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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Firestone Destination LE2 — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–67

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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/SDestination LE2
    Reviews found online8167
  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +9
    69
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SDestination LE2
    Reviews found online8169
  3. 72

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +6
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SDestination LE2
    Reviews found online7363
  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +7
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SDestination LE2
    Reviews found online7664
  5. 70

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +2
    68
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SDestination LE2
    Reviews found online7471
  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +9
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SDestination LE2
    Professional tests (TWG score)74–
    Reviews found online7867
  7. 78

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +10
    68
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SDestination LE2
    Reviews found online7868
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SFirestone Destination LE2
Relative Score 76 67
Dry 76 67
Wet 78 69
Snow 72 66
Comfort 73 66
Noise 70 68
Treadwear 76 67
Handling 78 68

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

Destination LE2

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 Destination LE2

Pros

  • Excellent dry and wet traction
  • Affordable, high-value pricing
  • Quiet and comfortable highway ride

Cons

  • Tendency to pick up and retain small stones from gravel roads
  • Occasional reports of higher-than-expected road noise on specific vehicle models
  • Isolated instances of balancing difficulties or premature wear
All owner themes in the Destination LE2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Firestone Destination LE2
CategoryAll Season—
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4—
Sizes available—5
Rim diameters—16″ – 18″
Tread depth—11/32″
UTQG—520 A B
Treadwear warranty—60,000 mi
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—44 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Firestone Destination LE2

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

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 68 on handling.

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 Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 69 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

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

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Firestone Destination LE2
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

Leads

Defender LTX M/S

Amazon