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Michelin

Michelin LTX AT2 Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan Leave a Comment

As a former Bridgestone field inspector, I’ve seen my fair share of all-terrain tires promising both off-road prowess and highway comfort. Yet, the Michelin LTX AT2 consistently stood out. But does it truly bridge the gap between road and rugged, or is it all smoke and tread? Let’s test-drive its performance across key metrics.

Michelin LTX AT2 features a tread pattern that falls somewhere between a highway and an all-terrain tire. This design allows it to strike a balance between on-road comfort and off-road capability, making it a versatile choice for various driving conditions and applications.

Michelin LTX AT2 shines on dry pavement with agile handling and impressive grip, while holding its own in wet conditions with its wide grooves efficiently channeling water. Don’t underestimate Michelin LTX AT2’s winter capabilities either, as it provides surprising traction on snowy roads. Mileage is exceptional thanks to the deep tread, and you won’t sacrifice fuel efficiency with its optimized design. Off-road, the aggressive tread eats up dirt trails and campsites with ease, although it’s best to leave extreme adventures for others. While a slight hum accompanies the aggressive tread, the ride remains surprisingly comfortable, absorbing bumps and imperfections with ease.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

Finding the ideal all-terrain tire among the plethora of options available can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, my team and I have taken on this challenge head-on. Besides our hands-on experiences with these tires, we also analyze thousands of customer reviews and test reports. 

Please note that: Light-Duty is 1500 series, Medium-Duty is 2500 series and Heavy-Duty is 3500 series. If you do towing or hauling, I recommend considering at least Medium-Duty tires.

Mobile users can scroll the table to the left to see the whole data.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
NameCategoryArticles3PMSFRoad NoiseMileageFuel EconomyRiding ComfortResponsivenessWet PerformanceMild WinterSevere WinterMild Off-RoadSevere Off-RoadBest Fit by Pickup Truck ClassificationWarranty (SL or XL)Warranty (LT)Product Page

Falken Wildpeak AT3W

Off Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentPoorDecentDecentDecentElegantElegantDecentAverageLight-Duty55,000 Miles55,000 MilesWildpeak AT3W
Toyo Open Country AT3Off Road All Terrain TireReviewYesAverageElegantDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentElegantDecentMedium-Duty65,000 Miles50,000 MilesToyo Open Country AT3
General Grabber ATXOff Road All Terrain TireReviewYesAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantElegantHeavy-Duty60,000 Miles50,000 MilesGeneral Grabber ATX
BF Goodrich KO2Off Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentDecentElegantElegantHeavy-DutyN/A50,000 MilesBF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Sumitomo Encounter ATOff Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentAverageDecentDecentDecentElegantAverageDecentAverageLight-Duty60,000 Miles60,000 MilesSumitomo Encounter AT
Firestone Destination XTOff Road All Terrain TireReviewYesAverageDecentElegantDecentElegantDecentDecentAverageDecentDecentHeavy-DutyN/A50,000 MilesFirestone Destination X/T
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLTOn Road All Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentAverageElegantAverageHeavy-DutyN/A60,000 MilesCooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Falken Wildpeak AT TrailOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentElegantAverageLight-Duty65,000 MilesN/AFalken Wildpeak AT Trail
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4SOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesElegantDecentElegantElegantElegantElegantElegantDecentDecentFairy WellLight-Duty65,000 MilesN/ACooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Firestone Destination AT2On Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentElegantElegantElegantElegantDecentElegantAverageDecentAverageLight-Duty55,000 MilesN/AFirestone Destination AT2

BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A

On Road All Terrain TireReviewYesElegantElegantDecentElegantElegantDecentDecentAverageDecentAverageLight-Duty60,000N/ABF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A
Toyo Open Country R/T TrailRugged Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentHeavy-Duty45,000 Miles45,000 MilesToyo Open Country R/T Trail
Falken Wildpeak R/TRugged Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentAverageAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentHeavy-Duty50,000 Miles50,000 MilesFalken Wildpeak R/T
Pathfinder AT TireOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesAverageAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageDecentAverageLight-Duty55,00050,000Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Nitto Ridge GrapplerRugged Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentHeavy-DutyN/AN/ANitto Ridge Grappler
General Grabber APTOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageDecentFairy WellMedium-Duty60,000 Miles60,000 MilesGeneral Grabber APT
Vredestein Pinza ATOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesElegantDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageMedium-Duty70,000 Miles50,000 MilesVredestein Pinza AT
Nitto Recon GrapplerOff Road All Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageElegantDecentMedium-Duty65,000 Miles55,000 MilesNitto Recon Grappler
Michelin Defender LTX M/SHighway TireReviewNoElegantElegantElegantDecentElegantDecentDecentFairy WellDecentFairy WellHeavy-Duty55,000 – 70,000 Miles55,000 – 70,000 MilesMichelin Defender LTX M/S
Kenda Klever R/TRugged Terrain TireReviewNoAverageDecentAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentFairy WellDecentDecentHeavy-DutyN/AN/AKenda Klever R/T
Goodyear Wrangler Territory ATOn Road All Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageElegantDecentMedium-DutyN/AN/AGoodyear Wrangler Territory AT
Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain ATOff Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageDecentFairy WellMedium-DutyN/AN/ADiscount Tire Exclusive Product
Continental Terrain Contact H/THighway TireReviewNoElegantElegantElegantElegantElegantDecentAveragePoorDecentPoorHeavy-Duty70,000 Miles60,000 MilesContinental TerrainContact H/T
Patriot R/TRugged Terrain TireReviewYesAverageAverageAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentMedium-DutyN/AN/APatriot R/T+
Kenda Klever AT2Off Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentAverageAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageDecentAverageMedium-Duty60,000 Miles50,000 MilesKenda Klever AT2
Yokohama Geolander AT G015On Road All Terrain TireReviewYesElegantDecentAverageElegantElegantDecentDecentAverageAveragePoorLight-Duty60,000 Miles50,000 MilesYokohama Geolandar AT G015
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss ATRugged Terrain TireReviewYes (315 or narrower width)DecentDecentAverageDecentElegantDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentMedium-Duty50,000 Miles60,000 MilesMickey Thompson Baja Boss AT

For those who prefer a more textual representation and dislike sifting through tables of data:

  • https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires-for-snow/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-1-2-ton-truck-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-3-4-ton-truck-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-rt-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-tires-for-snow-plowing/

A couple of popular size analyses:

  • https://tireterrain.com/best-35×12-50r20-all-terrain-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-285-70r17-all-terrain-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-275-55r20-all-terrain-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-275-65r18-all-terrain-tires/

Want to learn more about all-terrain tires:

  • https://tireterrain.com/highway-tires-vs-all-terrain-vs-mud-terrain/
  • https://tireterrain.com/all-season-vs-all-terrain-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/tire-load-index-and-load-range/
  • https://tireterrain.com/lt-tires-vs-passenger-tires/
  • https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-for-daily-driving/
  • https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-in-snow/
  • https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-loud/
  • https://tireterrain.com/how-long-do-all-terrain-tires-last/
  • https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-in-rain/
  • https://tireterrain.com/off-road-tire-pressure-load-range-for-every-rig/

Table of Contents

Tread Design

The LTX AT2’s imposing tread is more than just an aesthetic statement. Deep, aggressive blocks and wide grooves provide exceptional bite on loose surfaces like sand, gravel, and mud. This design excels in off-road scenarios, but its well-balanced layout doesn’t sacrifice on-road performance. Angled sipes further enhance wet traction by efficiently channeling water away from the contact patch, while the overall design optimizes wear for increased longevity.

Tread & Durability

True to Michelin’s reputation, the LTX AT2 lives up to expectations when it comes to durability. Its sturdy build and deep tread design ensure a longer lifespan, providing drivers with more miles before needing to replace their tires. This durability makes it a cost-effective choice for those who enjoy off-road adventures or require a reliable tire for demanding driving conditions.

Sizes

The LTX AT2 offers a broad range of sizes to accommodate various vehicles, including pickup trucks, SUVs, and crossovers. This extensive size selection ensures that drivers can find the perfect fit for their specific vehicle, regardless of its type. The versatility of this tire makes it a suitable choice for a wide range of driving styles and vehicle types, catering to the diverse needs of drivers.

On-Road Performance

Michelin LTX AT2 provides great on-road manners

Dry Performance

The LTX AT2 is not only capable off-road but also impresses with its agile handling and remarkable grip on dry asphalt. It exhibits confident cornering abilities with minimal body roll, even at higher speeds. This well-balanced design ensures a composed and predictable driving experience, making it a versatile tire that excels both on and off the road.

Wet Performance

When it comes to wet performance, the LTX AT2 holds its own. Its wide grooves effectively channel water, ensuring a secure grip during heavy rain. While it may not outperform dedicated wet-weather tires, it instills confidence in most rainy conditions, providing drivers with a surefooted experience.

Riding Comfort & Mileage

Despite its aggressive tread, the LTX AT2 delivers a surprisingly comfortable ride. The sidewalls flex effectively to absorb bumps and road imperfections, making for a smooth and cushioned experience. And thanks to its long-lasting tread, you can expect several thousand miles before replacement, even with a mix of on- and off-road driving.

Snow Performance

Despite its all-terrain label, the LTX AT2 performs admirably in winter conditions. Its aggressive tread design effectively channels snow and slush, delivering surprisingly strong traction on snowy roads. While it’s not a dedicated snow tire, it offers peace of mind during frosty commutes and light winter adventures.

Fuel Efficiency

Despite its emphasis on performance and durability, the LTX AT2 manages to excel in the fuel efficiency department. Its thoughtfully designed tread pattern and advanced construction materials work together to reduce rolling resistance, allowing you to maximize your miles per gallon. This makes it an appealing option for drivers who value both capability and fuel economy.

Road Noise

The LTX AT2’s aggressive tread pattern does come with a minor trade-off in the form of road noise. When driving at higher speeds, you may notice some tire hum, but it’s not loud enough to disrupt conversations or music. In the grand scheme of things, the noise level remains manageable, especially when you consider the tire’s impressive on- and off-road performance.

Off-Road Prowess

The LTX AT2 truly shines when you leave the pavement behind. Its aggressive tread pattern provides excellent traction on loose terrain, allowing you to tackle dirt trails, campsites, and light off-road excursions with confidence. While it’s not designed for extreme rock crawling or challenging off-road conditions, it handles moderate off-road adventures exceptionally well. This versatility makes it a reliable companion for those who enjoy exploring off the beaten path.

 

Conclusion

The Michelin LTX AT2 truly excels in both on-road and off-road environments. It offers remarkable off-road traction, unexpected on-road handling prowess, and respectable winter performance, all while maintaining a comfortable and surprisingly fuel-efficient profile. While it may not be the absolute quietest or the most aggressive off-roader on the market, its overall balance and the legendary Michelin quality make it an enticing choice. Whether you’re a seasoned off-road enthusiast or someone who enjoys occasional adventures, the LTX AT2 is a tire that demands serious consideration. It’s more than just an all-terrain tire; it’s an open invitation to bridge the gap between the paved roads and the wilderness, providing both comfort and capability for your journeys.

Filed Under: All Terrain Tires, On-Road All Terrain Tires Tagged With: LTX AT2, Michelin, Review

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan Leave a Comment

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is an ultra-high-performance tire that is developed for people who love driving aggressively. It can be used on performance-driven SUVs, CUVs, coupes, and sedans. Since the first time, Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 was released in July 2021, it’s been the most preferred performance tire in the market. I’ve spent some time with these tires. I can confidently say that it’s an authentic performer. Though, compared to grand touring tires like Michelin Primacy A/S it has some disadvantages also. In this article, I’m going to expose Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 and try to explain which conditions are best for this tire. Let’s begin!

Just before mounting Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4

At a Glance

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
Best forPerformance-driven longevity,
Mostly warm regions for below 3,500 lbs vehicles,
3 seasons + light snow traction for over 3,500 vehicles,
Responsiveness
ProsSmooth & quiet ride,
Insane responsiveness,
Fuel efficiency (compared to other UHP tires),
Long-lasting rubber
ConsIf you’re changing from an all-season tire, you may experience a bit noisier ride
Winter performance is highly limited as expected from UHP tires
VehicleSport sedans,
Sport coupes,
SUV,
CUV
Test ReportRead the full test report
(September 21, 2021)
Available Sizes15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”
(Check if it fits your vehicle)
Made InUnited States,
Mexico
Warranty45,000 miles
PricesDiscountTire:
Check Price

TireRack:
Check Price

SimpleTire:
Check Price

Amazon:
Check Price

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a longevity-driven ultra high-performance tire. Even though it can handle wet and dry conditions very well, when it comes to cold weather with powder snow, its traction is limited. Though, its responsiveness and cornering stability are insane. Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 provides a quiet and smooth riding experience. Yet, if you’re changing from the all-season tires, you may feel a bit rough ride for a while.

