Tests – · none yet Owners 77 · 6 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 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 6 + 11 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 79–74
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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.
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73
Dry
Defender LTX M/S +679Why this score
Source Blizzak WS70 Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 75 (est.) Reviews found online 76 84 Blizzak WS70: 60% × 71.1 (est.) + 40% × 75.5 = 73
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 84.3 = 79
No road tests of dry for Blizzak WS70. 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).
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76
Wet
Defender LTX M/S +682Why this score
Source Blizzak WS70 Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 75 (est.) ≈ 79 (est.) Reviews found online 78 86 Blizzak WS70: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 78.1 = 76
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.8 (est.) + 40% × 85.6 = 82
No road tests of wet for Blizzak WS70. 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).
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76
Snow
Blizzak WS70 +274Why this score
Source Blizzak WS70 Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 74 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 80 77 Blizzak WS70: 60% × 73.5 (est.) + 40% × 80 = 76
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 76.6 = 74
No road tests of snow for Blizzak WS70. 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).
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74
Comfort
Defender LTX M/S +175Why this score
Source Blizzak WS70 Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 77 78 Blizzak WS70: 40% × 70.2 (est.) + 60% × 76.5 = 74
Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 77.7 = 75
No road tests of comfort for Blizzak WS70. 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).
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72
Treadwear
Defender LTX M/S +880Why this score
Source Blizzak WS70 Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 70 (est.) 75 Reviews found online 76 86 Blizzak WS70: 60% × 69.8 (est.) + 40% × 75.6 = 72
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.3 = 80
No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak WS70. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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67
Handling (owners)
Defender LTX M/S +1582Why this score
Source Blizzak WS70 Defender LTX M/S Reviews found online 67 82
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 | Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 79 |
| Dry | 73 | 79 |
| Wet | 76 | 82 |
| Snow | 76 | 74 |
| Comfort | 74 | 75 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 80 |
| Handling (owners) | 67 | 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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
74
/ 100
Blizzak WS70
79
/ 100
Defender LTX M/S
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Blizzak WS70
Pros
- Phenomenal grip and traction on snow, ice, and slush
- Impressively quiet operation for a winter tire
- Excellent confidence in harsh, Nordic-style winter climates
Cons
- Reduced stability and handling precision on dry pavement at highway speeds
- Squishy or vague steering feel in wet conditions
- Occasional difficulty with take-off traction on rear-wheel-drive vehicles
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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| UTQG | — | 720 - 800 B A |
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70
79
/ 100
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, treadwear and dry. Where the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 6 reviews), so read this result as provisional. 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 67 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 72 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 73 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 76 on wet.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS70
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Blizzak WS70 or Defender LTX M/S?
Which is better in the wet, Blizzak WS70 or Defender LTX M/S?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 82 vs 76 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Blizzak WS70 or Defender LTX M/S?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 73 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Blizzak WS70 or Defender LTX M/S?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 74 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Blizzak WS70 or Defender LTX M/S?
Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 75 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Blizzak WS70 or Defender LTX M/S?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 80 vs 72 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