Michelin Defender LTX M/S Tire Review

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What are the Features Offered?

The Defender LTX M/S tires feature the Michelin Evertread Compound, which is an advanced compound that is stronger and has a higher resistance to extreme road conditions. This compound also helps to increase the level of durability of the tire so that it can be used for a long time. Apart from that, this tire also has a long tread life and comes with a long mileage warranty.

On top of that, these tires are also eco-friendly and can be used in any season regardless of whether you're driving on dry, wet, or snowy road conditions. To unlock all of these features, the company utilized the Michelin Total Performance Package. This package simply means that all of the engineers responsible for the design of this tire have focused their attention on all of the necessary aspects of this tire throughout the entire process.

Other companies may state that they would only focus on certain aspects of their tires, such as tread life or wet traction, but as for Michelin, they promised to focus on every single aspect of tires to provide you with only the best tires. Thanks to this promise, the Defender LTX offers various benefits and targeted features in every area, all done without negatively affecting other areas. Next, the open shoulders blocks, four wide circumferential grooves, and multiple lateral grooves also help to manage the water evacuation for better hydroplaning resistance.

Besides that, Michelin also chooses to utilize the MaxTouch Construction in the sidewall to improve the stability, contact patch, and overall handling and braking on multiple types of surfaces. On top of that, the internal structure of the tires with twin steel belts also helps to further increase the level of stability, durability, and toughness of the tires. Even though this tire isn't branded with the Three-peak Mountain Snowflake symbol, this doesn't mean that it can't be used to drive in extreme winter conditions.

What are the Maintenance Indicators Available?

Just like the majority of the all-season tires, the Defender LTX M/S is also equipped with the traditional tread wear indicators (TWIs), and these indicators provide information about the number of treads available so that the driver can expect how their tires would behave on wet surfaces. The TWIs are simply the narrow rubber bars that can be found inside the circumferential groove of the tires.

These indicators are extremely important for your safety, and you should be paying close attention to the details of these indicators from time to time. The reason for this is that tires that have worn down are much more difficult to be used to drive on a slippery surface compared to the new ones that would usually be in a decent condition. Apart from that, Michelin also provides a 50,000 miles treadwear warranty on R- speed-rated models and a 70,000 miles treadwear warranty on T- and H- speed-rated models.

The minimum tread depth of the Defender LTX M/S that is recommended by the tire manufacturer would be around 1.6 mm or 2/32 inches. When your tire has worn down up to that particular point, the TWIs will be fully flushed with the surface, and when that thing happens, you need to replace the tires immediately for your own safety. If you don't replace the tires, then you will put your family and yourself in danger as those tires will no longer be able to function properly on wet and slippery roads.

However, you don't have to worry too much about that if you have just purchased the new Defender LTX M/S as these tires have been designed to last for a long time. On top of that, it has also been rated as one of the tires that can last the longest in any season. If that's not enough, then thanks to the Evertread Compound technology, the tire can perform very well for a longer time compared to any other all-season tires that are available in the market currently.

How Does It Perform On Dry Tarmac?

Overall, the Defender LTX is one of the best all-season tires that are available currently if we look at its performance on dry surfaces. Furthermore, the tire also performs extraordinarily with or without any heavy payloads. You can really feel the type of performance that this tire has to offer even after you have driven across a couple of miles.

The level of responsiveness of this tire can be considered to be outstanding for standard Michelin all-season tires, and not just that, the steering experience also felt truly exceptional. One of the most important things that this tire has is its ability to provide reliable and safe traction, spectacular high-speed stability, and a great cornering grip. On top of that, the braking distance is also extremely short, even if you add more payloads.

What are the Pros and Cons of this Tire?

Pros

• Extremely short braking distance on dry tarmac
• LT-metric models are very useful and tough for hauling and towing
• First-class stability and on-road handling
• One of the best highway tires, especially in wet and slippery conditions
• Extremely comfortable and quiet on the highway
• The Evertread compound helps to enhance the wet performance for a longer time
• It may be used for light off-road (the casing is decently tough)
• Offered in various sizes
• Excellent treadwear warranty and long tread life

Cons

• The most expensive tire in its category

What About Its Performance On Wet and Slippery Roads?

The performance of the Defender LTX on wet and slippery roads would surely continue to amaze you. The level of hydroplaning resistance of this tire is simply the best in its class as not even the deep, and big puddles of water can't affect its stability. Furthermore, thanks to the new advanced Evertread compound, the tire performs exceptionally well on damp surfaces.

On top of that, the tractions of the tires are superb, the braking distance is extremely short, and the cornering grip is also reliable. If we take a look at the overall performance of the tire, the Defender LTX is very close to perfection for use during rainy days. You can drive safely without having to worry much about hydroplaning on the road, even during heavy rain.

What About Its Performance On Snowy Roads?

Due to the fact that it is an all-season tire, it's quite typical for drivers to expect decent performance on snowy roads from the Michelin Defender LTX. Please keep in mind the fact that all-season tires are not made specifically for this type of road condition nor extreme snowy conditions. If you happen to live in this type of place, then it's highly recommended for you to get winter tires instead.

With that being said, the Defender LTX is one of the best all-season tires that can be used to drive on light snow. The handling is sufficiently reliable, and as for the braking distance, I would say that it's not too long. There are some tires that do offer better snow traction, especially the ones that are marked with 3PMSF, so it's important for you to know the road conditions that you plan to drive on to make an informed decision.

What About the Warranty?

Michelin provides a 70,000-mile tread or six years warranty on T and H speed-rated sizes, and it also comes with 50,000 miles or six years on LT sizes. On top of that, tire uniformity is also guaranteed for the first 2/32 inch of wear or the first year. Besides that, workmanship and materials are also warranted for a total of 6 years. Free replacement is also included for the first 2/32 inches of wear or the first year. One of the interesting things that it offers is the prorated amount that is provided down to the final 2/32 inches of tread depth or for the remaining time. If that's not enough for you, then they also offer three years of flat tire changing service as well as the 30 days Michelin customer satisfaction guarantee. However, it's highly recommended for you to ask for a test drive to see if this tire suits your needs, as some people tend to only know the reality of the situation once they have tested it on the road.