Tire dealers are always talking about 2 brands. Pirelli and Michelin are the words on everyone’s lips. Pirelli vs Michelin. We’ll help you decide which is best.
Pirelli and Michelin are both REPUTABLE tire brands in the tire industry. They produce tires essential in giving you a smooth ride wherever you go, whichever terrain you take.
With the best tires coming from these two brands, we’re not even surprised if you’re torn about which ones to get.
That’s why we opened the arena for the Pirelli vs. Michelin showdown!
Read this Pirelli and Michelin tires comparison and find out the best brand you must get on your next purchase.
Overview of Pirelli
Speed. Grip. Excellence. These are precisely what Pirelli tires scream.
Pirelli is one of the leading tire brands in the industry. They manufacture tires that work perfectly with passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and bicycles.
They’re an all-time favorite of luxury car owners as it has been widely used in brands like BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Maserati.
Their tires are also EXCELLENT choices for sports cars. They supply over 350 car and motorcycle sports events and are an exclusive tire supplier to the Formula 1 (F1) World Championship.
Pirelli’s tires are engineered with top-notch technology. They show outstanding performance in traction, steering responsiveness, stability, as well as braking and cornering grip at high speed.
History of Pirelli Tires
In 1872, Giovanni Pirelli founded one of the oldest tire companies through a limited partnership called “G.B. Pirelli & C.” in Milan, Italy, to manufacture rubber items.
In 1885, they started their rubber band line mainly for carriages and later designed tires for pushbikes. Soon after, in the 1900s, they manufactured tires specialized for racing.
After World War I, Pirelli premiered their first sports tires, which they called the Superflex Stella Bianca.
But, a noteworthy milestone for the brand was innovating the cross-ply tires for the Lancia Stratos rally car.
Such innovation allowed Pirelli to IMPROVE the reliability of its tires in terms of grip characteristics.
But, given that cross-ply was heavy, they decided to create a radial tire with excellent cornering grip and durability.
Since then, they have supplied high-performance tires to car companies worldwide while having 18 production facilities in 12 countries.
Pirelli Tire Categories
Pirelli is segregated into 5 tire families. They are categorized based on their characteristics and technicalities.
These tires are made differently to suit every driver’s needs. With the number of choices of Pirelli tires, there will surely be a model to perfectly answer your car’s necessities.
P Zero
The P Zero family can withstand any traction and handling. Hence, it’s a MUST-HAVE in the modern-day tire industry.
This category offers car and SUV tires available for winter, summer, and all-season. Some P Zero models are also for sports and are certified for ultra-high motorsport performance.
P Zero tires also feature silent driving, increased grip, and exquisite cornering grip to adapt to all seasons on the road.
This tire series also has a model designed specifically for electric cars called Rosso for maximum range and stability.
Cinturato
If you’re a driver who prefers a low-environment impact set, Cinturato is the way to go. It helps reduce the rolling resistance of vehicles, which, conversely, reduces CO2 emissions.
But this doesn’t take away the top-tier performance of the Cinturato tire series.
In fact, these touring tires are made with a combination of Pirelli technology you can find in other categories.
Cinturato comprises several variations, including the P7 and P7 Blue, P1 Verde, All-Season, and Winter tires.
Scorpion
Scorpion is the perfect SUV tire that boasts comfort and safety. These tires are available in summer, winter, and all-season to address your driving needs best.
The Scorpion family is also engineered with Pirelli technologies, including Run Flat, Seal Inside, Elect, and PNCS.
Some variants under this category are also considered to be off-road tires, while only one can be categorized as all-terrain tires.
One feature that stands out in this tire family is its steering precision. It’s believed to OUTPERFORM most utility tires in this category.
Sottozero
Winter can be a bummer for tires as it causes tire pressure to drop due to cold weather. But fortunately, Sottozero is here to come to your rescue.
These are mainly road tires designed to withstand the cold. These are the perfect winter tires for the coldest weather conditions.
Sottozero tires also have excellent grip on snow, while their tread pattern aids in repelling water from wet roads. They’re perfect for ensuring ultimate control and safety even on cold and wet surfaces.
Ice
The Ice family is also engineered by Pirelli to withstand cold conditions. These winter tires can be housed in both cars and SUVs.
These are also available as run flat tire versions that offer stability, control, and reliable handling. And in case you get a flat, you’re not required to change them immediately.
