Choosing a tire that is both reliable and comfortable is essential. Firestone Destination LE2 Vs Michelin Defender offers both qualities simultaneously and is ideal for the daily driving application that desires all-season versatility. These tires are very similar in performance and experience but also slightly different and if you want to know which tire will work better, let’s look at what they can offer below.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- Do You Need All-Season Tire
- What are Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender
- What are the Features of Firestone Destination LE2
- What are the Features of Michelin Defender
- How are the Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender on Road
- How are the Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender on Snow
- Are Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender Comfortable
- Firestone Destination LE2 Vs Michelin Defender
All-Season Tires
All-season tires are a great option if you want something that can handle the weather changes and is used all year round. Depending on where you live and what type of terrain this tire will be used on, most all-season tires are good for winter with adequate light snow traction. The tires are also ideal for daily driving appliances, and this is why you see them being shipped as OEM for new vehicles. Price-wise they will vary from budget to high-end choices.
The main advantage of using a set of all-season tires is their versatility because not everyone wants to change their tire a few times a year to match the season. As the name suggests, they are jack of all trades but master of none. All-season models like Continental Crosscontact LX25 are highly praised for their responsive steering and reliability in dry or wet conditions. They are also suitable for winter as traction is still there while not the best.
But, on the other hand, all-season also has some limitations. For example, the grip won’t be as impressive compared to a summer tire, especially in warm weather, so the steering, cornering, and braking experience will not be as confident. Compared to all-terrain such as Goodyear Wrangler, the all-season is also good on gravel but not on loose terrain or rocky hills. The tires are best when used on pavement, asphalt, tarmac, or similar surface, so they are not ideal for adventuring.
About Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender
If your living place or driving condition is moderate, the all-season tire will be a perfect option as it goes well with the typical application. There are many good tires to consider, and some are also more affordable. There is more to a tire than its brand and price, so a higher price is never guaranteed that your set will work better than its budget alternative. We recommend an excellent all-season tire for the drivers who want a versatile solution for their daily driving.
You can find them from almost any company making tires, such as Firestone and Michelin. Firestone is famous for being an alternative for its cheaper price point, and Bridgestone owns this company so that you may find some similar collections between the two. Some of the promising all-season that you can trust from these companies are Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender line. We are choosing the famous LTX for this comparison, or you can also select the TH if long mileage is the focus.
These tires perform well on dry and wet roads but are noticeably different. The Destination LE2 is a predecessor of the newer LE3 that you can check in our Firestone Destination LE3 Vs Continental Crosscontact LX25. We recommend choosing the L3 over this older variant if you can find the tire and size because the performance upgrade is significant. The Destination LE2 is still a good tire if your focus is a long-lasting tire but compared to Defender, it is not satisfying to drive with.
Michelin Defender is not far different from Destination LE2, but this tire feels better to drive with as it provides better traction and is more responsive in handling. While it is nowhere near summer, the Defender is a fun tire. What to note is that compared to Destination LE2, this tire will wear relatively faster, meaning you may have to change into another set earlier than using Firestone. Overall, it is between performance and cost-efficiency, which is more important.
Firestone Destination LE2 Features
The Firestone Destination is designed for light-duty pick-up, crossovers, vans, and sport utility vehicles. Its main goal is to provide all-season traction, comfortable ride, and long wear. The tire is made using a silica-enhanced compound combined with a symmetric tread pattern to grip dry, wet, and snowy roads. Destination LE2 uses notched shoulder blocks with continuous ribs to provide dry road handling, extended wear, and even wear. They choose circumferential and sweeping grooves for hydroplaning resistance and wet traction.
Inside the shoulder ribs, this tire has cross grooves helped by zigzag sipes for biting edges and snow traction. Destination LE2 is made with twin steel belts strengthened with nylon for improved internal structure’s rigidity, uniformity, and durability. At the same time, the polyester cord will help the tire to increase riding comfort.
