Tests – · none yet Owners 71 · 100 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 0 road tests and 100 + 3,650 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S2 is ahead, 82–70
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Tests – · none yet Owners 89 · 3,650 reviews
“The tires are over inflated for transport. The dealership should set them to the proper PSI during PDI but that's not always the case. I had 55 PSI in mine which explained the rough ride.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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71
Dry
Defender LTX M/S2 +1384Why this score
Source Trail-Terrain T/A Defender LTX M/S2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 78 (est.) Reviews found online 73 92 Trail-Terrain T/A: 60% × 70.2 (est.) + 40% × 73.1 = 71
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 78.2 (est.) + 40% × 92.1 = 84
No road tests of dry for Trail-Terrain T/A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
No road tests of dry for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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65
Wet
Defender LTX M/S2 +2287Why this score
Source Trail-Terrain T/A Defender LTX M/S2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 83 (est.) Reviews found online 63 93 Trail-Terrain T/A: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 62.9 = 65
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 82.9 (est.) + 40% × 92.7 = 87
No road tests of wet for Trail-Terrain T/A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
No road tests of wet for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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78
Snow
Trail-Terrain T/A +474Why this score
Source Trail-Terrain T/A Defender LTX M/S2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 75 (est.) ≈ 73 (est.) Reviews found online 83 76 Trail-Terrain T/A: 60% × 75.3 (est.) + 40% × 82.7 = 78
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 72.7 (est.) + 40% × 76 = 74
No road tests of snow for Trail-Terrain T/A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
No road tests of snow for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
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66
Comfort
Defender LTX M/S2 +1682Why this score
Source Trail-Terrain T/A Defender LTX M/S2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 68 (est.) ≈ 73 (est.) Reviews found online 64 88 Trail-Terrain T/A: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 64.1 = 66
Defender LTX M/S2: 40% × 72.6 (est.) + 60% × 88.3 = 82
No road tests of comfort for Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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68
Noise
Defender LTX M/S2 +876Why this score
Source Trail-Terrain T/A Defender LTX M/S2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 69 89 Trail-Terrain T/A: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 69.2 = 68
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 89.2 = 76
No road tests of noise for Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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71
Treadwear
Defender LTX M/S2 +980Why this score
Source Trail-Terrain T/A Defender LTX M/S2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 74 (est.) Reviews found online 75 89 Trail-Terrain T/A: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 74.6 = 71
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 74.1 (est.) + 40% × 88.8 = 80
No road tests of treadwear for Trail-Terrain T/A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
No road tests of treadwear for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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65
Handling (owners)
Defender LTX M/S2 +2287Why this score
Source Trail-Terrain T/A Defender LTX M/S2 Reviews found online 65 87
Scores at a glance
| Category | BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A | Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 82 |
| Dry | 71 | 84 |
| Wet | 65 | 87 |
| Snow | 78 | 74 |
| Comfort | 66 | 82 |
| Noise | 68 | 76 |
| Treadwear | 71 | 80 |
| Handling (owners) | 65 | 87 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
Trail-Terrain T/A
82
/ 100
Defender LTX M/S2
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Trail-Terrain T/A
Pros
- Surprisingly low road noise for an all-terrain tire
- Excellent traction and predictability in snow and winter conditions
- Good ride comfort and smoothness on paved roads
Cons
- Some users report poor wet weather traction and rear-wheel slippage
- A minority of reviewers noted high noise levels on paved tarmac
- Concerns regarding longevity with some users experiencing faster tread wear
Tire B Defender LTX M/S2
Pros
- Exceptionally long tread life and high mileage durability
- Smooth, comfortable, and quiet highway ride quality
- Improved fuel economy and low rolling resistance compared to factory or all-terrain tires
Cons
- High upfront premium price point
- Occasional minor wheel spin or reduced traction on wet surfaces during hard takeoffs
- Treads can pack with snow, making them mediocre in deep winter conditions
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
The community widely views the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 as an outstanding highway and daily driving tire, praising its smooth ride, low road noise, and reliable wet traction. While considered an ideal replacement for noisy all-terrain or OEM tires, some users question its performance in severe winter or deep mud conditions compared to dedicated off-road tires. A few owners also raised minor concerns regarding warranty differences, balancing, and tread life compared to prior generations.
r/GrandCherokee
·2 upvotes ·2025-09-01
“I had the crossclimate on my Avalon. They were noisy. Don't know if vehicle choice matters. Put the Defender LTX M/S2 on my GC Overland. So far I really like them.”
r/GXOR
·3 upvotes ·2026-07-03
“Looking for Pics of GXs with Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 TL;DR - Would love to see pics of trucks with the current Defender LTX M/S2, especially on non-OEM wheels. Longer story - Selected my Conti TerrainContact AT as the ideal mild AT - light, quiet, comfy, but with a tougher looking sidewall and just a enough extra traction. Unfortunately, 3 out of 4 cannot be road forced balanced well enough (2 different shops tried) and they have a very pronounced wobble at multiple speeds. I'm thiiiiiis close to admitting to myself I don't offroad enough to justify even a mild AT, and that the new Defender LTX M/S2 is the perfect for me. These tires are VERY well reviewed here and everywhere else, and yes- plenty say they do well in many off-road situations. But pictures are hard to come by! Please post up if you have these on your ride so I can get a sense of how they look, especially if you have 17" wheels or non-OEM sizes. Thanks! Read more”
r/RivianR2
·1 upvote ·2026-09-06
“The Michelin Defender LTX m/s2 is available in 255/60/20 and is a fantastic tire. Not severe snow rated but it has a great reputation for being great in the snow. Lasts forever too.”
Top themes
#highway ride comfort#wet weather traction#low road noise#fuel and range efficiency#light snow performance#all-terrain comparison
Based on 83 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All-Season tire |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 50 | 1 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | 22″ |
| Tread depth | 11 - 13/32″ | 11 - 14/32″ |
| UTQG | 660 A A - B | 820 B A |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | 50 - 80 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A
82
/ 100
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — better wet, handling and comfort. Pick the BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 87 vs 65 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 87 vs 65 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 66 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 84 vs 71 on dry.
Tire A · BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
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Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2?
Which is better in the wet, Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 87 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 84 vs 71 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2?
BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A, 78 vs 74 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 76 vs 68 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 82 vs 66 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Trail-Terrain T/A or Defender LTX M/S2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 80 vs 71 on our treadwear score.
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology