Michelin Premier LTX Reviews: 2024 SUVs Tire Test

Many SUV/crossover Michelin tires deliver excellent road handling despite the seemingly simple design. And the vice versa is also not uncommon: we have had hands-on experience with several Michelin contenders whose elaborate, complex constructions fail to adapt well to real-life driving demands, notably the Premier LTX.

So how does this tire’s design translate to real-life performance? This tire review will summarize what Michelin Premier LTX delivered during our 2023 COR Wheels Tire Test.

Michelin Premier LTX Specifications & Features

The Michelin Premier LTX is developed for pickup trucks, light vans, sports vehicles, and crossovers seeking class-leading grip and good braking distances across all terrains and conditions, snow included.

Some notable features and technologies:

• The extreme sunflower oil and silica enhance the compound traction against cold and wet temperatures, molded and tuned symmetrically to light truck sizes. 
• Tire versions marked “DT” use extra molded tread depth and updated compounds to strengthen wear life. 
• The linked shoulder tread blocks and intermediate ribs (flanking the continuous center ribs) work with the compound to combine responsive handling and straight tracking.
• EverGrip Tech introduces Emerging Rain Grooves (spanning across the tire’s shoulders) and Expanding Grooves (wrapping around the circumference). The latter widens while the former opens up, retaining better wintry/wet traction.
• Double steel belts supported by spiral polyamide cords and polyester casings blend riding comfort/uniformity with durability and handling.

Michelin Premier LTX Performance Test Results

Our team members installed the 255/55R18 tire size version of Michelin Premier LTX on the 2015 Honda Pilot, driving the SUV through on-road dry, wet, and snow terrains in June-July (ten days) and January as part of the 2023 COR Wheels Tire Test.

1. Dry Performance: 8.7/10

Dry Traction: 8.8/10

Premier LTX carried on the long-standing Michelin tradition regarding dry grip; we hardly had any real issue finding our footings on pavement grooves at the tamed 40-MPH starter and 500-pound cargo.

Traction loss occurred in timid cuts around the flanks in the first 10 minutes and swallowed itself completely down the road as we accelerated, hence our almost 100% non-shaking rides through soft, gentle curves and 45-degree turns. 

Better yet, packing the SUV full (eight passengers) while increasing the cargo slowly with gradual 100-pound additions did not send us fluttering until we exceeded 1500 lbs. Given that most daily driving situations rarely require the SUV to graze such a high limit, you can trust Premier LTX to operate within safe territories at all times despite car makes and driving levels.

Highway endeavors and road texture transitions proved to be just as delightful, though we could not help but notice slightly longer recovery time upon banked or toll plaza curves.

Corner Stability: 8.6/10

Premier LTX delighted us with its sufficiently firm on-center rib, which played a huge role in keeping the tire on track through unplanned corner entries and sudden mid-way changes toward the exits. Speed changes were a non-issue given that they were strategically applied; for beginners, it would be best if you keep consistent fluctuations between 45 and 50 MPH with occasional downshifts in between.

Off-camber bends and hairpins could be handled well, too. Still, the slight falterings after extended drives were rather hard to ignore, and we also noticed a tendency to understeer if the front and rear tires were inflated beyond 52 MPH.

Steering Response: 8.6/10

There was not much to complain about here; Premier LTX steered in close alignment with our inputs and, at times, even surpassed champions like Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive or Cooper Discoverer EnduraMax when dealing with announced skids towards the opposite directions. 

You will also likely find shuffle steerings at tight hairpins quite a breeze, even with fully-packed passengers and cargo surpassing 900 pounds. But on another note, due to the absence of extra margin to fall back on during emergencies, dynamic, one-hand steering still needed to be handled with more caution to avoid unwanted delays.

2. Wet Performance: 8.4/10

Wet Traction: 8.5/10

Our Honda Pilot navigated with graceful confidence on moderate puddle depth (2 to 5 inches). The mute, ambiguous stretches could be observed at highway curves or during opposite lock steering – but nothing on-time brakings could not handle. Better yet, once the tire finally settles in, you will find the grooves and tread patterns to cave in intimate bonds with the roads, no longer deterred by small roadblocks like pebbles, debris, or even thick mud.

However, waterlogged patches beyond 5.5 inches still lurked the SUV forward unpredictably despite our attempts to keep things low-key at 40 MPH – quite a letdown, considering this is a Michelin tire. Steering responses also seemed to get delayed more often than not due to the weighted-down contact points, only improving a little when we reduced our passengers to 4.

