The mid-Pliocene, a geological period around 3 million years ago, is sometimes considered the best analogue for near-future climate. It saw similar CO₂ concentrations to the present-day but also a slightly different geography. In this study, we use climate model simulations and find that the Northern Hemisphere winter responds very differently to increased CO₂ or to the mid-Pliocene geography. Our results weaken the potential of the mid-Pliocene as a future climate analogue.