as long as you do go too deep, in which case the Crosswind A/T will disappoint.

The main selling point of the tire is the price. With that said, for around $20-30 more, you can land yourself in the mid-range with something like Toyo Open Country A/T III or Kumho Road Venture AT51, which are excellent tires capable of delivering better results.