Michelin X Radial LT2 Tire Review

‍Overview

When it comes to highway all-season tires, drivers want a tire that can deliver dependable traction and grip on paved roads, some reliable traction on light snowy surfaces, as well as a quiet and comfortable ride. Also, drivers shopping in this category are looking for a tire that can deliver decent towing capabilities as well as long tread life.

As you can see, this is quite a tall order. And, most of the highway all-season tires that you will find on the market tend to compromise on one area. To address this issue, Michelin decided to come up with a tire that can tick all these boxes. And that tire is none other than the X Radial LT2.

While it may not be as popular or fancy as other tires from this brand, it’s built for functionality and performance. According to drivers who have used this tire, it gets the job done.

About the Michelin X Radial LT2

The Michelin X Radial LT2 is a highway all-season tire, built for SUVs, light trucks, and vans. The X Radial LT2 is also designed to deliver dependable performances in all conditions and terrains, including roads covered with light snow.

And as an all-season tire, the X Radial LT2 is also built to deliver a comfortable, quiet, and silent ride. This Michelin X Radial LT2 will provide more information about this tire in detail. So, make sure you read to the end to find out whether this tire is the right fit for your vehicle and driving needs.

Design Features and Technologies

The X Radial LT2 is designed to balance reliable performances with a smooth ride, in different terrains and conditions. And, Michelin has provisioned it with several features and technologies, so that it can deliver accordingly. They include:

Advanced Tread Compounds

The Michelin X Radial LT2 comes with new silica-based compounds. These compounds are designed to enhance the tire’s traction and grip in different weather conditions, whether you are driving on dry roads, or wet surfaces. Even if you encounter light snowy surfaces, you can expect this tire to continue providing adequate grip and traction.

Deep Circumferential Grooves

Michelin has also outfitted the X Radial LT2 with four deep circumferential grooves. These deep tread grooves help to disperse water and slush away from the tire’s contact area. And this helps to boost the tire’s traction and grip during heavy rains or in extremely slippery conditions.

Solid Internal Construction

The X Radial LT2 also sports robust internal construction, featuring three steel belts. And this results in an extremely tough tire, which will not deform under high load pressure or during high-speed driving. Hence, you are assured of a secure ride.

Also, the tire’s sturdy internal construction helps it to withstand heavy loads. Therefore, if you do lots of towing or you frequently haul heavy loads with your truck, van, or SUV, then this tire will be ideal for your needs.

MaxTouch Construction

Michelin has also outfitted this tire with its exclusive MaxTouch Construction. This technology is designed to optimize X Radial LT2’s contact patch. And with the optimized contact patch, driving pressure will be distributed uniformly across the tread area. This will, in turn, help to prevent irregular wear patterns. As a result, your X Radial LT2 will continue performing at the highest levels for a longer period, thus saving you money on new tires.

Comfort Control Technology

The X Radial LT2 also sports Michelin’s Comfort Control Technology. This technology uses precision manufacturing and computer-optimized designs, thus helping to keep road noise and vibrations to a minimum. As a result, you will enjoy a smooth, quiet, comfortable, and pleasant driving experience.

Active 3D Sipes

The Michelin X Radial LT2 also features active 3D sipes. These sipes allow the tire’s tread blocks to lock together, thus preserving the rigidity of the tread blocks. As a result, the tread will be able to grip the surface more firmly – a feature that will come in handy when driving in snowy conditions.

Also, the 3D sipes can help to reduce the amount of energy your vehicle is using. As a result, your truck, van, or SUV will work less, thus reducing fuel consumption.

Performance in Different Conditions

According to Michelin, the X Radial LT2 is a tire that you can depend on, regardless of whether you are driving on dry roads, wet surfaces, or roads covered with a bit of snow. But is that the case on the ground? Does the X Radial LT2 perform according to expectations?

We mounted a set of 16-inch X Radial LT2 tires on a Toyota Highlander and set out to ascertain whether this tire performs as advertised. We assessed its performance and handling on dry roads, wet surfaces, and snow-covered surfaces. And after an entire day of testing this tire’s performance in these different conditions, we made the following observations.

Dry Performance

Similar to other highway tires, you expect the X Radial LT2 to excel on dry roads. And this was the case during our test ride. It performed exceptionally well, without any hesitations.

Handling was smooth, steering responsiveness was timely and accurate while the cornering grip was also adequate. We also noticed that you can comfortably change lanes with this tire even at high speeds, without experiencing any issues, thanks to its decent acceleration traction.

As for starting and stopping, it was quick, without any problems. Furthermore, braking was great. The stopping distances remained short. While some newer highway all-season tires may be better than the X Radial LT2, likely, you won’t notice much difference.

Overall, we can say that the Michelin X Radial LT2 is a confident performer in dry conditions. It will deliver dependable traction and a safe driving experience, which will satisfy most truck, SUV, and van drivers. So, if you are in the market for a tire that can deliver outstanding dry handling for your vehicle, then you should check out the X Radial LT2.

