Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop SP Sport LM705 vs Michelin Energy XM2 — Compared

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 + 0 road tests and 39 + 55 owner reviews. How we score

Energy XM2 leads, 68–66 Narrow edge

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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. 67

    Dry

    SP Sport LM705 +1
    66
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport LM705Energy XM2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online6666

    SP Sport LM705: 60% × 67.2 (est.) + 40% × 65.9 = 67

    Energy XM2: 60% × 67 (est.) + 40% × 65.5 = 66

    No road tests of dry for SP Sport LM705. 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 Energy XM2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 62

    Wet

    Energy XM2 +7
    69
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport LM705Energy XM2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 64 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5969

    SP Sport LM705: 60% × 64.5 (est.) + 40% × 59.4 = 62

    Energy XM2: 60% × 69.6 (est.) + 40% × 68.6 = 69

    No road tests of wet for SP Sport LM705. 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 Energy XM2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 62

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport LM705Energy XM2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)–
    Reviews found online57–

    SP Sport LM705: 60% × 65.5 (est.) + 40% × 56.7 = 62

    No road tests of snow for SP Sport LM705. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 70

    Comfort

    SP Sport LM705 +6
    64
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport LM705Energy XM2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online7162

    SP Sport LM705: 40% × 69.5 (est.) + 60% × 71.1 = 70

    Energy XM2: 40% × 67.8 (est.) + 60% × 62.1 = 64

    No road tests of comfort for SP Sport LM705 or Energy XM2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 62

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport LM705Energy XM2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)–
    Reviews found online56–

    SP Sport LM705: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 56.1 = 62

    No road tests of noise for SP Sport LM705. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 67

    Treadwear

    Energy XM2 +4
    71
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport LM705Energy XM2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online6875

    SP Sport LM705: 60% × 66.8 (est.) + 40% × 68.2 = 67

    Energy XM2: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 74.6 = 71

    No road tests of treadwear for SP Sport LM705. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for Energy XM2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 66

    Handling (owners)

    Level
    66
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport LM705Energy XM2
    Reviews found online6666
Scores at a glance
Dunlop SP Sport LM705 vs Michelin Energy XM2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop SP Sport LM705Michelin Energy XM2
Relative Score 66 68
Dry 67 66
Wet 62 69
Snow 62 –
Comfort 70 64
Noise 62 –
Treadwear 67 71
Handling (owners) 66 66

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

Weight the categories that matter to you

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.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

SP Sport LM705

± 8

Energy XM2

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A SP Sport LM705

Pros

  • Exceptional ride comfort and smooth bump/pothole absorption
  • Very low road noise and quiet highway operation
  • High value for money compared to premium competitors

Cons

  • Significantly compromised wet grip and poor performance in heavy rain
  • Soft sidewalls lead to mushy steering response and lack of high-speed handling feedback
  • Faster-than-expected wear reported by some users
All owner themes in the SP Sport LM705 review

Tire B Energy XM2

Pros

  • Exceptional tread longevity and durability
  • Strong puncture resistance
  • Reliable dry and wet grip for daily driving

Cons

  • Increased road noise as the tire wears
  • Soft sidewalls can feel less responsive during spirited driving
  • Premium price point compared to competitors
All owner themes in the Energy XM2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Sport LM705 B · Michelin Energy XM2
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available63
Rim diameters16″ – 19″15″ – 16″
SidewallBlackwall—
Sizes in common00

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop SP Sport LM705

Michelin Energy XM2

Narrow edge: Michelin Energy XM2 — better wet and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop SP Sport LM705 if comfort matters most to you.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Energy XM2 scores 69 vs 62 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop SP Sport LM705 scores 70 vs 64 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Energy XM2 scores 71 vs 67 on treadwear.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport LM705
Tire B · Michelin Energy XM2

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SP Sport LM705 or Energy XM2?

Which is better in the wet, SP Sport LM705 or Energy XM2?

Michelin Energy XM2, 69 vs 62 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, SP Sport LM705 or Energy XM2?

Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 66 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, SP Sport LM705 or Energy XM2?

Dunlop SP Sport LM705, 70 vs 64 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, SP Sport LM705 or Energy XM2?

Michelin Energy XM2, 71 vs 67 on our treadwear score.

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.

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