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Head-to-head Updated

Continental ContiCrossContact LX vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–58

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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. 59

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +17
    76
    Why this score
    SourceContiCrossContact LXDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online5481
  2. 61

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +17
    78
    Why this score
    SourceContiCrossContact LXDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online5881
  3. 60

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +12
    72
    Why this score
    SourceContiCrossContact LXDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online5473
  4. 62

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    73
    Why this score
    SourceContiCrossContact LXDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online5576
  5. 65

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    70
    Why this score
    SourceContiCrossContact LXDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6274
  6. 54

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +22
    76
    Why this score
    SourceContiCrossContact LXDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–74
    Reviews found online4678
  7. 51

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +27
    78
    Why this score
    SourceContiCrossContact LXDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online5178
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental ContiCrossContact LXMichelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 58 76
Dry 59 76
Wet 61 78
Snow 60 72
Comfort 62 73
Noise 65 70
Treadwear 54 76
Handling 51 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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Recomputed
Headline score

ContiCrossContact LX

Defender LTX M/S

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A ContiCrossContact LX

Pros

  • Strong dry-road grip and handling performance
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality on pavement
  • Competitive price point compared to premium alternatives

Cons

  • Poor wet-weather performance, including hydroplaning and sliding
  • Inconsistent and often premature tread wear
  • Susceptibility to uneven wear patterns
All owner themes in the ContiCrossContact LX 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 ContiCrossContact LX B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available4—
Rim diameters16″ – 18″—
Tread depth10/32″—
UTQG680 A B—
Treadwear warranty65,000 mi—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure44 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental ContiCrossContact LX

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 51 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

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

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 59 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 61 on wet.

Tire A · Continental ContiCrossContact LX
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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