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Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–69

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Tire ABridgestone

Blizzak WS80

Winter Premium Touring tires

Tests – · none yet Owners 70 · 45 reviews

Best test result: #6 of 9 in 2018 Autofil Studless Winter Tire Test R16 (overall ranking)

Tire BMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

Tests – · 1 test Owners 78 · 10 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (overall ranking)

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 +11
    76
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6481
  2. 72

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +6
    78
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7281
  3. 76

    Snow

    Blizzak WS80 +4
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online8173
  4. 70

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +3
    73
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7176
  5. 66

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    70
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6574
  6. 65

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    76
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–74
    Reviews found online6578
  7. 69

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +9
    78
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak WS80Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6978
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak WS80Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 69 76
Dry 65 76
Wet 72 78
Snow 76 72
Comfort 70 73
Noise 66 70
Treadwear 65 76
Handling 69 78

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Neutral
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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Blizzak WS80

Defender LTX M/S

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak WS80Defender LTX M/SΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 38% #6/9 · 2018 Autofil Studless Winter Tire Test R16 83% #3/13 · 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires −45.8 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Blizzak WS80

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and grip in deep snow, slush, and ice
  • High confidence and safety during severe winter weather and mountain driving
  • Surprisingly low road noise on dry and wet pavement

Cons

  • Reduced fuel economy / lower gas mileage
  • Slightly squishy handling and reduced braking performance on dry roads
  • May feel less responsive than standard all-season or newer model compounds in non-winter conditions
All owner themes in the Blizzak WS80 review

Tire B Defender LTX M/S

Pros

  • Exceptional tread longevity and mileage lifespan
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality at highway speeds
  • Strong year-round traction across dry, wet, and light snow conditions

Cons

  • High upfront purchase price
  • Subpar performance in deep mud, sand, and off-road environments
  • Limited ice and severe winter capability compared to dedicated winter tires
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
CategoryWinter Premium Touring tiresAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverSUV and 4x4
Sizes available21—
Rim diameters15″ – 18″—
Tread depth11/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure44 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better dry, treadwear and handling. Pick the Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 65 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 65 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 69 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 72 on wet.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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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.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

76

Leads

Defender LTX M/S

Amazon