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Head-to-head Updated

Kumho Road Venture MT KL71 vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–69

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Tire AKumho

Road Venture MT KL71

All Season

Tests – · none yet Owners 70 · 112 reviews

Best test result: #9 of 10 in 2016 All Terrain and Off Road MT Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Tire BMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

Tests – · 1 test Owners 78 · 10 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (overall ranking)

Category by category

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

  1. 71

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    76
    Why this score
    SourceRoad Venture MT KL71Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7381
  2. 73

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    78
    Why this score
    SourceRoad Venture MT KL71Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7481
  3. 67

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceRoad Venture MT KL71Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6573
  4. 68

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    73
    Why this score
    SourceRoad Venture MT KL71Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6776
  5. 66

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    70
    Why this score
    SourceRoad Venture MT KL71Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6474
  6. 69

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +7
    76
    Why this score
    SourceRoad Venture MT KL71Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–74
    Reviews found online7278
  7. 63

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +15
    78
    Why this score
    SourceRoad Venture MT KL71Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6378
Scores at a glance
CategoryKumho Road Venture MT KL71Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 69 76
Dry 71 76
Wet 73 78
Snow 67 72
Comfort 68 73
Noise 66 70
Treadwear 69 76
Handling 63 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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Neutral
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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Road Venture MT KL71

Defender LTX M/S

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryRoad Venture MT KL71Defender LTX M/SΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 11% #9/10 · 2016 All Terrain and Off Road MT Tyre Test 83% #3/13 · 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires −72.2 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Road Venture MT KL71

Pros

  • Unexpectedly low road noise for a mud-terrain tire
  • Outstanding off-road traction in mud, sand, and loose gravel
  • Aggressive, attractive tread pattern and sidewall design

Cons

  • Can become noisier over time as the tread wears down
  • Poor performance on ice
  • Aggressive tread and high traction can tear up delicate lawns and turf
All owner themes in the Road Venture MT KL71 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 · Kumho Road Venture MT KL71 B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Tread depth18/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure80 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Kumho Road Venture MT KL71

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 63 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 69 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 71 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 73 on wet.

Tire A · Kumho Road Venture MT KL71
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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.

76

Leads

Defender LTX M/S

Amazon