All-Season Tires Cheat Sheet

Finding the most suitable one for you among thousands of tires is very difficult.

My team & I have analyzed 100 different tires and generated this ‘Quick Answer Sheet‘ for those who don’t wanna spend too much time during tire selection.

Before we start, here are the incredibly helpful articles I highly recommend to take a look at;

  • How to keep tire noise down:
    https://www.discounttire.com/learn/tire-noise
  • Fuel-Efficiency:
    https://www.discounttire.com/learn/rolling-resistance
  • Tire rating charts & reviews
    https://www.tirerack.com/tires/rating-chart&reviews
  • Tire test report
    https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests
Below the table, you can find my favorite tires that I have classified according to your needs.
All-Season Tires Cheat Sheet
NameBest forWorks Best onArticles3PMSFRoad NoiseMileageResponsivenessRiding ComfortWarrantyFuel EconomyWet PerformanceMild WinterSevere Winter

Michelin Crossclimate 2
(Test Report – Check Price)

Year Round Usage & Tread LifeSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, minivansReviewYesDecentElegantElegantDecent60,000DecentElegantElegantDecent
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S
(Test Report – Check Price)
Everything but severe winter tractionSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoElegantElegantElegantElegant45,000 – 55,000DecentElegantAverageFairy Well
Bridgestone WeatherPeak
(Test Report – Check Price)
Smooth & quiet 4 season drivingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, minivansReviewYesElegantDecentElegantElegant70,000ElegantDecentElegantAverage
Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus
(Test Report – Check Price)
Great all-round run-flat tireSUV, CUV, Sedans, CoupesReviewNoAverageExcellentExcellentExcellent65,000AverageExcellentDecentAverage
Vredestein Quatrac Pro
(Test Report – Check Price)
4-Season performance-driven ridingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewYesElegantDecentElegantElegant50,000DecentElegantElegantAverage
Vredestein HiTrac All-Season
(Test Report – Check Price)
Year round performance with great handlingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsNoDecentDecentElegantDecent70,000DecentElegantDecentAverage
Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3
(Test Report – Check Price)
Great all-round performance + mild winterSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoElegantElegantElegantElegant70,000ElegantDecentDecentAverage
Nokian WRG4
(Check Price)
Traction focused 4 season drivingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, minivansReviewYesDecentDecentDecentElegant65,000AverageElegantElegantDecent
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady
(Test Report – Check Price)
Year-round traction + handlingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, minivans–YesAverageDecentElegantElegant60,000AverageElegantElegantAverage
Firestone WeatherGrip
(Test Report – Check Price)
Winter-focused 4 season drivingSedans, coupes, crossoversReviewYesAverageFairy WellAverageDecent65,00Fairy WellAverageElegantElegant
BF Goodrich Advantage Control
(Test Report – Check Price)
Quiet & smooth 3 season traction + light snowSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoDecentDecentElegantDecent65,000 – 75,000ElegantDecentAveragePoor
Kumho Crugen HP71
(Test Report – Check Price)
Decent all-round performance + light snowCUV, SUVReviewNoAverageAverageDecentDecent65,000DecentDecentDecentFairy Well
Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra
(Test Report – Check Price)
Long lasting performance for squishy regionsCrossovers, SUVs, light trucksReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecent70,000DecentElegantDecentFairy Well
Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring AS
(Check Price)
Affordable 3 season tractionSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoAverageAverageDecentDecent70,000DecentAverageFairy WellPoor
Goodyear Assurance All-Season
(Test Report – Check Price)
Affordable all-round 3 season + light snow performanceSedans, minivansReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecent65,000DecentDecentAverageFairy Well
Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
(Test Report – Check Price)
Longevitiy focused 3 season traction + light snowSedans, coupes, crossovers, minivansReviewNoDecentElegantElegantElegant85,000ElegantDecentAveragePoor
Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack
(Test Report – Check Price)
Comfort-focused 3 season traction + light snowSedans, coupes, crossovers, minivansReviewNoElegantDecentElegantElegant80,000ElegantElegantDecentFairy Well
Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive
(Test Report – Check Price)
Above average all-round performanceSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoDecentElegantElegantElegant60,000AverageElegantDecentAverage
Michelin Defender T+H
(Test Report – Check Price)
Efficiency focused 3 season performanceSedans, coupes, crossoversvs Crossclimate 2NoDecentDecentDecentDecent80,000ElegantDecentFairy WellPoor
BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport
(Test Report – Check Price)
Long lasting 4 season performance + handlingSedans, coupes, crossovers–NoAverageDecentDecentDecent60,000 – 70,000AverageDecentDecentFairy Well
Continental TrueContact Tour
(Test Report – Check Price)
Smooth & long-lasting 3 season performance + light snowSedans, coupes, crossovers–NoDecentDecentDecentDecent70,000 – 80,000DecentElegantAverageFairy Well
Yokohama Avid Ascend LX
(Test Report – Check Price)
Long-lasting & responsive 4 season performanceSedans, coupes, crossovers, minivansNoDecentElegantElegantElegant85,000ElegantDecentDecentFairy Well
Laufenn S Fit AS
(Check Price)
Long-lasting sporty drivingSUV, CUV, Sedans, CoupesReviewNoDecentDecentExcellentDecent45,000DecentDecentAveragePoor

If you’re in a hurry, here are the tires worth every penny;

  • Michelin Crossclimate 2 – Best for All-Round & Heavy Snow
  • Michelin Primacy Tour A/S – Best All-Round & Moderate Snow
  • Nokian WRG4 – Best for Comfort & Heavy Snow
  • Nokian WRG4 SUV – Best for Comfort & Heavy Snow
  • Bridgestone WeatherPeak – Best for All-Round & Moderate Snow
  • Goodyear ComfortDrive – Best All-Round & Light Snow
  • BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport – Best for Longevity & Light Snow

Depending on your needs, the below article might help;

  • https://tireterrain.com/best-all-weather-tires-for-snow/
  • https://tireterrain.com/bridgestone-vs-michelin/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-michelin-tires-for-suv/

Table of Contents

Dry Traction

Dry traction is all about the rubber amount you put on the ground. In fact, that’s the reason most performance tires have an asymmetrical pattern.

In that case, the real idea is to put more rubber on the outer shoulder.

Putting more rubber on the shoulder section enables two things,

  • Since this method decrease the void area in the center section, it decreases the noise level
  • Since you have robust shoulders, it improves the handling capability

Just like all other all-season tires, Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 provides excellent dry traction. The real game changer out here is the next two sections. Cornering stability and responsiveness.

Responsiveness

Some sizes are available with Full Ring Velour Premium Touch sidewall treatment. Looks great, yet, it's just for visual presence

The handling capability is the litmus for good ultra-high-performance tires.

Due to their soft compounds, these tires provide decent traction anyway. Yet, these tires are running at high speed. Hence, while cornering, the lateral forces become huge and that generally decreases the handling capability. That might not happen if you’re a careful driver.

But, hey, if you’re a careful driver, why are you buying performance tires? Don’t buy them and check this article out instead (Michelin Primacy Tour A/S Review).

For the ones who are still here, let’s move on.

Ultra-high-performance tires must be agile to provide quick steering response. So, this responsiveness is related to two dimensions. The tread, especially the center section, and the internal structure, especially the weight.

So, here is the deal, Even though Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 has an asymmetrical pattern, its center rib is way much flat than the competitors. The continuous center rib is the key to quick steering response.

Michelin is able to make a flat center rib because of the tread width of this tire. The tread of the Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 is wider than the competitors. Hence, it doesn’t need to notch the center rib that much for better traction.

While doing this, Michelin achieves the keep tread depth at 10/32”, and even though it’s only available in ZR sizes, it still weighs the same as the competitors.

Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 is a great option if responsiveness is the most important feature for you.

Cornering Stability

The Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a high-performance all-season tire that is designed to deliver excellent cornering stability. It features an asymmetric tread pattern that is optimized for both dry and wet conditions, as well as Michelin’s Dynamic Response Technology, which helps to provide crisp handling and precise steering response.

The tire’s tread design includes large, rigid tread blocks on the outside shoulder of the tire to provide maximum contact with the road during cornering. This helps to improve the tire’s cornering stability and grip, especially during high-speed maneuvers. The tire’s tread also features deep, wide grooves to evacuate water and improve wet traction.

Additionally, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 uses a special tread compound that is designed to remain pliable in a wide range of temperatures. This helps to improve the tire’s grip and handling in both hot and cold weather, making it a great option for drivers who experience a wide range of weather conditions.

Overall, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a high-performance tire that delivers excellent cornering stability and grip in both dry and wet conditions.

Wet Performance

The Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is designed to provide excellent wet performance, thanks to its advanced tread design and specialized rubber compound.

The tire’s tread pattern features wide, deep grooves that are designed to evacuate water quickly and efficiently, reducing the risk of hydroplaning and improving wet traction. The tire also features a high-silica content tread compound that is optimized for wet conditions. The silica helps the tire maintain flexibility in cold, wet conditions, while also improving grip on wet roads.

In independent testing, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 has demonstrated excellent wet performance. For example, in testing conducted by Tire Rack, the tire received the highest wet traction rating among all tested tires in its category. Reviewers praised the tire’s ability to provide confident handling and grip in both light and heavy rain, as well as its resistance to hydroplaning.

Overall, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is an excellent choice for drivers who prioritize wet performance, as it is designed to deliver confident handling and grip in a variety of wet weather conditions.

Winter Performance

Looks dope? YES! Is it reliable winter tire? I don't thinks so

While the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is designed to provide good performance in a range of weather conditions, it is not specifically designed for winter use. However, Michelin has incorporated some winter-specific features into the tire’s design to help improve its performance in colder temperatures and light snow.

The tire features a specialized compound that includes sunflower oil and special resins to help the tire remain pliable in cold temperatures. This helps to improve traction and handling in winter weather, although it is not as effective as a dedicated winter tire.

In independent testing conducted by Tire Rack, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 received mixed results for winter performance. While the tire received good scores for its traction and handling in light snow, its performance in deeper snow and ice was less impressive.

Overall, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a great tire for drivers who want a high-performance tire that can handle a variety of weather conditions, including light winter weather. However, for drivers who frequently encounter deep snow or ice, a dedicated winter or at least an all-weather tire would be a better choice.

Longevity

The Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is designed to provide a balance of high-performance handling and good tread life, thanks to its advanced tread design and specialized rubber compound.

Michelin uses a unique tread design for the Pilot Sport All Season 4, with large, rigid tread blocks on the outside of the tire and a variable thickness sipe design that helps to distribute forces evenly across the tread surface. This helps to improve the tire’s handling and stability, while also minimizing uneven wear.

The tire’s tread compound is also designed to provide good wear resistance. Michelin uses a high-silica content compound that is optimized for longevity, helping the tire to last longer without compromising its high-performance handling capabilities.

In independent testing conducted by Tire Rack, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 received excellent scores for tread life. Reviewers noted that the tire provided good wear resistance and retained its high-performance handling characteristics even as it wore down.

Overall, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a great choice for drivers who want a high-performance tire that offers good tread life. While the tire is more expensive than some other options on the market, its balance of performance and longevity makes it a good value for drivers who prioritize both factors. Though worth reminding, ultra-high-performance tires offer last shorter than grand touring tires. For this reason, if longevity is your priority, I do recommend grand touring tires.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Warranty

The Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 comes with a limited warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 6 years or 45,000 miles, whichever comes first.

The warranty includes free replacement during the first year of service, or the first 2/32 inch of tread wear, whichever comes first. After that, the warranty is prorated based on the remaining tread depth, meaning that the amount of coverage decreases as the tire wears down.

The warranty also includes Michelin’s 30-day satisfaction guarantee, which allows customers to return the tires for a refund or exchange within 30 days of purchase if they are not satisfied with the performance of the tires.

It’s worth noting that the warranty does not cover damage caused by road hazards, such as punctures or impact damage, or damage caused by improper installation or maintenance. Additionally, the warranty is only valid for the original purchaser of the tires and is non-transferable.

Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 Warranty Document:
https://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/warranty/MI0619.pdf

Comfort & Noise

The Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is designed to deliver a comfortable and quiet ride, thanks to its advanced construction and unique tread design.

The tire features Michelin’s Comfort Control Technology, which uses computer-optimized design and precision manufacturing to reduce road noise and vibrations. This helps to provide a smoother and quieter ride, which can be particularly noticeable on highways or rough roads.

Additionally, the tire’s tread design includes variable thickness sipes and optimized contact patch shapes that help to reduce road noise and improve ride comfort. The tire’s tread blocks are also designed to be rigid and stable, which helps to reduce the amount of flexing and movement that can contribute to noise and discomfort.

In independent testing, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 has received high marks for its comfort and quiet ride. Reviewers have praised the tire’s ability to provide a smooth, comfortable ride even on rough or uneven roads, as well as its low levels of road noise.

Overall, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is an excellent choice for drivers who prioritize a comfortable and quiet ride, as well as high-performance handling and good tread life.

Though worth reminding, due to its strong sidewalls, Michelin Pilot All-Season 4 provides a rougher ride than grand touring tires.

Sizes

16” Wheels17” Wheels18” Wheels19” Wheels20” Wheels21” Wheels22” Wheels
205/55ZR16
94Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
205/40ZR17
84Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
215/40ZR18
89Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/35ZR19
88Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/35ZR20
92Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/35ZR21
96Y XL
Full Ring Velour
265/35ZR22
102Y XL
Full Ring Velour
225/50ZR16
96Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
205/45ZR17
88Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
215/40ZR18
89Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/40ZR19
93Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/40ZR20
96Y XL

Eco:
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245/45ZR21
104Y XL
265/40ZR22
106Y XL
Full Ring Velour

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
205/50ZR17
93Y XL

Eco:
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215/45ZR18
93Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/45ZR19
96Y XL

Eco:
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235/45ZR20
100Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/35ZR21
98W XL
T0, Acoustic, Full Ring Velour

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance

Noise Reduction Technology
Electric Vehicle Tuned
275/35ZR22
104Y XL
Full Ring Velour
215/45ZR17
91Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/40ZR18
92Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/55ZR19
103Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/30ZR20
90Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/40ZR21
102Y XL
Full Ring Velour
HL275/35R22
107V 
Load Index 107 = 2,150 lbs (975 kg) per tire
Speed Rating “V” = 149 mph (240 kph)
HL
MO1 Mercedes, Acoustic Tech

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance

Noise Reduction Technology
Electric Vehicle Tuned
215/50ZR17
95Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/45ZR18
95Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/35ZR19
91Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/35ZR20
95Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/35ZR21
101Y XL
Full Ring Velour
275/40ZR22
108Y XL
Full Ring Velour

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
215/55ZR17
98Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/50ZR18
99Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/40ZR19
96Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/40ZR20
99Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/40ZR21
105Y XL
Full Ring Velour
285/35ZR22
106Y XL
Full Ring Velour

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/45ZR17
94Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/40ZR18
95Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/45ZR19
99Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/45ZR20
103Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/40R21
101V SL
NE0 Porsche

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/40ZR22
110Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/50ZR17
98Y XL
26.3″ Overall Diameter

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/45ZR18
98Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/35ZR19
93Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/35ZR20
97Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/35R21
103V XL
MO1 Mercedes
295/40ZR22
112Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
225/55ZR17
101Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/50ZR18
101Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/40ZR19
98Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/40ZR20
101Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/35ZR21
103W XL
T0, Acoustic, Full Ring Velour

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance

Noise Reduction Technology
Electric Vehicle Tuned
235/45ZR17
97Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
235/55ZR18
104Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/45ZR19
102Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/45ZR20
105Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/40ZR21
107Y XL
235/50ZR17
100Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/35ZR18
92Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/50ZR19
105Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/55ZR20
110Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/45ZR21
110Y XL
Full Ring Velour
235/55ZR17
103Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/40ZR18
97Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/30ZR19
91Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/30ZR20
94Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/40ZR21
109Y XL
Full Ring Velour
245/40ZR17
95Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/45ZR18
100Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/35ZR19
96Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/35ZR20
99Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
295/35R21
103V SL
NE0 Porsche

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/45ZR17
99Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/50ZR18
104Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/40ZR19
100Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/40ZR20
104Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
295/35ZR21
107Y XL
Full Ring Velour

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
245/50ZR17
103Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/35ZR18
94Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/45ZR19
104Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/45ZR20
108Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
295/40ZR21
111Y 
XL
Full Ring Velour

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/40ZR17
98Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/40ZR18
99Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/35ZR19
98Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/30ZR20
97Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
315/30R21
105V XL
MO1 Mercedes
255/45ZR17
102Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
255/45ZR18
103Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/40ZR19
102Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/35ZR20
102Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/40ZR17
98Y SL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/35ZR18
97Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/50ZR19
110Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/40ZR20
106Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
315/35ZR17
106Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/40ZR18
101Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/35ZR19
100Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/30ZR20
99Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
265/45ZR18
104Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/40ZR19
105Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/35ZR20
104Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/35ZR18
99Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/30ZR19
98Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/45ZR20
112Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
275/40ZR18
103Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/35ZR19
103Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
295/30ZR20
101Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/35ZR18
101Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
285/40ZR19
107Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
295/35ZR20
105Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
295/45ZR20
114Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
305/35ZR20
107Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance
315/35ZR20
110Y XL

Eco:
Michelin Total Performance

If you’d like to reach detailed specifications by size:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Pilot+Sport+All+Season+4&isSEO=true

Price

 The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

DiscountTire

  • Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
  • 1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
  • Free rotation and balancing
  • 5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchases
  • Highest-rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
  • Almost all brands are available
  • Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
  • Frequent discounts and promotions

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/michelin-pilot-sport-all-season-4

TireRack

  • Fast and Free shipping
  • Usually delivered in 1 day
  • Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
  • Tons of installer options, and they also help you to choose the best one
  • Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
  • Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
  • 4.6/5 points on Google rate

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/michelin-pilot-sport-all-season-4

SimpleTire

  • Free shipping
  • Delivered in 2 days
  • Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
  • Mobile installation option
  • 7 million customers since 2021
  • 4.7/5 points on Google rate
  • Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4: https://simpletire.com/brands/michelin-tires/pilot-sport-all-season-4

Amazon

  • Fast and free shipping (mostly in a day)
  • Get your tires shipped to a selected service center or get them installed at home or work (how does it work?)
  • Installation on Mavis Discount Tire (15$ per tire) 
  • Installing new stem valves supplied by pro
  • Balancing your tires
  • Road/safety test
  • Since Amazon provides wholesale and affordable prices, they don’t offer a road hazard warranty

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4: https://www.amazon.com/search=michelin+pilot+sport+all+season+4

While choosing dealers, I especially pay attention to reliability. All of the dealers on this list have 15-20 years of experience in the online tire business. Therefore, I can guarantee a smooth and fast tire-buying process.

Conclusion

In my point of view, Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a great tire if you’d like to combine sporty driving feeling with longevity. Since this tire is a bit stiffer than its competitors, it’s a great option for relatively heavier sedans (or sports cars) like Lamborghini, Dodge, Tesla, Mercedes, BMW, or even the SUV and CUVs. It’s not the best performance tire but if you’re looking for something all-round, it’s a great option. Though worth reminding, its winter performance is behind the competition. It’s okay on bare pavement but when it comes to centerline bare pavement, it starts to slide.

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
Best forPerformance-driven longevity,
Mostly warm regions for below 3,500 lbs vehicles,
3 seasons + light snow traction for over 3,500 vehicles,
Responsiveness
ProsSmooth & quiet ride,
Insane responsiveness,
Fuel efficiency (compared to other UHP tires),
Long-lasting rubber
ConsIf you’re changing from an all-season tire, you may experience a bit noisier ride
Winter performance is highly limited as expected from UHP tires
VehicleSport sedans,
Sport coupes,
SUV,
CUV
Test ReportRead the full test report
(September 21, 2021)
Available Sizes15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”
(Check if it fits your vehicle)
Made InUnited States,
Mexico
Warranty45,000 miles
PricesDiscountTire:
Check Price

TireRack:
Check Price

SimpleTire:
Check Price

Amazon:
Check Price

I hope the article was helpful, if you need any further support about tire selection, feel free to leave a comment below or contact me via email. Have a safe ride folks!

Filed Under: Performance Tires Tagged With: Michelin, Pilot Sport All Season 4, Review

Best Michelin Tires for SUV

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan Leave a Comment

SUVs are huge and powerful vehicles. Hence, they need a tire that can provide durability and reliability at the same time. When I consider these two requirements and link them up with exceedingly comfy driving, the first brand that comes to my mind is Michelin. Today, as a former Bridgestone engineer, I’m going to expose the Best Michelin Tires for SUVs. Let’s begin!

Michelin produce a different type of tires for SUVs
  • Michelin Crossclimate 2 – Great 4 Season Traction + Longevity – Best All Weather Tire
  • Michelin Defender 2 – Longevity + Responsiveness – Best Affordable All-Season Tire
  • Michelin Defender LTX M/S – Durability + Longevity + Mild Off-Road Traction – Best Tire for Hauling & Towing
  • Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV – Wet & Dry Performance + Handling – Best Summer Touring Tire
  • Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 – Longevity + Handling + Mild Winter Traction – Best Performance All-Season Tire 
  • Michelin X-Ice Snow – Ice Traction + Comfort – Best Winter Tire
  • Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 – Snow Traction + Handling + Responsiveness – Best Performance Winter Tire 
  • Michelin LTX A/T2 – Longevity + Comfort – Best All-Terrain Tire
  • BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 – All Round tire that is also part of Michelin brand – Best Severe Off-Road Tire

Table of Contents

How to Classify Michelin Tires?

The tire industry has branched out a lot lately. At the beginning of the 2000s, there were five main categories. All-season tires, summer tires, winter tires, all-terrain tires, and performance tires.

Lately, these categories began to divide within themselves. Here are some of them you must need to know before reading this article.

All-Season Tires:

  • All-Weather Tires: 4 seasons of performance, traction, longevity, durability, and comfort (less than grand touring tires but more than others)
  • Grand Touring All-Season Tires: 3-season performance + light snow traction, durability, longevity, comfort
  • Touring All-Season Tires: 3-season performance + light snow traction ( not as much as Grand Touring), durability, comfort (3rd place)
  • Passenger All-Season Tires: 3-season performance + light snow traction ( not as much as Touring tires), durability, comfort (3rd place)
  • Highway All-Season Tires: Longevity and handling focus tires, relatively lower snow and wet performance, stiff driving

Summer Tires:

  • Grand Touring Summer: Dry weather tires can provide unique handling, responsiveness, wet performance
  • Highway Rib Summer: Heavy-duty capability, noise reduction, tread life (only recommend for commercial usage)

Performance Tires:

  • Max Performance Summer: Performance-focused low-profile tires, I don’t recommend them on SUVs.
  • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Performance-focused low-profile tires, last short
  • Ultra-High Performance All-Season: The only performance tires that can be used on SUVs. Relatively shorter tread life than premium all-season tires.

Winter Tires:

  • Studless Ice/Snow Tires: Your regular winter tires, dedicated winter tires, don’t perform in summer, and last longer than performance winter tires
  • Performance Winter/Snow Tires: For performance-tuned SUVs, don’t perform in the summer, last shorter but provide better traction and handling and stopping distance

All-Terrain Tires:

  • On/Off Road All-Terrain: Better for off-road lovers, decrease comfort and handling

Note: The remaining all-terrain tire categories aren’t usable for SUVs.

From now on, I’m going to share my favorite Michelin tires for each category.

Best Michelin All-Season Tires for SUV

All-season tires are the most popular tire category. Most of you will leave the article after reading this section.

  • Best All-Weather Tire – Michelin Crossclimate 2 – Michelin Crossclimate 2 SUV (If you can’t find your size on Crossclimate 2
  • Best Grand-Touring All-Season Tire – Michelin Primacy Tour A/S
  • Best Touring All-Season Tire – Michelin Defender 2
  • Best Passenger All-Season Tire – Michelin Primacy A/S
  • Best Highway All-Season Tire – Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Michelin Crossclimate 2 - Year Round Traction + Long Lasting Rubber

Michelin Crossclimate 2 is the hero tire of the Michelin line-up. The dude rocks the market since it has been released. So, the idea behind the Crossclimate tires is simple. Use winter compound but put as much rubber on the road for a decent dry performance. In order to do that, reducing the sipe intensity is a must because it costs more wear. Hence, you may think that this tire lacks sipes. The grooves and tread do the job instead of sipes and cuts.

The snow chewer on duty!

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Michelin Crossclimate 2 provides unique traction on wet and dry surfaces. Furthermore, its 3PMSF-labeled compound provides trustworthy winter performance. Well, it can even handle the icy grounds. Even better, Michelin Crossclimate 2 offers long-lasting rubber with a highly smooth riding experience. However, it’s still one step ahead of perfection. Even though these are its above-average features, due to its aggressive pattern, it makes shadowy noise and a 10% increase in MPG (it’s even 8,5 out of 10 on its weak features).

