Buying new tires can be overwhelming and hard, considering many brands. Regarding tires, two brands easily come to mind, Michelin tires and Yokohama tires.
Yokohama and Michelin tires are two of the most reliable and popular brands of tires in the market. Choosing between them can bring a dilemma to your decision.
To make your life easier, we will focus on these two brands for this topic to help you pick and choose which ones are the best for you.
Yokohama vs. Michelin Tires: Who Wins?
Are you confused as to which brands are better? Do you want to know who the most superior tire brand is?
Yokohama and Michelin are two of the most reputable tire brands in the world. People are often confused between those brands.
We’ve made a detailed comparison of the two brands if you want to buy a new tire for your car at a reasonable price.
This guide will help you choose the better tire for your day-to-day needs.
Overview of Yokohama Tires
Source: yokohamatire.com
Originally founded in 1917, Yokohama Tires, or The Yokohama Rubber Company, is the main producer of the Yokohama tire in a joint venture between the Yokohama Cable Manufacturing company and the B.F. Goodrich company.
These tires have all the good qualities already featured, from good traction abilities, to better grip, winter performance, and many more.
They are often the preferred choice of professional drivers.
Yokohama’s most popular all-terrain tire exclusive models are the Yokohama Avid, Advan Sport, and Yokohama Geolandar.
These all-terrain tires can take you anywhere, no matter the road condition.
Another reason why this tire brand has been for decades is its durability. When it comes to this feature, everything is just second-to-none; this brand is by far most notable for its tires’ durability.
Pros
- Excellent grip for smooth and safer driving
- Best value for money
- Remarkable fuel efficiency
- Strong industry standing over the years
- Wide tire variety for different conditions
- It has some of the longest treadwear warranties
Cons
- Not the cheapest tires
- It can be a little bit noisy at times
Features & Specifications
Here are some specifications of the tire brand Yokohama Tires that may persuade you to buy one:
1) Durability
Yokohama tires are known for being durable. They have a 500 treadwear rating that pales in comparison to some of the best brands in the world. It is five times better than average tire manufacturers.
2) Fuel Economy Efficiency
Yokohama is known for this particular feature, which is why most drivers prefer this brand. Their ultra-high performance tires can easily save you fuel.
3) Speed
A tire’s speed quality is an essential feature you will likely focus more on if you drive fast or travel long distances. Yokohama is well-known for this feature and will be a good upgrade to your old tires.
4) Affordable
They may offer excellent quality tires, but they don’t jack up the prices too. So, if you are on the hunt to buy new tires, you can buy Yokohama tires at a much more affordable price.
5) Tire Grip
If you find yourself traveling on slippery roads, you might consider Yokohama tires because they are engineered for this problem. They also offer all-terrain tire models.
Overview of Michelin Tires
Source: michelin.com
The Michelin brand is the world’s second-largest tire manufacturer, a multinational tire manufacturing company producing some of the best tires in the world.
It was founded in 1889 by the Michelin Brothers, André and Édouard. One of the reasons for its sustained success is the company’s innovative technology over the years.
They have been used widely in different types of cars, from sports cars, racing cars, and even your typically daily-driven car.
Michelin tires offer the best value for money in terms of innovative features and years of tread life.
Michelin is most notable for its innovations, and one innovation that changed the world of tires is the removable pneumatic tire. It was patented in 1891.
Before changing, tires can take around two to three hours max. But with the removable pneumatic tire, the time to replace your car tire is dramatically reduced to less than an hour.
Pros
- Wide variety of tires for different road conditions
- Their tires have unique tread patterns
- Tires perform longer than their tread life
- Maximum fuel efficiency for better performance
- One of the most trusted brands in the market
- Most fuel-efficient tire
Cons
- The most expensive brand in the world
- Even cheap brands can rival their lifespan
- Better options at a more affordable price
Features & Specifications
Here are the notable features of Michelin tires that might separate them from other brands and the Yokohama brand:
1) Design
Design-wise, they are not the boldest, but they sure have that fire and flair to their tire. They have different tires for different riding conditions and great tires with good traction capabilities that are perfect for wet and dry conditions.
2) Fuel Efficiency
Michelin has different fuel-efficient tire models, considered the upper-class tier in this department. In addition, they have different sizes and models to choose from for your liking.
3) Durability
Michelin tires have different materials and innovations that stand the rigors of everyday driving. They have different features for different purposes for long-lasting use, and the Michelin defender and Michelin sport are one of the best tires this brand offers.
