Michelin Defender T+H Review

One of the longest lasting tires on the road for crossovers, trucks and SUVs, the Defender T+H guarantees 80,000 miles of life. That’s the most most of any Michelin tire on the market.

PROS

  • Extremely long life, guaranteed
  • Excellent grip in wet and dry
  • Quiet
  • Did we mention the long life?

CONS

  • Some owners complain of a stiff ride
  • Limited sizes

 

Michelin achieves this through a combination of its tire construction and tread compound. The EverTread compound is designed for maximum life, while the MaxTouch Construction is built so that the tire maintains its shape and wears evenly over the entire life of the tire.

This is all part of Michelin’s larger “Total Performance” guarantee. Looking to continually out-perform the rest of the industry, Michelin is focused on offering tire performance that doesn’t just win tests when brand new, but that maintains as much of that performance even when the tire is half worn.

A unique feature of this tire is what Michelin calls its Intellisipe technology If you look closely at the individual tread blocks you’ll see numerous zig-zag sipes designed into the tread. Normally siping like this is only seen on winter tires, but here Michelin uses it to deliver added grip in wet conditions. Meanwhile, the larger channels in the tire help prevent hydroplaning.

And of course, this tire is also amazingly quiet, thanks to a tread block design that Michelin has created that helps keep road noise to a minimum.

If there’s one drawback to these tires, it’s that in order to achieve such long life some compromise has to be made in overall comfort. While most drivers don’t report any issues, some find the ride is stiffer than they’d like. (We’ve often found that’s the case if you’re opting for the lower profile sidewall version of many tires).

Michelin Defender T+H Price

Pricing for the Defender T+H varies significantly depending on the size you require, with 14-inch versions costing just over $100 up to double that for 18-inch sizes.

Michelin Defender T+H Warranty

The Michelin Defender T+H comes backed by a very impressive 80,000 mile limited tread wear warranty on all H speed rated versions of the tire. In addition, all Michelin tires come with a Standard Manufacturer’s Limited Warranty for the life of the useable tread, which covers defects in materials and workmanship for six years from the time of purchase. During the first 2/32-inch of treadwear Michelin will replace any tires deemed defective free of charge. After that point and down to the final 2/32-inch of useable tread, Michelin will replace the tires on a pro-rated basis.

The Defender T+H also comes backed by a three-year flat tire change roadside assistance warranty.

Michelin Defender T+H Sizes

16-inch sizes
185/55R16
205/55R16
205/60R16
205/65R16
215/60R16
215/65R16
225/60R16
225/65R16
235/60R16
235/65R16

17-inch sizes
215/55R17
215/60R17
215/65R17
225/50R17
225/55R17
225/60R17
225/65R17
235/50R17
235/55R17
235/60R17

18-inch sizes
215/55R18
235/60R18

Are Michelin Michelin Defender T+H tires Quiet?

Like all but the most extreme Michelin off-road tires, the Defender T+H delivers an extremely quiet ride. Michelin makes use of its Comfort Control Technology in the tire, which optimizes the tire structure and tread makeup for both road comfort and limited tread noise. The tread design is made using computer optimized patterns and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes to reduce noise from the road or air passing through the tire, ensuring a premium experience over the life of the tread.