Michelin Crossclimate 2
Best forThe all-round tire that can perform perfectly in all 4 seasons,
severe winter traction
ProsInsane wet and snow traction,
long-lasting rubber,
cool design
ConsSlightly noisy
Test Reportvs WeatherPeak & PureContact LS
(May 31, 2022)
CategoryGrand Touring All-Weather
VehiclePassenger Car/Minivan/SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Weight21 – 32 lbs
Made InUnited States
Labels3PMSF
Warranty (P-metric)60,000 Miles
  • Michelin offers 6 years and 60,000 miles mileage warranty for this product
  • Detailed research is available:
    https://tireterrain.com/michelin-crossclimate-2-review/

Michelin Crossclimate 2 SUV - Sport Utility or Larger SUVs

Michelin Crossclimate 2 is great. Yet, it doesn’t fit some sport utility SUVs that need higher load and speed index at the same time. Hence, Michelin has a reinforced SUV version of this tire for a couple of sizes. The range is broader than Crossclimate 2 ( 17” to 20” diameter).

The V-shaped pattern can throw the water out with ease and offers safe driving on squishy days

Michelin Crossclimate 2 SUV is great as its younger brother Michelin Crossclimate 2. No matter how cold or hot, Michelin Crossclimate 2 SUV provides great traction. Moreover, the dude has a long life like a tortoise. As a return, it’s slightly noisier than your regular all-season tire.

  • I don’t recommend the SUV version unless you need a higher load or speed index
  • Crossclimate tires are developed for severe winter conditions. Hence, I don’t recommend using it if you don’t see snow often
  • Michelin offers 6 years and 60,000 miles mileage warranty for this product
  • Michelin Crossclimate 2 SUV is a newly released tire. Hence you may face supply issues. If you’ll experience any, I do recommend Michelin Crossclimate SUV instead.

Michelin Primacy Tour A/S - 3 Season Traction + Fuel Efficiency

Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is a grand touring all-season tire. This tire is a good fit for sedans, crossovers, coupes, and SUV owners who are highly obsessed with comfort. Even though it can’t provide year-round traction like its brother Michelin Crossclimate 2, though, its only deficiency is severe snow performance.

Primacy Tour A/S has narrowed void area, hence, it's quiet tire

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is a trustworthy all-round tire. It has a highly satisfying dry and wet performance. Moreover, it’s a perfect choice for aggressive drivers even on squishy days. Due to its lightweight, it’s a fuel-efficient tire. Most importantly, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is one of the coziest and quietest tires in its segment. However, its winter performance is limited to light snow. Furthermore, its tread lasts slightly shorter than its competitors.

Michelin Primacy Tour A/S
Best for3 season driving (light-snow included),
cozy and quiet highway driving,
longevity
Test Reportvs Turanza QuietTract & PureContact LS & Quatrac Pro
(July 12, 2019)
CategoryGrand Touring All-Season
VehicleCrossover, sedans, coupes and SUVs
Available Sizes (Rim)17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 21”, 22”
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Weight25 – 37 lbs
Made InUSA
LabelsM+S
Warranty55,000 Miles (H- & V-Speed Rated) 45,000 Miles (W-Speed Rated)
  • If your city provides decent snow plowing or you see snow a couple of days a year, I recommend Primacy Tour A/S instead of Crossclimate 2
  • Michelin offers 6 Years / 55,000 Miles (H- & V-Speed Rated)  6 Years / 45,000 Miles (W-Speed Rated)  mileage warranty for this product
  • Detailed research is available:
    https://tireterrain.com/michelin-primacy-tour-a-s-review/

Michelin Defender 2 - Longevity + Responsiveness

Michelin Defender 2 is the latest product of Michelin’s standard touring tire line-up. Unlike its brother Defender T+H, this dude can be used on SUVs also. So, the main goals of standard touring all-season tires are lasting longer and being responsive. However, providing these two features decrease some other features that are related to performance.

Defender 2's open shoulder blocks increase its hydroplaning resistance

Michelin Defender 2 is a reliable and affordable all-season tire that provides massive mileage and quick steering response. However, unlike the above tires, Michelin Defender 2’s winter and wet performances are 1 or 2 points below. This doesn’t mean it can’t be used in wet and snowy conditions. Though, you better take it easy in these conditions. On the other hand, Michelin Defender 2‘s comfort and noise level are far better above than its competitors in the market.

  • If you have a space to store tires, you can combine this dude with a dedicated winter tire
  • Your stopping distance on wet and snow can slightly decrease
  • This is an affordable option that is a great opportunity for those who spend most of their time in a warm weather
  • Michelin offers 6 years and 80,000 miles mileage warranty for this product.

Michelin Primacy A/S - Budget Tire

Michelin Primacy A/S is a budget-friendly tire that is specified for SUVs. Well, it’s not lasting as well as other premium segment Michelin tires. However, it provides close-rated traction to its elder brothers. I can define it as a performance-oriented tire that offers limited tread life.

Primacy A/S is the OEM tire of Chevy Blazer

Michelin Primacy A/S is an affordable tire that offers great comfort and handling at the same time. Besides that, it’s an average tire. It offers satisfying tread life for its category. Yet, its winter performance is highly limited with light snow. On the other hand, Michelin Primacy A/S is quiet as a church mouse.

  • This tire is a great option if you’re not a daily driver
  • I don’t recommend using this tire on icy or above 2-3 inch snow-covered surfaces
  • Michelin offers 6 years and 55,000 miles mileage warranty for this product

Michelin Defender LTX M/S - Longevity + Durability + Mild Off Road Traction

Michelin Defender LTX M/S is an all-season tire that has a wide product range. This tire can be used on SUVs, commercial vans, sport utility vehicles, and any light truck. Due to its longevity and durability, it can be ever used on heavy-duty 3/4 ton or above pickups. Even though it’s an all-season tire, due to its high durability, it can even handle some off-road. Yet, knowing its limit is highly vital to get maximum performance from it. I pushed the limits a bit. Let’s dig into it and see what it’s capable of.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S has a rib + lug type pattern that enables off-road performance

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Michelin Defender LTX M/S has unique traction on wet and dry surfaces. Moreover, its light snow capability is highly acceptable and it can handle icy surfaces as well. The long-lasting tread is its main feature. Furthermore, surprisingly, it can handle mild off-road very well. However, Michelin Defender LTX M/S has a bit stiff ride and makes some noise after half of its tread is worn. Though worth reminding, its loose ground performance is limited to a couple of inches.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Best forLongevity,
cozy and quiet ride,
heavy-duty light trucks,
mostly highway-oriented commercial usage,
mild off-road-like dirt & gravel
CategoryHighway All-Season
VehicleSUV/Light Truck
Available Sizes (Rim)15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 22”
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Weight24 – 58 lbs
Made InUnited States
LabelsM+S
Warranty (P-metric)70,000 Miles (50,000 for R-speed rate)
  • Stay away from LT sizes unless you don’t have a full-size SUV
  • This isn’t an off-road tire, it can only handle mild conditions
  • I don’t recommend this tire for mid-size or compact SUVs
  • Michelin offers 6 Years / 70,000 Miles (T- & H-Speed Rated)  6 Years / 50,000 Miles (R-Speed Rated)  mileage warranty for this product
  • A detailed review here:
    https://tireterrain.com/michelin-defender-ltx-m-s-review/

Best Michelin Summer Tires for SUV

Summer tires are a great option if you’re living in warm regions. Unlike most people think, these tires are great in wet conditions. However, they don’t last as long as all-season tires because of their fluffy compounds.

  • Best Grand Touring Summer Tire – Michelin Primacy HP
  • Best Highway Rib Summer Tire – Michelin XPS Rib

I don’t recommend these tires for SUVs. Instead of a dedicated summer tire, Michelin’s performance tires work better in warm conditions. Let’s jump to the next section if you’re looking for a summer tire.

Best Michelin Performance Tires for SUV

Performance tires have a close performance to summer tires. Since both of them don’t need winter traction, they can easily focus on performance. Hence, in this section, I’ll also share the best grand touring summer tire.

  • Best Max Performance Tire = Best Grand Touring Summer Tire – Michelin Pilot Sport 4
  • Best Ultra High-Performance Tire –  These tires can’t be used on SUVs. Though, Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 is the best of other vehicle types
  • Best Performance All-Season Tire – Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV is a performance summer tire that can also be used as a grand touring summer tire. Unlike most tires in this category, Pilot Sport 4 SUV lasts as long as a dedicated summer tire. Yet, this feature brings some cons along with it. This tire can be found in the 17” to 23” diameter wheel range.

You can clearly see the extra groove on the right side

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV provides great cornering stability and quick steering response. Besides that, its wet and dry traction capability is highly acceptable. Well, its wet traction is relatively lower than some top-notch tires in this category. Yet, it has one extra groove near the shoulder. Hence, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV can throw the water out with ease and offers exceptional hydroplaning resistance. Besides that, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV offers the best mileage of its category.

  • It’s also a great summer touring tire
  • If you’re an aggressive driver ZR tires might be better for you
  • Michelin offers 20,000 miles and 6 years mileage warranty for this product

Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a unique performance tire for sporty daily driving. Well, it’s difficult to find SUV tires for this segment. Luckily, due to its wide product range, Pilot Sport All Season 4 can be used on SUVs. Yet, you should be aware that this is a performance tire and it’s not going to last as long as your all-season tire. Yet, this dude is different.

Robust shoulder blocks support low profile and reinforced sidewalls

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a great tire for those who like driving aggressively. It has reinforced sidewalls. Hence, it stays stable while cornering at high speeds. These strong sidewalls are supported by reinforced shoulder blocks also. For this reason, it’s slightly louder than regular all-season tires. What I like most about this tire is its responsiveness. It offers a meteoric steering response. Besides that, its starting and stopping capabilities are huge. Even though it can easily handle wet and dry surfaces, Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 winter performance is limited with light snow traction.

  • Michelin offers 45,000 miles mileage warranty for this product
  • Please be aware that this is a performance all-season tire, if tread life or comfort are your priorities, I recommend going and checking the All-Season Tires section.

Best Michelin Winter Tires for SUV

Winter tires are a must for some of us. Besides that, driving in winter should be reliable as it can. For this reason, most people prefer premium tire brands like Michelin, Bridgestone, or Nokian.

Michelin’s approach to winter tires is a bit different than other manufacturers. For them, winter tires’ wearing performance in warm weather is the game changer. They’re aware that this is the key to longevity.

So, the below tires I’ll share will be long-lasting and compact treads that offer better traction in icy conditions.

  • Best Winter Tire – Michelin X-Ice Snow
  • Best Performance Winter Tire – Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4

Note: If you can’t find your sizes, both tires have an SUV version.

Michelin X-Ice Snow - Ice Traction + Comfort

Michelin X-Ice Snow is a studless winter tire. This tire can be used on sedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, and minivans. Everybody in the tire industry knows that Michelin Crossclimate 2 is a king of all-weather tires(best ones). Well, X-Ice Snow is developed from Crossclimate 2 tread. Believe my guys, this tread design promises a lot. Let’s dig into it and see what it can bring to you!

Michelin X-Ice Snow is easy to balance

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Michelin X-Ice Snow is an alpha plus tire no matter how severe your winter conditions are. While offering perfect traction on light snow, it also outperforms most winter tires regarding deep snow and ice. Moreover, while working gorgeously on snow, it also offers long-lasting tread and fuel efficiency. Michelin X-Ice Snow is quiet and cozy. However, even though it prevents most of its performance in warm conditions, I don’t recommend using them above 7 Celcius degrees.

Michelin X-Ice Snow
Best forSmooth & quiet winter driving,
decent tread life
Test Reportvs Blizzak WS90 & VikingContact 7 & WinterCommand Ultra
(December 12, 2020)
CategoryStudless Ice&Snow Tire
VehiclePassenger Car/Minivan/SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Made InUSA
Labels3PMSF
Warranty40,000 Miles
  • Michelin offers 6 Year / 40,000 Miles mileage warranty for winter usage (September to April)
  • This product is relatively less durable to heat, hence, its responsiveness and dry traction are relatively lower than performance winter tires
  • If you need an ICE Traction, you should ignore performance winter tires, so, Michelin X-Ice Snow is your tire
  • A detailed review here:
    https://tireterrain.com/michelin-x-ice-snow-review/

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 is a dedicated winter performance tire that offers great traction and responsiveness. Though worth reminding, this is a snow tire. Its ice performance is limited compared to Ice/Snow tires. It’s available in 18” to 21” diameters.

