By Marc Bouchard
It’s a bit like finding an old friend. The kind of reliable companion, always ready to face the unexpected of the road, without ever raising the tone or showing signs of weakness. Here, in a few words, the impression left to me by the Michelin Defender 2 tire after several weeks spent driving, mounted on a Subaru Crossrek barely old years.
A test which took place under conditions as varied as the Quebec weather can offer it: from torrential rain to the dry highway, passing by the country roads on the surface sometimes, let’s say it, doubtful.
I say it right away: this tire is not exciting, since the sports performance of your vehicle will not improve. It is not designed to cut curves at high speed or to cry on the road. He is rather the ideal companion of quiet sedan and lighter SUVs and multisegment. And this is precisely what makes it a perfect ally. Its vocation is longevity (Michelin speaks of 130,000 km), stability, comfort and reassuring efficiency on a daily basis. A bit like crossrek, by the way.
On the highway, the Defender 2 shines with its silence. Even at 115 km/h, the sound level in the cabin remains surprisingly low, a net contrast with certain tires of the same category that I was able to test. This silence, combined with a direction that does not vibrate, allows you to ride long without fatigue.
But it was in the rain that the Defender 2 impressed me the most. I had read bad things about his grip on wet roads. However, a summer storm, as violent as sudden, picked me up on a secondary road. The kind of thunderstorm where the wiper struggled to follow the cadence. However, at no time did I feel this unpleasant floating or this loss of contact that we feared in aquaplating. The tire grooves have clearly evacuated the water with remarkable efficiency, and the Crossrek remained perfectly stable, even in the long stretch curves. However, I admit I have limited sudden gestures and violent braking. We don’t try the devil either!
On the country roads, where the asphalt is sometimes cracked, bumpy or replaced by gravel on the edge, the Defender 2 retains a good flexibility. It filters small imperfections well without ever giving the impression of softness. Its carcass seems well suited to the concerns of the Quebec road network, and I have never feared for the solidity of the sides, even after a few impacts a little too direct on nests-of-poule well camouflaged by the puddles.
It must be said that this Defender 2 promises up to 130,000 kilometers of sustainability. I am obviously not able to confirm it after a few weeks, but wear and tear seems minimal so far. It will take a bit that summer will continue to find out more.
I do not hide from you that I can’t wait to see how he will behave after a full summer of heat waves, long journeys and a few dirt roads during rural getaways. A second test will therefore follow at the end of the summer, a question of measuring the evolution of his behavior over time. But already, I can say it: the Michelin Defender 2 is a discreet, competent, and reassuring tire. It remains to be seen if he will fill his promises of sustainability!
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