Michelin vs Goodyear Tires 2024

Michelin vs Goodyear: Michelin and Goodyear are both well known brands in the tire industry. Based on the 2023 world wide sales ranking, Michelin is the highest revenue tire manufacturer (€28 billion) while Goodyear ranks 3th with over €19.5 billion in tire sales. Michelin is currently the de-facto technology leader as they have showcased over the years with multiple press test winning products while Goodyear has also been quite competitive in the recent years with the purchase of Cooper tires in 2021 to further strengthen its product portfolio. Instead of having a general outlook of comparison, we will stack the same segment products and compare them head to head.

Track day/Semi slick

• Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport R vs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect

The comparison between the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport R and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect is a contest between two highly-regarded performance tires. Both are semi-slick track day tires, legal for road use, and popular among track enthusiasts.

In dry conditions, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 had better braking but similar handling to the Goodyear. In wet conditions, the Michelin excelled in both braking and handling. Both tires were durable, with similar wear. Despite its higher price, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tire demonstrated better overall performance in both dry and wet conditions, making it a preferable choice for those seeking high performance in track and road use.

Ultra High Performance (UHP)

• Michelin Pilot Sport 5 vs Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6

With its newest updated package in 2022, both tires showed great strengths against the rest of the competitors. Pilot Sport 5 was stronger in wet & comfort while the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 was good in dry, noise & rolling resistance. Overall from our point of view, Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 is the winner with the only major disadvantage coming in the form of wet handling. It also comes around with a 10% cheaper price tag than the Pilot Sport 5 🙂

Touring

• Michelin Primacy 4+ vs Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2

In the summer touring tire segment, the Michelin Primacy 4+ and Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 are key contenders. The Primacy 4+ is known for its impressive wet-road performance and durability, while the EfficientGrip Performance 2 offers longevity and fuel efficiency

Based on the test results, the Michelin Primacy 4+ emerges as the slightly superior tire, especially in wet and dry braking performance, and its lower abrasion value aligns with environmental standards. Although the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 has better wear and is more budget-friendly, it doesn’t quite match the Michelin’s overall performance, making the Primacy 4+ the preferable choice for those prioritizing safety and environmental impact.

All Season (Europe)

• Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 vs Michelin Cross Climate 2

Michelin once again shows its innovation by revolutionizing the all season segment with its highly successful 3 peak mountain certified Cross Climate in 2015. At that time, all season markets were predominantly sold in America with poor winter performances. Cross Climate showed that it is possible to be marginally worse in summer performances while being extremely dominant in winter performances. After the initial success of Cross Climate, every tire manufacturer scramble to launch their own similar segment products but non still as well balanced as the latest Cross Climate 2 !

Overall, both tires show tremendous excellence in various performance segments. Cross Climate 2 excels in dry, rolling resistance & snow. While Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 was extremely dominant in wet, wear & pricing. Having the overview in mind, in our humble opinion Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 had the slight edge in this duel with its outstanding wear performances !

All Season (North America)

• Goodyear Assurance MaxLife vs Michelin Defender2

In the American all-season tire market, the comparison between the Goodyear Assurance MaxLife and the Michelin Defender2 is notable. Both fall into the M+S (Mud and Snow) category, known for better mileage but usually weaker winter performance.

The Defender2 stands out for its mileage and wear, making it ideal for those who prioritize tire longevity. However, it falls short in winter conditions. In snow and ice, the Assurance MaxLife demonstrates superior performance. It stops 2.8 feet shorter in snow braking and performs better in snow acceleration, handling, and lap times. On ice, the MaxLife also excels, stopping 4 feet shorter and accelerating quicker over a distance of 60 feet. The Assurance MaxLife continues to outperform the Defender2 in wet conditions, but the Defender2’s dominance in wear makes it a compelling choice for drivers valuing mileage.

In summary, while the Goodyear Assurance MaxLife offers better performance in wet, snow, and ice conditions, the Michelin Defender2’s exceptional wear quality stands out. The choice depends on whether you prioritize winter performance or tire longevity.

