Tests – · none yet Owners 74 · 3 reviews
Michelin Cross Terrain looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Michelin Defender looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Cross Terrain vs Michelin Defender — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 0 + 0 road tests and 3 + 4 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Cross Terrain and Defender are level at 72.
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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.
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70
Dry
Defender +373Why this score
Source Cross Terrain Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 71 76 Cross Terrain: 60% × 69.2 (est.) + 40% × 71.3 = 70
Defender: 60% × 71.2 (est.) + 40% × 76.4 = 73
No road tests of dry for Cross Terrain. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
No road tests of dry for Defender. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
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74
Wet
Cross Terrain +173Why this score
Source Cross Terrain Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 73 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 75 74 Cross Terrain: 60% × 72.8 (est.) + 40% × 75.1 = 74
Defender: 60% × 72.2 (est.) + 40% × 74.1 = 73
No road tests of wet for Cross Terrain. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
No road tests of wet for Defender. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
-
70
Comfort
Defender +171Why this score
Source Cross Terrain Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 70 73 Cross Terrain: 60% × 69.4 (est.) + 40% × 70.4 = 70
Defender: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 73.4 = 71
No road tests of comfort for Cross Terrain or Defender. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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73
Treadwear
Cross Terrain +469Why this score
Source Cross Terrain Defender Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 78 72 Cross Terrain: 60% × 69.3 (est.) + 40% × 77.5 = 73
Defender: 60% × 67.5 (est.) + 40% × 71.6 = 69
No road tests of treadwear for Cross Terrain. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
No road tests of treadwear for Defender. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
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71
Handling (owners)
Defender +677Why this score
Source Cross Terrain Defender Reviews found online 71 77
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Cross Terrain | Michelin Defender |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 72 |
| Dry | 70 | 73 |
| Wet | 74 | 73 |
| Comfort | 70 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 73 | 69 |
| Handling (owners) | 71 | 77 |
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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
Cross Terrain
72
/ 100
Defender
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Cross Terrain
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and overall mileage
- Superior quietness and ride comfort
- Reliable grip and performance in winter conditions
Cons
- Limited performance capabilities for high-speed or aggressive driving
- Discontinued product availability
- Performance bias favors winter conditions over dry or wet handling
Tire B Defender
Pros
- Excellent ride comfort and quiet operation
- Strong tread life and durability over several years
- Reliable grip on dry pavement
Cons
- Susceptibility to hydroplaning in heavy rain
- Limited traction in deep or severe snow
- Audible squealing during aggressive dry-pavement acceleration
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Cross Terrain | B · Michelin Defender |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season All Terrain and Off Road tires | Summer Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Michelin Cross Terrain
72
/ 100
Michelin Defender
Too close to call: Michelin Cross Terrain and Michelin Defender are within 2 points overall. Michelin Cross Terrain is stronger on treadwear. Michelin Defender is stronger on handling and dry. Michelin Cross Terrain rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 3 reviews), so read this result as provisional. Michelin Defender rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 4 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender scores 77 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Cross Terrain scores 73 vs 69 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender scores 73 vs 70 on dry.
Tire A · Michelin Cross Terrain
Tire B · Michelin Defender
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Cross Terrain or Defender?
Which is better in the wet, Cross Terrain or Defender?
Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 73 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Cross Terrain or Defender?
Michelin Defender, 73 vs 70 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Cross Terrain or Defender?
Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 71 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Cross Terrain or Defender?
Michelin Cross Terrain, 73 vs 69 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