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Continental TerrainContact H/T vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S2 is ahead, 81–74

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Tire BMichelin

Defender LTX M/S2

Tests – · none yet Owners 87 · 3,650 reviews

“Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 vs Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3 for '21 Ram 1500 Limited Unfortunately I'm having to get my 2nd set of tires in 4 years. I had the OEM Goodyear tires the first two times and only got 20-25K miles each time so I'm looking for something better. I usually get my tires from Sam's Club because I've found they give the best value. I wanted to get the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2's at my last need for tires but they cost more than I could afford at the time. I can afford them now but I've also come across these Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3's that are at a better deal and have consistently decent reviews as well that would cost me about $500 less in total. I wanted to see if anyone here has any experience with both sets or has a recommendation between the two tires and if you can provide reasonings why. TIA! Leer más”

Category by category

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

  1. 73

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S2 +9
    82
    Why this score
    SourceTerrainContact H/TDefender LTX M/S2
    Reviews found online7691
  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S2 +6
    84
    Why this score
    SourceTerrainContact H/TDefender LTX M/S2
    Reviews found online8089
  3. 71

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S2 +1
    72
    Why this score
    SourceTerrainContact H/TDefender LTX M/S2
    Reviews found online7274
  4. 69

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S2 +9
    78
    Why this score
    SourceTerrainContact H/TDefender LTX M/S2
    Reviews found online7087
  5. 71

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S2 +5
    76
    Why this score
    SourceTerrainContact H/TDefender LTX M/S2
    Reviews found online7889
  6. 75

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S2 +5
    80
    Why this score
    SourceTerrainContact H/TDefender LTX M/S2
    Professional tests (TWG score)78–
    Reviews found online7190
  7. 76

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S2 +10
    86
    Why this score
    SourceTerrainContact H/TDefender LTX M/S2
    Reviews found online7686
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental TerrainContact H/TMichelin Defender LTX M/S2
Relative Score 74 81
Dry 73 82
Wet 78 84
Snow 71 72
Comfort 69 78
Noise 71 76
Treadwear 75 80
Handling 76 86

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

TerrainContact H/T

Defender LTX M/S2

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A TerrainContact H/T

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry pavement grip
  • Noticeable improvement in vehicle handling and stability, particularly when towing
  • Strong performance in snow and varied weather conditions

Cons

  • Reports of inconsistent balancing and high road force values
  • Tread wear can be accelerated under heavy towing loads
  • Mixed feedback on deep snow and ice traction
All owner themes in the TerrainContact H/T review

Tire B Defender LTX M/S2

Pros

  • Exceptionally long tread life and high mileage durability
  • Smooth, comfortable, and quiet highway ride quality
  • Improved fuel economy and low rolling resistance compared to factory or all-terrain tires

Cons

  • High upfront premium price point
  • Occasional minor wheel spin or reduced traction on wet surfaces during hard takeoffs
  • Treads can pack with snow, making them mediocre in deep winter conditions
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S2 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Continental TerrainContact H/T

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

Tire B

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

Positive

The community widely views the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 as an outstanding highway and daily driving tire, praising its smooth ride, low road noise, and reliable wet traction. While considered an ideal replacement for noisy all-terrain or OEM tires, some users question its performance in severe winter or deep mud conditions compared to dedicated off-road tires. A few owners also raised minor concerns regarding warranty differences, balancing, and tread life compared to prior generations.

landcruiserforum.com ·5 upvotes ·2024-08-12

“The tires are over inflated for transport. The dealership should set them to the proper PSI during PDI but that's not always the case. I had 55 PSI in mine which explained the rough ride.”
tahoeyukonforum.com ·5 upvotes ·2026-03-06

“Defender LTX M/S2 275/50/22 on Fuel 22’s Coming off the Allenzas the quiet smooth ride is very noticeable. A section of paved road that has roots underneath but not really washboard - on the Allenzas it was noisy and bumpy and with the Defenders it is barely noticeable. They are that good”
bobistheoilguy.com ·5 upvotes ·2025-06-04

“Got them last month. Did road trip to Vegas and back. Astonishing tire. You almost don’t know they are there. They just provide feedback necessary to have good control. No noise, no uncomfortable transfer of impact. Excellent in rain. Went through several downpours. As expected from 12/32 depth and this design, hydroplaning resistance is excellent. But what I pay attention is braking and handling, and they are excellent there. Did by now 3,000mls no any noticeable wear.”
Top themes
#highway ride comfort#wet weather traction#low road noise#fuel and range efficiency#light snow performance#all-terrain comparison

Based on 83 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental TerrainContact H/T B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available301
Rim diameters16″ – 22″22″
Tread depth12 - 14/32″11 - 14/32″
UTQG360 - 800 A - AA A - B820 B A
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering
Max pressure44 - 80 psi50 - 80 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental TerrainContact H/T

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — better handling, dry and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 86 vs 76 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 73 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 78 vs 69 on comfort.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 84 vs 78 on wet.

Tire A · Continental TerrainContact H/T
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Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
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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.

81

Leads

Defender LTX M/S2

Amazon