Pros
- Compatible with luxury/high-end cars
- Great performance tires for sports
- Low-environment impact
- Offers ultimate control and safety on any terrain and weather conditions
Cons
- Lesser tire options
Overview of Michelin
Another popular tire brand in the industry is Michelin tires.
They are known to offer a WIDE selection, including summer tires, all-season, and terrain tires, as well as commercial tires.
Michelin does not only manufacture the typical car, SUVs, bicycle, and motorcycle tires. They also design wheels for motorsport, trucks and trailers, agricultural, metro, and even aircraft.
The brand has proved its worth as the top choice on the market.
Michelin tires have undergone rigorous testing, continuous innovation, and a long-tread guarantee, topped with their outstanding standards.
History of Michelin Tires
A few years after Pirelli was launched, the Michelin brothers, Andre and Edouard, started running the business in France (1889) when there were only 3,000 cars in the country.
The first idea was to make tires for horse-drawn carriages. Later, in the 19th century, they developed a removable pneumatic tire. Soon after, Michelin innovated run-flat tires in 1934.
They also created a radial tire that was conventional in improving the OVERALL quality and performance of Michelin tires, specifically in terms of stability, durability, and fuel economy.
Aside from tires, Michelin is also known for its traveler’s guides which include handy information like maps, how to change a tire, and the perfect detour spots while on the road.
To date, Michelin still stands as a popular tire brand many consumers love. In fact, in 2019, they hoarded 20% of total tire sales in North America, where they beat their top competitors.
Michelin Tire Categories
As previously mentioned, Michelin offers a wide range of product categories. This makes choosing tires for your vehicle a no-brainer.
Here are the 7 tire families of Michelin tires that are constantly dominating passenger cars:
Pilot
The Michelin Pilot Sport series are great tires for sports and passenger cars. They offer safety and comfort without taking away performance, stability, and control.
Pilot Sport are high-performance tires with EXCELLENT responsiveness and good grip and traction, making them great for any season.
A few variations of this tire family are:
- Pilot Sport All Season
- Pilot Sport 4s
- Pilot Sport EV
- Pilot Sport Connect
- Pilot Alpin
- Exalto
- Diamaris
Primacy
Primacy tires are manufactured to handle all weather conditions. Similarly, these tires have great traction to ensure a smooth and quiet ride.
Among Michelin’s tire families, Primacy tires are considered the best touring tires. It’s safe and has a reliable grip, and most of all, it’s fuel efficient.
Premier
Whether your tires are brand new or worn out, you’ll still feel confident behind your steering wheel when your car is equipped with Premier tires.
With the EverGrip technology, Michelin Premier can ace a STURDY grip for braking and control for both dry and wet traction.
These tires also reduce the vibration and noise on bumpy roads to ensure a smooth ride.
Latitude
The Latitude Sport are great touring tires that fit perfectly as light trucks and SUV tires. They have superb performance in any weather condition, making them great all-season tires.
Latitude also has great fuel efficiency and a long tread-life. The tread pattern doesn’t wear off easily, so the tread depth is usable for a long time.
X-Ice
Michelin X-Ice is the brand’s variant of winter tires. This is specially made to withstand cold weather conditions, as well as snow and ice.
These touring tires provide the necessary traction to feel confident and at ease when navigating wet and icy roads.
Defender, Cross Climate
Defender and Cross Climate tire families have the best tread life among other Michelin tires in ANY season. It also features long-lasting mileage and a comfortable, quiet ride.
These tires are also up for any terrain as they promise longevity despite running on different road surfaces.
Energy
The Energy Michelin tire can do the trick if you’re searching for fuel-efficient tires. It’s equipped with EnergySaver Construction that keeps the tires cool and improves fuel efficiency.
It doesn’t only save you gas money, but it’s also built to be high-performing and reliable on the road. Michelin Energy is also available as all-season tires.
Pros
- Multiple tire options
- Helps with the car’s fuel economy
- Long tread life
- Has reliable stability, stability, and performance in any weather conditions and road surfaces
Cons
- Expensive than other brands
Pirelli vs. Michelin Tires: Side-by-Side Comparison of Tire Brands
There are many things to consider when comparing tire brands. But, in this Pirelli vs Michelin comparison, we’re going to focus on 3 MAJOR factors:
- Performance
- Construction
- Price and guarantee
Performance
Pirelli and Michelin are great contenders with their high-end performance tires. These brands are all available in summer, winter, and all-season tires.
