In 2019, Michelin acquired one of the largest tire makers in Indonesia, Multistrada Arah Sarana (MASA). This 34-year-old tire company owns the Achilles and Corsa brands.
That being said, the curiosity about who makes Achilles tires, where are Achilles tires made, or are Achilles tires good and so on, is high. So, let’s dive into Achilles tires vs Michelin and see if Achilles tires are competitive.
Obviously, Achilles is no match for Michelin’s wide selection and century long-expertise of producing premium products. Although Achilles was designed to compete in the mid to low end tier, it has winter and off-roading SUV tires that can perform better than Michelin.
Here is a quick roundup of the distinct features that are worth remembering when you compare Michelin tires to Achilles.
| Achilles | Michelin | |
| Headquarters | East Cikarang, Indonesia | Clermont-Ferrand, France |
| Year Established | 1988 | 1889 |
| Tire Selection | Few but similar tire categories | Large tire selection, more tire choices for each category, especially all season performance |
| Availability | Limited tire dealers | Accessible worldwide |
| Dry | Average | Winner |
| Wet | Poor | Winner |
| Comfort/Ride Quality | Low to High | Comfortable |
| Noise | Quiet to Loud Noise | Quiet to Low Noise |
| Snow and Ice | Has only 3 options but the Winter 101 X is outstanding | More tire options for light snow conditions; Michelin X Ice Snow is its most reliable snow tire |
| Price | Cheap | Expensive |
| Mileage warranty | Below average | Winner |
Table of Contents
What Are They?
1. Achilles Tires
Achilles is a radial tire brand developed by Indonesian tire manufacturer, Multistrada Arah Sarana (MASA) for four-wheeled vehicles. MASA has another brand designed for two-wheeled vehicles called Corsa.
Achilles Radial tires were introduced in 2005, a year after MASA took over PT Oroban Perkasa, which was founded in 1988. Prior to the takeover, the tire company partnered with Pirelli Italy in 1991 and Continental in 1995.
Related Comparison:
Today, Achilles offers 8 tire categories, and here are some of their tire models:
| Tire Category | Number of tire models | Tire Designs |
| Performance | 3 | – ATR Sport2 – ATR Sport – 2233 |
| Comfort | 5 | – 868 All Seasons – 122 – ATR-K – Platinum – Platinum 7 |
| Winter | 3 | – Winter 101 X – Winter 101+ – Winter 101 |
| SUV | 7 | – Desert Hawk H/T 2 – Desert Hawk MT – Desert Hawk XMT – Desert Hawk AT – Desert Hawk AP – 838 MT – Desert Hawk UHP |
| Commercial | 6 | – Multivan – Dura Grip II – X-Grip – LTR-80 – 9595 – Econo Van |
| Truck and Bus | 3 | – HD12 – AAA9 – AA08 |
| Competition | 3 | – 123 – ATR K-Spor – GS328 |
| Industrial | 1 | – A01 |
The brand’s official website displays Achilles tires ratings, but little is known about Achilles tire warranty. So, it’s always a good idea to check user reviews on Consumer Report and forums.
2. Michelin
Michelin started off as a farm equipment business in 1889 until brothers Edouard and Andre shifted to tire making. Their first patent for a removable pneumatic tire came out in 1891, the same year the tire was used by the first long distance cycle winner in the world, Charles Terront.
Currently, Michelin has 6 tire categories with several tire designs under 9 tire families.
| Tire categories | Number of Tire models | Popular Tire designs |
| Passenger car | 12 | – Michelin Crossclimate – Michelin Defender – Michelin Defender T + – Michelin Energy Saver All Season |
| Luxury Performance | 14 | – Michelin Crossclimate 2 – Michelin Primacy 3 |
| Performance Sport | 16 | – Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 – Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect – Michelin Pilot Super Sport |
| SUV Crossover | 21 | – Michelin Crossclimate – Michelin Defender 2 – Michelin Defender T + H |
| Light truck | 9 | – Michelin LTX /MS2 |
| EV Compatible | 14 | – Michelin Crossclimate 2 – Michelin Defender 2 – Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
| Winter | 7 | – Michelin X-Ice Snow – Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV – Michelin X-Ice Xi3 – Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 |
Notice that there are tires that appear in more than one category. Examples include the Michelin Crossclimate 2, Michelin Defender 2, and Michelin Defender T + H.
