Michelin Defender XT Tire Review
Agota Szabo - August 20, 2018
A lot of Michelin Defender XT all-season radials go out the Priority Tire Outlet door, and for good reason: The Defender XT is a highly dependable, extremely comfortable, unusually durable tire.
Defender XT tires are perfect for everyday use on coupes, sedans and minivans. They’re touring tires: They ride well, they’re quiet and they deliver good all-around traction on dry and wet roads, and even in light snow.
If you glanced at your vehicle the first day your Defender XTs are mounted, you might think, “Hmm. Nothing special.” But if you take good care of them and look again after 20,000 or 30,000 miles, you’d probably think, “Don’t look much different than the day I put them on.”
Table of Contents:
Quick Review
- Season: All Season
- Type: Touring
- Car Type: Passenger vehicles and SUVs
- Run Flat: NO
- In Stock: Yes (Check Price)
Michelin MaxTouch Construction
The engineering in the Defender XT makes the tire special. MaxTouch Construction gives the Defender stability that’s rare in an everyday, non-specialty tire. When we say non-specialty, we mean that the Defender isn’t engineered to do just one thing spectacularly. Instead, it’s engineered to do many things well.
MaxTouch Construction manifests itself at speed and in turns. Forces are distributed more evenly over the contact patch. That means better traction for superior grip. It’s more stable while turning and cruising. It’s controllable and predictable in emergencies.
Lane changes are crisper, and highway touring at speed is more stable than you might expect from a touring tire.
Longer Lasting Tread Life
Here’s a surprise: Although the Defender is warranted for at least 80,000 miles of tread life, it is manufactured with a shallower tread.
It doesn’t need the extra weight of extra tread depth because the rubber compound and strength derived from MaxTouch encourage longevity. A stable tire squirms less. Friction and heat result from squirming, so when there’s less of both conditions, the rubber wears less.
Better Fuel Economy
Although not engineered as a minimal fuel sipper, the Defender does employ Michelin’s Green-X technology to reduce rolling resistance, lowering fuel consumption. You’ll save money at the pump.
Wet and Dry Handling
A close look at the Defender XT tread reveals scads of sipes. Michelin calls it Intellisipe Technology. Not only are these thin slits numerous—present in every block—but they’re also zigzag-shaped. That makes more edges to grab pavement.
You feel the effects in the bite with every maneuver, and you feel it especially in the wet, on light snow and at speed. Sipes even boost dry handling. In rain, the sipes add to grip already enhanced by excellent drainage from wide rain channels and grooves between blocks. When you pull out from a stop, you’re less likely to spin, even on an older car without traction control.
All-Around Ability
The Defender XT does everything well. No, it doesn’t grab corners as if it’s got glue in its tread. It doesn’t reach racecar speeds. It doesn’t handle snow the way a snowflake-symbol winter tire does. It doesn’t ride as softly as some cheap—and less stable—tires.
What the Defender XT does is inspire confidence. With four Defender XT tires on your car or SUV, you get where you’re going safely and securely—and you expect that every time you get behind the wheel, good weather or bad.
Speed Capability/ Warranty
You’ll have to look at the speed rating with a Defender XT. A few Defenders are rated T, for a maximum of 118 mph. Those examples typically carry a 90,000-mile warranty. Other examples are rated H, for a top speed of 130 mph; they carry an 80,000-mile warranty.
- Reduced road noise
- Long-lasting tread
- All-weather traction
- Enhanced fuel-efficiency
Buy Michelin Defender XT at Priority Tire.
Shop for all types of Michelin tires at PriorityTire.com, or shop for any brand.
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