tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S leads, 76–72 Narrow edge

Check price on Amazon · Defender LTX M/S or All-Terrain T/A KO3 on Amazon
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.

Category by category

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

  1. 76

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SAll-Terrain T/A KO3
    Reviews found online8174
  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    73
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SAll-Terrain T/A KO3
    Reviews found online8174
  3. 72

    Snow

    Level
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SAll-Terrain T/A KO3
    Reviews found online7374
  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    69
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SAll-Terrain T/A KO3
    Reviews found online7669
  5. 70

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    65
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SAll-Terrain T/A KO3
    Reviews found online7463
  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SAll-Terrain T/A KO3
    Professional tests (TWG score)74–
    Reviews found online7877
  7. 78

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    74
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SAll-Terrain T/A KO3
    Reviews found online7874
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SBFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
Relative Score 76 72
Dry 76 72
Wet 78 73
Snow 72 72
Comfort 73 69
Noise 70 65
Treadwear 76 72
Handling 78 74

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.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

All-Terrain T/A KO3

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A 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

Tire B All-Terrain T/A KO3

Pros

  • Significantly quieter and more comfortable on-road than the KO2
  • Excellent braking performance and dry grip
  • Strong off-road capability on dirt, gravel, and rough terrain

Cons

  • Consistent balancing issues and high road force measurements reported by multiple users
  • Subpar or uninspiring wet weather traction, particularly when new
  • Mediocre ice performance, behaving like a typical all-terrain rather than a dedicated winter tire
All owner themes in the All-Terrain T/A KO3 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—92
Rim diameters—15″ – 22″
Tread depth—15 - 16/32″
Treadwear warranty—50,000 mi
Sidewall—Black Side Wall - Raised White Lettering
Max pressure—35 - 80 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better wet, noise and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

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

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 70 vs 65 on noise.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 72 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 73 vs 69 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
Check price on Amazon

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

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

Narrow edge

Defender LTX M/S

Amazon