Similarities and Differences: Michelin vs Achilles Tires
In this section, we will focus on comparing the two brands in similar categories.
1. Performance Tires
Achilles has three summer tires under the performance category: ATR Sport, Achilles ATR Sport 2, and 2233, plus two high-performance summer tires under the comfort category: Platinum and Platinum 7.
- ATR Sport exhibited the worst dry and wet performance, weak aquaplaning resistance, and a low comfort level.
- ATR Sport 2 performs well on dry and wet roads if warmed up properly. If not, it performs the opposite. Noise ranges from low to moderately loud.
- 2233 has good grip and handling on dry roads but loses control on wet pavements. It can handle hard surfaces with potholes with average comfort and loud noise.
- The reviews for the Platinum are more positive than those for the Platinum 7. The tire provides excellent grip on wet and dry roads with good wear and road feedback.
Compared to Michelin tires under the performance category, Michelin Pilot Super Sport and Michelin Crossclimate 2 are more dependable than Achilles’ summer tires. They won by a landslide on dry and wet roads.
- Crossclimate 2 is an all weather tire with snowflake symbol that delivers impressive aquaplaning resistance, year-round traction, and long lasting mileage. In fact, this grand touring tire ranks second out of 58 grand touring tires on Tire Rack with a 99% approval rating from consumers.
- Michelin Pilot Super Sport is a max performance summer tire that has impressive dry grip, fine handling, and short braking
2. Winter Tires
Michelin has a huge advantage over Achilles because it has tire choices that are usable in mild winter to severe winter conditions.
Among Michelin’s snow-certified tires, consumers praise the high snow traction, handling, and braking of the Michelin X Ice Snow and Michelin X-ice Xi3. Interestingly, the non-snow rated tires that perform well in light snow include the Defender tires.
In contrast, Achilles has 3 winter tires to choose from, but only 2 of them have available information.
- Winter 101 X can tackle severe winter conditions like 20-25 cm deep snow with high levels of comfort and ease. This tire is noiseless and stable on wet and dry roads.
- Winter 101 provides an easygoing and firm ride in snow, ice, and rain. The tire is quiet with good grip in dry and wet conditions. However, its braking at high speeds is not so great.
3. SUV and Light Truck Tires
Michelin’s SUV and light truck tires vary according to season. So, choices for SUVs include summer, winter, and all-season tires. On the other hand, the brand’s light truck categories are composed of all-season and winter tires.
Meanwhile, the SUV tires of Achilles focus on off-road performance.
In the case of Michelin, its only off-road tire is the Michelin LTX A/T2. This tire fits SUVs and light trucks. It has excellent wet and dry traction and 35% extra mileage compared to rival off-road tires.
Such performance is superior to how Achilles supports SUVs and light trucks:
- Desert Hawk XMT – the tire can be noisy on rough terrains and quiet on the highway, can deal with moderate mud, dirt, gravel and snow. However, its grip is mediocre during turns on wet roads.
- Desert Hawk AT – the tire has audible noise and a slow wearout rate. It works well for city and highway driving, but performance declines slightly with age.
4. Warranty
Michelin is more reliable when it comes to tire longevity because most tires are backed with mileage support.
For instance, the warranty support of summer tires range from 20,000-50,000 miles. Winter tires have 25,000 to 40,000 mileage coverage, while all-season tires provide 20,000-80,000 miles of brand support.
As for Achilles, only its summer tires — ATR Sport, 2233, and Achilles 122 tires — enjoy a 35,000-mile warranty.
