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Customer reviews for Michelin Defender2 - 215/60R17 96H Tire for
Michelin Defender2 - 215/60R17 96H Tire
4.7 out of 5 stars
stars
1,038 ratings1,028 reviews
  1. 5 stars85% (878)
  2. 4 stars8% (82)
  3. 3 stars3% (30)
  4. 2 stars2% (19)
  5. 1 star3% (29)

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Showing 351-360 of 1,028 reviews
Jan 19, 2023
Reviewer name: LarryP
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars review

Michelin Tires are the BEST!

Amazing handling, and my car has never driven so smooth! I did see an immediate drop in MPG approximately 4 mpg due to having more rubber on the ground which explains the go cart like handling. The overall handling and comfort is well worth the small loss in mpg.

Review from michelinman.com
Helpful?6D07DJW7R9PK13614110422
Nov 11, 2022
Reviewer name: Eric100
2 out of 5 stars
2 out of 5 stars review

Bumpy ride on smooth roads.

The Defender 2 tires are replacements on my Lexus ES 350. The tires are quiet and handle well but they are very bumpy/rough riding. I've had the tires rebalanced but it didn't fix the bumpy ride. I've driven them about 500 miles so far and I wouldn't recommend these tires due to the ride quality. I'm giving two stars because they are very quiet and handle great.

Review from michelinman.com
Helpful?6D07DJW7R9PK13614110422
reply from Consumer Care MIC US

Eric100, thanks for taking the time to write a review. We appreciate your feedback. Keep in mind, the Defender2, as well as all Michelin products, have a 60 day satisfaction guarantee as part of the Michelin Promise Plan. Simply return to your retailer for the tires to be swapped out.

Nov 27, 2024
Reviewer name: Up North
3 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 stars review

Traction B???

I bought a set of four of the Defender 2 model earlier this month expecting them to be an improved version of my previous Michelin Defender tires. What I didn’t know until I got home and had a chance to look them over more closely was that the traction rating is “B,” unlike the previous model of tires which were rated “A” for traction. What a disappointment! Why would you have this mediocre traction design to the Defender 2, Michelin? My only other Michelin option for the size I need was the snow tire model, but I wanted year round, all season tires and that left the Defender 2 as the remaining choice. While it’s great to buy tires made in the USA, this traction B rating seems rather bush league coming from such a renowned manufacturer.

Review from michelinman.com
Helpful?6D07DJW7R9PK13614110422
reply from Consumer Care MIC US

Up North, The UTQG traction grade is a 40-year-old, locked-wheel wet braking test and is, in our estimation and in the estimation of the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, a method that is outdated and inconsistent because all modern vehicles have anti-lock brakes. A braking test based on anti-lock brakes measuring peak adherence rather than slide adherence, which is better suited for today’s vehicle. Michelin has chosen to design tires based on anti-lock braking, not locked-wheel braking. This sometimes produces a lower locked-wheel result, even though our testing and independent testing used in claims show the MICHELIN® Defender®2 tire to have superior wet braking over leading competitors. This question is an excellent one and highlights why regulation needs to be updated and/or eliminated as technology changes and improves. Our testing and independent testing show that consumers will be very pleased with the wet braking performance of the MICHELIN® Defender®2 tire, not only in when the tire is new, but even as it wears.

Aug 15, 2025
Reviewer name: Honda driver
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars review

Buying Michelin Tires goes back many years starting with my family. Paying a higher price for a tire is worth every cent and the warranty on the Michelin Defender 2 goes a long way on the wear and tear on the tires. The Defender 2 is a quite and smooth tire and I am very satisfied with the performance of the tire.

Review from michelinman.com
Helpful?6D07DJW7R9PK13614110422
Jan 26, 2024
Reviewer name: rpj
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars review

I always buy Michelin

I have been driving Defenders for many years and just put a new set of Defender 2 tires on my 2019 Subaru Impreza. The new tires are very quiet, with zero vibration at any speed. Steering seems more precise and the car tracks perfectly at highway speeds.Routine handling overall is not "sporty" but is very good. My Subaru is glued to the road. In the past few months, I have done 100+ mile drives under blizzard conditions (Route 95 is badly plowed in New England) and heavy rain/sleet, without a single scary moment. I was especially impressed with my car's handling in moderate snow. The Defender 2s are fun to drive and give me confidence that, with careful driving, I can stay safe even in the worst weather. I also expect them to last a very long time.

Review from michelinman.com
Helpful?6D07DJW7R9PK13614110422
Jun 30, 2025
Reviewer name: Mike
3 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 stars review

Not like the old Defender tire

I had defender tires on my old vehicle… super quiet and smooth. They made it 110,000 miles.. super happy. So I bought the new defender2 tire. Something has changed in the compound of the defender2 tire. Rides much rougher and and not nearly as quiet as the continental tires that came on my MDX. Decent … but not overwhelmed by these tires.

Review from michelinman.com
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Sep 20, 2025
Reviewer name: XC’s
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars review

Defender on Volvos

Installed the defender on our XC70 ‘04 & XC90 ‘08. So far no complaints. Balanced nicely. Good ride. Ran in heavy rain in the XC90 and liked the performance, by the way XC90 size 255/50 19 so on the wider size. I will not be running them in winter as have separate snows.

Review from michelinman.com
Helpful?6D07DJW7R9PK13614110422
Aug 3, 2025
Reviewer name: NC Accord
2 out of 5 stars
2 out of 5 stars review

promising but not for me

Bought as a replacement for Primacy AS. The Primacy were down to 4/32 by only 33K miles. The defender 2's were louder and not nearly as good in the wet. Also not a fan of the sidewall near the tread. Probably looks good on an SUV, but no so much on a sedan. A bit rugged looking. Exchanged for the Primacy AS again... i'll deal with them not lasting as long for a smoother quieter ride and more confidence in the wet.

Review from michelinman.com
Helpful?6D07DJW7R9PK13614110422
reply from Consumer Care MIC US

Your review of the Defender 2 tires is most appreciated. We are sorry to hear that these tires did not meet your expectations in regard to the ride quality. We certainly hope you will have a better experience with the replacement tires. Should you have any questions or further concerns, please contact our Consumer Care team at 866-866-6605, 8am - 7pm EST (Mon-Fri) and 9am - 1pm EST (Sat).

Sep 20, 2025
Reviewer name: Brian
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars review

Canadian Made & Better Milage

I chose the tires because they are Canadian made. I've only put about 10,000 km on them but I have noticed that my gas milage is better. I have a RAV4 Hybrid which in summer I was getting 5.4 l/100 km for the past 3 years. I am now getting 5.2 to 5.3 l/km. Not a big saving but I will take it. In old terms that is an improvement of 1 to 2 miles per Imperial gallon. I also feel safer with the new tires as Michelin is known for their high quality.

Review from michelinman.com
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Sep 17, 2025
Reviewer name: Smitty
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars review

Durability and Performance

A couple of weeks ago i was stopped, checked a couple of times to see if it was clear to go ready to pull out across traffic when someone came flying out of nowhere. As soon as I saw him I hit the brakes, and he hit his. Luckily I stopped within inches of his car, I can only say how lucky I was to have such great tires on my car along with good brakes. Such a nice smooth ride, love my Defenders.

Review from michelinman.com
Helpful?6D07DJW7R9PK13614110422