I have always been a fan of Michelin tires for their quality. When my vehicle needed a new set of shoes I was rather disapponted that the hydroedges I had previously bought had been discontinued. The bright side was that qualities from the hydroedge along with some other styles had been incorperated into what is now the Michelin DEFENDER. Which I have to say have impressed me more then my previous hydroedges. Not only do they grab the road tightly in all the conditions my commute entails but they are a great deal quieter on the road then my hydroedges. I am very happy with this purchase and will more then likely be getting them again when my treadlife has worn out.

Compared to the original tires (not Michelin) on my car these seem to have a higher rolling resistance. However, these tires grip the road and provide a secure feeling on turns and in wet weather. They also carry a mileage rating that is twice that of the original tires, so along with safety, I get good value.

My wife and I have been putting miles on these tires and the tread is just as tall as when we first purchased these tires. Road noise, Handling, Manueverability, Comfort, Breaking and overall Piece of Mind are excellent with these Michelin Defenders.

I don't need to rate the tire, I have been buying Michelin for 45 years. In fact I have never bought another brand unless it was on a car that I purchased. I'm retired now but was a salesman on the road for 39 years and wouldn't own any other brand of tire. Over those years living in Minnesota I have driven in almost every kind of condition you can imagine, from ice to snow, heavy rain,hot,cold,gravel,tar,cement you name it, and have always felt safe and confident that the tires on my car wouldn't let me down. My last set of Primacy got me 85,000 miles. Arnie Tietz

City commute, highway for short trips. Slow driving style, not a racer! NEW tires offer awesome grip and handling, cornering and braking are superb. Under light snow the tire performs great! However, past the 40,000 miles mark the performance IS GONE! In wet asphalt the tires spin and breaking distance increases noticeably. Thread depth disappears rapidly. Snow? Keep car at home I am certain I will need a new set long before the 90,000 miles warranty expires. Why would one manufacture a tire that loses performance at 40,000 miles and doesn't last beyond 60,000 miles, yet offer a 90,000 miles warranty? To me that is misleading information.

The most miles I've gotten out of a tire on my 2007 Ford Freestar is 35,000. No one makes a tire in a 225/60/16 that can deal with the weight of a 5000+ pound minivan for the rated mileage. I thought that buying the best tire out there as far as mileage warranty goes would help my situation. Well I've got 37,000 on these and was told that I would no longer be serviced at my local tire shop because my tread depth is too low and they recommend new tires. 5-7 32nd's average between all 4 tires. Good thing is they will give me a decent chunk of $$$ towards my next set since these didn't even make it to the warranties half way mark. The tires are great in every other category though, smooth, quiet.

As always I do my own tire work for my family and friends. Always use Michelin tires because they pay for themselves in safety, wear, gasoline economy, and balance. If the wheel is in balance the Michelin is usually always in balance. I never have to use wheel weights, at the most I may have to do is to rotate the tire on the wheel to get a perfect balance. The tire is the only thing holding the vehicle off of the pavement. High quality tires are a must for safety's sake!

Afew miles into my new set of tires, I'm getting the ride and performance I have come to expect from Michelin. I just replaced the original tires on my Soul at only 30K, so I'm curious to see how long these go. I am also watching the gas mileage--it may be lower, but it's too early to tell.

...I don't ever have to think about them. In this economy, the last thing I want to think about is paying for car maintenance like new tires. I buy Michelin tires when my mechanic reminds me and I never have any issues, even in tough Wisconsin winters. I drive a lot (and pretty fast too) so I am probably harder on my tires than the average person but they last and last.

I purchased the Defenders tires for my 2009 Chevy Impala. Can't believe how much of a smooth and quite ride I am getting with these tires. I went to buy these tires based on all the info and reviews regarding them and the tire company talked me into something different. Should have listened to myself and bought them right away but within 3 weeks of driving the other tire I had them order the Defenders and change them. Best decision I made. What a difference!!