2017~2024 Altimax or Defender

kodou808

Member
:
2019 CX-5 Touring FWD
Looking around to see what my options are to replace the Geolanders that are on my car currently.
Size is 225/65-17, it seems that the Michelin Defender and General Altimax are popular choices.
Which would you get?
Are there other alternative out there?
Thanks
 
Looking around to see what my options are to replace the Geolanders that are on my car currently.
Size is 225/65-17, it seems that the Michelin Defender and General Altimax are popular choices.
Which would you get?
Are there other alternative out there?
Thanks
There're different versions on both tires you mentioned.

For General AltiMAX RT43 225/65R17, make sure to get H rated (102H) instead of T rated as H rated RT43 for this size is much superior in specs. They're totally different tires.

Michelin Defender 225/65R17 has Michelin Defender LTX M/S and Michelin Defender T+H. Based on specs LTX M/S is cheaper and better.

Now it's a good time to get either one of these tires as General now offers $50 prepaid card on 4 AltiMAX RT43's; and Michelin offers $70 prepaid card on 4 Defender LTX M/S and Defender T+H's.

There're too many 225/65R17 tires to choose from. Personally I think Michelin tires are always overpriced, so between the two you listed I'd definitely choose General AltiMAX RT43 225/65R17 102H.

Here is an old post listing some of the top-rated 225/65R17 tires:

If you didn't have similar problems before the tire replacement, I believe you have a defected Firestone Destination LE2 tire. But if you'd like to change to other tires, here are partial lists of 225/65R17 tires in different categories for your comparison. Personally I believe T-rated Continental CrossContact LX20 Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tire is fine and should be much better than O.E. Yokohama Geolandar G91A Light Truck Highway All-Season tire. But since the top speed for our CX-5 is 120 mph, I'd stay with at least H-rated tires as T-rated tires are designed for the top speed of 118 mph.

Light Truck Highway All-Season Tires:


Tire


Size


UTQG
Maximum
Inflation
Pressure


Tread
Depth


Tire
Weight


Warranty


Price*
Yokohama Geolandar G91AP225/65R17
100H
280 B A44 psi10/32"26 lbs.OEM - None$200.55
- TR
Michelin Defender LTX M/S225/65R17
102H
720 A A44 psi10.5/32"29 lbs.70,000 Miles
6 Years
$154.97
- TR
Firestone Destination LE2225/65R17
102H
520 A B44 psi12/32"28 lbs.60,000 Miles
5 Years
$125.45
- TR

Grand/Standard Touring All-Season Tires:


Tire


Size


UTQG
Maximum
Inflation
Pressure


Tread
Depth


Tire
Weight


Warranty


Price*
Continental TrueContact225/65R17
102T
800 A B44 psi11/32"24.3 lbs.90,000 Miles
6 Years
$113.56
- TR
General AltiMAX RT43225/65R17
102H
700 A A51 psi11/32"24.3 lbs.65,000 Miles
6 Years
$100.25
- TR

Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season Tires:


Tire


Size


UTQG
Maximum
Inflation
Pressure


Tread
Depth


Tire
Weight


Warranty


Price*
Pirelli Scorpion Verde
All Season Plus
225/65R17
102H
740 A A44 psi11/32"28 lbs.65,000 Miles$131.50
- TR
Continental CrossContact
LX20
225/65R17
102T
740 A B57 psi12/32"27.7 lbs.70,000 Miles
6 Years
$122.45
- TR

XL = Extra Load
TR = TireRack.com

Performance Category Rank from TireRack.com:

Highway All-Season Tires:
Michelin Defender LTX M/S - #1 out of 32
Firestone Destination LE2 - #3 out of 32
Yokohama Geolandar G91A - #24 out of 32

Grand Touring All-Season Tires:
General AltiMAX RT43 - #5 out of 41

Standard Touring All-Season Tires:
Continental TrueContact - #1 out of 20

Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season Tires:
Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus - #2 out of 21
Continental CrossContact LX20 - #5 out of 21
 
I have the AltiMax RT43 225/65/17 102H on my 2014 CX5 at ~ 15,000 miles. I am very happy. Ed
 
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There're different versions on both tires you mentioned.

For General AltiMAX RT43 225/65R17, make sure to get H rated (102H) instead of T rated as H rated RT43 for this size is much superior in specs. They're totally different tires.

Michelin Defender 225/65R17 has Michelin Defender LTX M/S and Michelin Defender T+H. Based on specs LTX M/S is cheaper and better.

Now it's a good time to get either one of these tires as General now offers $50 prepaid card on 4 AltiMAX RT43's; and Michelin offers $70 prepaid card on 4 Defender LTX M/S and Defender T+H's.

There're too many 225/65R17 tires to choose from. Personally I think Michelin tires are always overpriced, so between the two you listed I'd definitely choose General AltiMAX RT43 225/65R17 102H.

Here is an old post listing some of the top-rated 225/65R17 tires:

Wow, that is some good info you gathered.
I thought of the Premier LTX, but read some things on premature tire wear, and it seems consistent with the reviews.
Continental seems to have some good lineup for a decent price.
One thing I do look at is tire weight. Some tires are 4 pounds heavier each , which is pretty significant.
Thanks for the info!
 
One thing I do look at is tire weight. Some tires are 4 pounds heavier each , which is pretty significant.
At 24.3 lbs., General AltiMAX RT43 225/65R17 102H is almost 5 lbs. lighter each than Michelin Defender LTX M/S, and it's also ~$50 cheaper each!
 
The Michelin Latitude Tours I had before my General Altimax RT43 (H-speeds) were lackluster in tire "specs" sure, but they were definitely the superior handling tire.

That said, Michelins have really jacked up in price the past few years, and I really don't see them as worth the money for all-seasons. The General Altimax tires...aired up to 36 PSI (they felt awful at 34) have performed well and so I am happy for the performance/cost value.

But they will never be as good as my Michelins were handling wise, but it's close enough. $115/tire vs $165/tire was an easy choice on that front once I got over the analysis paralysis.
 
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