5. Cost
Achilles tires price is almost half the price of Michelin tires.
- Performance
At the time of writing, the Platinum tires are unavailable.
| Tire | Tire Size | Price |
| Achilles ATR Sport | 215/60R16 | $90.99 |
| Achilles 2233 | 215/60R16 | $85.96 |
| Michelin Crossclimate 2 | 215/60R16 | $174.99 |
| Achilles ATR Sport 2 | 245/30ZR22 | $121.96 |
| Michelin Pilot Super Sport | 245/30ZR21 | $253.97 |
- Off-roading SUVs and Light Trucks
| Tire | Tire Size | Price |
| Desert Hawk XMT | 265/65R17 | $176.98 |
| Desert Hawk AT | LT265/65R17 | $238.98 |
| Michelin LTX A/T2 | 265/65R17 | $286.96 |
- Winter
| Tires | Tire Size | Price |
| Winter 101 | 195/65R15 | $87.56 |
| Winter 101 X | 225/55R16 | $103.55 |
| Michelin X-Ice Snow | 195/65R15 | $125.99 |
| Michelin X-Ice Snow | 225/55R16 | $223.95 |
Summary of Tire Selection and Road Performance
Michelin and Achilles have comparable tire categories. However, Achilles has limited tire designs.
The Indonesian brand focuses mainly on summer, winter, and offroad models. The only all season tires it has are the Achilles 868 All Season, ATR-K, and Desert Hawk H/T.
Many of the brand’s summer tires perform poorly on wet roads. When it comes to winter, 2 out of its 3 winter tires can handle severe snow conditions. It may have several reliable SUV tires for off-road driving, but they cannot defeat the performance of Michelin’s one and only offroading tire, Michelin LTX AT/2.
On the other hand, Michelin has a high-performing tire in every category because of its balance in performance, comfort, noise, and longevity.
It rules the all-season category with the Michelin Crossclimate 2 and the Defender line, while Michelin’s X-Ice Snow is its flagship tire for winter. Michelin captured the high performance class through the Michelin Pilot Super Sport.
Pros and cons: Achilles vs. Michelin
Pros of
- Ideal for budget-conscious tire buyers
- Excellent winter tire choices
- Offers variety of tires for SUVs, winter, and offroading
- Average dry performance
- Disappointing wet performance
- Noisy
- Low mileage promise
- Limited availability
- More comprehensive tire selection
- Superior all-season versatility
- Offers quiet and comfortable rides
- Long lasting tread life
- Accessible worldwide
- Expensive
- Limited option for offroading
FAQs
Why are Achilles tires low prices?
Achilles tires are engineered to meet the driving needs of low to mid-tier segments.
Another factor is the brand’s quick access to rubber (tires’ major raw material). Achilles tires made in Indonesia, which is one of the world’s largest producers of natural rubber and rubber trees, have lower production costs.
What are different types of Achilles tires ?
Achilles develops tires for passenger, commercial, truck and bus, competition, and industrial vehicles. It also produces tires designed for performance, comfort, and winter.
Does Michelin own Achilles tires?
Yes. Achilles is a tire brand sold by one of Indonesia’s largest tire manufacturers, Multistrada Arah Sarana (MASA). It has been acquired by Michelin and is now part of Michelin’s tire portfolio.
Is Achilles a good brand of tire?
Yes. Achilles tires are budget-friendly tires that you can consider for dry and winter conditions. For instance, the Winter 101 X is a terrific winter tire that can handle deep snow with ease and good traction.
How long do Achilles tires last?
Achilles promises 35,000-mile treadwear warranty for three summer tires only. They are the ATR Sport, 2233, and Achilles 122 tires.
Conclusion
Now that you know who owns Achilles tires and how they perform on the road, we can finally put the Achilles tires vs Michelin comparison to rest.
Achilles can be more suitable than Michelin for certain buyers, particularly those who don’t drive in extreme conditions and only need something sufficient for daily commutes.