Running a Michelin or Pirelli tire on the race track will certainly help you ace the best performance.
But, in our opinion, Pilot Sport by Michelin has a more consistent grip, stability, brake, and handling, in dry and wet conditions.
Pilot Sport also earned higher tread and traction scores than the Pirelli counterpart, P Zero.
In terms of all-season tires, on the other hand, certain Michelin tire models can withstand wet, dry, and even muddy surfaces. Hence, they will also work great in any type of terrain.
While Pirelli performs well in wet and dry tracks, Michelin still has a more consistent execution.
Finally, Pirelli boasts of their low-environment impact sets, specifically with their Cinturato touring tires.
However, the efficiency on fuel of most tires from Michelin is a major takeaway.
Such a feature will not only save drivers gas money. It also has positive impacts on the environment, like the Cinturato.
WINNER: Michelin
Construction
Now let’s compare Pirelli and Michelin based on tire construction.
In terms of tread compounds, Pirelli uses high-silica content, carbon black rubber, and low oil, which are all essential in improving traction in different weather conditions.
It’s also equipped with two steel belts and nylon cap plies to make the tires DURABLE and STABLE regardless of road surfaces.
On the other hand, Michelin developed their products with advanced tread compounds like silica gel and sunflower oil to improve steering control on wet and snowy roads.
It also has very sturdy shoulder blocks and sidewalls that aid in deflecting debris on the road to protect the tires.
Hence, you’re assured that it won’t easily wear out even if you travel over different road surfaces.
WINNER: Michelin
Price and Guarantee
Aside from car insurance, the price and guarantees of your tires and other car accessories concerns you the most.
Given that the two brands are leading in the tire industry, it’s already expected that they will EXCEED the average price point of tires on the market.
However, we found that Pirelli’s high-performance tires cost slightly more than Michelin’s. Hence, the former is a more expensive choice than the latter.
Despite the high price tag, Michelin and Pirelli ensure you’ll receive outstanding performances, services, and guarantees.
While both offer 6-year materials and workmanship warranty, Pirelli offers a limited tread life warranty and 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
But, this was TOPPED with Michelin’s 60-day customer satisfaction guarantee, 3-year road assistance service, and limited mileage warranty.
Only a few brands offer a mileage warranty, and Michelin is among them.
WINNER: Michelin
Frequently Asked Questions
This Pirelli vs. Michelin showdown may have told you pieces of information you must know.
But if you still have a few questions in mind, don’t worry! We’ll answer a few more before giving you the final verdict:
Does Michelin Own Pirelli?
Pirelli is not under the Michelin company. It’s owned by ChemChina and Marco Tronchetti Provera.
Are Michelin and Pirelli the Same?
Both Michelin and Pirelli offer tire products. But, they are COMPETING brands.
They’re engineered with distinct tire technologies and offer different tire categories with distinct features.
Which Is More Expensive, Pirelli or Michelin?
Pirelli tires are slightly more expensive than Michelin, especially with its premium tires.
Final Verdict: Is Michelin or Pirelli Better?
Are Pirelli tires good? Or should I choose Michelin over it?
Answers to these questions vary depending on your preferences and needs. But here are our thoughts when deciding which ones to get:
Choose Pirelli If…
Pirelli tires are good choices if you own luxury brand cars. It’s also great if you like to run your cars on the race track, especially in dry conditions.
It also runs smoothly and has a steady grip on slippery roads, ensuring good performance in different weather conditions.
Choose Michelin If…
Michelin is definitely the brand if you want to save some bucks for fuel. They also don’t compromise the OVERALL tire performance, specifically stability, grip, and comfort.
Michelin is also perfect in any weather condition and terrain.
They also offer great tire guarantees to ensure you get PEAK PERFORMANCE even after years of use.
Final Words
In this Pirelli vs. Michelin tires review, we’ve seen how neck-on-neck these brands are. Whichever you choose, we’re confident that you’ll never go wrong.
While these tires have their differences, this doesn’t change the fact that both Pirelli and Michelin tires offer EXCELLENT tires with superb performances.
They still stand as the best tire brands, producing high-quality tires that never disappoint.