Wet Performance

We’ve tested more than a dozen Michelin all-season tires. So far, we are yet to find one that performed poorly on wet roads. And this was also the case with the Michelin X Radial LT2.

While this tire may not be at the same level as the premium all-season highway tires, we were beyond satisfied by its wet performance. Traction and grip were excellent, even when our Toyota Highlander was unloaded. Furthermore, it delivered some of the shortest stopping distances that we’ve recorded in this category.

Also, it didn’t disappoint as far as cornering grip goes. Its performance in this area is at par with the majority of the other highway all-season tires. We also subjected this tire to further tests in extremely wet and slippery conditions. And, we didn’t observe any hesitation.

Overall, we can say that this tire will perform great in wet conditions, whether the road is slightly wet or there’s a heavy downpour. You can drive safely and confidently with it on wet roads, without worrying about slipping or losing control of your vehicle.

Snow Performance

All-season highway tires should also deliver dependable traction on light-snowy roads. And, this is also the case with the X Radial LT2. In fact, it exceeded our expectations. It performed surprisingly well when we subjected it to light-snowy conditions. The traction and grip were sufficient, steering responsiveness was great, braking distances remained short and the cornering grip was equally adequate.

One area where this tire fell short is its performance on deep snow. There was an almost complete loss of traction and grip when we subjected it to deep snowy surfaces. Also, its grip was almost non-existent on ice.

Simply put, as much as this tire will perform reliably well on roads covered with light snow, its performance in deep snowy conditions is abysmal. Therefore, if you live in an area that experiences heavy snowing during the winter months or you find yourself driving through ice-covered roads frequently, then we wouldn’t recommend relying on the X Radial LT2 to get you through.

However, this is something you can expect, considering the Michelin X Radial LT2 is more of an all-season tire. In such environments, it will be recommended to replace the X Radial LT2 with a set of dedicated snow tires once winter sets in.

Off-Road Performance

We didn’t examine this tire’s off-road performance. But according to the available reviews, it can handle some light dirt roads and gravel roads without any issues. Anything beyond this deep mud or sand would be too much for the tire to handle, and, you may find yourself stuck.

At the end of the day, you need to remember that the X Radial LT2 is an all-season tire and not a dedicated off-roading tire. Therefore, if you are planning to go for an excursion that entails tackling rugged off-road terrains, then you should consider swapping out the X Radial LT2 for all-terrains or other dedicated off-road tires.

Ride Quality

Michelin has a reputation for developing highway all-season tires that deliver a decent ride quality. And this is also the case with the X Radial LT2. During our test rides, the tire remained exceptionally comfortable, even when riding through uneven surfaces.

Also, we didn’t experience any disruptive noise or vibrations. Overall, the ride was smooth and comfortable. Without a doubt, the X Radial LT2 is, hands down, one of the most comfortable highway all-season tires that we’ve ever tested.

As long as you ensure your set of X Radial LT2 tires is well balanced at all times, then you will never contend with noise or vibrations, even at high speeds or driving through uneven terrains.

Warranties and Guarantees

Michelin tires come with strong warranties. And this also happens to be the case with the X Radial LT2. It’s backed by Michelin’s materials and workmanship warranty as well as treadwear warranty.

Materials and Workmanship Warranty

Under this warranty, the company offers to replace your X Radial LT2, if it’s removed from service as a result of workmanship and materials defects. If the X Radial LT2 becomes unserviceable due to defects caused by materials or workmanship during the first 25% or less of treadwear, Michelin will offer a free replacement. The company will also mount and balance the tire.

If the X Radial LT2 becomes unserviceable as a result of workmanship or materials defects after the first 25% of treadwear, you will still get a replacement. But in this case, the replacement will be done on a pro-rata basis, meaning the costs will be shared between the buyer and Michelin.

Treadwear Warranty

The X Radial LT2 comes with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty. If this tire wears out evenly across its tread face before it can deliver the promised mileage, Michelin will replace it with a comparable new one. The replacement will be done on a pro-rata arrangement. Therefore, you will have to pay a certain portion of the tire’s replacement cost.

Sizes and Fitment

The Michelin X Radial LT2 is available in several different sizes. It’s compatible with vehicles that come with rim diameters of between 15 inches and 20 inches. With such a vast availability of sizes, there’s a high chance you will find one that will fit your truck, SUV, or van.

Michelin X Radial LT2 Pros

• Stellar handling and responsiveness on dry surfaces
• Solid grip and traction in wet and slippery conditions
• Dependable traction on light snow
• Smooth, quiet, and comfortable ride

Michelin X Radial LT2 Cons

• Unreliable in severe wintry conditions

Verdict

The Michelin X Radial LT2 is a highly accomplished all-season highway tire, which impresses in almost all areas. Its wet and dry traction are outstanding, handling is top-notch, and the ride quality is excellent. Also, cornering feels confident, even when cruising at high speeds. Furthermore, it also boasts a long tread life. Overall, this tire will be a great choice for drivers looking for a highway all-season tire, which will offer value for money.