Hydroplaning Resistance: 8.4/10

Hints of hydroplaning barely showed up thanks to the impressive cooperation between the Emerging and Expanding Grooves; mud, water, and debris were distributed and redirected in matching tandem with our steering demands, resulting in close tire-road connections that rarely got disrupted by intruding water.

For a Michelin tire, though, you might still hope for a better balance of stability and groove flex. In critical situations where steering flexibility was prioritized, the grooves still caved in to let a bit of water seep through, causing moments of brief shock that may throw beginners off the track.

3. Winter/Snow Performance: 6.9/10

Light Snow Traction: 7.6/10

The Expanding/Emerging Grooves only carried two-thirds of their designated power here, meaning stumbling upon inconsistent snow depths or packed snow must still be expected. While accelerations were not entirely off-reach, we could only implement them after confirming no significant texture changes or roadblocks were present for at least 1 mile ahead.

On a more positive note, you can still drive on Michelin Premier LTX across short to moderate distances (5 to 10 miles) in favorable temperatures and no snow storms. Better yet, snow chains helped us choke out lots of extra traction around corners and on graded surfaces, almost comparable to a proper winter tire.

Deep Snow Traction: 6.7/10

We already expected worse performances than on light snow, yet the tire’s excessive coughs and pronounced overreactions were still very disappointing. Snow chains on all four only managed to regain a few sharp edges for low-key driving (below 30 MPH) – far from enough if you are a fan of swift, dynamic rides.

Furthermore, cornering attempts were a nightmare without well-placed brakings and good pre-corner speeds: once we messed up the entries, the rest would be unredeemable no matter the type of steering input involved. 

Needless to say, abrupt changes mid-way, correction skids, or unannounced roundabout negotiations at regular driving speeds were impossible; shuffle steering had to be used to get through them.

Ice Traction: 6.3/10

It was hard to find a highlight worth mentioning here; the only good thing about Premier LTX’s icy traction is that it could be retained more or less on melted ice under warmer temperatures. Extremely cautious shuffles at 10 to 15 MPH could also do the job decently on thin or moderate ice buildups.

Other than that, the tire was lacking in every criterion: limited composure, frequent slippages that were almost unable to recover, and horrid steering response further delayed by the freezing weather. Loading any cargo above 200 lbs presented high risks of accidents, so it would be best to travel alone (or with two more passengers at best) and bring along the most basic items and package.

4. Ride Comfort: 8.4/10

Ride Quality: 8.5/10

Premier LTX still vibrated more often than not on cobblestones, brick tarmacs, or sharper turns with tight approach angles. But other than that, the tire did a good job composing itself across different snowless terrain textures, not shaking or being dragged as dramatically as other rivals under heavy towing attempts.

Road Noise: 8.3/10

If you are noise-sensitive, the occasional, almost random screeching during high-speed maneuvers might be quite a huge turn-off. Fortunately, such occasions did not happen as often as expected at driving rates below 55 MPH, even non-existent during leisurely sightseeing shuffles on smooth, well-paved paths.

5. Treadwear and Durability: 5.1/10

After only ten days of testing, faint shredding at the top already showed up; it is clear that heavy wet and snow abuse was beyond the tire’s scope. Contact points and sidewall flexes also got increasingly weaker as the summer temperatures surged, resulting in almost fatal damage near the shoulders due to debris and small nails.

Given this many red flags during our short-term test, we doubt your car could survive past the 2-year benchmark without serious deterioration. Fortunately, the manufacturer does give a 60,000-mile/6-year warranty to compensate for the tire’s disappointing durability.

Michelin Premier LTX Pros & Cons

Michelin Premier LTX Competitors & Alternatives

Other rivals like Kumho Crugen Premium and Yokohama Geolandar G055 are more or less at the same level as Michelin Premier LTX, with a few distinctive features of their own: 

• Michelin Premier LTX had great road manners in wet conditions but was extremely disappointing in treadwear rates.
• Kumho Crugen delivered good dry-wet traction balance and a comfortable driving feel. However, its winter performances felt flat. 
• Yokohama Geolandar excelled in dry handling, though we would love fewer over-reactions and softer rolls over road bumps.

Conclusion

According to this Michelin Premier LTX tire review, despite being on the same level with several top-performance models on our list in terms of dry and wet grip, Michelin Premier LTX loses many points regarding wintertime handling and treadwear rates. You can still use this all-season tire in basic driving situations and occasional light snow, but do not expect long-lasting usage and good damage resistance.