BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT vs Michelin Defender

If you look at BF Goodrich history in producing touring tires, it attracted attention as early as 1903. However, since BF Goodrich has been owned by Michelin since 1990, it can be said that Michelin is partly responsible for the success of this rival brand.

To illustrate how BF Goodrich vs Michelin compare to each other, we inspected the BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT vs Michelin Defender and learned that the Advantage T/A Sport LT can handle severe snow conditions while the Defender is usable in light snow.

Overall, the Defender tires are reliable all-season tires that offer superior wet and dry performance with less road noise, higher levels of comfort, and a longer wear life.

What Are They?

1. BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT

BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT is an all-season touring tire specifically developed for sports utility vehicles, crossovers, and light trucks.

This tire promises 30% improvement in snow traction compared to top rival tires and a refinement of handling by 10% through the following features:

2. Michelin Defender

The Michelin Defender line is composed of three tire designs:

Among these Defender tires, the Defender 2 and LTX MS have symmetric designs while the T+H uses an asymmetric tread pattern. They all use wide circumferential grooves for water evacuation and effective hydroplaning resistance.

The LTX MS is more durable in harsh conditions because of the Evertread compound molded in its design. Also, it utilizes Active Sipes technology, which provides increased traction in dry and wet conditions.

We can attribute the T+H’s long wear, durability, and grip to its Intellisipe technology and silica tread construction.

Differences: Michelin Defender vs BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT

In this section, we will compare the BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT to the touring tires of the Defender family. We included the LTX MS because the BFG tire can also be fitted to light trucks.

1. Specifications

In this section, the size used to compare tires is 235/55R18, except for the Michelin Defender T +H because it was unavailable. The nearest tire size (235/60R18) was used.

Among the tires compared, the T+H can handle a heavier load (1929 pounds). BFG and other Defender tires share the same maximum load capacity of 1764 pounds.

The BFG tire can run fast up to 149 mph while the LTX MS is the slowest at 118 mph.

All the Defender tires have higher treadwear ratings, ranging from 800-840, while the BFG tire’s wear life is scored 660. It has the same wet traction as the Michelin Defender 2. The other Defender tires got excellent traction grades (A).

2. Warranties

The Defender tires have higher mileage support than the Advantage TA Sport LT. Based on Consumer Reports testing, the tread life of Michelin’s Defender T + H can last up to 90,000 miles.

On the other hand, despite having a lower mileage warranty support of 60,000 miles, this offering of BFG is expected of all season tires.

3. Reviews

4. Wet

When it comes to wet traction, the three Defender tires won. Michelin’s Defender LTX MS is the highest rated tire in wet conditions, followed closely by the Defender 2, while the BFG tire’s wet performance is almost identical to the Defender T+H.

The BFG tire can be driven under heavy rain, but you need to be mindful of its long braking distances. It has a tendency to lose grip in corners.

5. Dry

The Defender tires dominated the dry category with the Defender 2 as the best performing tire, followed by the LTX MS, which was praised for its superb dry traction.

The BFG tire came in last, but its performance on dry roads is in the excellent range. It has sufficient dry traction and control in the corners. The braking is fine, and steering is predictable.

6. Noise/comfort/ride quality

The Defender tires are more dependable in balancing comfort, noise, and ride quality than the BFG tire. The LTX MS has the highest score in providing comfort.

Based on reviews, Michelin’s Defender T + H delivers a stable ride without vibrations, while the BFG tire absorbs bumps on the road but growls at highway speeds.

7. Snow and ice

BF Goodrich Advantage TA Sport LT is a 3PMSF-branded tire. Thanks to its zigzag sipes and flexible compound, this tire can tackle roads covered with light to thick and heavy snow.

On the other hand, the Defender tires are not winter-rated, but they are usable in light snow conditions. The Defender 2 and LTX MS scored higher than the BFG tire in overall winter performance, but the BFG tire’s usability in severe winter conditions makes it a winner.

8. Cost

As mentioned earlier, the following tires are compared using the 235/55R18 size, except for the Michelin Defender T + H.

The BFG tire is cheaper by $23-53 than the Defender tires.

Pros and Cons

FAQs

Who makes BFGoodrich tires?

BF Goodrich was bought by Michelin in 1990, so if you’re wondering “is BF Goodrich owned by Michelin?” The answer is yes. The brand makes tires in the US, Canada, and China.

What are BFG tire stickers?

BFG tire stickers are raised rubber tire lettering that can be placed on top of the existing black lettering on the tire’s sidewall of select BF Goodrich tires. This customization started in 2007.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a touring tire that would suit your light truck, van, SUV, or CUV, narrowing your choices to BF Goodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT vs Michelin Defender will not leave you disappointed.

If you would like to sacrifice a little bit of comfort and noise, the Advantage TA Sport LT is an attractive all-weather option. You can get decent mileage coverage, offroading adventures, and reliable snow traction in mild to moderately harsh winter conditions.

However, if you spend more time on warm and wet roads, getting a durable all-season tire like the Michelin Defender is a bang for the buck.