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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Continental Premium Contact 5 SUV — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 77–59

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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

Premium Contact 5 SUV

Summer Premium Touring tires

Tests – · none yet Owners 54 · 4 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 9 in 2016 AMS SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test (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 +14
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremium Contact 5 SUV
    Reviews found online8159
  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +14
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremium Contact 5 SUV
    Reviews found online8162
  3. 72

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremium Contact 5 SUV
    Reviews found online73–
  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremium Contact 5 SUV
    Reviews found online7655
  5. 70

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremium Contact 5 SUV
    Reviews found online74–
  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +24
    52
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremium Contact 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score)74–
    Reviews found online7842
  7. 78

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +23
    55
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremium Contact 5 SUV
    Reviews found online7855
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SContinental Premium Contact 5 SUV
Relative Score 77 59
Dry 76 62
Wet 78 64
Snow 72 –
Comfort 73 62
Noise 70 –
Treadwear 76 52
Handling 78 55

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
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Important
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Neutral
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost

Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

Premium Contact 5 SUV

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

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/SPremium Contact 5 SUVΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 83% #3/13 · 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires 33% #3/9 · 2016 AMS SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test +50.0 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 Premium Contact 5 SUV

Pros

  • Excellent grip in both dry and wet conditions
  • Very short dry braking distances
  • Very good steering feel and confidence in wet weather

Cons

  • Faster than expected tread wear and low mileage lifespan
  • High noise levels that increase as the tires age
  • Poor traction and usability in snow
All owner themes in the Premium Contact 5 SUV review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Continental Premium Contact 5 SUV
CategoryAll SeasonSummer Premium Touring tires
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Continental Premium Contact 5 SUV

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

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 52 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 55 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 62 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 64 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Continental Premium Contact 5 SUV
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.

77

Leads

Defender LTX M/S

Amazon