Pilot Alpin PA4 has a symmetrical tread pattern that offers better traction but decreases the comfort

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 is a responsive and trustworthy winter tire that also offers decent traction on dry surfaces. Even though its ice traction is limited, it rocks in light and deep snow conditions. In return for the dropping on the ice performance, because of its stiffer compound, Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 lasts longer than its competitors. Besides that, it has relatively fewer sipes on the tread. Hence, it makes less noise than most performance winter tires on the market.

  • Michelin offers 6 Year / 30,000 Miles mileage warranty for this product.
  • I don’t recommend this tire unless you like driving fast in winter conditions, it’s gonna be surely noisier than dedicated winter tires.

Best Michelin All-Terrain Tires for SUV

Michelin generally carries out the production process of off-road tires through its subsidiary brand BF Goodrich. Still, there are a few off-road tires from the Michelin brand. Only one of them is suitable for SUV use.

  • Best All-Terrain Tire – Michelin LTX A/T2
  • Bonus Pick – BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2

Michelin LTX A/T2 - Trail Traction + Comfort

Michelin LTX A/T2 is an all-terrain tire that is mostly used on light trucks. For this reason, it might be hard to find SUV sizes for your vehicle. If you have a full-size SUV, LT sizes are fine. Yet, mid-size and compact SUVs better use P-metric sizes for better comfort and traction.

Michelin LTX A/T2's tread has relatively less void area. Hence, it offers a comfortable ride

Michelin LTX A/T2 is a responsive and cozy all-terrain tire. Even so, it’s noisier than all-season or performance tires, it’s quiet and smooth for all-terrain tires. In return for this comfort, you should sacrifice some of your severe off-road traction which most probably you don’t gonna need if you’re not an adventurer. Even though I appreciate Michelin LTX A/T2‘s wet and dry performance, its winter performance is limited.

  • Don’t buy these tires only for appearance
  • Michelin offers 6 Year / 60,000 Miles mileage warranty for this product
  • It’s available in 16” to 20” diameters

BF Goodrich KO2 - Bonus All-Terrain Tire Pick

BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 is the ancestor of all-terrain tires. First-generation has started in the mid-1970s and the latest one pick its place in 2015. Since then BF Goodrich has been selling 5 million KO2s. Most believe, it is the best all-terrain tire ever. I agree BFG KO2 is a legend. Yet, is it good as it was before? Let’s see!

You can jump on BFG KO2

As a former Bridgestone engineer, I think that BF Goodrich KO2 is a heroic tire for off-road adventure lovers. It has a massive grip and loose-ground traction capability. Moreover, it’s rated with severe snow marking. It’s a great winter tire with a slight defect on icy grounds. It’s not a great wet tire but not under the market necessity. However, BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 is a bit vocal and not that quiet due to its strong and stiff sidewalls.

BF Goodrich KO2
Best forSmooth ride,
great handling,
mild & severe off-road especially beach and gravel
ProsReliable off-road tire,
responsiveness,
winter performance
ConsA stiff ride for LT sizes,
can be risky for wet driving after half of its tread life
Test Reportvs Destination AT2 & Geolander AT G015
VehicleLight Truck, SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)15’’, 16’’, 17’’, 18’’, 20’’, 22’’
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Weight34 – 78 lbs
Made InOpelika, AL, USA
Labels3PMSF
Warranty (P-metric)50,000 Miles
Warranty (LT Sizes)50,000 Miles
  • A detailed review here:
    https://tireterrain.com/bf-goodrich-ko2-review/

Conclusion

I tried to detail the best Michelin tires for SUVs as much as I could. I’m sharing some of my favorites below.

  • Best All-Season / All-Weather Tire – Michelin Crossclimate 2
  • Best Summer Tire – Michelin Pilot Sport 4
  • Best Performance Tire – Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4
  • Best Winter Tire – Michelin X-Ice Snow

I hope the article was helpful. If you need any further advice or support, please leave a comment. Have a safe ride folks!

Filed Under: Buyer's Guide to the Best Tires Tagged With: Best SUV Tires, Best Tires, by Vehicle, Michelin

Michelin Crossclimate 2 Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan 1 Comment

Michelin Crossclimate 2 is a grand touring all-season tire that can perform perfectly in winter conditions. Well, 3PMSF proves its unique feature. I know it has already taken your attention. The good news is Michelin Crossclimate 2 has a wide product range. That means it can be used on sedans, coupes, CUVs, SUVs, and even on huge station wagons that are hungry for smooth and reliable 4-season driving. Does it have a weak point? Well, in this article, I’ll try my best to find one. Let’s move on!

Michelin Crossclimate 2 has a wide and aggressive pattern
Michelin Crossclimate 2
Best forThe all-round tire that can perform perfectly in all 4 seasons,
severe winter traction
ProsInsane wet and snow traction,
long-lasting rubber,
cool design
ConsSlightly noisy
Test Reportvs WeatherPeak & PureContact LS
(May 31, 2022)
CategoryGrand Touring All-Weather
VehiclePassenger Car/Minivan/SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Weight21 – 32 lbs
Made InUnited States
Labels3PMSF
Warranty (P-metric)60,000 Miles

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Michelin Crossclimate 2 provides unique traction on wet and dry surfaces. Furthermore, its 3PMSF-labeled compound provides trustworthy winter performance. Well, it can even handle the icy grounds. Even better, Michelin Crossclimate 2 offers long-lasting rubber with a cozy riding experience. However, it’s still one step ahead of perfection. Even though these are its above-average features, due to its aggressive pattern, it makes shadowy noise and a 10% increase in MPG (it’s even 8,5 out of 10 on its weak features).

All-Season Tires Cheat Sheet

Finding the most suitable one for you among thousands of tires is very difficult.

My team & I have analyzed 100 different tires and generated this ‘Quick Answer Sheet‘ for those who don’t wanna spend too much time during tire selection.

Before we start, here are the incredibly helpful articles I highly recommend to take a look at;

  • How to keep tire noise down:
    https://www.discounttire.com/learn/tire-noise
  • Fuel-Efficiency:
    https://www.discounttire.com/learn/rolling-resistance
  • Tire rating charts & reviews
    https://www.tirerack.com/tires/rating-chart&reviews
  • Tire test report
    https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests
Below the table, you can find my favorite tires that I have classified according to your needs.
All-Season Tires Cheat Sheet
NameBest forWorks Best onArticles3PMSFRoad NoiseMileageResponsivenessRiding ComfortWarrantyFuel EconomyWet PerformanceMild WinterSevere Winter

Michelin Crossclimate 2
(Test Report – Check Price)

Year Round Usage & Tread LifeSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, minivansReviewYesDecentElegantElegantDecent60,000DecentElegantElegantDecent
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S
(Test Report – Check Price)
Everything but severe winter tractionSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoElegantElegantElegantElegant45,000 – 55,000DecentElegantAverageFairy Well
Bridgestone WeatherPeak
(Test Report – Check Price)
Smooth & quiet 4 season drivingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, minivansReviewYesElegantDecentElegantElegant70,000ElegantDecentElegantAverage
Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus
(Test Report – Check Price)
Great all-round run-flat tireSUV, CUV, Sedans, CoupesReviewNoAverageExcellentExcellentExcellent65,000AverageExcellentDecentAverage
Vredestein Quatrac Pro
(Test Report – Check Price)
4-Season performance-driven ridingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewYesElegantDecentElegantElegant50,000DecentElegantElegantAverage
Vredestein HiTrac All-Season
(Test Report – Check Price)
Year round performance with great handlingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsNoDecentDecentElegantDecent70,000DecentElegantDecentAverage
Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3
(Test Report – Check Price)
Great all-round performance + mild winterSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoElegantElegantElegantElegant70,000ElegantDecentDecentAverage
Nokian WRG4
(Check Price)
Traction focused 4 season drivingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, minivansReviewYesDecentDecentDecentElegant65,000AverageElegantElegantDecent
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady
(Test Report – Check Price)
Year-round traction + handlingSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVs, minivans–YesAverageDecentElegantElegant60,000AverageElegantElegantAverage
Firestone WeatherGrip
(Test Report – Check Price)
Winter-focused 4 season drivingSedans, coupes, crossoversReviewYesAverageFairy WellAverageDecent65,00Fairy WellAverageElegantElegant
BF Goodrich Advantage Control
(Test Report – Check Price)
Quiet & smooth 3 season traction + light snowSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoDecentDecentElegantDecent65,000 – 75,000ElegantDecentAveragePoor
Kumho Crugen HP71
(Test Report – Check Price)
Decent all-round performance + light snowCUV, SUVReviewNoAverageAverageDecentDecent65,000DecentDecentDecentFairy Well
Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra
(Test Report – Check Price)
Long lasting performance for squishy regionsCrossovers, SUVs, light trucksReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecent70,000DecentElegantDecentFairy Well
Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring AS
(Check Price)
Affordable 3 season tractionSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoAverageAverageDecentDecent70,000DecentAverageFairy WellPoor
Goodyear Assurance All-Season
(Test Report – Check Price)
Affordable all-round 3 season + light snow performanceSedans, minivansReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecent65,000DecentDecentAverageFairy Well
Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
(Test Report – Check Price)
Longevitiy focused 3 season traction + light snowSedans, coupes, crossovers, minivansReviewNoDecentElegantElegantElegant85,000ElegantDecentAveragePoor
Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack
(Test Report – Check Price)
Comfort-focused 3 season traction + light snowSedans, coupes, crossovers, minivansReviewNoElegantDecentElegantElegant80,000ElegantElegantDecentFairy Well
Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive
(Test Report – Check Price)
Above average all-round performanceSedans, coupes, crossovers, SUVsReviewNoDecentElegantElegantElegant60,000AverageElegantDecentAverage
Michelin Defender T+H
(Test Report – Check Price)
Efficiency focused 3 season performanceSedans, coupes, crossoversvs Crossclimate 2NoDecentDecentDecentDecent80,000ElegantDecentFairy WellPoor
BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport
(Test Report – Check Price)
Long lasting 4 season performance + handlingSedans, coupes, crossovers–NoAverageDecentDecentDecent60,000 – 70,000AverageDecentDecentFairy Well
Continental TrueContact Tour
(Test Report – Check Price)
Smooth & long-lasting 3 season performance + light snowSedans, coupes, crossovers–NoDecentDecentDecentDecent70,000 – 80,000DecentElegantAverageFairy Well
Yokohama Avid Ascend LX
(Test Report – Check Price)
Long-lasting & responsive 4 season performanceSedans, coupes, crossovers, minivansNoDecentElegantElegantElegant85,000ElegantDecentDecentFairy Well
Laufenn S Fit AS
(Check Price)
Long-lasting sporty drivingSUV, CUV, Sedans, CoupesReviewNoDecentDecentExcellentDecent45,000DecentDecentAveragePoor

If you’re in a hurry, here are the tires worth every penny;

  • Michelin Crossclimate 2 – Best for All-Round & Heavy Snow
  • Michelin Primacy Tour A/S – Best All-Round & Moderate Snow
  • Nokian WRG4 – Best for Comfort & Heavy Snow
  • Nokian WRG4 SUV – Best for Comfort & Heavy Snow
  • Bridgestone WeatherPeak – Best for All-Round & Moderate Snow
  • Goodyear ComfortDrive – Best All-Round & Light Snow
  • BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport – Best for Longevity & Light Snow

Depending on your needs, the below article might help;

  • https://tireterrain.com/best-all-weather-tires-for-snow/
  • https://tireterrain.com/bridgestone-vs-michelin/
  • https://tireterrain.com/best-michelin-tires-for-suv/

Table of Contents

Dry Performance

Made in USA

Dry performance is where grand touring all-season tires can handle with ease.

Due to their relatively compact and notched rubber, these tires provide trustworthy traction on dry grounds. Moreover, their compact tread offers great responsiveness and handling.

Well, Michelin Crossclimate 2 isn’t a regular all-season tire. It’s one of the best of all time. It has different features.

No worries, it’s a beast in every respect of dry performance. Yet, I’m going to separate this section into three and explain its features in detail.

Dry Traction

Dry traction is easy even for the worst grand touring tires. For, Michelin Crosslimate 2? It’s nothing to matter.

Due to its sticky compound and highly notched rubber, Michelin Crosslimate 2 provides excellent traction on dry grounds. 

Steering Response

Steering response is the metric that indicates the responsiveness of your tire.

Due to their rib-type compact patterns, grand touring all-season tires generally provide a decent steering response.

However, Michelin Crossclimate 2 is different. First of all, it has a V-shaped directional tread pattern. Do you know which tires have a similar pattern? Extreme performance tires (check this one out).

