Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Agilis CrossClimate vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — 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 3 + 1 road tests and 1,072 + 3,699 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Agilis CrossClimate 78, Defender LTX M/S2 77.

Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Michelin Agilis CrossClimate
Tire AMichelin

Agilis CrossClimate

All Season

± 6

Tests 72 · 3 tests Owners 85 · 1,072 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 7 in 2020 Commercial Van All Season Tyre Test (dry braking)

“We have the Agilis cross climates on our C-class 3.5t MH and have been utterly delighted with them. They’re quiet, really grippy and give a great ride. What’s not to like?”

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
Tire BMichelin

Defender LTX M/S2

All Season

± 7

Tests 65 · 1 test Owners 88 · 3,699 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 30 in 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test (snow braking)

“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.”

Category by category

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

  1. 79

    Dry

    Agilis CrossClimate +11
    68
    Why this score
    SourceAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests7452
    Reviews found online8791

    Agilis CrossClimate: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 87 = 79

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 52 + 40% × 91.3 = 68

  2. 78

    Wet

    Agilis CrossClimate +1
    77
    Why this score
    SourceAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests7167
    Reviews found online8892

    Agilis CrossClimate: 60% × 71.1 + 40% × 87.8 = 78

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 66.8 + 40% × 91.5 = 77

  3. 78

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S2 +3
    81
    Why this score
    SourceAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests7684
    Reviews found online8277

    Agilis CrossClimate: 60% × 75.6 + 40% × 81.6 = 78

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 84 + 40% × 76.9 = 81

  4. 71

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S2 +11
    82
    Why this score
    SourceAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests55≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8188

    Agilis CrossClimate: 40% × 54.8 + 60% × 81.1 = 71

    Defender LTX M/S2: 40% × 72.5 (est.) + 60% × 87.6 = 82

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 76

    Noise

    Agilis CrossClimate +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests82≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)89

    Agilis CrossClimate: 60% × 82 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 76

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 88.8 = 75

    No owner ratings of noise for Agilis CrossClimate. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

    No road tests of noise for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 78

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S2 +2
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online8589

    Agilis CrossClimate: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 85 = 78

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 74.6 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80

    No road tests of treadwear for Agilis CrossClimate. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 81

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S2 +6
    87
    Why this score
    SourceAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2
    Reviews found online8187
  8. 71

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests71–
Scores at a glance
Michelin Agilis CrossClimate vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Agilis CrossClimateMichelin Defender LTX M/S2
Relative Score 78 77
Dry 79 68
Wet 78 77
Snow 78 81
Comfort 71 82
Noise 76 75
Treadwear 78 80
Handling (owners) 81 87
Efficiency 71 –

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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Agilis CrossClimate

± 7

Defender LTX M/S2

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

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.

DisciplineCategoryAgilis CrossClimateDefender LTX M/S2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/6 · promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test 93% #9/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 98% #2/6 · promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test 92% #6/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 98% #5/6 · promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test 94% #4/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #6/6 · promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test 97% #5/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 98% #3/6 · promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test 97% #2/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 99% #2/6 · promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test 97% #3/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 70% #6/6 · promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test 94% #3/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 95% #4/6 · promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test 94% #3/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/6 promobil 2026 All Season Motorhome and Van Tyre Test #3/30 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Agilis CrossClimate

Pros

  • Outstanding wet and winter weather traction
  • Exceptional tread life and long-term durability
  • Stiff sidewalls providing enhanced cornering stability and handling

Cons

  • Slightly higher road noise or low drone at certain speeds
  • Higher initial purchase price compared to standard options
  • A few reports of a minor decrease in fuel economy
All owner themes in the Agilis CrossClimate review

Tire B Defender LTX M/S2

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and smooth highway ride
  • Outstanding tread life and long-term durability
  • Improves fuel economy and lowers rolling resistance

Cons

  • High upfront purchase price
  • Occasional difficulty with balancing and high-speed vibrations
  • Can pick up small rocks and struggles in deep snow compared to dedicated winter tires
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

Michelin Agilis CrossClimate

Positive

Community sentiment toward the Michelin Agilis CrossClimate is largely positive, with owners of vans, RVs, and heavy-duty trucks praising its wet and snow traction, quiet ride, and capability under heavy loads. However, discussions frequently highlight trade-offs such as faster tread wear compared to the Defender series and concerns regarding an NHTSA recall on certain C-metric sizes for snow traction marking non-compliance. Prospective buyers also note confusion regarding the differing directional C-metric and non-directional LT-metric designs.

