Sailun vs Michelin Tires: Can Sailun Match Up?
Michelin tires are mostly the first choice of drivers who can afford them. That is because of their reliable performance, superb road manners, and long tread lives. The fact that Michelin tires come in a wide range of sizes and types also makes them highly sought-after.
Sailun tires, on the other hand, attract drivers on a budget. Their low asking prices, which have earned Sailun the tag of a third-tier tire company, and an extensive tire lineup, help them appeal to drivers who are unwilling or unable to afford high-quality, premium tires.
All of this should make it clear that these brands stand at opposite ends of the tire industry. While Sailun is a relatively new player in the global tire business, Michelin, with annual sales of over $23 billion, looks down on every other tire brand from its position at the top.
The differences between these two tire brands don’t end there. Instead, as you’ll see in our Sailun Vs Michelin tires comparison, these two cannot be more different from each other. Read on if Michelin and Sailun are the last two remaining brands in your tire search.
Sailun History
Sailun Tire was established in 2002 by a team of Chinese entrepreneurs. It came into being when the rubber company partnered with engineers from a local university. The company is situated in National Economic and Technological Development Zone in Qingdao, China.
A decade of spectacular growth later, Sailun outgrew its roots. The company opened its first overseas tire manufacturing plant in Vietnam. Only one year later, the demand for Sailun tires grew so much that the company signed off on the construction of a 2nd Vietnamese plant.
As a sign of its growing ambition, Sailun hasn’t restricted itself to buying tires that it can sell under its brand name. In 2018, its higher-ups struck an agreement with Cooper under which Cooper’s truck and bus radial (TBR) tires would be manufactured at one of Sailun’s plants.
At the time of writing, Sailun is ranked 17th in the global tire manufacturing business. It employs about 13,000 people in its various plants worldwide. Moreover, in the year 2020, the latest year for which such data is available, Sailun’s annual sales touched the $2 billion mark.
Sailun Tire Families
Four tire families complete Sailun’s lineup. These include passenger, truck/CUV/SUV, electric vehicles, and ST/trailer/RV. Surprisingly, members of the last family are more popular and attract more sales than their siblings from other three lineups.
Passenger
Sailun’s passenger tires strike an optimal balance between price and performance. These models behave reliably 365 days a year as long as you don’t tempt your luck on hard-packed snow, which is true about almost every tire brand’s all-season touring tires.
The passenger series has three models: Sailun Inspire, ATREZZO SH406, and ATREZZO SVA1. The Inspire leads this series thanks to its 70,000-mile treadwear warranty and superb ride comfort. Its wet performance and tread life are also longer than its siblings.
Truck/CUV/SUV
Looking to grab high-performance SUV tires on a budget? Then you may want to check out the SVR LX+, a summer performance tire with excellent dry handling, tread life, and steering feedback. To further sweeten the deal, this model comes with a 40,000-mile tread warranty.
The next two members of this series – Terramax HLT and A/T 4S – are designed for highway and on/off-road use, respectively. Then there is the Terramax HLT-C, a commercial light truck tire that boasts an excessively high load rating to come in handy for heavy-duty use.
EV
Sailun offers only one tire to cater to the EV crowd.
The ERANGE EV Eco Sphere has all the attributes crucial for an electric vehicle tire. The most important of which is an increased load-bearing capacity that helps this model withstand the extra weight of vehicle batteries. Sailun claims that this tire can cover 80% of EVs on the road.
Michelin’s History
Michelin was founded by two French brothers in the last year of the 19th century. The siblings were interested in producing an easy-to-replace bicycle tire. To realize their goal, they laid the first bricks of a company that raked in over $23 billion in revenues in 2022.
Befitting a brand that sits at the top of the global tire business, Michelin has pioneered many tires over the decades. It was the first to manufacture tires that, if punctured, can keep running on a special foam lining. This design forms the basis of today’s run-flat tires.
Michelin also holds the distinction of developing the world’s first radial tire. In fact, if one were to pinpoint that one key achievement that catapulted the French brand to the top of the global tire business, it’s its invention and getting a patent for radial tires in the 1930s.
Surprisingly for a brand that now sells more tires in the US than in any other country, Michelin didn’t open its first North American sales office until 1968. However, the fact that it now enjoys more US tire market share than any other tire brand shows the delay didn’t backfire.
Michelin’s Tire Families
Six families complete Michelin’s tire lineup. These include Pilot, Primacy, Premier, Latitude, Defender, and Energy. Let’s discuss them all in detail.
