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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-32 vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — 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 + 1 road tests and 21 + 11 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 79–65

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Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire BMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

± 7Provisional

Tests – · 1 test Owners 83 · 11 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 65

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +14
    79
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-32Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online6384

    Blizzak LM-32: 60% × 65.9 (est.) + 40% × 63 = 65

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 84.3 = 79

    No road tests of dry for Blizzak LM-32. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 65

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +17
    82
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-32Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 79 (est.)
    Reviews found online6486

    Blizzak LM-32: 60% × 66.8 (est.) + 40% × 63.5 = 65

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.8 (est.) + 40% × 85.6 = 82

    No road tests of wet for Blizzak LM-32. 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/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 66

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +8
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-32Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online6377

    Blizzak LM-32: 60% × 68.2 (est.) + 40% × 63.1 = 66

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 76.6 = 74

    No road tests of snow for Blizzak LM-32. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 61

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +14
    75
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-32Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5878

    Blizzak LM-32: 40% × 66.5 (est.) + 60% × 58 = 61

    Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 77.7 = 75

    No road tests of comfort for Blizzak LM-32. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 64

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-32Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)–
    Reviews found online59–

    Blizzak LM-32: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 59.1 = 64

    No road tests of noise for Blizzak LM-32. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 66

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +14
    80
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-32Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 66 (est.)75
    Reviews found online6686

    Blizzak LM-32: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 65.6 = 66

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.3 = 80

    No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak LM-32. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 59

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S +23
    82
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-32Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online5982
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak LM-32Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 65 79
Dry 65 79
Wet 65 82
Snow 66 74
Comfort 61 75
Noise 64 –
Treadwear 66 80
Handling (owners) 59 82

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

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Blizzak LM-32

± 7

Defender LTX M/S

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak LM-32Defender LTX M/SΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #7/10 2014 AMS Winter Tyre Test #3/13 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Blizzak LM-32

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and reliability in deep snow and winter storms
  • Stable and satisfying handling on cold, dry roads
  • Good resistance to aquaplaning and solid durability/tread life reported by some users

Cons

  • Poor and unpredictable wet weather grip, leading to wheel spin and sliding
  • Noticeable road noise and humming that increases as the tread wears down
  • Vague steering feel and lackluster performance under quick acceleration
All owner themes in the Blizzak LM-32 review

Tire B Defender LTX M/S

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and long-term durability, often exceeding 60,000 miles
  • Smooth, quiet, and comfortable highway ride quality
  • Strong traction and secure handling in wet, dry, and moderate snow conditions

Cons

  • High initial purchase price compared to competitors
  • Subpar off-road performance, specifically struggling in mud, sand, and loose gravel
  • Limited ice performance compared to dedicated winter tires
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak LM-32 B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
CategoryWinterAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available36—
Rim diameters15″ – 20″—
Tread depth11/32″—
UTQG—720 - 800 B A
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-32

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 11 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 59 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 65 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 65 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 75 vs 61 on comfort.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak LM-32
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Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Blizzak LM-32 or Defender LTX M/S?

Which is better in the wet, Blizzak LM-32 or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 82 vs 65 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak LM-32 or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 65 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Blizzak LM-32 or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Blizzak LM-32 or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 61 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Blizzak LM-32 or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 80 vs 66 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