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Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport vs Michelin Defender2 — Compared

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

Defender2 is ahead, 77–65

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Tire ABridgestone

Dueler H/P Sport

Summer

Tests 71 · 1 test Owners 61 · 1,954 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 8 in 2010 Auto Zeitung 4x4 Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Tire BMichelin

Defender2

All Season

Tests 65 · 2 tests Owners 87 · 11,218 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 7 in Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) (dry braking)

“I am sick from New Michelin Defender2 tires. Need recommendation of all season tires with less offgassing of toxic chemicals. Short of breath and nasal congestion from 3 brand new Michelin Defender2 tires offgassing on my SUV. Tires consist of approximately 400 chemicals. What is the half life of their offgassing? I am considering replacing them with Hanhook Kinergy tires. Has anyone smelled them? Read more”

Category by category

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

  1. 67

    Dry

    Defender2 +13
    80
    Why this score
    SourceDueler H/P SportDefender2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7273
    Reviews found online6090
    Dry Braking (% of best)99%100%
  2. 68

    Wet

    Defender2 +6
    74
    Why this score
    SourceDueler H/P SportDefender2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7065
    Reviews found online6488
    Wet Braking (% of best)90%90%
    Wet Handling (% of best)97%95%
  3. 67

    Snow

    Dueler H/P Sport +8
    59
    Why this score
    SourceDueler H/P SportDefender2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–47
    Reviews found online6577
  4. 63

    Comfort

    Defender2 +16
    79
    Why this score
    SourceDueler H/P SportDefender2
    Reviews found online5688
  5. 66

    Noise

    Defender2 +12
    78
    Why this score
    SourceDueler H/P SportDefender2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–73
    Reviews found online6585
  6. 63

    Treadwear

    Defender2 +15
    78
    Why this score
    SourceDueler H/P SportDefender2
    Reviews found online6187
  7. 57

    Handling

    Defender2 +31
    88
    Why this score
    SourceDueler H/P SportDefender2
    Reviews found online5788
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Dueler H/P SportMichelin Defender2
Relative Score 65 77
Dry 67 80
Wet 68 74
Snow 67 59
Comfort 63 79
Noise 66 78
Treadwear 63 78
Handling 57 88

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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Recomputed
Headline score

Dueler H/P Sport

Defender2

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.

DisciplineCategoryDueler H/P SportDefender2ΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 99% #6/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) −1.4 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 33% #3/8 · 2010 Auto Zeitung 4x4 Tyre Test 25% #4/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) +8.3 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 90% #7/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test 90% #7/11 · 2024 TireRack All Season and Weather Tyre Test +0.7 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #7/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test 95% #10/11 · 2024 TireRack All Season and Weather Tyre Test +2.2 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Dueler H/P Sport

Pros

  • Impressive treadwear and longevity, with many users reporting high mileage before replacement
  • Reliable and secure grip in dry road conditions
  • Stable handling and solid load-bearing capability suitable for heavier SUVs and crossovers

Cons

  • High levels of road noise and drone, especially on rougher surfaces or as the tire ages
  • Inconsistent or poor performance in wet conditions, with several complaints of hydroplaning or slipping
  • Firm, sometimes harsh ride quality that reduces overall vehicle comfort
All owner themes in the Dueler H/P Sport review

Tire B Defender2

Pros

  • Long-lasting tread life and high mileage capability
  • Confident dry and wet traction with stable handling
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality on specific vehicles and highway surfaces

Cons

  • Stiffer, harder ride compared to original equipment or older models
  • Noticeable road noise and lack of noise absorption on certain pavement types
  • Reduced fuel economy (MPG) reported by multiple users
All owner themes in the Defender2 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Michelin Defender2

Positive

The Michelin Defender2 is widely praised by the community as a top-tier all-season tire, frequently compared favorably against alternatives like the CrossClimate2 and Continental LX25. Users highlight its exceptional tread life, excellent Consumer Reports rankings, and balanced performance, though minor concerns exist regarding speed rating requirements and rare individual complaints.

r/crv ·6 upvotes ·2025-04-07

“Michelin CC2 or Defender2 or Continental crosscontact LX25?? For 2019 Honda Crv. I heard a lot of pros for these tires in the following order. CC2 --> Defender2 --> LX25 But Cons which i what i like to know about.. CC2 - lots of reviews on mpg hit. Defender2 - Not sure if also has mpg hit. Lx25 - I have a friend who is already 20k on it and tire looks new and didn't mention about any mpg hit for him Thank you. Update: Thank you for all your valuable reviews, I have ordered these from Costco and should get them rolling soon. MICHELIN DEFENDER2 AS 235/60R18 107H XL BSW ALL SEASON TIRE. Read more”
r/tires ·3 upvotes ·2025-02-08

“Michelin Defender2 for handling, comfort, and noise? Vehicle is a 2008 Honda Accord LX Sedan. 215/60/R16. I prefer A/S tires and only drive in a warm dry climate with occasional rain (southern CA) I know that Michelins are generally considered the best tire maker but the main advantage of the Defender2's seems to be their excellent durability and tread life. The thing is I have an older car and although I love it I'll probably be selling it within 4yrs. In addition I only average around 6000 miles per year. So I would rather have tires that are more focused on providing a balance of ride quality, comfort, and handling while I have the car. I can get Turanza Quiettracks for about the same price also from Costco so maybe these or another tire might be better suited for my needs? Thanks for reading. Read more”
Top themes
#long tread life#consumer reports ranking#all season performance#fuel economy impact#tire comparisons

Based on 5 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport B · Michelin Defender2
CategorySummerAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available521
Rim diameters16″ – 21″18″
Tread depth10/32″10 - 11/32″
UTQG300 A A840 B B
Treadwear warranty—80,000 mi
SidewallBlackwallBlack Side Wall
Max pressure51 psi50 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport

Michelin Defender2

Winner: Michelin Defender2 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender2 scores 88 vs 57 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender2 scores 79 vs 63 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender2 scores 78 vs 63 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender2 scores 80 vs 67 on dry.

Tire A · Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport
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Tire B · Michelin Defender2
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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.

77

Leads

Defender2

Amazon