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Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Falken EuroWinter HS449 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 1 + 0 road tests and 10 + 42 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–68

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Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

Provisional

Tests – · 1 test Owners 78 · 10 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. 76

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +9
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SEuroWinter HS449
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online8167

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 81.3 = 76

    EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 67.5 (est.) + 40% × 67.2 = 67

    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 0.40).

    No road tests of dry for EuroWinter HS449. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).

  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +3
    75
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SEuroWinter HS449
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 76 (est.)≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online8177

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.9 (est.) + 40% × 80.7 = 78

    EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 74 (est.) + 40% × 77.3 = 75

    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 0.56).

    No road tests of wet for EuroWinter HS449. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

  3. 72

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +7
    65
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SEuroWinter HS449
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online7362

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 71 (est.) + 40% × 73.2 = 72

    EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 62.2 = 65

    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 0.33).

    No road tests of snow for EuroWinter HS449. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.33).

  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +3
    70
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SEuroWinter HS449
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7670

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 70.3 (est.) + 40% × 76.1 = 73

    EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 69.3 (est.) + 40% × 70.2 = 70

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 70

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +9
    61
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SEuroWinter HS449
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online7552

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 74.7 = 70

    EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 52.4 = 61

    No road tests of noise for Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    65
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SEuroWinter HS449
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests74≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online7865

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 78 = 76

    EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 65.4 (est.) + 40% × 65 = 65

    No road tests of treadwear for EuroWinter HS449. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).

  7. 79

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S +9
    70
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SEuroWinter HS449
    Reviews found online7970
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SFalken EuroWinter HS449
Relative Score 76 68
Dry 76 67
Wet 78 75
Snow 72 65
Comfort 73 70
Noise 70 61
Treadwear 76 65
Handling (owners) 79 70

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

EuroWinter HS449

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/SEuroWinter HS449ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/13 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires #9/17 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test – 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 EuroWinter HS449

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, slush, and ice
  • Strong value for money compared to premium brand winter tires
  • Reliable and safe performance on wet and rainy roads with good hydroplaning resistance

Cons

  • Faster tread wear or a softer rubber compound noted by some users
  • Slightly reduced fuel economy or rolling resistance penalty
  • Occasional reports of decreased grip or wheel spin on steep inclines and packed ice for certain 2WD setups
All owner themes in the EuroWinter HS449 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Falken EuroWinter HS449
CategoryAll SeasonWinter
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—6
Rim diameters—16″ – 19″
Tread depth—11/32″
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—44 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Falken EuroWinter HS449

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better treadwear, dry and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 65 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 67 on dry.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 70 vs 61 on noise.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 70 on handling.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Tire B · Falken EuroWinter HS449
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Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 78 vs 75 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 76 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 72 vs 65 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 70 vs 61 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 73 vs 70 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or EuroWinter HS449?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 76 vs 65 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