Due to increase water evacuation capability, extreme performance tires need grooves. However, these tires run at very high speeds. One circumferential groove can totally destroy their handling. So, the solution was shallower V-shaped grooves that went through to the shoulders. With this method, the manufacturer can disturb the void area and keep the center rib flat which means a quick steering response whichever way you slide it.

I know you can see the gaps in the center section of Michelin Crossclimate 2. Well, in fact, each little v-shaped rib hit the ground harmonically. Hence, they all act like a continuous middle section that moves together. Michelin calls this technology Piano Noise Reducing Tuning. Yes, it also works on noise reduction.

Due to its unique tread design, Michelin Crossclimate 2 has one of the quickest steering responses in the market. I strongly recommend it.

Cornering Stability

Most of you aren’t aware of cornering stability. This is totally normal because this is a section for those who have big cars and like driving fast.

So, some of you might feel the slight vibration and floating feeling while cornering at a high velocity. Well, this is caused by the weak sidewall of the tires. If the tire has weak sidewalls, high lateral force during the turning might flex a bit. For this reason, you may feel a vibration or a lack of handling.

Michelin Crossclimate 2 is a premium brand tire that has a wide product range. There is no way that it has been released with a weak sidewall. 

Michelin Crossclimate 2 has two polyester casings and two steel belts in its construction. This is similar to some passenger-oriented all-terrain tires. Its sidewalls are tough.

Due to its tough sidewalls, Michelin Crossclimate 2 provides excellent cornering stability.

Wet Performance

Crossclimate 2 has a wide groove that throws the water out with ease

The wet performance is a game-changer for grand-touring all-season tires. Michelin Crossclimate 2 is an all-weather tire. No matter even if it rains like a cow pissing on a flat rock. Michelin Crossclimate 2’s perfectly combined pattern can handle it.

So, in this section, I’ll talk about two different features. Wet traction and hydroplaning resistance. While wet traction is mostly important for wet starting, breaking, and acceleration; hydroplaning resistance is highly vital if you’re a mile eater.

Wet Traction

Wet traction is related to compound stiffness and the siping density of the compound. 

So, the compound stiffness has easy way to find. UTQG rating. In this case, the decent wet traction is limited to 700 UTQG. The ratings above this number generally provide poor wet traction. 

Regarding UTQG, Michelin Crossclimate 2 has a 640 UTQG rating. When you combine this with a void area and end-to-end sipes on the v-shaped ribs, it becomes invincible.

Michelin Crossclimate 2 provides unique wet traction.

Hydroplaning Resistance

Hydroplaning resistance is the water evacuation capability of the tire. If the tread holds water inside, it may lose contact with the surface and the consequences can be vital.

So, in this case, a v-shaped pattern works best. Especially if the grooves go all the way through the shoulders. This design even works for performance tires.

Due to its wide and directional v-shaped grooves and open shoulder blocks, Michelin Crossclimate 2 provides massive hydroplaning resistance.

Winter Performance

The snow chewer on duty!

So, these tires should be grippy even in the most slippery conditions….

I would like to say that but in fact, all-season tires perform best over 7 Celcius degrees. So, originally, all-season tires can perfrom only 3 seasons and let’s say half. I can only give it another half-season due to mild packed snow performances.

In this case, 3PMSF marking gets into the game. The compound should be cold-resistant for this label. Michelin Crossclimate 2’s thermal adaptive tread compound achieves this mark with ease. So, the tech ensures that the compound stays flexible even in the hardest conditions.

Since the winter performance has 3 different dimensions (mild-packed, medium-packed, and hard-packed snow), evaluating winter performance under the three different titles is more accurate.

Light-Snow Traction

This will be the mark you leave in the snow

Light snow traction is where this tire pushes the limits.

Due to its cold-resistant compound and well-notched rubber, Michelin Crossclimate 2 provides out-of-the-ordinary light snow traction for all-season tires. 10 out of 10!

Deep-Snow Traction

Deep-snow traction can also be called medium-packed snow traction. In fact, the 3PMSF marking guarantees the performance until this point. So, you’re on the safe side with a Michelin Crossclimate 2.

Due to its blocky shoulders, wide grooves that are supported by 3D SipeLock, and self-cleaning capability, Michelin Crossclimate 2 provides one of the best deep-snow traction in its segment. Though worth reminding, the tire has a 10/32” tread depth. Don’t jump into 10” of snow.

Ice Traction

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 (on the left) is a better option for ice. Its tread is more compact and more notched

All right, the ice traction is a bit different than snow traction. While snow traction needs more gap, ice traction requires a more block type and narrow gap tread.

In this case, in my point of view, Michelin Crossclimate 2 isn’t perfect. Its grooves are a bit wide for a satisfying ice performance.

However, due to its relatively soft compound and biting edges that go through the center to the shoulders, it provides decent ice traction.

Note: I still recommend winter tires if you face ice so often, this one is my favorite.

Ride Comfort

Ride comfort and noise reduction capacity are often confused. Riding comfort is the intensity of your tire transmitting the impacts it receives to you. Basically, if the tire makes you feel the bumps too much, it has poor riding comfort.

In this case, the flexible compound and the internal structure are the keys.

Well, Michelin Crossclimate 2 has a relatively stiff but extremely flexible compound. That’s what makes Michelin tires special.

Due to its compound flexibility and two steel belt internal structures that can absorb the forces, Michelin Crossclimate 2 offers a highly smooth ride.

Most Common Question: I’ve received numerous inquiries from individuals struggling to make a decision between Bridgestone Weatherpeak and Michelin CrossClimate 2. In response, I’ve crafted a comprehensive comparative article titled ‘Bridgestone Weatherpeak vs. Michelin CrossClimate 2.’ These two options stand out as the top all-weather tires currently available in the market, and they come at similar price points. Both come with their own set of advantages and drawbacks. That’s why I strongly recommend consulting this comparison before making your final choice.

Road Noise

In my point of view, road noise is the only minor defect of this tire.

As I’ve mentioned before, Michelin uses Piana Noise Reduction Tuning for this tire.

So, the noise is caused by the airborne inside of the grooves. Since most of this airborne is created in the center section, closed center sections generally work best-regarding noise reduction.

Michelin Crossclimate 2’s center section has gaps. Yet, due to the tread’s geometrical design, the airborne break on the half brings up a huge improvement in noise level. However, it still makes slight noise due to its high void area ratio.

Michelin Crossclimate 2 offers a quiet ride. It’s not quiet as a church mouse. Still, it’s deaf for this aggressiveness level.

Fuel Efficiency

Due to its relatively stiff compound, Michelin Crossclimate 2 has a high rolling resistance. However, compared to its competitors it’s a bit weighted (around 10%), well, it might cause a slight increase in your MPG. Of course, it depends on what tire you’re changing from.

Michelin Crossclimate 2 will not destroy MPG. Yet, it’s not the best option if MPG is your priority. Let’s say it’s an average tire.

Tread Life

Its directional pattern increases its even wearing capability

In general, winter performance and tread life have a negative correlation. So, if the winter performance increase, tread life decreases. This is caused by the compound stiffness. Winter performance mostly requires fluffy compounds.

Unlike the ordinary, Michelin Crossclimate 2 has a stiff compound for this level of winter performance. Yet, its UTQG rating is 640 which is extremely high for its gripping capability.

So, Michelin Crossclimate 2 has a thermal adaptive tread compound, which means the compound has an adaptation mechanism to warm and cold weather.

So, keeping the compound at lower degrees in warm weather is the key to long-lasting rubber. Let’s don’t forget the even-wearing capability.

Due to its v-shaped, symmetrical and directional pattern, Michelin Crossclimate 2 evenly wears. Moreover, its compound has an ‘A-rated temperature label. That means compounds have heat resistance. Edgeways, wear resistance.

Michelin Crossclimate 2 offers alpha plus tread life. I strongly recommend it. In this case, if you’d like to have a Goodyear tire, check this one out!

Warranty

  • Michelin offers 60,000 miles treadwear warranty for this product. If you have different sizes on the rear and front axle, this number decrease to 30,000 miles.
  • Michelin offers a 60-day satisfaction guarantee that means free replacement in 60 days
  • In the first three years, if you get a flat tire, you’ll have a free flat tire changing
  • If you’ll have a material-based issue on 2/32″ or 25% of wear or in the first year, you can replace your tire with a new one for free

I strongly recommend reading the warranty document for a better understanding

Michelin Crossclimate 2 Warranty Document: https://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/warranty/MI0619.pdf

Sizes

16”17”18”19”20”
205/55R16 91H SL BSW205/50R17 93V XL BSW215/50R18 92V SL BSW225/55R19 99V SL BSW235/45R20 100H XL BSW
205/55R16 91V SL BSW205/55R17 95V XL BSW215/55R18 95H SL BSW235/40R19 96V XL BSW235/55R20 102H SL BSW
205/60R16 92H SL BSW215/45R17 91H XL BSW225/40R18 92V XL BSW235/45R19 99V XL BSW235/55R20 102V SL BSW
205/60R16 92V SL BSW15/45R17 91V XL BSW225/45R18 95V XL BSW235/50R19 103V XL BSW245/40R20 99V XL BSW
205/65R16 95H SL BSW215/50R17 95H XL BSW225/50R18 95H SL BSW235/55R19 105H XL BSW245/45R20 103V XL BSW
215/55R16 97H XL BSW215/50R17 95V XL BSW225/55R18 98H SL BSW235/55R19 105V XL BSW245/50R20 102V SL BSW
215/60R16 95V SL BSW215/55R17 94H SL BSW225/60R18 100H SL BSW245/45R19 102V XL BSW255/45R20 105V XL BSW
215/60R16 95H SL BSW215/55R17 94V SL BSW235/40R18 95V XL BSW245/55R19 103V SL BSW
215/65R16 98H SL BSW215/65R17 99H SL BSW235/45R18 98V XL BSW255/40R19 100V XL BSW
225/45R17 91V SL BSW235/50R18 97H SL BSW
225/45R17 91H SL BSW235/50R18 97V SL BSW
225/50R17 98H XL BSW235/55R18 100H SL BSW
225/50R17 98V XL BSW235/55R18 100V SL BSW
225/55R17 101V XL BSW235/60R18 107V XL BSW
225/55R17 101H XL BSW235/60R18 107H XL BSW
225/60R17 99H SL BSW235/65R18 106V SL BSW
225/65R17 102H SL BSW235/65R18 106H SL BSW
235/50R17 96H SL BSW245/40R18 97V XL BSW
235/55R17 99H SL BSW245/45R18 100V XL BSW
235/60R17 102H SL BSW245/55R18 103V SL BSW
235/65R17 104H SL BSW245/60R18 105V SL BSW
245/45R17 99V XL BSW255/35R18 94V XL BSW
245/65R17 107H SL BSW

Most tire sizes begin with modifier letters(P, LT, etc.) that identify the type of vehicle or type of service for which they were designed. Here is a perfect guide for reading tire size –> https://tireterrain.com/how-to-read-tire-size/

If you can’t find your size, here are other options that I can recommend,

  • If tread life is your priority –> Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive
  • If the winter performance is your priority –> Firestone WeatherGrip
  • Tread life + comfort but mild winter performance only –> Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

DiscountTire

  • Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
  • 1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
  • Free rotation and balancing
  • 5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchase
  • Highest rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
  • Almost all brands are available
  • Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
  • Frequent discounts and promotions

Michelin Crossclimate 2: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/michelin-crossclimate2

TireRack

  • Fast and Free shipping
  • Usually delivered in 1 day
  • Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
  • Tons of installer options, they also help you to choose the best one
  • Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
  • Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
  • 4.6/5 points on Google rate

Michelin Crossclimate 2: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/michelin-crossclimate2

SimpleTire

  • Free shipping
  • Delivered in 2 days
  • Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
  • Mobile installation option
  • 7 million customers since 2021
  • 4.7/5 points on Google rate
  • Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

Michelin Crossclimate 2: https://simpletire.com/brands/michelin-tires/cross-climate2-a-w

Amazon

  • Fast and free shipping (mostly in a day)
  • Get your tires shipped to a selected service center or get them installed at home or work (how does it work?)
  • Installation on Mavis Discount Tire (15$ per tire) 
  • Installing new stem valves supplied by pro
  • Balancing your tires
  • Road/safety test
  • Since Amazon provides wholesale and affordable prices, they don’t offer a road hazard warranty

Michelin Crossclimate 2: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=michelin+crossclimate+2&ref=nb_sb_noss

While choosing dealers, I especially pay attention to reliability. All of the dealers on this list have 15-20 years of experience in the online tire business. Therefore, I can guarantee a smooth and fast tire buying process.

