Goodyear Assurance MaxLife vs Michelin Defender2: All season tires have always been the go to tires for the American market and this segment has been well established across the years. There are 2 types of all season tires, one with 3 peak mountain & one with only M+S. We have covered these 2 types of tire head to head with Michelin’s Defender T+H (M+S) vs Cross Climate 2 (3 peak mountain) and the M+S all season tires usually are worst in winter performances but excel much better in mileage.
This time around we were happy to pick up the latest successor of the highly popular Defender T+H called Michelin Defender2 ! The defender series has been a household name in the M+S all season touring market by providing one of the highest UTQG wear ratings compared to its competitors. This tireline was just launched in 2022 and covers a large range of passenger cars and crossovers. On the other side of the equation, we have Goodyear’s Assurance MaxLife which was launched in 2018 and also falls into the M+S and high UTQG wear rating category. Let’s put the latest Defender2 and see how well it performs against its arch rival Assurance MaxLife !
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from the Tire Rack’s “Testing Standard Touring All-Season Tires 2022” test. A total of 3 tires were tested this time around in Tire Rack’s own proving ground. The graph below shows the comparison between Goodyear Assurance MaxLife vs Michelin Defender2 based on the relevant performance category. The Assurance MaxLife was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark. Note that for subjective evaluation, we equate 1 point as 5%. Hence for example if tire A is graded 7 while tire B is graded 6, A is better than B by 5%.
As both tires are categorized as all season tires, Tire Rack has included snow & ice in its testing portfolio but it would only be tested by the end of the 2022/23 winter season. A detailed testing on snow including acceleration, braking & handling is expected. The tire size of interest is 205/55R16 which is a common tire size for Volkswagen Golf (2018) and the Toyota Corolla Altis (2018). You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a sporty 2022 Subaru BRZ Limited.
Wet
The friction of coefficient of the tire/road dramatically decreases in wet roads compared to dry roads. Hence it is more likely to get into a road accident during wet conditions rather than on a sunny day. It was so important that the EU label has wet braking as one of its three criteria. In wet braking, Assurance MaxLife managed to out-brake Defender2 with a margin of 5 feet (1.5m).
With a deficit in wet braking, Assurance MaxLife continued its dominance in wet handling with a 1.7 seconds advantage in lap time against Defender2. For the subjective wet handling rating, Assurance MaxLife fared better with a subjective score of 6.35/10 compared to 5.82/10 of Defender2. Below are some of the subjective feedback from the wet handling course:
Assurance MaxLife:
The Assurance MaxLife leveraged its weighty, responsive steering and nicely balanced handling at the limit for more competitive laps than its objective performance might suggest.
Test driver feedback on Assurance MaxLife
Defender2:
The braking disparity was, however, hard to mask, and our drivers could feel it was obviously working with less traction, but it was utilizing what grip was available efficiently, clearly communicating its limits. While also doing a commendable job of communicating its limits, the Defender2 simply had considerably lower levels of grip around our course.
Test driver feedback on Defender2
Overall, Assurance MaxLife was better than Defender2 in all wet performances.
Defender2:
- -3.3% in wet braking
- -2.7% in wet handling (subj)
- -4.3% in wet handling (lap time)
Dry
As for dry, safety is usually not an issue as the braking distance is much longer than wet. However this is the default daily usage and the tires have to perform at a very consistent level. While things overwhelmingly favored Assurance MaxLife in wet, Defender2 was slightly better in dry. Both Assurance MaxLife & Defender2 managed to brake equally with a braking distance of 92.4feet (28.1m) from a speed of 50mph (80km/h) down to 0.
In dry handling, both tires perform marginally the same with Assurance MaxLife have a small advantage with a subjective rating of 6.7/10 over Defender2’s 6.53/10. In regards to the lap times, both had the same timing with only 0.01 seconds separating them apart. Overall, both tires showed similar performances in dry with Assurance MaxLife having a tiny advantage. Below are some of the feedback from the drivers on the dry handling track:
Defender2:
The Defender2 also delivered competitive, objective results, and around the track defaulted to safe understeer as it slowly exceeded grip. While maybe not the optimum behavior for fast laps, its understeer-prone handling was consistent and easily correctable for the unpredictable public streets.
Test driver feedback on Defender2
Assurance MaxLife:
The Assurance MaxLife once again utilized its direct and responsive handling, combining multiple inputs with ease, which is a trait that makes unexpected, dynamic maneuvers easy to handle
Test driver feedback on Assurance MaxLife
Defender2:
- 0% in dry braking
- -0.8% in dry handling (subj)
- 0% in dry handling (lap time)
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
Ride comfort, noise & comfort was tested and as in dry & wet performances. Assurance MaxLife came out slightly ahead at 6.95/10 rating compared to the 6.88/10 rating of Defender2 with noise being the main differences.
