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Head-to-head Updated

Continental 4x4 Contact vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–51

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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.

  1. 54

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +22
    76
    Why this score
    Source4x4 ContactDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online4681
  2. 56

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +22
    78
    Why this score
    Source4x4 ContactDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online5181
  3. 59

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    72
    Why this score
    Source4x4 ContactDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online5173
  4. 58

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +15
    73
    Why this score
    Source4x4 ContactDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online4776
  5. 59

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    70
    Why this score
    Source4x4 ContactDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online4874
  6. 42

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +34
    76
    Why this score
    Source4x4 ContactDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–74
    Reviews found online2678
  7. 38

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +40
    78
    Why this score
    Source4x4 ContactDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online3878
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental 4x4 ContactMichelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 51 76
Dry 54 76
Wet 56 78
Snow 59 72
Comfort 58 73
Noise 59 70
Treadwear 42 76
Handling 38 78

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

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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

4x4 Contact

Defender LTX M/S

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A 4x4 Contact

Pros

  • Good traction and grip on both dry and wet roads
  • Low road noise and a smooth, comfortable ride quality
  • Competent handling for light on-road and mild seasonal driving

Cons

  • Extremely rapid and disappointing tread wear for a premium tire
  • Poor performance and grip in deep snow, ice, and muddy off-road conditions
  • High price point relative to the short lifespan and fuel economy provided
All owner themes in the 4x4 Contact 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 · Continental 4x4 Contact B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available23—
Rim diameters15″ – 20″—
Tread depth10 - 11/32″—
UTQG360 - 420 A A—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure44 - 51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental 4x4 Contact

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, treadwear and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 38 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 42 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 54 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 56 on wet.

Tire A · Continental 4x4 Contact
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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