Michelin · tire line
Michelin Defender 2: treadwear rating & UTQG grades
Sold by Michelin as Michelin Defender2; NHTSA files it as “Defender 2”.
Grade summary
Key facts
| Treadwear (NHTSA UTQG) | 840median · range 840 · band 600 and up |
|---|---|
| Traction grade(s) | Traction B |
| Temperature grade(s) | Temp B |
| Percentile (all lines) | Median treadwear higher than 99.8% of 3,020 lines |
| Rank within Michelin | #1 of 57 rated lines (by median treadwear) |
| NHTSA records | 1 total; 0 name a specific size (0 distinct sizes) |
| Warranty miles | 80,000-mile limited treadwear warranty (Michelin says "on most sizes"). Source |
| Price | Not shown (varies by size and store); see “Where to buy” |
What these grades mean in plain English
- Treadwear 840: this is a very high treadwear grade, the top end of the UTQG scale. Under UTQG a grade of 200 should wear twice as long as the grade-100 control tire on NHTSA's test course; real-world mileage varies with driving, rotation, alignment and climate.
- Traction B: B: middle wet-braking grade. Traction is straight-ahead wet braking only; it does not measure cornering or hydroplaning.
- Temperature B: B: passed the 500 rpm stage but not the 575 rpm stage.
- Ranked just below in Michelin: X Tour A/S 2 (median 840).
NHTSA records for Michelin Defender 2
Each row is one NHTSA record as filed by the manufacturer. Sizes are shown exactly as NHTSA lists them; entries such as “All sizes” apply a single grade to several sizes and cannot be matched to one specific size.
| Size (as filed) | Treadwear | Traction | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 840 | Traction B | Temp B |
Cost-per-mile calculator
Price and mileage data are pending a licensed feed, so nothing is pre-filled. Enter your own quote and your own mileage expectation (for example the maker's treadwear warranty from the tire's paperwork). Formula: cost per 1,000 miles = price per set ÷ (expected miles ÷ 1,000).
Other Michelin lines by treadwear
| Rank | Line | Median treadwear |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Defender 2 (this page) | 840Treadwear |
| 2 | X Tour A/S 2 | 840Treadwear |
| 3 | Defender LTX M/S 2 | 820Treadwear |
| 4 | Defender T + H | 820Treadwear |
| 5 | X LT A/S 2 | 820Treadwear |
| 6 | X Tour A/S T + H | 820Treadwear |
| 7 | Defender LTX M/S | 760Treadwear |
| 8 | X LT A/S | 760Treadwear |
| 9 | LTX M/S2 | 720Treadwear |
| 10 | Premier A/S | 640Treadwear |
| 11 | Latitude Tour | 620Treadwear |
| 12 | Premier LTX | 620Treadwear |
Similar treadwear from other brands
Other lines in the same treadwear band (800 and up) with a page here: Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra (800).
Guides that explain these numbers
- What does a tire treadwear rating mean?UTQG basics
- Treadwear rating vs. mileage warrantyTreadwear vs. mileage
- How to make your tires last longerMaintenance
FAQ
What is the treadwear rating of the Michelin Defender 2?
NHTSA's UTQG data lists a single treadwear grade of 840 for the Michelin Defender 2, from 1 record. Treadwear is graded in multiples of 20 relative to a government control tire graded 100; it is not a mileage guarantee.
Is the Michelin Defender 2 treadwear grade high or low?
A grade of 840 is a very high treadwear grade, the top end of the UTQG scale. Compared with every line in the NHTSA data, the median is higher than 99.8% of lines (dataset median 420). Within Michelin it ranks #1 of 57.
What is the cost per mile of the Michelin Defender 2?
We do not have a licensed price or warranty-mileage feed yet, so we do not state a cost per mile. Use the formula cost per 1,000 miles = price per set ÷ (expected miles ÷ 1,000) with your own quote and mileage expectation, or the calculator on this page.
Source and caveats
Source: NHTSA tire ratings API, pulled 2026-10-25. Grade definitions: NHTSA TireWise and 49 CFR 575.104. Grades are self-reported by manufacturers. The NHTSA data has no “currently sold” flag (its active field is false on every record), so a listed line may be discontinued. See methodology.