Michelin Defender Features
Similarly, the Micheline LTX is designed for vans, pick-ups, and sport-utility vehicles. Its main goal is to provide a smooth driving experience, quiet ride, and year-round traction, including colder seasons. It is the newer variant of LTX M/S2, so they share similarities such as tread pattern but now have an improvement over the wear to answer demands from modern trucks applications. This tire is made with a new compound called Evertread, which is claimed to be more robust and long-lasting.
The Defender LTX also has a symmetric tread design with independent and stable tread blocks. The tread -blocks are featured with high-density 3D Active Sipes for their all-season traction in both dry and wet conditions. The four wide circumferential channels with lateral grooves and open shoulder slots will help the tire to gain wet traction as it can evacuate water more effectively and increase stopping performance. It seems the tread design also allows this tire to distribute forces for more even wear.
Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender on the Road
Now for the most important aspect, let’s see what the Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender can offer starting from the road performance. The two are very good for typical daily driving with a distinct well-rounded all-season character. They are easy to steer, and chances will be not far different from your previous all-season. These tires are responsible, light on the steering, and easy to control on the road. The braking is also superb, and they feel a bit softer on bumpy roads.
However, when driving on damp roads or under the rain, things are a bit different as the grip becomes less with Destination LE2. The traction is not as prominent as Defender on a dry road, but it is more noticeable as you move to a wet surface. We think the Defender feels better on this type of surface because the tire can evacuate the water more effectively with those wide circumferential channels, promoting a more reliable hydroplaning and wet traction.
Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender on Snow
Next, the Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender are not labeled with a 3PMSF rating for the snow traction, so we can’t expect too much from the overall performance. But, they will still let you drive safely on light snow. The traction that was lacking on the wet surface is also noticeable here as Destination LE2 becomes more slippery, so we have to drive very carefully with the tire, even on light snow. While the Defender is not great on snow, the tire manages to grip the snow-covered roads pretty well.
The experience includes deep snow, too, but we do not recommend using them on the icy road because there is minimal traction here, and it can be dangerous. Overall for snow application, the Defender is still a better choice than Destination LE2.
Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender Comfort
Lastly, for the comfort of Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender, these tires are also performing well. They are just like most all-season with a bit of soft-touch, but we think the Defender gives a more luxurious feeling. It balances the soft touch and responsive handling. Usually, noise is never an issue with this type of tire, but the Defender is also quieter in comparison. We don’t consider Destination LE2 a loud tire, but sometimes it produces a louder thud on rough surfaces.
Firestone Destination LE2 Vs Michelin Defender
Both tires are a good option if you are looking for a versatile and comfortable tire at a reasonable price. They are not cheap but perform well, but Firestone Destination LE2 and Michelin Defender are not identical in all aspects. The closest similarity is how they perform on a dry road because they behave like each other. The Destination lacks a bit when it comes to wet traction, as the tire loses some of the grips when the road is wet or when dealing with snow.
Comfort is almost identical with Defender being slightly softer and quiet, but for most people, the difference is not as noticeable, and you can ride comfortably with any of these tires. Price-wise, they are about the same, and Defender LTX is not far different, even though you may find Destination at a lower price tag. As for the warranty, Destination LE2 has a 100,000 km or 62,000 miles treadwear warranty, while Michelin gives a 60,000 miles tread warranty for Defender LTX.
| Firestone Destination LE2 | Michelin Defender |
|---|---|
| - Good dry traction | - Better overall traction |
| - Less grippy on wet roads and snow | - Reliable on wet roads and snow |
| - More affordable | - Slightly more expensive |
| - Longer tread warranty | - Shorter tread warranty |
Conclusion
There is no wrong choice, but we recommend the Defender, such as the LTX variant, if you prefer better traction. This tire is an impressive all-season and has decent wear. It is not far more expensive than Destination, but the warranty is much less.
