Last updated on March 18th, 2024 at 09:10 pm
| Tire type | Highway Touring Tire |
| Price range | $361-$513 |
| Tread Warranty | 70,000 |
| Run-flat | No |
| Vehicles type | Heavy-duty light trucks |
| Driving conditions | Dry, Wet, and Snow |
Michelin has been consistent with their advancement and innovation in manufacturing new tires. And this Michelin Defender LTX Platinum is a perfect example of that.
The new Defender LTX Platinum is an advanced version of Michelin Defender LTX M/S only for heavy-duty trucks. The tire is only available in 20-inch rim diameters, so small sedans and SUVs won’t be able to equip it on their rims.
Michelin Tire is a known manufacturer of tires, and when it comes to the most comfortable and durable tires, Michelin is the first brand that comes to buyers’ heads. They have positioned themselves as the most reliable tire manufacturers, and it is not far from true as they are only a few brands that provide warranty even on winter and off-road tires.
The tire is driveable in dry, wet, and light snow conditions. The innovative tread design and compound are the reason for its high-quality all-season performance and highway weight-carrying ability. We will discuss all these things in this Michelin Defender LTX Platinum Review. So keep reading to determine this tire’s performance and whether you should buy it for your trucks or if you are better off with some other tires.
Table of Contents
Michelin Defender LTX Platinum features
The tire features the Evertread 2.0 compound, which is an improved version of the Evertread compound that was equipped with Michelin Defender LTX M/S tire. This compound is more resistant to damage and can carry more weight without damaging tread. The performance and grip on wet and snowy conditions are also improved. With that, the Maxtouch 2.0 technology of Michelin Defender LTX Platinum distributes the burden on the tire and contacts the ground evenly. It reduces the chances of uneven wear and improves the stability of driving and the tire’s durability.
Basic features of Michelin Defender LTX Platinum
This tire is excellent when it comes to driving with extra heavy loads. Heavy-duty trucks are mainly required to drive with weights, so this tire assists in achieving higher-grade highway rides. With that, a drive on different road conditions is also fulfilling; the tire delivers proper rides on light snow conditions and off-terrain roads. As both of these conditions require separate tires that support these situations, getting all that with just one tire is perfect. Not only is this Defender LTX Platinum driveable in different conditions, but it also delivers comfortable and quiet rides all year round.
Tread pattern and design
The tire features an all-season Evertread compound, which assists in achieving all-season heavy-duty rides. A symmetrical tread pattern features 3 deep and wide circumferential grooves with connected notches to properly evacuate water and ice and avoid hydroplaning in deep watery and rainy situations. With that, lateral and wavy sipes come in handy when you drive on snow terrains. It provides extra biting edges to achieve safe and reliable rides in light snow conditions. They also help in improving stability and handling in dry road conditions. The robust design and strong sidewalls are damage-resistant, so this tire is driveable in insatiable conditions without damaging or reducing tread life.
Assurance and warranty
Michelin is known for manufacturing the most durable tires among any other top tire brands, and this tire is another example of that. The Michelin Defender LTX Platinum comes with a 70K miles treadwear warranty and a six-year rubber warranty. So you can at least drive for 6 years if you drive carefully, maintaining tread wear of the tire. Just like Michelin Defender LTX M/S, this tire will also work after 70K miles.
If you drive on recommended conditions and maintain a habit of tire rotation, you will most probably achieve 10-20K miles after 70K miles of driving. However, if the tread depth is below 2/32, don’t push it anymore and replace tires; if it is lower than that, keep driving because it is a safer tire to drive all year round.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Stable rides on light snow and off-road conditions.
- All-season comfortable ride.
- Wider contact area for stable handling and response.
- Hydro and aqua planning resistance in wet conditions.
- Durable tire with 70K miles treadwear warranty
- Heavyweight carrying ability while achieving smooth rides.
Cons
- It’s not the best tire for most extreme winter terrains.
- Bad cornering and grip at a fast pace
Michelin Defender LTX Platinum specification
It is a relatively expensive tire, but compared to its performance and durability, it is worth every penny. The tire comes with heavy load E-rated tires that can carry a maximum weight of 3750 lbs. So, if you want to tow heavy machinery or vehicles, these tires will be able to assist you without damaging them.
With that, unlike other tires, this tire has a tread depth of 14/32. Normally, tires come with 11/32 tread depth, but due to this tire’s aggressive performance, the tire requires deeper tread to achieve greater performance in extreme weather and terrain conditions. This Michelin Defender has no treadwear rating, which is common in highway and off-terrain tires; they usually come without any treadwear, traction, or temperature ratings. The tire has a slower speed range; it can reach a maximum of 112mph, which is not bad for heavy-duty tires. So, overall, this tire is excellent when it comes to high-quality specs.
Michelin Defender LTX Platinum performance
The recommended driving conditions for this tire are dry, wet, snowy, and minimal off-terrain conditions. When it comes to dry conditions, the tire achieves proper grip and cornering at a normal pace. As this tire has a low-speed range, so no point in trying to reach the speed cornering, which we don’t think will be a sensible thing to do because it could lose control due to round edges.
In wet and wintery conditions, the tire delivers excellent traction and grip in rain and deep watery situations. Because of its tire design, the water and slash channels through the tread without holding the inside tread, which is why it delivers proper grip. Also, tread wavy sipes provide extra biting edges on snow to deal with high snow terrains. On highways and in stable conditions, this tire is perfect to drive; it can carry heavy weight like no big case. You will achieve smoother and more comfortable rides on highways with this tire. However, on off-terrain roads, this tire might not be a perfect option; it fails on unstable off-terrain conditions.
Why not to buy Michelin Defender LTX Platinum
If you are buying tires specifically to drive in extreme winter weather or in extreme off-terrain conditions, then this won’t be a great fit for you. As this tire is made for highway terrain and the main objective of this tire is to achieve a smooth ride with heavy loads on stable riads. In your situation, specific weather tires, like winter terrain tires or off-road tires, will make more sense. Similarly, if you don’t carry weight and are looking for comfortable or max-performance rides, then again, this is not the best fit for your vehicle. You should go with high-performance summer tires for optimal performance or all-season touring tires for the most comfortable and quiet rides all year round.
Final words
Like its predecessor tire, Michelin Defender LTX Platinum is extremely valuable, especially on highways with heavy weights. This tire can easily drive in different road conditions without damaging its tread. With durable treadwear and reliable handling performance, this tire will become the next big thing in 2024 for heavy truck drivers looking for the smooth and stable ride all year round.