Defender2:
- -0.4% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality.
Snow
When comparing the snow performance of Goodyear Assurance MaxLife and Michelin Defender2 tires, there are noticeable differences. In snow braking, the Goodyear tires stop from 25 to 0 mph in 58.30 feet, while the Michelin tires take 61.10 feet, indicating a better performance by the Goodyear tires with a difference of 2.8 feet. For snow acceleration, measuring the distance to accelerate from 0 to 12 mph, Goodyear again shows superiority, requiring only 32.30 feet compared to Michelin’s 37.20 feet.
In subjective snow handling, rated out of 10, the Goodyear tires score 4.50, surpassing the Michelin tires which score 3.83. Finally, in terms of snow handling lap time, Goodyear tires complete a lap in 60.34 seconds, faster than Michelin tires, which take 63.07 seconds. Overall, Goodyear Assurance MaxLife tires demonstrate better snow performance in all tested aspects compared to Michelin Defender2 tires.
Defender2:
- -4.6% in Snow braking
- -13.2% in Snow Acceleration
- -3.4% in Snow handling (subj)
- -4.3% in Snow handling(lap time)
Ice
In terms of ice performance, the Goodyear Assurance MaxLife and Michelin Defender2 tires show distinct differences. On ice braking, where the tires are measured for their stopping distance from 12 to 0 mph, the Goodyear tires have a stopping distance of 69.20 feet, which is better than the Michelin tires that stop at 73.20 feet. This indicates a difference of 4 feet in favor of the Goodyear tires.
For ice acceleration, which measures the time taken for a rolling start to cover 60 feet, the Goodyear tires again perform better. They take 7.03 seconds, while the Michelin tires take longer, at 7.69 seconds. Overall, the Goodyear Assurance MaxLife tires exhibit superior performance on ice compared to Michelin Defender2 tires in both braking and acceleration.
Defender2:
- -5.5% in Ice braking
- -8.6% in Ice acceleration
Wear/UTQG rating
We have previously shown that UTQG tread wear rating can be a good indication of your expected mileage. Below are the UTQG values of both of the tirelines.
| Brand | Tireline | Size | Tread Wear | Traction | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodyear | Assurance MaxLife | All | 820 | A | B |
| Michelin | Defender2 | All | 840 | B | B |
The mileage warranty for Defender2 is at 80,000 miles while Assurance MaxLife has a higher warranty at 85,000 miles. The mileage warranty was not aligned as Defender2 boasts a 20 point higher UTQG tread wear rating compared to Assurance MaxLife. Apart from the UTQG tread wear rating, based on Michelin’s own test report, it was reported that the expected mileage of Defender2 is at 94,400 miles vs Goodyear’s Assurance MaxLife at 51,900 miles. This in terms provided an 80% advantage in wear for Defender2 !
For more in depth information about UTQG, please check out this article here. We even have a free download on the latest UTQG values from the leading tire manufacturers.
Defender2:
- +81.9% in wear
Price
Being the undisputed technology leader, we would expect Michelin to command the highest priced tire in the market. This was in alignment as Defender2 was 17 dollars more expensive than Assurance MaxLife.
Tire size: 205/55R16
Defender2: $166
Assurance MaxLife: $149
Difference: +7.5% more expensive for Defender2.
Summary
As a tire expert, I’ve carefully analyzed the performance of both the Goodyear Assurance MaxLife and Michelin Defender2 tires, considering various aspects including wet, snow, ice, and wear. The results are quite intriguing. While the Defender2 excels in mileage and wear, being the clear choice for those prioritizing longevity, it’s important to note there’s a significant trade-off in other performance areas.
In snow and ice conditions, the Assurance MaxLife outperformed the Defender2. Specifically, in snow braking, the Assurance MaxLife stopped 2.8 feet shorter than the Defender2, and it also had better snow acceleration, handling, and lap times. On ice, the MaxLife again had the upper hand in both braking and acceleration, stopping 4 feet shorter and accelerating quicker over 60 feet.
In wet conditions too, the Assurance MaxLife showed superior performance. However, when it comes to wear, the Defender2 clearly dominates, making it a strong contender for those who value mileage above all else. This is a crucial aspect in the UTQG tread wear 800 segment, where the Defender2’s trade-offs in snow, ice, wet and dry performance are overshadowed by its exceptional wear characteristics.
In conclusion, while the Assurance MaxLife outperforms in wet, snow, and ice conditions, the Defender2’s exceptional wear performance is a significant factor to consider. Ultimately, it comes down to your primary requirements!
Dr Edwin Pang