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Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Optimo H428 vs Michelin Defender T+H — Compared

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

Defender T+H is ahead, 72–39

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Tire BMichelin

Defender T+H

Premium Touring All Season tire

Tests – · 1 test Owners 71 · 1 review

Category by category

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

  1. 38

    Dry

    Defender T+H +34
    72
    Why this score
    SourceOptimo H428Defender T+H
    Reviews found online2174
  2. 36

    Wet

    Defender T+H +38
    74
    Why this score
    SourceOptimo H428Defender T+H
    Reviews found online2475
  3. 40

    Snow

    Defender T+H +26
    66
    Why this score
    SourceOptimo H428Defender T+H
    Reviews found online2064
  4. 45

    Comfort

    Defender T+H +25
    70
    Why this score
    SourceOptimo H428Defender T+H
    Reviews found online2170
  5. 52

    Noise

    Defender T+H +16
    68
    Why this score
    SourceOptimo H428Defender T+H
    Reviews found online3070
  6. 48

    Treadwear

    Defender T+H +25
    73
    Why this score
    SourceOptimo H428Defender T+H
    Professional tests (TWG score)–75
    Reviews found online3670
  7. 23

    Handling

    Defender T+H +49
    72
    Why this score
    SourceOptimo H428Defender T+H
    Reviews found online2372
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Optimo H428Michelin Defender T+H
Relative Score 39 72
Dry 38 72
Wet 36 74
Snow 40 66
Comfort 45 70
Noise 52 68
Treadwear 48 73
Handling 23 72

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

Optimo H428

Defender T+H

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Optimo H428 B · Michelin Defender T+H
Category—Premium Touring All Season tire
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverSUV and 4x4
Tread depth9.5/32″—
UTQG500 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure44 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Optimo H428

Michelin Defender T+H

Winner: Michelin Defender T+H — better handling, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender T+H scores 72 vs 23 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender T+H scores 74 vs 36 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender T+H scores 72 vs 38 on dry.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender T+H scores 66 vs 40 on snow.

Tire A · Hankook Optimo H428
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Defender T+H
Check price on Amazon

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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.

72

Leads

Defender T+H

Amazon