forum.ih8mud.com ·5 upvotes ·2019-10-17

“Just an update. I emailed Michelin about the Agilis vs. Defender: My email: I am thinking of using LT 275/65/18 for my Land Cruiser. I cannot decide between Michelin Defender vs. Agilis CrossClimate. I do plan on taking my car off-roading over mild terrain (more rocky, less mud). My Land Cruiser is around 6000 lbs. I read that Agilis has double the nylon reinforcement as Defender and has a tougher sidewall. Are these things true? Is Agilis a tougher tire? On-road, is Agilis as quiet as Defender? How is the rolling resistance between the two (same size)? Thank you in advance. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michelin’s response: We would like to thank you for contacting us! We would recommend that Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires for your luxury SUV. The Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires are going to be quieter, due to the tread grooves been closer. Also, the rolling resistance will be a little better. The Michelin Agilis Cross Climate is an excellent tire that serves well for all weather performance and built with a little more strength for more heavier larger vehicles, like 2500 or 3500 trucks.”

bobistheoilguy.com ·2025-10-26

“Looking to replace my summer tires for my work van. I carry about 2,000 lbs of cargo and have another set of wheels&tires for snow. These would just be for pavement/highway use. Im looking for quiet ride and longevity. Factory size is LT225/75R16 which id like to stick to. Ive worn out some Michelin Agilis Cross Climate in about 60,000 miles. It looks like Michelin now calls the Agilis Cross Climate which i currently have the Cross Climate2. Looking for something similar. The Michelins are spendy, wondering if ill be happy with something different. Was looking at Firestone Transforce as a possibility. Open to any ideas and the collective experience of those here.”

airforums.com ·2021-06-28

“Yup. I currently have CrossClimate Load E on the front, and CrossClimate C-type on the rear. The van has never had a better ride. (Note to readers who are less familiar with different Interstate model years - mine is not a dually. I only have two tires to carry the butt-heavy rear, so the load rating consideration takes on an outsized importance). Price is the same, to within about ten bucks. C-type is not more expensive. The published disadvantage is a stiffer ride. But the ride is harsh anyway - we have discussed that ad nauseam on this forum. I don’t find that to be a deal-breaker for a tire with a larger load-carrying capacity. Especially given the still-unexplained blow-out I had with the lower-capacity tire. Back in the Catastrophic blowout thread, I mentioned that the C-type CrossClimate is not advertised. I had to have a Discount Tire CSR point me to their page for it. There’s a screengrab of it on that thread.”

Top themes
#Heavy load capability#Winter and snow traction#Tread wear longevity#Defender LTX comparison#C-metric recall notice#Ride comfort and noise#Van and RV use

Based on 54 community posts

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.

r/ram_trucks ·4 upvotes ·2025-06-29

“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”

r/Rivian ·30 upvotes ·2023-11-22

“275/50R22 Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 At about 15k miles the front 2 Pirelli Scorpions were pretty much worn out/down to the wear bar. I wanted to try something different and always liked Michelin tires so I went with the Defender LTX M/S2. Replaced the front two. If I like them I'll get another 2 next year and shuffle these to the rears. It seems the truck has had to relearn how to drive after putting new tires on. It's been 5 days and it seems that it's almost back to normal. The steering felt a little too loose is how I'd describe it. Otherwise they feel great and I like how they look. A little more meatier than the Pirellis. I'll be measuring the wear to see how it compares and will post some data in the future.”

r/ToyotaTundra ·2 upvotes ·2026-01-18

“I have the same truck. I love my Defender LTX M/S2 tires. Very good on the rroadand in rain and snow. I haven't towed with them but have had no issues on forest service roads in Washington state. I would definitely get them again.”

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 · Michelin Agilis CrossClimate B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeVanSUV and 4x4
Sizes available221
Rim diameters15″ – 17″22″
Tread depth—11 - 14/32″
UTQG—820 B A
Sidewall—Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering
Max pressure—50 - 80 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Agilis CrossClimate

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

Too close to call: Michelin Agilis CrossClimate and Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 are within 2 points overall. Michelin Agilis CrossClimate is stronger on dry. Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 is stronger on comfort, handling and snow.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Agilis CrossClimate scores 79 vs 68 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 71 on comfort.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 87 vs 81 on handling.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 81 vs 78 on snow.

Tire A · Michelin Agilis CrossClimate
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Agilis CrossClimate or Defender LTX M/S2?

Which is better in the wet, Agilis CrossClimate or Defender LTX M/S2?

Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 77 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Agilis CrossClimate or Defender LTX M/S2?

Michelin Agilis CrossClimate, 79 vs 68 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Agilis CrossClimate or Defender LTX M/S2?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 81 vs 78 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Agilis CrossClimate or Defender LTX M/S2?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 75 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Agilis CrossClimate or Defender LTX M/S2?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 82 vs 71 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Agilis CrossClimate or Defender LTX M/S2?

Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 80 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

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