Conclusion

Michelin Crossclimate 2 is the highest-rated tire in the market. For me and other online users, it almost has no defect. In my point of view, Crossclimate 2 is a jack of all trades. It’s also expert on some. It’s almost perfect in many of them.

Michelin Crossclimate 2
Best forThe all-round tire that can perform perfectly in all 4 seasons,
severe winter traction
ProsInsane wet and snow traction,
long-lasting rubber,
cool design
ConsSlightly noisy
Test Reportvs WeatherPeak & PureContact LS
(May 31, 2022)
CategoryGrand Touring All-Weather
VehiclePassenger Car/Minivan/SUV
Available Sizes (Rim)16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Weight21 – 32 lbs
Made InUnited States
Labels3PMSF
Warranty (P-metric)60,000 Miles

I hope the article was helpful, if you have any further questions, please leave them in the below section. Have a safe ride folks!

Filed Under: All-Weather Tires, Passenger Tires Tagged With: Michelin, michelin crossclimate 2, Review

Michelin Defender LTX M/S Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan Leave a Comment

Michelin Defender LTX M/S is a highway all-season tire that has a wide product range. This tire can be used on SUVs, commercial vans, sport utility vehicles, and any light truck. Due to its longevity and durability, it can be ever used on heavy-duty 3/4 ton or above pickups. Even though it’s an all-season tire, due to its high durability, it can even handle some off-road. Yet, knowing its limit is highly vital to get maximum performance from it. I pushed the limits a bit. Let’s dig into it and see what it’s capable of.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S has a rib + lug type pattern that enables off-road performance
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Best forLongevity,
cozy and quiet ride,
heavy-duty light trucks,
mostly highway-oriented commercial usage,
mild off-road-like dirt & gravel
CategoryHighway All-Season
VehicleSUV/Light Truck
Available Sizes (Rim)15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 22”
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Weight24 – 58 lbs
Made InUnited States
LabelsM+S
Warranty (P-metric)70,000 Miles (50,000 for R-speed rate)

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Michelin Defender LTX M/S has unique traction on wet and dry surfaces. Moreover, its light snow capability is highly acceptable and it can handle icy surfaces as well. The long-lasting tread is its main feature. Furthermore, surprisingly, it can handle mild off-road very well. However, Michelin Defender LTX M/S has a bit stiff ride and makes some noise after half of its tread. Though worth reminding, its loose ground performance is limited to a couple of inches.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

Finding the ideal all-terrain tire among the plethora of options available can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, my team and I have taken on this challenge head-on. Besides our hands-on experiences with these tires, we also analyze thousands of customer reviews and test reports. 

Please note that: Light-Duty is 1500 series, Medium-Duty is 2500 series and Heavy-Duty is 3500 series. If you do towing or hauling, I recommend considering at least Medium-Duty tires.

Mobile users can scroll the table to the left to see the whole data.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
NameCategoryArticles3PMSFRoad NoiseMileageFuel EconomyRiding ComfortResponsivenessWet PerformanceMild WinterSevere WinterMild Off-RoadSevere Off-RoadBest Fit by Pickup Truck ClassificationWarranty (SL or XL)Warranty (LT)Product Page

Falken Wildpeak AT3W

Off Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentPoorDecentDecentDecentElegantElegantDecentAverageLight-Duty55,000 Miles55,000 MilesWildpeak AT3W
Toyo Open Country AT3Off Road All Terrain TireReviewYesAverageElegantDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentElegantDecentMedium-Duty65,000 Miles50,000 MilesToyo Open Country AT3
General Grabber ATXOff Road All Terrain TireReviewYesAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantElegantHeavy-Duty60,000 Miles50,000 MilesGeneral Grabber ATX
BF Goodrich KO2Off Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentDecentElegantElegantHeavy-DutyN/A50,000 MilesBF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Sumitomo Encounter ATOff Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentAverageDecentDecentDecentElegantAverageDecentAverageLight-Duty60,000 Miles60,000 MilesSumitomo Encounter AT
Firestone Destination XTOff Road All Terrain TireReviewYesAverageDecentElegantDecentElegantDecentDecentAverageDecentDecentHeavy-DutyN/A50,000 MilesFirestone Destination X/T
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLTOn Road All Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentAverageElegantAverageHeavy-DutyN/A60,000 MilesCooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Falken Wildpeak AT TrailOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentElegantAverageLight-Duty65,000 MilesN/AFalken Wildpeak AT Trail
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4SOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesElegantDecentElegantElegantElegantElegantElegantDecentDecentFairy WellLight-Duty65,000 MilesN/ACooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Firestone Destination AT2On Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentElegantElegantElegantElegantDecentElegantAverageDecentAverageLight-Duty55,000 MilesN/AFirestone Destination AT2

BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A

On Road All Terrain TireReviewYesElegantElegantDecentElegantElegantDecentDecentAverageDecentAverageLight-Duty60,000N/ABF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A
Toyo Open Country R/T TrailRugged Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentHeavy-Duty45,000 Miles45,000 MilesToyo Open Country R/T Trail
Falken Wildpeak R/TRugged Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentAverageAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentHeavy-Duty50,000 Miles50,000 MilesFalken Wildpeak R/T
Pathfinder AT TireOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesAverageAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageDecentAverageLight-Duty55,00050,000Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Nitto Ridge GrapplerRugged Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentHeavy-DutyN/AN/ANitto Ridge Grappler
General Grabber APTOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageDecentFairy WellMedium-Duty60,000 Miles60,000 MilesGeneral Grabber APT
Vredestein Pinza ATOn Road All Terrain TireReviewYesElegantDecentDecentElegantDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageMedium-Duty70,000 Miles50,000 MilesVredestein Pinza AT
Nitto Recon GrapplerOff Road All Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageElegantDecentMedium-Duty65,000 Miles55,000 MilesNitto Recon Grappler
Michelin Defender LTX M/SHighway TireReviewNoElegantElegantElegantDecentElegantDecentDecentFairy WellDecentFairy WellHeavy-Duty55,000 – 70,000 Miles55,000 – 70,000 MilesMichelin Defender LTX M/S
Kenda Klever R/TRugged Terrain TireReviewNoAverageDecentAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentFairy WellDecentDecentHeavy-DutyN/AN/AKenda Klever R/T
Goodyear Wrangler Territory ATOn Road All Terrain TireReviewNoDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageElegantDecentMedium-DutyN/AN/AGoodyear Wrangler Territory AT
Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain ATOff Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageDecentFairy WellMedium-DutyN/AN/ADiscount Tire Exclusive Product
Continental Terrain Contact H/THighway TireReviewNoElegantElegantElegantElegantElegantDecentAveragePoorDecentPoorHeavy-Duty70,000 Miles60,000 MilesContinental TerrainContact H/T
Patriot R/TRugged Terrain TireReviewYesAverageAverageAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentDecentMedium-DutyN/AN/APatriot R/T+
Kenda Klever AT2Off Road All Terrain TireReviewYesDecentAverageAverageDecentDecentDecentDecentAverageDecentAverageMedium-Duty60,000 Miles50,000 MilesKenda Klever AT2
Yokohama Geolander AT G015On Road All Terrain TireReviewYesElegantDecentAverageElegantElegantDecentDecentAverageAveragePoorLight-Duty60,000 Miles50,000 MilesYokohama Geolandar AT G015
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss ATRugged Terrain TireReviewYes (315 or narrower width)DecentDecentAverageDecentElegantDecentDecentDecentElegantDecentMedium-Duty50,000 Miles60,000 MilesMickey Thompson Baja Boss AT

Table of Contents

Dry Performance

Traction, steering response, or cornering stability. No matter what feature are we talking about, Michelin Defender LTX M/S’s performance is unquestionable. In my point of view, its design is superior in its category.

For a better understanding, I’m going to separate dry performance from the above features and explain them one by one.

Dry Traction

Even though it’s a narrow tire, due to its exceedingly siped rubber, it can provide tons of traction on the dry ground.

Well, it’s obvious that Michelin put hauling and towing into consideration at the design stage of this tire. Its compound is stiff, though, its block-type shoulders and sectional ribs provide the necessary void area for a perfect traction ability.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S has an alpha plus dry traction capability.

Steering Response

Rib-type pattern tires have a quicker steering response

Due to its narrow tread and robust center rib and shoulders, Michelin Defender LTX M/S provides an extremely quick steering response. Since the tire is available in high-profile sizes, its balance is overperforming most of its competitors.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S is a highly communitive tire. Well, that’s what it’s built for!

Cornering Stability

According to my research, the tire’s internal structure contains two reinforced steel belts. Well, when you combine it with a symmetrical pattern and reinforced sidewalls(they’re extremely stiff but flex perfectly under the heavy loads), the vehicle stands steel while cornering at high speeds.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S provides bellyful cornering stability. I strongly recommend it if you’re an inexperienced driver.

Wet Performance

Open shoulder blocks increase water evacuation capability

Unlike common knowledge, summer tires outperform all-season tires on wet pavement. In a word, all-season tires trade longevity with traction. Yet, Michelin Defender LTX M/S is an exception.

It is more accurate to evaluate wet pavement performance as high speed and low-speed performance. While low-speed performance is related to traction ability, high-speed performance hinges on hydroplaning resistance. Well, let’s evaluate them seperatly.

Wet Traction

Since all-season tires have a stiff compound, their traction capability is highly limited compared to summer tires. Therefore, manufacturers use exceedingly notched rubber to increase biting edges, herewith, traction.

At first blush, you might think Michelin Defender LTX M/S has a rib-type pattern. Well, theoretically, it’s true. Yet, these ribs are sectional, hence, this tire has a lug-type pattern.

While its lug-type pattern enables tons of biting edges, Michelin also increases the biting edges with 3D-Wave sipes. 

As a result, Michelin Defender LTX M/S provides unique traction on wet pavement.

Note: While ribs have full-depth sipes, shoulder section sipes go through the half. Therefore, Michelin Defender LTX M/S’s shoulders wear evenly. So, uneven wearing isn’t an issue.

Hydroplaning Resistance

In the shortest, hydroplaning is the uncontrollable sliding on a wet surface. It’s caused by the water inside of the tread. When water fills the void area of the tire, if the tire has a low hydroplaning resistance, the tire loses contact with a surface, herewith, sliding occurs.

So, hydroplaning resistance is the water evacuation capability of the tire.

Due to its wide circumferential and lateral grooves and open shoulder slots, Michelin Defender LTX M/S has a huge hydroplaning resistance. 

Winter Performance

As I’ve mentioned before, due to their stiff compounds, all-season tires lack traction. Therefore, they need notches. However, these notches generally aren’t enough to provide decent traction in winter conditions.

Well, Michelin Defender LTX M/S is an over-siped tire. Therefore, it’s a decent tire in winter. Though worth reminding, all-season tires can perform best above 7 Celcius degrees. Under this temperature, they get lost traction.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S isn’t marked with 3PMSF. That means it’s not capable to perform in severe winter conditions. Well, I don’t agree with them!

Light-Snow Traction

Light-snow traction is related to the same features as wet traction. Yet, a compound of the tire gets stiffer in winter conditions. So, traction capability decreases.

However, Michelin Defender LTX M/S is unusual. Michelin uses ‘Evergreen Compound’ for this tire. The most interesting feature of this compound is it doesn’t get too stiff in winter conditions. Well, I have to admit that, its light snow traction capability stays slightly behind compared to wet traction. Yet, this is an exceptional performance for a tire that doesn’t have a 3PMSF.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S has superior light snow traction. I strongly recommend it.

Deep Snow Traction

I haven’t tried this tire on deep snow. Yet, I read tons of positive comments about its deep snow traction. Well, in my point of view, it was not possible. So, I made deep research.

Since the tire can clean itself and have a relatively deep tread, it can handle deep snow. In that case, I still recommend taking it easy and limiting the snow depth to a maximum of 8 inches.

Here is a video for a better understanding.

Ice Traction

So, the tire has a bit stiff compound. However, its compact tread(less void area) bring some advantage. Since the ice performance needs compact tread, Michelin Defender LTX M/S is one of the best ice tires in its segment.

Though worth reminding, this segment has highly limited ice performance. Hence, it’s above average but not a perfect tire for ice.

You may watch the below video and see the slight sliding from time to time. Well, this amount of sliding is highly acceptable for me. The decision is yours.

Riding Comfort

The riding comfort of this tire may vary from user to user. 

I have to admit that, the tire compound is stiff and its sidewalls are tough as hell. So, its ride seems stiff if you’re going to change from touring all-season tires.

For its segment, its riding quality is an alpha plus. Though worth reminding, these aren’t touring tires. If you compare its ride quality with touring tires, you’ll be disappointed.

