Yokohama and Michelin have always been at the forefront of cutting-edge tire technology since their inception. Let’s see how their touring all season tires compare in this Yokohama YK-CTX vs Michelin Defender comparison.
The Defender has three tires in its family, of which the T+H and the Defender2 are for passenger and SUV vehicles. For this review, we’ll compare the Yokohama YK-CTX with the Michelin Defender LTX M/S, a light truck and SUV/Crossover variant.
It was a tight one, but we’ll go with the Michelin Defender LTX M/S. It essentially edges out the Yokohama YK-CTX on all fronts, since it has much better comfort and ride quality, as well as all-weather performance.
However, depending on what type of driver you are, the Yokohama YK-CTX can be the tire for you. Let’s find out more below.
Here’s a comparison table to get you started.
| Tire |  |
 |
| Brand | Yokohama | Michelin |
| Country of Origin | Japan | France |
| Tire Type | SUV/Crossover/Minivans All-season | Light trucks/SUV/ Crossover All-season |
| Tire Sizes | 18 | 73 |
| Tire Size Range | 17-20 inches | 15 – 22 inches |
| 3PMSF | None | None |
| Mud performance | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 60,000 miles |
|
| Price | Starts at $173 | Starts at $154 |
Table of Contents
What Are They?
1. Yokohama YK-CTX
The Yokohama YK-CTX is a premium all-season tire designed for SUV/Crossovers and minivans. It’s also available exclusively at Discount Tire, similar to the Yokohama YK740 GTX.
This tire specializes in excellent traction, maneuverability, durability, and comfort, mainly attributed to its cutting-edge technologies, and is quite similar to the Yokohama YK-HTX.
However, its main selling point is its highly competitive wet performance. It has an asymmetric design that boasts pass-through and 4 wide circumferential grooves for optimal traction on wet roads and mitigating aquaplaning.
It’s also made from micro silica, giving it that extra durability factor, allowing drivers to drive with confidence and safety in mind. Moreover, its wide and flat contour enhances the tire’s contact with the road, offering more protection.
The micro silica isn’t just for durability. It’s also an excellent compound for handling temperature drops in winter. Not only that, but 2D/3D sipes ensure that it’s able to grip snowy road surfaces with no issues.
Lastly, a five-pitch block variation design makes the Yokohama YK-CTX a fairly quiet tire. These blocks limit the sound resonating throughout the tire as its spins, reducing hums and rumbles effectively.
Now, on to the Michelin Defender LTX M/S.
2. Michelin Defender LTX M/S
The Defender LTX M/S comes from Michelin’s esteemed Defender line, along with the Defender2 and Defender T+H. However, we’ll use the LTX M/S for our Yokohama Tires vs Michelin comparison since it’s also designed for SUV/Crossovers.
The Defender LTX M/S is a touring tire that excels in any road condition. From dry surfaces to snowy ones, the LTX M/S is a great companion for drivers.
However, unlike its cousin, the Michelin CrossClimate 2, which is also a touring tire, it doesn’t have a 3PMSF certification. Hence, it can only handle relatively light snow. But don’t let this discourage you, as the Defender LTX M/S is still an awesome choice.
It comes equipped with Michelin’s EverTread technology, which gives it tremendous durability. Not only that, but it also gives the tires superior traction when traversing wet and snowy roads, essentially improving the tire’s safety.
Lastly, for environmental concerns, it boasts Michelin’s MaxTouch Construction as well, which can help drivers save as much as 65 gallons of fuel during the course of the tire’s life. The result is less pollution and fewer gas expenses.
So, how does the Michelin Defender LTX M/S compare to the Yokohama YK-CTX? Now, let’s get on to the differences.
Differences
When it comes to Michelin vs Yokohama, you won’t find a lot of differences, since they make equally excellent tires. However, some nuances can be observed when you compare some products, and these two tires are no exception.
Whether you pit a Yokohama YK740 GTX vs Michelin Defender or the Yokohama YK-HTX vs Michelin LTX MS2, you’ll always have a hard decision on your hands.
So, what about the Yokohama YK-CTX and the Michelin Defender LTX M/S? Let’s find out.
1. Wet Performance
For wet performance, both tires did incredibly well. The EverTread compound from the Defender LTX M/S was superb regarding traction, while the Yokohama YK-CTX’s asymmetric design and grooves gave it excellent aquaplaning resistance.
One can’t go wrong with either. But, we felt that the LTX stops slightly quicker than its competitor, so the Michelin Defender LTX M/S edges out the Yokohama YK-CTX in this category.
2. Dry Performance
Like our wet performance comparison, we compared the traction from both tires—and it was tough. Some people from Reddit and our testers preferred the Yokohama YK-CTX, while some chose the Michelin Defender LTX M/S.
To settle it, we came to a vote, and the Defender LTX M/S won by a hair. Its off-roading performance on gravel and sand is a lot better than the Yokohama.
3. Snow Performance
Both tires don’t have a 3PMSF rating, so we weren’t expecting superb snow performance. However, since the Yokohama YK-CTX has dedicated technologies to handle snow, like 2D/3D sipes and a micro silica compound, we chose the Japanese brand for snow performance.
4. Noise and Comfort
One might think that the tread design from the Yokohama YK-CTX incurs heavy rumbles, but this was not the case at all. While the tire wasn’t precisely noiseless, the five-block variation design effectively mitigated noise coming into the cabin.
However, we observed that the Michelin Defender LTX M/S was still the quieter tire. Moreover, it also gave a more comfortable ride all throughout, as bumps and potholes were barely noticeable.
5. Price and Warranty
Since both tires are premium, expect premium prices as well. The Yokohama YK-CTX starts at $173 on Discount Tire, while the Michelin Defender LTX M/S starts at $154.
But tire pricing can be tricky as it can depend on the tire’s size. The Yokohama YK-CTX starts at $173 for a 17” size, while the Michelin Defender LTX M/S 17” variant goes for $181.99 or more.
For warranty, the Yokohama YK-CTX has a decent 60,000-mileage warranty, while the Michelin Defender LTX M/S depends on your vehicle’s speed rating—50,000 miles for an R rating and 70,000 for T and H ratings.
Pros and Cons
- Excellent wet and dry traction
- Dedicated snow performance technologies
- Decent warranty
- Relatively cheaper than the Michelin Defender LTX M/S
- Noise reduction and comfort still have room for improvement
- Discount Tire exclusive
- No 3PMSF
- Excellent wet and dry traction
- Fairly decent in light snow
- Has over 70 sizes available
- Available on many tire selling platforms
- More expensive
- Warranty changes depending on speed ratings
- No 3PMSF
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Yokohama a good brand of tire?
Yes. Yokohama is an excellent tire brand with great tire lineups. For off-roading, it has the Yokohama Geolandar family. For luxury all-season touring, the Yokohama Tornante is the tire to choose.
How do Yokohama Tires rate?
When compared against other tire titans in the industry in a Yokohama vs Michelin vs Bridgestone comparison, it still pales in comparison to Bridgestone and Michelin, though not by much.
Yokohama vs Continental, which is better?
Well, it depends on your preference. If you want something cheaper with more tire choices, Yokohama has a more diverse line-up, especially in all-terrain and racing. But when it comes to raw performance, Continental tires are better.
Conclusion
I hope we’ve shed some light on this Yokohama YK-CTX vs Michelin Defender comparison. For a more consistent warranty and a cheaper all-season tire, the Yokohama YK-CTX is an excellent option.
However, the Michelin Defender’s LTX M/S is a much better tire if you can cough up the extra cash. Moreover, it’s also widely available at online tire shops like Tire Rack, Amazon, and Discount Tire, while the Yokohama YK-CTX is a Discount Tire exclusive.