All Weather (North America)

• Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady vs Michelin CrossClimate 2

With such dominating performance in Europe, Michelin Cross Climate step foot into the North America market not to soon after building an even a stronger appreciation of this marvelous engineering piece. In addition to winning 50% of the press tests it has participated in Europe, the CrossClimate 2 was rank 1st in this segment by both TireRack and Consumer Report. Based on multiple test results, the CrossClimate 2 has demonstrated superior target conflict management of summer versus winter performance, as it once again outshined the competition. Not to mention, the CrossClimate 2 tops the charts when it comes to mileage, with an actual tested result of 85,000 miles. This tire is the main reason why you do not need to switch tires every 6 months.

On the other hand Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady is a touring tire that is designed to provide a comfortable ride and long tread life. Although there are no direct head-to-head test results comparing the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady and Michelin CrossClimate 2, available data suggests a performance disparity. The Goodyear tire has shown struggles against mid-tier brands like the Firestone WeatherGrip. This observation leads to a reasonable prediction that the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady would likely face challenges in matching the performance of the Michelin CrossClimate 2, which is known for its strong performance in its category.

Winter (Middle European)

• Michelin Alpin 6 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9+

Aplin 6 is the successor of the highly popular Alpin 5 which has been a household name in the European winter market for the last 6 years. Alpin 6 showed its clear strength in wear, noise & dry performances. However Ultra Grip 9+ was dominant in other categories. Its superior snow & wet performances which are the key requirements for middle European winter seal the deal. Our clear recommendation is the Ultra Grip 9+ !

Winter Snow (North America)

• Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra vs Michelin X-Ice SNOW

In the Studless segment, both tires played second fiddle to the undisputed champion Viking Contact 7. Based on the test results, X-Ice SNOW showed clear strengths in snow, wet & noise performances while WinterCommand Ultra showed good dry performances. Even with its drawback in price, X-Ice SNOW is the clear winner in this duel with extremely good winter performances.

Winter Studless (Europe)

• Michelin X Ice Snow vs Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3

In the winter tire market, the Michelin X Ice Snow and Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 represent a significant competition. The Michelin tire has been a longstanding choice for its excellent performance on snow and ice, thanks to its advanced technology and tread design. However, the newly introduced Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 challenges this with its cutting-edge features and materials, offering exceptional grip and stability in winter conditions.

In evaluations, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 demonstrated superior performance across various winter conditions, including ice, snow, wet, and dry surfaces. Although the assessment focused mainly on handling and braking, without considering factors like noise and tire wear, the Goodyear tire stands out for its consistent performance across different terrains.

Overall, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 emerges as a strong competitor to the Michelin X Ice Snow, potentially setting a new standard in the winter tire segment. This makes it a compelling option for drivers seeking high-quality winter/studless tires.

Studded

• Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2 vs Michelin X Ice North 4 SUV

We have covered the studded tire segment quite with a top 2 titan clash in the form of Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 vs Michelin X Ice North 4 with Hakkapeliitta showing great performances in ice & snow. This time we would like to introduce another premium competitor in the form of Goodyear’s UltraGrip Arctic 2. This new studded tire from Goodyear was launched in 2021 replacing UltraGrip Ice Arctic after a 9 year gap. UltraGrip Arctic 2 covers all tire sizes from 14″ all the way to 20″. On the other corner, we have Michelin’s X Ice North 4 which is famously known for having the highest amount of stud (250) among the field.

Based on the test results, both tires took turns to excel in various performance fields. UltraGrip Arctic 2 showed clear strengths in ice & wet while X Ice North 4 SUV was good in snow, dry, noise & fuel consumption. As the results were really close together, there is no clear winner in this duel.

Summary

Overall, both Michelin & Goodyear showed they are capable of making outstanding tires. There is no such general rule that who is better and it all boils down to the tire segment of interest. One thing we know for sure: Michelin & Goodyear certainly know how to make good tires !

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