The Best Michelin Tires For Pickup Trucks, According To Consumer Reports

Shopping for a new set of tires is one of those tasks that can overwhelm almost any truck owner, if only because the number of brands available to consumers seems to grow every year. On top of that, new truck tires tend to cost a little more than your average set of radials, even for budget tires. While there are plenty of affordable truck tires out there these days, those of you looking for maximum value may want tires from one of the major tire brands, as they may offer more in the way of quality and durability.

Shoppers looking to outfit their pickup with tires from a major brand will likely have Michelin on their radar, as the publicly traded French manufacturer has long ranked among the best tire brands in the game. Michelin does not, however, offer a ton of options in its lineup of proper truck tires. According to Consumer Reports (CR), if you are looking for truck tires with the Michelin name stamped on the wall, the LTX A/T2 is the model most worthy of your money.

CR's study found the LTX A/T2 to be a solid all-terrain truck tire that provides excellent hydroplaning resistance and is expected to offer great tread life. Michelin's own warranty covers the tire for up to 60,000 miles, but you may well exceed that based on CR's testing. Per Michelin, the tires are specifically engineered to last and deliver a comfortable ride on dirt and gravel surfaces.

Consumer Reports reached its conclusion about the Michelin LTX A/T 2 (and other truck tires) based on a rigorous series of tests designed to measure which tires performed best in categories like wet and dry braking, ride comfort, handling, and quietness. Tread life, rolling resistance, and fuel economy were also measured by independent labs, with the LTX A/T2 scoring well in all of the noted categories.

For the record, the Michelin-branded truck tire was not the highest-rated tire in the Consumer Reports study of all-terrain models, and the outlet placed it just behind Continental's TerrainContact A/T. According to CR, the primary difference between the two tires is road noise, with CR noting Continental's all-terrain tire outshines its competitor in that category while scoring well in all the others tested. The Continentals did, however, fall well short of the LTX A/T2 in terms of projected tread life.

Those results are hardly shocking, as Continental is a relatively well-regarded tire manufacturer. While CR recently rated Michelin the better brand overall, it would seem that Continental takes the title in the light truck sector, with its TerrainContact H/T also earning top scores in the all-season tire category. It should be noted, however, that truck tires from both of these brands are not exactly cheap. That said, according to CR, you can expect some decent bang for your buck, whichever of these tires you choose.