Why Michelin Tires Are So Popular

What Are Michelin’s Top-Selling Tires?

As one of the world’s most popular tire brands, Michelin is known for producing a wide range of top-rated tires—including all-season and summer tires for passenger cars, light pickups, SUVs, and sports cars.

Michelin Defender: Long-Time Favorite

The Defender comes in two models: the LTX M/S, highway all-season for light trucks, SUVs, and crossovers—and the Defender T+H all-season for passenger cars.

Michelin Defender T+H

A long-time consumer favorite, the Defender LTX M/S with EverTread is known for its durable tread life and all-weather traction. The tire features a zig-zag pattern with three sipes on each center tread block and two on the side treads, making it exceptional for wet and snow traction. The tread siphons water and snow from the tires, resulting in a secure and stable ride.

On dry pavement, Michelin’s MaxTouch feature improves traction. The gaps are so slight that it feels like driving on one large block. It’s great for straight driving and cornering, improving stability. Additionally, Michelin’s Comfort Control technology significantly reduces road noise and minimizes bumps and vibrations.

The Defender T+H is Michelin’s longest-wearing passenger tire. It mirrors the best of the LTX M/S, including excellent traction, consistent handling, and improved braking on dry surfaces. When driving in rain or light snow, the tire’s sipes and edges work effectively to make them one of the best all-season tire products.

Defender sizes range from 15 to 22 inches to fit various vehicles. The limited treadwear warranty varies from 50,000 to 70,000 miles. Depending on tire size, you can expect to pay between $130 to $475 per tire.

Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4: Year-Round Sporty Tire

Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4

This is an all-season, year-round, sporty tire for many vehicles—from sedans to small SUVs and crossovers. They deliver commendable all-weather grip and are less expensive than the more aggressive Pilot Sport 4S and other Michelin all-season tires.

Consumer Reports testing indicates that it is an ultra-high performance all-season tire that excels in many categories, with special mention for excellent dry braking and hydroplaning resistance.

The Pilot Sport All-Season 4 provides enhanced wet weather capability and is handy in light snow and cold weather. It is also quiet and long-wearing tire. However, it’s not a replacement for a winter tire.

Depending on size, you can expect to pay $230 to $600 per tire. The tire carries a 30,000-mile manufacturer’s treadwear limited warranty.

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S: High-Performance Summer Tire

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

The Pilot Sport 4S is an ultra-high-performance summer tire. It rates “excellent” in Consumer Reports testing of dry braking, handling, and hydroplaning resistance.

The wet braking is solid as well. It’s also one of just a few tires in the category with a treadwear warranty—in this case, 30,000 miles.

The Pilot Sport 4S is best suited for high-performance vehicles—from hot hatches to hardcore sports cars and even some luxury sedans. It comes with a Z.R. (Y) speed rating. It’s also worth noting that Michelin does not recommend these tires for use in light snow or at temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

These tires deliver superb dry-weather grip and braking, ample steering feedback, sharp steering response, and incredible wet-weather traction. They are, however, among the costliest of summer tires and susceptible to hardening and cracking in frigid weather.

Pricing for the Pilot Sport 4S ranges from $230 to $1,176 per tire, depending on size.

Michelin CrossClimate 2: A Leading All-Season Tire

One of the best all-season tires from Michelin, the CrossClimate 2 is intended for smaller crossover utility vehicles, SUVs, and standard passenger cars. These tires deliver class-leading dry and wet traction with a V-shaped tread pattern reinforced by interlocking sipes. Handling and braking figures are best in class.

Michelin CrossClimate 2

While they feature enhanced winter capability, Michelin says these tires are no replacement for true winter tires. Road noise is minimal, although it is reported to increase with tire age and tread wear. However, this is not the best tire for fuel economy. Michelin says that owners have reported notable hits to their fuel economy—and as much as 60 miles in range loss for electric vehicles, according to some Tesla owners.

Michelin also offers a CrossClimate all-season tire specifically for SUVs with similar characteristics to the CrossClimate 2 tire.

Depending on size, expect to pay between $148 and $420 per tire. In addition, the CrossClimate 2 is supported by the Michelin Promise Plan—a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, roadside assistance, and a 60,000-mileage warranty.

Michelin Tire History

The Early Years

Michelin’s claim to fame is the invention of the removable pneumatic tire. Before this innovation, tires had to be glued to a bicycle’s rim and left to dry.

Eduard and Andre Michelin ran a farm implement business in Clermont-Ferrand, France. They got the idea for a removable tire when an errant cyclist arrived at their shop asking for help repairing a damaged tire. The repair took hours. Then, the tire had to dry overnight—only to fail within a quarter mile on a test run. So the Michelin brothers were inspired to reinvent the tire. They received a patent for the removable pneumatic tire in 1891, two years after founding their company.

From Bicycles to Automobiles

Charles Terront used that first tire to win the world’s first long-distance cycle race, the 1891 Paris-Brest-Paris. Soon, Michelin tires were known for quality and were used widely in professional races.

Michelin leveraged that experience to create tires handling higher speeds, leading the company into the automotive industry. The company owned Citroën from 1934 and 1976.

Since then, Michelin scored several innovations, including developing the radial tire in 1946. In 1988, Michelin acquired the tire and rubber manufacturing divisions of the American BFGoodrich Company and bought Uniroyal, Inc., in 1990.