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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Continental CrossContact LX25 — Compared

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

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

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Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

Tests – · 1 test Owners 78 · 10 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (overall ranking)

Tire BContinental

CrossContact LX25

All Season

Tests 59 · 1 test Owners 78 · 26 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 3 in Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Continental CrossContact LX25 vs Goodyear WeatherReady (overall ranking)

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 +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SCrossContact LX25
    Professional tests (TWG score)–70
    Reviews found online8183
  2. 78

    Wet

    CrossContact LX25 +1
    79
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SCrossContact LX25
    Reviews found online8182
  3. 72

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +20
    52
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SCrossContact LX25
    Professional tests (TWG score)–39
    Reviews found online7371
  4. 73

    Comfort

    CrossContact LX25 +1
    74
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SCrossContact LX25
    Reviews found online7679
  5. 69

    Noise

    CrossContact LX25 +2
    71
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SCrossContact LX25
    Reviews found online7477
  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SCrossContact LX25
    Professional tests (TWG score)74–
    Reviews found online7875
  7. 78

    Handling

    CrossContact LX25 +1
    79
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SCrossContact LX25
    Reviews found online7879
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SContinental CrossContact LX25
Relative Score 76 72
Dry 76 75
Wet 78 79
Snow 72 52
Comfort 73 74
Noise 69 71
Treadwear 76 71
Handling 78 79

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.

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Neutral
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Less important
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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

CrossContact LX25

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryDefender LTX M/SCrossContact LX25ΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 83% #3/13 · 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires 50% #2/3 · Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs Continental CrossContact LX25 vs Goodyear WeatherReady +33.3 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 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 CrossContact LX25

Pros

  • Extremely quiet and smooth ride quality at all speeds
  • Significantly improved wet and snow traction
  • Enhanced braking performance and responsiveness

Cons

  • Tends to pick up and throw gravel from the road surface
  • Can feel a bit harsh or firm when hitting deep potholes
  • Occasional reports of unexpectedly rapid treadwear in rare instances
All owner themes in the CrossContact LX25 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Continental CrossContact LX25
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—40
Rim diameters—16″ – 22″
Tread depth—10 - 12/32″
UTQG—740 A A - B
Sidewall—Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering
Max pressure—44 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Continental CrossContact LX25

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better snow and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 72 vs 52 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 71 on treadwear.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Continental CrossContact LX25
Check price on Amazon

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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