Tests – · none yet Owners 61 · 13 reviews
Michelin Defender looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra vs Michelin Defender — 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 13 + 4 owner reviews. How we score
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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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66
Dry
No comparison–Why this score
Source Alenza AS Ultra Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) – Reviews found online 65 – Alenza AS Ultra: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 64.7 = 66
No road tests of dry for Alenza AS Ultra. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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69
Wet
No comparison–Why this score
Source Alenza AS Ultra Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) – Reviews found online 69 – Alenza AS Ultra: 60% × 69.7 (est.) + 40% × 68.9 = 69
No road tests of wet for Alenza AS Ultra. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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69
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Alenza AS Ultra Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) – Reviews found online 69 – Alenza AS Ultra: 60% × 70 (est.) + 40% × 68.8 = 69
No road tests of snow for Alenza AS Ultra. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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64
Comfort
No comparison–Why this score
Source Alenza AS Ultra Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 67 (est.) – Reviews found online 62 – Alenza AS Ultra: 40% × 67.4 (est.) + 60% × 62.1 = 64
No road tests of comfort for Alenza AS Ultra. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.21).
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62
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Alenza AS Ultra Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) – Reviews found online 56 – Alenza AS Ultra: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 55.8 = 62
No road tests of noise for Alenza AS Ultra. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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54
Treadwear
No comparison–Why this score
Source Alenza AS Ultra Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 59 (est.) – Reviews found online 46 – Alenza AS Ultra: 60% × 59.3 (est.) + 40% × 46.4 = 54
No road tests of treadwear for Alenza AS Ultra. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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63
Handling (owners)
No comparison–Why this score
Source Alenza AS Ultra Defender Reviews found online 63 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra | Michelin Defender |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 65 | – |
| Dry | 66 | – |
| Wet | 69 | – |
| Snow | 69 | – |
| Comfort | 64 | – |
| Noise | 62 | – |
| Treadwear | 54 | – |
| Handling (owners) | 63 | – |
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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
65
/ 100
Alenza AS Ultra
–
/ 100
Defender
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Alenza AS Ultra
Pros
- Strong traction on both wet and dry road surfaces
- Improved ride comfort and handling compared to some factory-installed alternatives
- Capable performance in varied weather conditions for some users
Cons
- Reports of premature tread wear and short service life
- Noticeable road noise compared to other premium tires
- Inconsistent performance in severe winter conditions, particularly on ice and deep snow
Tire B Defender
Pros
- Excellent ride comfort and quiet operation
- Strong tread life and durability over several years
- Reliable grip on dry pavement
Cons
- Susceptibility to hydroplaning in heavy rain
- Limited traction in deep or severe snow
- Audible squealing during aggressive dry-pavement acceleration
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra | B · Michelin Defender |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | Summer Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 46 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 800 A A | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 80,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
65
/ 100
Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra
–
/ 100
Michelin Defender
Only Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra has enough test and review data for a Relative Score, so there is no head-to-head winner yet.
Tire A · Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra
Tire B · Michelin Defender
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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