Does yours have the pretty Mountain and Snowflake Symbol? (poke)
Yes they do that's why they are called all-weather tires - not all season or 3 season tires
They're also made by the same company that invented winter tires...
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Does yours have the pretty Mountain and Snowflake Symbol? (poke)
considering the balance that the cx-9 strikes between ride comfort and handling, I think your best bet would be a set of yokohama performance tires. they are standard equipment on my mazda6 and I am very pleased with how they perform.
For those who are considering or interested I just replaced the OEM Falken Ziex CT50 A/S with a set of Nokian WRG3 SUV all weather tires (winter rated with UTQG of 600 AA) using 235 55R20 spec. Tires are 20mm narrower but not very noticable and with the tread pattern & design you can feel the slight diff vs OEM tires but not significantly while on the road in terms of road feel. Since new tires are narrower and lighter and due to low rolling resistance construction I do get better fuel economy by approx (1-2MPG) so far and you can also feel the vehicle's a bit lighter as it moves quicker with throttle inputs. So far no snow/ice yet to test the grip but from my experience owning these tires on my previous volvo they were better than all seasons. Handling characteristics so far haven't felt significantly reduced vs OEM tires. Unfortunately the Falkens didn't perform well during the past winter which prompted me to replace them even if only used for 8-9 mos. The new all weathers of course will not beat dedicated winter tires but they are better than all seasons and I didn't want the hassle and cost of the switchover twice a year.
(2016 GT here)
Sorry for dredging up this thread but it suddenly (and sadly) brings up a question I have. I hit something on the shoulder of one tire that my local garage says they can't repair. Fine, I expected as much. But with about 20k miles on the 20" Falkens, they said I have to replace at least 2. And oh yeah, since the TPMS uses wheel speed (?) and the difference in tire circumference, I'm looking at all four. *eesh*
I'm happy with the Falkens and told him I'd like a set "like those" (quiet, etc). He said, "Just buy the same set then. You'll be happiest with them." I get he doesn't want me to complain if the tires he suggests aren't as good (in my opinion). I do trust him, and he's always willing to take shipments from Tire Rack since he says he usually can't touch their price.
But now I see the retail and OEM aren't necessarily the same?? Oh for the love of ***.
Edit: Yikes, I didn't know the Falkens had such a crappy wear rating. No wonder they're quiet!
When my wife's MDX needed new tires I did a lot of research and ended up going with the Michelin Defender LTX M/S, and we couldn't be happier. I think either these or the Michelin Premier LTX tires are far better than the Falkens. We went with the Defenders because they got better ratings for driving in the snow. The MDX doesn't get driven much (~7,500 miles/year), and as such we don't have a dedicated set of winter wheels/tires for it. The Defenders are more than good enough for her in the winter. When my Falkens need replacing I'll likely go with the Premiers since I do have a set of winter tires/wheels. In either case, both have a tread life rating far higher than the Falkens.
Just my $0.02.
The Michelin Premier tire is special. As it wears, additional sipes open up and rain grooves widen for improved wet handling and shorter braking distance. The Michelin Premier tire is designed to start with a lower tread depth than traditional all-season tires, enabling better fuel efficiency without compromising grip or tread life. Also, this unique tread design is computer-optimized to reduce vibrations and road noise. Note: I worked for 16 years at Michelin in the U.S. and France, and I was around when this tire was being developed. So I have a bias! (yes)Just a note that Bridgestone has about 15 different Dueler models. When someone says that the Dueler was...(fill in the blank)...we need to know the model name to know what we're talking about. The Dueler HL Alenza Plus is the 20" model that fits our cars. "The Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is designed to deliver a quiet and comfortable highway ride. This tire delivers improved fuel efficiency (as compared to the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza), year-round performance, and an 80,000 mile treadwear warranty." I don't know how good it is, just that it is different from the other 14 Dueler models, and different from older Dueler models no longer in production.
https://www.bridgestonetire.com/tire/dueler-hl-alenza-plus/255-50r20
The Michelin Defender is the high tread life model. The Premier is the high wet traction model. I live in the Pacific Northwet. The Premier would be my choice. If I lived in sunny SoCal, I'd get the Defender.
just curious, what mileage are you replacing your OEM tires at? for our '16 GT with Falken Ziex tires, we are now at 31k and i am thinking we only have another 4-6k miles left on the tread (although we are going into the spring/summer now so maybe we can push it until Fall/Winter).
The Michelin Premier tire is special. As it wears, additional sipes open up and rain grooves widen for improved wet handling and shorter braking distance. The Michelin Premier tire is designed to start with a lower tread depth than traditional all-season tires, enabling better fuel efficiency without compromising grip or tread life. Also, this unique tread design is computer-optimized to reduce vibrations and road noise. Note: I worked for 16 years at Michelin in the U.S. and France, and I was around when this tire was being developed. So I have a bias! (yes)
Michelin will issue a partial credit for less-than-advertised tread life. Hope you got a deal!I installed 4 Michelin Premier LTX in January 2016 with 39K on my 2012 CX9. This past weekend, I had to replace those tires 61K miles on my odo. So I got maybe 22K miles out of a set of tires that has a warranty for 60K miles. 2 tires were worn down to the wear bars and the other 2 has some life left but certainly not 40K left. So guess what I replaced with them with? The same Premier LTX tires. (cryhard)
Lot of complaints of shorter than expected tire life on Tirerack's website. But the tire works well and is quiet.
Michelin says:
Premier LTX:
Mileage warranty: 60,000 miles.
Shorter Stopping
Hydroplaning Resistance
Excellent Wet Grip
Lasting Winter Performance
Defender LTX:
Mileage warranty: 70,000 miles
Improved Tread Life in Severe Conditions
Excellent Wet and Snow Traction
Eco-Friendly
So...on your roads the Defender LTX might be the better choice.