tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 — 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 + 0 road tests and 11 + 45 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 79–70

Check price on Amazon · Defender LTX M/S or Blizzak WS80 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.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

± 7Provisional

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.

  1. 79

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SBlizzak WS80
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 75 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online8464

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 84.3 = 79

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.2 = 66

    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).

    No road tests of dry for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 82

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +10
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SBlizzak WS80
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 79 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8673

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.8 (est.) + 40% × 85.6 = 82

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 72.8 = 72

    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).

    No road tests of wet for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 74

    Snow

    Blizzak WS80 +3
    77
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SBlizzak WS80
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 72 (est.)≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online7782

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 76.6 = 74

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 74.2 (est.) + 40% × 82.1 = 77

    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).

    No road tests of snow for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 75

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +7
    68
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SBlizzak WS80
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7868

    Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 77.7 = 75

    Blizzak WS80: 40% × 68.6 (est.) + 60% × 68.3 = 68

    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).

    No road tests of comfort for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SBlizzak WS80
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online–64

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.1 = 66

    No road tests of noise for Blizzak WS80. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 80

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SBlizzak WS80
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests75≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online8667

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.3 = 80

    Blizzak WS80: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 66.6 = 67

    No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak WS80. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S +14
    68
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SBlizzak WS80
    Reviews found online8268
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SBridgestone Blizzak WS80
Relative Score 79 70
Dry 79 66
Wet 82 72
Snow 74 77
Comfort 75 68
Noise – 66
Treadwear 80 67
Handling (owners) 82 68

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

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

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Defender LTX M/S

± 7

Blizzak WS80

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.

DisciplineCategoryDefender LTX M/SBlizzak WS80ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/13 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires #6/9 2018 Autofil Studless Winter Tire Test R16 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A 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
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S review

Tire B Blizzak WS80

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and grip in deep snow, slush, and ice
  • High confidence and safety during severe winter weather and mountain driving
  • Surprisingly low road noise on dry and wet pavement

Cons

  • Reduced fuel economy / lower gas mileage
  • Slightly squishy handling and reduced braking performance on dry roads
  • May feel less responsive than standard all-season or newer model compounds in non-winter conditions
All owner themes in the Blizzak WS80 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
CategoryAll SeasonWinter Premium Touring tires
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—21
Rim diameters—15″ – 18″
Tread depth—11/32″
UTQG720 - 800 B A—
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—44 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, dry and treadwear. Pick the Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 if snow matters most to you. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 11 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 68 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 66 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 67 on treadwear.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 72 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Bridgestone Blizzak WS80
Check price on Amazon

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

Defender LTX M/S or Blizzak WS80?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or Blizzak WS80?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 82 vs 72 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or Blizzak WS80?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 66 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or Blizzak WS80?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80, 77 vs 74 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or Blizzak WS80?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or Blizzak WS80?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 80 vs 67 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