I recommend Michelin Defender LTX M/S for light or heavy-duty work trucks and SUVs if you only do hauling or towing.

Note: Michelin Defender LTX M/S isn’t a touring tire. If the cozy ride is your priority, you may check this article out –> https://tireterrain.com/michelin-primacy-tour-a-s-review/

Road Noise

Due to its narrow tread and limited void area, Michelin Defender LTX M/S is a quiet tire at the beginning of its tread life. However, after half of its tread life, noise slightly increases. Well, this is caused by deep and wide sipes and it’s a bearable noise.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S is a quiet tire. Yet, it’s getting noisier when the weather gets cold.

Mileage

Tread life is where this tire shines.

Its strong advanced compound has an extremely high cut&chipping resistance. Hence, no matter how tough your surface is it doesn’t wear quickly.

Moreover, its symmetrical pattern design enables even wearing. So, if you follow the rotation time closely, I’m pretty sure that you can get 100,000 miles with this tire.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Warranty

Michelin implements two different warranties for this tire.

T&H Speed Rating: 6 years and 70,000 miles wear life warranty

R Speed rating: 6 years and 50,000 miles wear life warranty

Note: If your front and rear sizes are different, warranty mileage drops the half.

Manufacturer Special Warranty: 60 days of satisfaction and 3 years of free flat tire change assistance ( pay for the tire but change and towing are free)

For detailed information,

Michelin Warranty Brochure: https://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/warranty/MI0619.pdf

Off-Road Performance

I guess people misunderstood the design goal of this tire. In fact, this tire doesn’t build for off-road. It’s capable for some off-road only for the working trucks. So, I can confidently say that if you’ll use this tire for rock crawling and damage the sidewall, the warranty will not cover your loss.

However, due to its strong sidewalls, it has the capability to handle mild off-road.

Dirt&Gravel Traction

Due to its durability, Defender LTX M/S can handle mild off-road with ease

So, dirt and gravel are the only surfaces this tire performs perfectly.

Due to its open sloth shoulders and sectional ribs, it can handle dirt and gravel with ease. Moreover, its extremely strong sidewalls don’t take any damage from sharp rocks or something.

I strongly recommend Michelin Defender LTX M/S for mild, occasional off-road.

Sand

Even though it’s a narrow tire, due to its blocky pattern, it can handle sand. Well, at least, it doesn’t dig deep and stuck into the sand.

This isn’t a beach driving tire but it’ll handle occasional sand. This tire doesn’t design for air-down driving.

Mud

It can evacuate the mud but if only mud’s not too deep. This isn’t a tire for adventure.

Rock Crawling

Its tough sidewall might make you think it’s a good tire for rock crawling. Well, it’s right but for a very short time.

The tire heats up so quickly when using it at low PSI. So, you may fail the bead if you expend driving time.

I don’t recommend this tire for a rock crawling.

Sizes

15”16”17”18”19”20”22”
205/65R15 99T XL BSW215/55R16 97H XL BSW215/50R17 95H XL BSW235/55R18 100T SL BSW235/45R19 95H SL BSW235/55R20 102H SL BSW275/50R22 111H SL BSW
215/75R15 100T SL OWL215/70R16 100H SL BSW225/55R17 101H XL BSW235/60R18 107H XL BSW235/55R19 105H XL BSW245/60R20 107H SL BSW285/45R22 114H XL BSW
235/75R15 109T XL OWLLT 215/85R16 115/112R E BSW225/65R17 102H SL BSW235/65R18 106T SL BSW245/55R19 103H SL BSW255/50R20 109H XL BSW285/45R22 110H SL BSW
LT 31X10.50R15 109R C OWLLT 225/75R16 115/112R E BSWLT 225/75R17 116/113R E BSW245/60R18 105H SL BSW255/50R19 107H XL BSW255/55R20 110H XL BSW305/40R22 114H XL BSW
235/70R16 109T XL OWL235/65R17 104T SL BSW255/55R18 109H XL BSW255/60R19 109H SL BSW265/50R20 107T SL BSW
235/75R16 112T XL OWL235/70R17 109T XL BSW255/65R18 111T SL BSWLT 265/60R20 121/118R E BSW
LT 235/85R16 120/116R E BSW235/75R17 109T SL BSWLT 255/65R18 120/117R E BSW275/55R20 113T SL BSW
245/70R16 107T SL OWL245/65R17 107T SL BSW265/60R18 110T SL BSW275/60R20 115T SL BSW
245/75R16 111T SL BSWLT 245/70R17 119/116R E BSW265/65R18 114T SL BSWLT 275/65R20 126/123R E BSW
LT 245/75R16 120/116R E BSWLT 245/75R17 121/118R E BSW265/70R18 116T SL BSW285/50R20 116H XL BSW
255/65R16 109T SL OWL255/65R17 110T SL BSWLT 265/70R18 124/121R E BSWLT 285/60R20 125/122R E BSW
255/70R16 111T SL OWL255/70R17 112T SL BSW275/60R18 113H SL BSWLT 285/65R20 127/124R E BSW
265/70R16 112T SL OWL265/65R17 112T SL BSW275/65R18 116T SL BSWLT 295/60R20 126/123R E BSW
265/75R16 116T SL OWL265/70R17 115T SL OWLLT 275/65R18 123/120R E BSWLT 295/65R20 129/126R E BSW
LT 265/75R16 123/120R E OWLLT 265/70R17 121/118R E OWLLT 275/70R18 125/122R E BSW305/50R20 116H SL BSW
275/70R16 114H SL BSWLT 285/70R17 121/118R E BSW285/60R18 120H XL BSWLT 35X12.50R20 121R E BSW
LT 285/75R16 126/123R E BSWLT 295/70R17 121/118R E BSWLT 285/65R18 125/122R E BSW
LT 295/70R18 129/126R E BSW

Most tire sizes begin with modifier letters(P, LT, etc.) that identify the type of vehicle or type of service for which they were designed. Here is a perfect guide for reading tire size –> https://tireterrain.com/how-to-read-tire-size/

  • If you’re an SUV owner and Michelin lover, I highly recommend checking the ‘Best Michelin Tires for SUV‘ out. You can find masterpiece suggestions that are classified by needs.
  • If Michelin tires are too expensive for you, I highly recommend checking the ‘Michelin vs Bridgestone‘ out. You can find affordable options

Size Selection

Before we dive into selecting the right tire size, it’s essential to understand the tire standards that manufacturers follow.

Technical Standards & Regulations

In Europe, the tire standardizing organization is called ETRTO. In the United States, it’s The Tire and Rim Association (TRA), while in Japan, it’s the Japanese Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association (JATMA). Although there may be other organizations, they generally align with one of these three.

When it comes to passenger car tires, TRA designates them by placing the letter “P” in front of the size to indicate conformity to the TRA standard. On the other hand, ETRTO and JATMA do not use any letters, which can sometimes be confusing when determining which standard is being used.

For light truck tires, TRA uses the letters “LT” in front of the tire size, while JATMA places the letters “LT” after the size. ETRTO, however, uses the letter “C” after the size to indicate tires of this type.

In the realm of medium truck tires, ETRTO uses the letter “C” after the size to designate tires designed according to their standard. In contrast, TRA and JATMA do not use any letters in this context.

Now, here’s what’s essential: Tires with the same dimensions (size) may have different maximum load capacities depending on the standard being followed. So, it’s crucial to consider the relevant standard when choosing tires.

When it comes to load capacity designations, “SL” (Standard Load) and “XL” (Extra Load) are used for all passenger car tires, regardless of which standard is being followed. In the ETRTO standard, “Reinforced” is also used as an alternative to “XL.”

Load Range, on the other hand, is specific to TRA. ETRTO and JATMA use the term “Load Index.” While TRA references Load Indexes, it’s important to note that the values provided are approximate.

To sum it up, understanding the tire standards and designations is vital as they play a significant role in determining the right tire size and load capacity. By considering the appropriate standards, you can make an informed decision when selecting tires that meet your vehicle’s requirements.

Here are two great articles if you wanna dive deeper:

Load Range vs Load Index: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/load-range-load-index

Tire Sizing System: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/euro-vs-pmetric-tires

How to Select the Right Tire Size Based on Your Requirements?

When it comes to selecting tire sizes for your vehicle, it’s important to keep in mind that most vehicles offer more than one original equipment size. Let’s take the 2019 Ford F-150 Lariat Crew Cab 4WD as an example. You have three different tire size options: 275/55R20 SL, 275/65R18 Load Range C, or 275/65R18 SL.

Note: I use Toyo Open Country AT3 for an example tire. You can use this link to see tire options for your vehicle and then make a comparison between the sizes:
https://www.discounttire.com/fitment/vehicle

If you don’t know your tire size: https://tireterrain.com/find-tires-by-vin-number/

Let’s focus on comparing the 275/65R18 SL and 275/65R18 Load Range C options for a more detailed comparison. Your decision should be based on your priorities. If you prioritize a smooth ride and better handling, the SL option is the way to go. On the other hand, if you value hauling or towing performance and tire longevity, the Load Range C option would be a better fit.

As a tire engineer, my perspective often revolves around load-carrying capacity. Generally, tires with higher load capabilities tend to provide a stiffer ride. However, there’s a bit of an illusion to consider. When you compare the two tires in the same size, the SL-rated tire may initially appear to have a higher load capability. But here’s the catch: P metric tires, like the SL option, need to be derated by a factor of 1.1 when used on a truck. Crunching the numbers reveals that the SL option actually has a lower maximum load capability. Additionally, it boasts a lower tread depth, which translates to better responsiveness.

The same principles I mentioned earlier also apply when comparing XL and E Load range tires. In summary, if your vehicle allows for Passenger Car or LT (Light Truck) tires, going with a passenger option will provide you with better on-road manners. However, if you find yourself venturing off-road frequently, own a working truck, or regularly engage in towing and hauling heavy loads, then LT tires are generally the better choice for your needs.

Couple of tips for towing;

  • Even though the load index of passenger car tires fits, when it comes to towing, sidewall stability is the issue. Hence, LT tires with Load Range C, D, or E provide better stability. 
  • Generally, a load index higher than 119 is recommended for towing
  • Proper loading is important for even wearing. 60/40 rule should be followed. 60% of the weight should be on the front axle and 40%of weight should be applied rear axle of the trailer. Besides that, try to center load. Start with heavier ones if you gonna stack them up.

To wrap it up, selecting the right tires comes down to choosing the ones that align with your driving preferences and specific requirements.

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

DiscountTire

  • Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
  • 1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
  • Free rotation and balancing
  • 5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchase
  • Highest rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
  • Almost all brands are available
  • Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
  • Frequent discounts and promotions

Michelin Defender LTX M/S: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/michelin-defender-ltx-m-s

TireRack

  • Fast and Free shipping
  • Usually delivered in 1 day
  • Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
  • Tons of installer options, they also help you to choose the best one
  • Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
  • Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
  • 4.6/5 points on Google rate

Michelin Defender LTX M/S: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/michelin-defender-ltx-m-s

SimpleTire

  • Free shipping
  • Delivered in 2 days
  • Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
  • Mobile installation option
  • 7 million customers since 2021
  • 4.7/5 points on Google rate
  • Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

Michelin Defender LTX M/S: https://simpletire.com/brands/michelin-tires/defender-ltx-m-s

While choosing dealers, I especially pay attention to reliability. All of the dealers on this list have 15-20 years of experience in the online tire business. Therefore, I can guarantee a smooth and fast tire buying process.

Conclusion

Michelin Defender LTX M/S is one of the best tires in its segment. However, it’s a highway all-season tire. Hence, comparing it to touring or all-terrain tires isn’t fair. This tire is a good fit for those who need longevity, durability, and solid traction on every surface but the loose ground (deep snow, sand, mud).

Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Best forLongevity,
cozy and quiet ride,
heavy-duty light trucks,
mostly highway-oriented commercial usage,
mild off-road-like dirt & gravel
CategoryHighway All-Season
VehicleSUV/Light Truck
Available Sizes (Rim)15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 22”
(Ensure these tires fit your vehicle)
Weight24 – 58 lbs
Made InUnited States
LabelsM+S
Warranty (P-metric)70,000 Miles (50,000 for R-speed rate)

I hope the article was helpful. If you have any further questions, you can leave them below or reach out via e-mail. Have a safe ride folks!

Filed Under: Highway-Terrain Tires Tagged With: Michelin, Michelin Defender LTX M/S, Review

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Hey, it's Emre. I'm the proud dad of two cats, a former Bridgestone field engineer, and I hold degrees in Civil and Industrial engineering. I'm also a firm believer in the motto that "bigger is better." Read More…

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