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 561 + 10 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 78–56
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Tests – · none yet Owners 48 · 561 reviews
“Gouge on sidewall It’s a continental cross contact LX sport 235/65 R18. Got them last year but hit a sharp curb the other day. Not sure if I’m seeing any cords, there’s some white streaks deep in the gouge but it all seems in tact. Just need to drive this car for 3 more days, is it safe?”
Tests – · 1 test Owners 82 · 10 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | CrossContact LX Sport | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 62 (est.) | ≈ 74 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 55 | 83 |
CrossContact LX Sport: 60% × 62.5 (est.) + 40% × 54.7 = 59
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.3 = 78
No road tests of dry for CrossContact LX Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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 0.42).
| Source | CrossContact LX Sport | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 63 (est.) | ≈ 78 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 57 | 84 |
CrossContact LX Sport: 60% × 63.2 (est.) + 40% × 57.1 = 61
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.2 (est.) + 40% × 84.2 = 81
No road tests of wet for CrossContact LX Sport. 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).
| Source | CrossContact LX Sport | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 66 (est.) | ≈ 73 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 57 | 76 |
CrossContact LX Sport: 60% × 65.8 (est.) + 40% × 57.4 = 62
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.7 (est.) + 40% × 76 = 74
No road tests of snow for CrossContact LX Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
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 0.37).
| Source | CrossContact LX Sport | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 67 (est.) | ≈ 71 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 58 | 78 |
CrossContact LX Sport: 40% × 67.1 (est.) + 60% × 58 = 62
Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.7 (est.) + 60% × 77.6 = 75
No road tests of comfort for CrossContact LX Sport or Defender LTX M/S. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | CrossContact LX Sport | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 67 (est.) | – |
| Reviews found online | 61 | – |
CrossContact LX Sport: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 61.1 = 64
No road tests of noise for CrossContact LX Sport. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | CrossContact LX Sport | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests | ≈ 51 (est.) | 75 |
| Reviews found online | 23 | 85 |
CrossContact LX Sport: 60% × 51 (est.) + 40% × 22.6 = 40
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.5 + 40% × 85.1 = 79
No road tests of treadwear for CrossContact LX Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
| Source | CrossContact LX Sport | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 46 | 80 |
| Category | Continental CrossContact LX Sport | Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 56 | 78 |
| Dry | 59 | 78 |
| Wet | 61 | 81 |
| Snow | 62 | 74 |
| Comfort | 62 | 75 |
| Noise | 64 | – |
| Treadwear | 40 | 79 |
| Handling (owners) | 46 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
CrossContact LX Sport
Defender LTX M/S
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community opinion on the Continental Cross Contact LX Sport is mixed, with some drivers praising its comfort, balance of control, and low road noise. However, many owners express dissatisfaction with rapid tread wear, flaking or chunking, poor wet traction, and shallow initial tread depth. Several users consider replacing them early with options like Michelin CrossClimate or Defender models.
“It’s a compromise between ‘comfort’ ride and safety and handling. Advance driving course will add around 8psi cold. I find on any rim size additional 4psi makes a difference. Why ? Under heavy braking the tyre collapsed in the middle, by running higher inflation the complete width of the type is on the road, better braking efficiency - if under inflated only the outer edges keep in contact with the ground, causing less efficiency and longer distance to stop. Higher inflation also ensures tyre does not warp and twist on rim when turning. Too much inflation is just as bad, only the middle touches road - less braking efficiency and wear out tyre quicker. OEM recommended pressure is for comfort and sometimes sees increased edge wear over life of tyre. Regular tyre rotation and wheel balance and alignment will maximise tyre life. Try for yourself, But I have found around 4psi extra when cold is optimum.”
“2024 EXL Tire Review - Continental Cross Contact LX Sport 245/60/18 Replaced the oem tires with only 10,000 miles with these after reading reviews and the price point. Very happy with them, better handling and feel with less road noise and much better on grooved pavement. The oem Bridgestones wandered badly on grooved pavement. Highly recommended. Read more”
“Trav- someone I know has these and likes them, good experience so far. When I look on TR, DT it does not show the 235-55-20 as an option. Maybe just current supply issues? I tried the Toyo website directly and it doesn't list them as being an option either. The Celsius Sport, yes, but not the Celsius CUV? The Walmart link doesn't have a purchase option for me just "show nearby availability" but none show. Your thoughts on the Celsius "Sport" if he was looking at that? My experience was with Continental CrossContact LX Sport and Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport AS. They were both good dry and wet, wore out fast, total safety hazards in the snow, like plastic sled or saucer on a snowy hill bad. For me if winter/snow is a possibility and need reliable traction, anything tire that says sport is not.”
Based on 26 community posts
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
| Attribute | A · Continental CrossContact LX Sport | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 39 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 9/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 480 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Continental CrossContact LX Sport
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better treadwear, handling and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 40 on treadwear.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 46 on handling.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 81 vs 61 on wet.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 59 on dry.
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Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 81 vs 61 on our wet score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 78 vs 59 on our dry score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 62 on our snow score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 62 on our comfort score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 40 on our treadwear score.
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