Pilot
All-season touring and high-performance tires populate Michelin’s Pilot series. The former deliver everything you may expect from premium touring tires, including plush ride quality, excellent fuel economy, and the ability to wear evenly for extended tread life.
The Pilot Sport 4 and Sport 5 are by far the most popular members of this family, though. Both these tires contain the cutting edge of technologies and construction materials, meaning you can count on them to help your vehicle shine on the street as well as on the track.
PrimacyMichelin’s Primacy series comprises all-season touring and performance tires, including:
- Michelin Primacy Tour A/S: Featuring an advanced A/S tread compound and 4 wide circumferential grooves, this model performs reliably 365 days a year. However, its 55,000-mile tread warranty might prove to be a deal-breaker.
- Michelin Primacy MXV4: Compared with the above Primacy Tour A/S, this model is backed to last 5,000 extra miles (60,000 miles). In theory, this should enable this model to last six months to a year more.
- Michelin Primacy MXM4: Do you believe that the area where you live receives more than its fair share of rain? If so, the Primacy MXM4 might be worth a shot, thanks to its best-in-class braking distances.
Premier
Two tires complete Michelle’s Premier lineup.
The first of which is the Premier LTX, an all-season tire designed for SUVs and light-duty pickups. This model offers outstanding grip in various conditions. More importantly, its evolving tread helps it maintain grip as it wears, helping avoid a dangerous loss of traction.
The Premier A/S also features all these qualities, though it comes in coupes, sedans, and minivan tire sizes. This distinguishes this model from the Premier LTX, which, as noted above, can only fit on bigger and more heavy-duty vehicles.
Latitude
Three types of tires populateMichelin’s Latitude series, including:
- All-season: Example includes the Michelin Latitude Tour, a premium all-season tire that wins over drivers with its durable construction, plush ride quality, and dependable year-round performance.
- Performance: There are various performance tires in the Latitude series, including Latitude Sport, Sport 2, Sport 3, and Sport 3 n1.
- Winter: The Latitude series is also home to the X-Ice Xi3, one of the best winter tires the world has ever seen. This tire is so good some drivers rate it above the Blizzak WS90, the gold standard for winter tires.
Defender
Two members of the Defender series are more popular than others.
These include the Defender T+H, a highway tire that offers excellent refinement, fuel economy, and road manners. Then there is the Defender LTX M/S, a touring tire that can perform as well on dry and wet roads as it can in light wintry conditions.
Energy
As the name implies, this series is all about electric vehicles.
Need proof? Then you must check out the Energy Saver A/S. This all-season tire has a high load capacity that enables it to withstand the extra weight of electric vehicle batteries. At the same time, it has somehow managed to keep its rolling resistance low for an enhanced fuel economy.
Sailun Vs Michelin Tires: Differences
Here are the major differences between Sailun and Michelin tires:
Performance
Michelin tires are clear winners in the performance department.
Thanks to the latest technologies, high-end materials, and rugged construction, these tires are a much better option for street driving and racing than their counterparts from Sailun. Their high-speed stability, as well as cornering performance, is also much better.
Availability of Options
Michelin tires are available in more sizes and styles than Sailun’s.
Whether you’re looking for an all-season touring tire that can offer good fuel economy during your everyday trips around the city or your search is for a dedicated winter tire than can plow through snow and ice, Michelin has a tire that can likely meet your requirements.
Price & Warranty
Sailun tires are known for offering good value for your money.
In terms of warranty, Michelin once again emerges as the clear winner. While no Sailin tire has been backed to last more than 60,000 miles. There’s a plethora of Michelin tires that come with 70,000-mile+ treadwear warranties.
Advantages of Sailun
- Provide better value for the money
- Are Auto-Bild approved for durability
- Come with the PTPA seal
Advantages of Michelin
- Cutting-edge technologies and construction materials
- Wide range of tire sizes and styles
- Relatively long treadwear warranties
Sailun Vs Michelin Tires: Which Brand to Choose?
Michelin and Sailun are well-regarded tire manufacturers.
Michelin tires are renowned for their durability, performance, and road manners. These models also behave reliably in the road and weather conditions they are designed for. Plus, their long replacement times help offset the initial asking prices.
Sailun Tires, on the other hand, might be more attractive for budget-minded users, especially those who have looked at the asking prices of Michelin tires and are unwilling to pay them.