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When we talk about Michelin Defender vs Michelin X Tour, we are trying to find the best all-season tire.
You might not be able to find Michelin X Tour A/S T+H on popular online retailers. It is offered only in Costco, which’s why it is often referred to as the ‘Costco exclusive tire.’ On the other hand, Michelin has claimed Michelin Defender T+H to be “the longest-lasting tire among leading competitors’ tires.”
Some are of the opinion that the Michelin X Tour A/S T+H is the same as the Defender T+H. Let’s compare them side by side to see if it is true.
Michelin Defender vs Michelin X Tour: Overview
Michelin Defender T+H Tire
A tire’s most essential feature lies in the significance of going to any place the consumer wants.
The region is filled with mud, snow, rocks, or gravel. Most of the tires in the market are prone to snow traction and hydroplaning. But Michelin’s tires were significantly graded as “very good” in repelling these problems.
It also has good grading in fuel efficiency leading to good resistance ability. The highlight is the excellent grade in the noise category.
Pros
- It is an excellent all-season traction
- Responsive mobility
- Noise-free ride
- Low resistance rolling
Cons
- Need improvement in tread life
- Cornering performance
- Mileage
Michelin X Tour A/S T+H Tire
The Michelin X Tour A/S T+H Tire is categorized as an all-season touring tire, and Michelin already has a dozen of passenger-car tires in its lineup.
It is well known that Michelin’s standard all-season touring tire is one of the most accomplished products in its category. More precisely, we can say that it is expected from a tire with Michelin’s logo on it.
The company labels the Michelin X Tour A/S T+H tire as providing long tread life, all-season safety, and a smooth and quiet ride experience.
It utilizes zig-zag sipes in the tire’s tread blocks, and we have to emphasize here that these sipes create more biting edges than waved or straight sipes. Consequently, it not just improves snow traction and braking but also helps in rainy conditions.
Pros
- Very responsive for a touring tire
- Excellent handling and braking on dry tarmac
- Excellent hydroplaning resistance
- Good traction and strong braking on wet surfaces
- Outstanding tread life
- One of the quietest and most comfortable touring tires around
Cons
- Expensive, specifically within the category
- Snow and ice traction aren’t as impressive as other competitors in the segment.
Michelin Defender vs Michelin X Tour: Which tire excels?
Tread Compounds and Patterns
- Michelin Defender
Michelin has incorporated the next-generation Evertread compound and asymmetric tread pattern. This compound contains higher amounts of silica which results in increased traction on wet pavement. Michelin’s Intellisipe Technology and independent tread blocks help in enhancing this wet traction.
- Michelin X Tour
Michelin utilized an all-season tread compound in the X Tour A/S T+H, aiming for better treadwear characteristics and longevity than previous generations.
Meanwhile, the tread compound also features a high silica content, which helps improve traction on wet surfaces. The rubber compound is also molded into an asymmetric tread design developed in this tire to reduce road noise and enhance ride quality.
Furthermore, the tread pattern features the IntelliSipe technology, same as Defender T+H.
Design of Both Tires
- Michelin Defender
Michelin’s Intellisipe design technology has impressive advantages because of its defined number of sipes in a tire.
The spies create a rigid block structure that benefits the tires—giving a boost in driving under stress and the confidence to use the brakes even under critical situations. At the same time, the Green X technology provides a lower rolling resistance.
- Michelin X Tour
Michelin X Tour A/S T+H uses the MaxTouch Construction technology that causes the distribution of the tire forces evenly throughout the contact patch. As a result, it improves tread wear even more and limits the chances of wearing the tire unevenly; in short, it prolongs the tread life.
Performance in Wet Conditions
- Michelin Defender
The tread features four wide circumferential grooves and full-depth spies that add to the grip in rain and snow. These grooves also channel the water through the lateral notches and reduce the chance of hydroplaning.
This tire will give you a smoother and quieter ride, as expected in this price range.
- Michelin X Tour
he X Tour A/S offers enough traction on moist or wet surfaces, is safe in the corners, and has a short braking distance. Moreover, if you are concerned about hydroplaning resistance, we must tell you that it is praiseworthy even in heavy rain.
Four wide circumferential grooves are utilized across the tread of the Michelin X Tour A/S T+H tire to provide superior wet traction. To sum up, if you live in a place with frequent rain, the Michelin X Tour A/S T+H tire is an excellent choice for daily driving.
Performance in Snow
- Michelin Defender
Even in adverse driving conditions, the Michelin Defender provides peace of mind. In all weather conditions, the 3D sipes provide excellent grip and control. This 3D sipe is a novel technology that has recently been incorporated in various Michelin tires that require grip in snow and ice conditions.
- Michelin X Tour
Also, the Michelin X Tour A/S T+H tire doesn’t lack traction when driving on wet roads. Besides, because of its zig-zag sipes, you can also expect good traction and short braking distances in light snow as well. And to be honest, we expected more from Michelin for this price.
Performance on Dry Road
- Michelin Defender
The tire travels steadily even when the road surface temperature is high. The dry handling performance of the tire is fairly good. Impressive cornering ability is built on quick responsiveness and superb handling.
The Michelin Defender’s overall performance on dry terrain is superb. This tire model outperforms several other goods in its class.
- Michelin X Tour
Michelin X Tour A/S tire has some of the best handling and cornering characteristics in its category. And is pretty responsive in respect of comfort-oriented tires. If you worry about the traction, you don’t have to because its traction is excellent, and the braking distances are among the shortest in the all-season touring category.
Final Verdict
The Defender T+H differs somewhat from the X Tour A/S T + H. The Defender T+H has Comfort Control Technology, which reduces road noise and vibration.
Michelin claims that the Defender T+H tire is superior. It’s more relaxing. In my opinion, the main issue isn’t a difference in comfort. It’s a matter of availability. Michelin X Tour is nearly tough to find in the United States.
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