Michelin Pilot Exalto Reviews - Page 3

Given 70% while driving a Vauxhall Corsa (195/50 R15 V) on mostly country roads for 10,000 spirited miles
I have a modified Opel Corsa 2006. Suspension : Bilstein B8 Sprint , HR springs and antiroll bars. As for the exalto 2 (195-50-15) I have to say that overall it is an excellent tire. Dry traction is very good and it has very good cornering stability too. Wet traction is very good also. (after all it is considered to be a rain tire) There is a problem unfortunately. Its responsiveness. Michelin tried to make a comfortable sports tire and the side walls are very very very soft. To us that have modified suspensions soft sidewalls ruin the cars responsiveness. In bends taken without pressing the car , the tire has an uncertainty which is annoying but as soon as you press more the exterior tread patch of the tire comes in contact with the road (1.6 degrees wheel camber) and the tire transforms offering grip and excellent stability. Now I moved to Yokohama Parada Spec-2 and the previous problem is fixed… stiff sidewalls at last. Not comfortable of course but who cares.

Helpful 20 - tire reviewed on July 31, 2010
Given 90% while driving a Audi A3 Sportback Quattro 2.0L TDI (170 PS) (225/45 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 21,000 average miles
Excellent tires... about to clock up 21000 miles from new and they are all still legal 3mm front 4mm rear....
Helpful 17 - tire reviewed on July 16, 2010
Given 84% while driving a Citroën C4 (205/50 R17 W) on a combination of roads for 12,000 average miles
Very Expensive, but an excellent tire
Helpful 17 - tire reviewed on June 15, 2010
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Given 93% while driving a Vauxhall Corsa SRi 1.7 CDTI (195/45 R16 V) on a combination of roads for 28 spirited miles
I've been using these tires for around 3 years now and have been very impressed by them. They provide very good dry grip and have been able to keep the heavy nose of my car well in check when pushed, however the tires really come into their own on wet roads. Performance hardly falls away at all in the wet and you can still push then hard. I didn't have to back off at all during a track day on these tires that started dry and became wet later on. Very impressive! Wear rates are also impressive, lasting 17k miles on the front even with spirited drive and the rears aren't even half worn after nearly 30k miles. Been worth every penny of the (admittedly high) costs so far!
Helpful 16 - tire reviewed on April 16, 2010
Given 71% while driving a Skoda Octavia vRS (225/40 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 14,000 spirited miles
Not hugely impressed. Supplied as oem on my 08 Octavia vRS TDi. Reasonable dry grip. Seems a bit paradoxical but I found them very solid and reassuring through standing water at motorway speeds, but pants low speed damp country roads. Work that one out! I'm replacing them with Pilot Sport 3s at ?146 a corner, looks like a cracking tire and cheaper than the Exaltos. No brainer!
Helpful 15 - tire reviewed on March 23, 2010
Given 90% while driving a Mazda MX5 (205/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 49,000 average miles
The Michelin's were on the car when purchased in July 2006. March 2010 I have now done almost 50,000 klms - so obviously I am very pleased with these tires. I now need to replace all 4 tires & am thinking about reduced road noise. I have phoned around & done review searches on the internet & I am fast coming to the conclusion that I should stay with these Michelin's because I can not fault them at all & an MX5 tends to have that road noise anyway. The only time I need to be careful in the wet is at high speed in heavy storms hitting sheets of water flowing across the road - even in this situation the tires & handling have never come close to losing control.
Helpful 17 - tire reviewed on March 14, 2010
Given 96% while driving a Citroën C4 (205/50 R17 W) on a combination of roads for 72 average miles
These are excellent tires. They perform and last well, and I'm sure they improve fuel consumption by 1 or 2 mpg. On the few occasions I've needed them to really grip, they've done just that. I had a scare on some diesel on the road, but the ESP kicked and all as well a second or two later.

The downside is they are really expensive. The fronts do around 25K miles, the rears about twice that. I'm coming up to 75K miles and the fronts are nearing the limit. I'm not convinced by lesser tires just to save money, and I suspect only Bridgestones are as good, so I'll be surfing the 'net for more discounted Exaltos.

And the look good too!
Helpful 16 - tire reviewed on March 10, 2010
Given 86% while driving a Citroën Saxo VTS (195/45 R15 V) on a combination of roads for 100,000 average miles
Excellent grip in the wet, transformed the handling and confidence i got when changing from cheaper Marshal tires, in the dry its very good, but wet weather is now very impressive whereas beofre with Marshal's it was scary!
Apart from the crazy price of ?90 compared to maybe Toyos at ?45 i'm considering buying them again as they were just so good and safe. I've suffered a bulging sidewall thanks to hitting a pothole so have to replace just the one. Even tho it will cost the same as buying 2 Toyos i will most probably bite the bullet and get the Michelin as it is a brilliant tire!
Helpful 16 - tire reviewed on February 15, 2010
Given 56% while driving a Skoda Octavia vRS (225/40 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 9,000 spirited miles
Very poor grip on wet roads, which improves with dry roads. Feedback from the road is average. For sporty cars, tire should be better than this one.
Helpful 17 - tire reviewed on December 19, 2009
Given 90% while driving a Lotus Elan M100 (205/50 R15 W) on a combination of roads for 6,000 spirited miles
Very Very good tire i had SO3's before and did not think i could find better but i was wrong. As soon as i drove away i could feel the differance it was like a differant car the drive was so smooth.
Helpful 17 - tire reviewed on December 1, 2009
Given 83% while driving a Renault Clio 182 Cup Pack (205/45 R16 W) on a combination of roads for 40,000 spirited miles
Awesome tire came as oem fitment on my clio 182. Feels like you can walk on water when it comes to wet weather grip.

Excellent longevity, not the quietest tire but the performance speaks volumes.

Dry grip is awesome and the feel through the tires is second to none. Makes the road talk to you!
Helpful 16 - tire reviewed on September 22, 2009
Given 87% while driving a Audi A3 Sportback (225/40 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 29,000 spirited miles
I bought the car as a daily driver (I have a performance car as well) So when it comes to tires I was unsurprised by the Michelin OEM fitted tires.

I do drive a car fairly hard and seeing the mileage I have got from them. Good all round grip, but think it is fair to say that with ESP/Quattro/Power Steering there is always going to be a degree of separation from the feedback/progressiveness.

During the snow earlier this year when they were 1/3rd worn they made light work of many snow covered roads and other surfaces. In fact the only challenge at the time was a hill which had iced over the snow - But the grip only failed because I stopped halfway up. Let's not forget they partnered the Quattro system.

Friends have suggested to try Falken 452's / Hankook V12 EVO's instead but I am swaying to replacing like for like as I can predict the mileage, handling etc.
Helpful 16 - tire reviewed on August 24, 2009