Bridgestone Vs Michelin Tires (Which Brand Is Best?)

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‍Bridgestone Tires

Bridgestone was initially founded in 1931 in Japan as a new tire manufacturer. The goal was to enter the industry with new technologies and provide better equipment to improve the quality of vehicles. Over the years, Bridgestone has made plenty of moves to continue the growth and position the brand as a top player in the tire industry.

Bridgestone was the inventor of rayon cord tires and the utilization of nylon belts as part of the internal structure of a tire. This is a common internal tire designed used by nearly every brand in the tire industry.

Bridgestone was able to acquire Firestone in 1988 to massively expand the business and break into a new area of the tire industry. They were able to grow the production capacity and become one of the biggest players in the game after this. Bridgestone is a worldwide brand serving many different nations across the globe.

Types of Bridgestone Tires

Bridgestone offers just about every type of tire you could need for driving. The production capacity they hold makes it possible to serve a broad range of different driver markets. The list includes the following:

All-Season
Winter
Summer
Light Truck
Run Flat
Performance

Bridgestone can serve the entire market today. They manufacture all different types of tires that fit on sedans, SUVs, trucks, motorcycles, and any other commercial vehicles that use rubber tires like buses.

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus

Comparing tires across different categories is difficult, but we do our best to group all of the tires in each brand. We will be comparing the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus with the Michelin Defender LTX M/S to best compare the brands.

Features

Braking Ability

The braking ability relies on the symmetric tread pattern interlocking with the independent center tread blocks. The two features can combine forces to create more balance and stability at the contact patch of the tire for smoother braking at short distances.

Dry Weather Handling

Dry road handling relies on a set of notched, outboard shoulder blocks to add another layer of road stability. This means that when you turn quickly and take corners, the blocks will hold up and help the vehicle stay more balanced with maximum road traction.

Winter Performance

The Ecopia EP422 Plus is made with an advanced all-season compound using highly technical NanoPro technology. This increases the traction of the tire in the winter while also reducing rolling resistance to make the tire even more efficient on the road. There are also notched shoulders and multiple sipes with bite particles to enhance road grip.

Wet Road Driving

There are four circumferential grooves to flow water away from critical areas of the tire. They are made slightly deeper because of the all-season tread to give added hydroplaning resistance and more accurate traction.

Tread Life

The tread life on this tire is phenomenal and extremely long-lasting. Bridgestone uses multiple eco-friendly features to increase the longevity of this tire, improve fuel efficiency, and make the contact patch larger to directly contact the road evenly. This promotes more consistent wear to extend the overall tire tread life.

Warranty

Bridgestone is one of the best with warranty policies. This tire comes with a five-year or 70,000-mile limited tread life warranty. There is also added coverage for the tire uniformity to cover the first 1/32” of tire wear.

Bridgestone provides a 30-day free trial to test out the tires for nearly every product they offer too.

Pricing

This tire is priced according to its high quality and excellent tread life. You will get the most from this tire compared to cheaper alternatives. The pricing ranges between $150-$200 depending on where you shop.

Pros

Caters better to the everyday driver.
Excellent class of winter tires unlike any other.
NanoPro Tech treads for better fuel efficiency.
RENOA technology for quieter driving and reduced rolling resistance.

Cons

High prices can be intimidating to the casual driver.
Less focus on green initiatives compared to Michelin.

Best Bridgestone Tires

Bridgestone has more to offer than just the Ecopia model tire. We have put together a list of five more tires that rank highly in their complete portfolio of products.

1. Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack

80,000-mile warranty and excellent tread life.
Upgrades in wet road and snow traction.
All-season grand touring tire.

2. Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS

Extreme levels of road grip for difficult conditions.
Hydroplaning resistance and braking.
All-season tire with excellent winter capability.

3. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

Winter tire with elite handling ability.
Best-in-class winter tire tread life.
Dry road handling and performance.

4. Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus

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Maximum highway comfort and durability.
80,000-mile warranty with top-notch tread life features.
High-performing grand touring highway tire.

5. Bridgestone Driveguard 3G RFT

Run-flat technology to handle punctures and damages.
Best comfort available for run-flat tires.
Excellent all-season performance.

Michelin Tires

Michelin was founded in 1889 in France as one of the most innovative brands there has ever been. They are responsible for some of the most groundbreaking inventions that include removable tires and radial tires, both have been major products for decades now. Michelin is also extremely diverse and makes tires for vehicles along with aircraft, bikes, and much more.

In 1934, Michelin also invented the run-flat tire that can run for so long after being punctured or damaged. Today this technology is used by nearly every tire brand and sits as one of the most popular technologies in the entire industry.

Because of the inventions of Michelin, there are regulations in place and nearly every single passenger tire uses a radial design. The same design that Michelin was able to invent a long time ago.