4) Speed
Because of its excellent speed performance, Michelin tires have the best tire models when it comes to speed. Their tire models are considered the most speedy tire on the market today and are constantly used in F1 racing.
Yokohama Tires vs. Michelin Tires: Comparison of Features
Comparing Yokohama tires vs. Michelin tires head-to-head is difficult. Both companies have an amazing track record and are the leading brands regarding the best tire qualities in the world.
To separate which is better, here is our detailed comparison between the Yokohama and Michelin tires:
Yokohama Tires vs. Michelin Tires: Durability
Surprisingly, Yokohama tires are the preferred choice regarding durability. They are the better choice as they come in various materials that can help withstand the rigors of usage.
However, this doesn’t mean Michelin tires are not long-lasting or durable. Both tire brands can last you longer than expected if you are to ride them for the intended purpose.
Still, Yokohama tires are perfect for all terrains. Whether you drive on or off the road or in deep mud, they can surely be tested, and you won’t be disappointed.
In addition, Yokohama tires feature shoulder tread units with twin rail ribs to provide better driving comfort and durability.
WINNER: Yokohama Tires
Overall, Yokohama tires are the victors in this department. Still, this goes without saying that Michelin tires aren’t durable.
Both Michelin tires and Yokohama tires are durable. It all depends on the purpose, but the Yokohama tires win because they are the cheapest tire brand but the more durable ones.
Yokohama Tires vs. Michelin Tires: Performance (Wet and Dry)
Regarding dry performance, both Yokohama and Michelin tires can perform on par with industry standards. Both companies have unique tread patterns that help provide efficient traction in dry conditions.
Whether from Yokohama or Michelin, their tires passed with flying colors in this department.
While Yokohama tires perform extremely well in wet conditions, especially on wet pavements and roads, Michelin tires outperform Yokohama tires in this department.
During various tests, Yokohama tires don’t have great traction and grip when braking, whereas Michelin tires are exceptionally good on wet and dry terrains.
WINNER: Michelin Tires
Overall, the wet performance of Michelin tires is superior to the Yokohama tires. While the Yokohama is considered a super speedy tire, it doesn’t perform well on wet roads.
Yokohama Tires vs. Michelin Tires: Riding Comfort
Riding comfort has three categories, braking, cornering, and handling. In all of these aspects, Michelin tires blow past the Yokohama tires.
When you have Michelin tires in your car, your brakes are tighter than usual, and that is because of the traction and grip. But this does not all say that Yokohama tires fail in this department.
When cornering or during sudden brakes, you can faintly hear screeches, which means whatever tire models you buy are some of the quietest tires you can buy for your car, especially the road noise Yokohama tires!
WINNER: Michelin Tires
Overall, Michelin tires are better for ride convenience and road noise. When driving, you can hardly hear the screeches when cornering or braking, thus, offering a more comfortable ride.
Braking distances are far shorter because of the grip and traction. We highly recommend Michelin tires if you want to buy tires that provide maximum comfort and as high quality as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have questions about the Yokohama tires vs. Michelin tires, you might find them below:
What Tires Are as Good as Michelin?
If Michelin is too expensive for you, there are alternative brands that are just as good and reliable. Tire manufacturing brands such as Goodyear, Cooper, Bridgestone, Yokohama, BFGoodrich, General, Hankook, and Pirelli all have the best and high-quality tires.
Is Yokohama a Premium Tire?
Generally, the Yokohama tire is considered to be a premium tire. It is always ranked as one of the best tire brands today. Let’s debunk stories that Yokohama isn’t a premium brand. They have been in the business for a century now.
Final Verdict: Which of the Two Tires Should You Pick?
To help you with your decision, we’ve devised different scenarios on which to choose:
Choose the Yokohama Tires If…
- You are looking for some of the best quality tires at a more affordable price than Michelin tires.
- You don’t care about tire types because you only look for a great tire for different road conditions.
- You want an everyday tire.
Choose the Michelin Tires If…
- You don’t have problems with your budget. Michelin tires are one of the best tire makers on the market today.
- You want the best value for your money. These are the best and blow past the competition at a healthy margin.
- Unless you need winter tires, Michelin tires are perfect for everyday use, especially in dry conditions.
Final Words
Before anything else, let’s get one thing straight: Both brands are exceptional and belong to the premium class tire manufacturers today.
It just so happens that we’ve pitted one of the biggest tire manufacturers with the other in this article.
Overall, the Michelin tire is superior in terms of features and specifications.
While the Yokohama tires are far cheaper, Michelin tires offer exceptional quality to the rest of the competition.