Tests 50 · 1 test Owners 44 · 7 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Laufenn I FIT vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — 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 1 + 1 road tests and 7 + 11 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 79–50
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 83 · 11 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
50
Dry
Defender LTX M/S +2979Why this score
Source I FIT Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 56 (est.) ≈ 75 (est.) Reviews found online 40 84 I FIT: 60% × 56.4 (est.) + 40% × 39.9 = 50
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 84.3 = 79
No road tests of dry for I FIT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
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 0.41).
-
43
Wet
Defender LTX M/S +3982Why this score
Source I FIT Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 50 ≈ 79 (est.) Reviews found online 34 86 I FIT: 60% × 49.8 + 40% × 33.7 = 43
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.8 (est.) + 40% × 85.6 = 82
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).
-
63
Snow
Defender LTX M/S +1174Why this score
Source I FIT Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 58 77 I FIT: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 57.5 = 63
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 76.6 = 74
No road tests of snow for I FIT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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 0.32).
-
55
Comfort
Defender LTX M/S +2075Why this score
Source I FIT Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 65 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 48 78 I FIT: 40% × 64.5 (est.) + 60% × 48.2 = 55
Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 77.7 = 75
No road tests of comfort for I FIT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
54
Treadwear
Defender LTX M/S +2680Why this score
Source I FIT Defender LTX M/S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 59 (est.) 75 Reviews found online 46 86 I FIT: 60% × 59 (est.) + 40% × 45.8 = 54
Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.3 = 80
No road tests of treadwear for I FIT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
37
Handling (owners)
Defender LTX M/S +4582Why this score
Source I FIT Defender LTX M/S Reviews found online 37 82
Scores at a glance
| Category | Laufenn I FIT | Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 50 | 79 |
| Dry | 50 | 79 |
| Wet | 43 | 82 |
| Snow | 63 | 74 |
| Comfort | 55 | 75 |
| Treadwear | 54 | 80 |
| Handling (owners) | 37 | 82 |
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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
50
/ 100
I FIT
79
/ 100
Defender LTX M/S
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
| Discipline | Category | I FIT | Defender LTX M/S | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #47/45 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview | #3/13 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A I FIT
Pros
- Acceptable traction in snow and ice conditions
- Comfortable and quiet ride quality when new
- Affordable budget-oriented pricing as a Hankook sub-brand
Cons
- Catastrophically poor grip and high risk of aquaplaning on wet and cold roads
- Sudden loss of traction without warning, inspiring low confidence
- Rapid performance degradation after the first or second season
Tire B Defender LTX M/S
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and long-term durability, often exceeding 60,000 miles
- Smooth, quiet, and comfortable highway ride quality
- Strong traction and secure handling in wet, dry, and moderate snow conditions
Cons
- High initial purchase price compared to competitors
- Subpar off-road performance, specifically struggling in mud, sand, and loose gravel
- Limited ice performance compared to dedicated winter tires
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Laufenn I FIT | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 4 | — |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 18″ | — |
| UTQG | — | 720 - 800 B A |
Which one should you actually buy?
50
/ 100
Laufenn I FIT
79
/ 100
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score. Laufenn I FIT rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 7 reviews), so read this result as provisional. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 11 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 37 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 43 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 50 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 54 on treadwear.
Tire A · Laufenn I FIT
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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I FIT or Defender LTX M/S?
Which is better in the wet, I FIT or Defender LTX M/S?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 82 vs 43 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, I FIT or Defender LTX M/S?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 50 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, I FIT or Defender LTX M/S?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 63 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, I FIT or Defender LTX M/S?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 55 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, I FIT or Defender LTX M/S?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 80 vs 54 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