Similar to Bridgestone, Michelin uses acquisitions to grow the company too. In 1989 as a response to the Bridgestone/Firestone deal, Michelin acquired B.F. Goodrich Company and Uniroyal, Inc. to expand tire production and product line capabilities.

Types of Michelin Tires

Michelin is similar to Bridgestone with its offerings. Both brands have a massive amount of reach and production capability, making it easier for them to serve a broad range of different markets with plenty of products across different tire categories. The list includes some of the following:

All-Season
Luxury
Winter
Summer
Truck
Run Flat
Performance

These categories are just some of what Michelin can offer. They can produce tires for any sedan, SUV, pickup truck, commercial vehicle, and plenty more. They even make tires for aircraft planes and buses too.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

To review the features that Michelin can offer, we have taken its top-rated tire and reviewed everything it can offer to drivers in comparison to the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus.

Features

Braking Ability

The Evertread technology has a full impact on this tire across every single feature. The Defender LTX M/S can stop short on both dry and wet surfaces and even during winter driving. It remains accurate and stops with complete confidence.

Dry Weather Handling

The overall handling of this tire all relies on the tread composition. Michelin has developed the Evertread technology that consistently ranks as the number one tire feature across the entire industry.

It provides excellent wear and tear resistance while giving drivers the ultimate control over their vehicle. The compound extends the contact patch on the tire surface to add more rubber-to-road for consistent road grip, especially when handling at faster speeds or on the highway. It is the ultimate all-season tire that provides a sporty feel too.

Winter Performance

The winter performance of this tire uses the all-season tread to maintain optimal flexibility as the temperatures drop too low. The rubber can stay soft enough to handle cold weather to provide excellent driving performance.

There are also full-depth sipes that release biting edges in both rain and snow to enhance the road grip of the tire.

Wet Road Driving

Wet road driving relies on both the full-depth sipes mentioned and added four wide circumferential grooves. These grooves are deep enough to handle slush and snow but remain wide enough to help water release through the tire to provide accurate hydroplaning resistance on the road.

Tread Life

Tread life on this tire is best-in-class with so many features included to put longevity first. The Evertread compound is estimated to add a 10% increase in overall treadwear life compared to any other Michelin predecessor.

The MaxTouch Construction also makes the tire stronger so it is less likely that you will experience any tire damage or flat tires because of the added sidewall protection.

Warranty

Michelin seems to always try and be the best when it comes to a warranty policy. This tire comes with a six-year or 70,000-mile limited tread life warranty.

They also provide a uniformity policy to guarantee the first 2/32” of tire wear. Michelin provides a 3-year flat changing service and a 30-day return policy if you are not satisfied with the product. They do their best to take care of their customers.

Pricing

This is a high-quality tire that provides you some of the best tread life and performance that money can buy. Prices range anywhere between $150 to $225 depending on the retailer and your location.

Pros

More diverse tire profile with a wider range of selections available.
Caters well to drivers looking for maximum road grip performance.
Zero Pressure Technology to improve run-flat technology.
5th generation green tires to reduce CO2 emissions.
Enhanced focus on sustainability and green initiatives.

Cons

Tires are highly-priced based on the quality.
Worse winter tires compared to Bridgestone.

Best Michelin Tires

There are so many different Michelin tires to consider for your vehicle. We have compiled a shortlist of five more of the best products they have to offer.

1. Michelin Defender T+H

Wet and dry traction are both accurate.
Long-lasting tread life.
Comfortable and quiet driving.

2. Michelin Premier A/S

Silica and sunflower oil compound for better fuel efficiency.
Add grooves for more traction.
Smooth riding experience.

3. Michelin Primacy MXM4

Excellent short distance braking.
Highly responsive and accurate tire.
Ride quality is phenomenal.

4. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3

Sport driving road feel mixed with all-season traction.
Responsive steering and braking.
High-quality tread life.

5. Michelin X-Ice

High-performing winter tire.
Added sipes for extra road grip.
Excellent dry road comfort.

Bridgestone Vs Michelin Tires: Who’s Better?

The answer to this difficult question is not entirely straightforward. However, when we consider the available products by both Bridgestone and Michelin we always tend to lean towards Michelin as the superior option.

All of their products come with slightly better features, more reliable warranty policies, and they provide such a wide range of products that it is difficult to consider anybody but Michelin as the best overall tire manufacturer.

However, it is a close debate and we would rank Bridgestone as the superior winter tire company. But when discussing overall products and features, we want Michelin tires on our vehicle every time.

About The Author

Charles Redding

I've spent many years selling cars, working with auto detailers, mechanics, dealership service teams, quoting and researching car insurance, modding my own cars, and much more.