I also took the plunge and replaced my stock Goodyear with the Crossclimate 2 in 255-45-20. The day after I put them on, we had 8 inches of snow and it’s a night and day difference driving in snow compared to the stock Goodyears.
On dry pavements, the ride is softer thanks to the taller sidewalk. The car has noticeably more roll. And they’re just as quiet, or maybe even quieter than the stock tires even at highway speed. It’s been a week and efficiency dropped a bit. I’m averaging 358 wh/mi with the new tires mostly highway driving. These tires do not provide any rim protection though.
Overall I’m satisfied with these tires. They even look kinda cool with the interesting tread pattern and filling up the wheel well nicely. Those traded offs are a small price to pay when it comes to my family’s safety.