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Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Firestone Winterforce 2 UV — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–68

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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 BFirestone

Winterforce 2 UV

Tests – · none yet Owners 69 · 17 reviews

Best test result: #8 of 8 in 2022 Consumer Reports Winter/Snow Truck/SUV Tires (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 +8
    68
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SWinterforce 2 UV
    Reviews found online8168
  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +6
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SWinterforce 2 UV
    Reviews found online8173
  3. 72

    Snow

    Winterforce 2 UV +1
    73
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SWinterforce 2 UV
    Reviews found online7375
  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +6
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SWinterforce 2 UV
    Reviews found online7664
  5. 69

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SWinterforce 2 UV
    Reviews found online7459
  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +12
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SWinterforce 2 UV
    Professional tests (TWG score)74–
    Reviews found online7863
  7. 78

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +9
    69
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SWinterforce 2 UV
    Reviews found online7869
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SFirestone Winterforce 2 UV
Relative Score 76 68
Dry 76 68
Wet 78 72
Snow 72 73
Comfort 73 67
Noise 69 64
Treadwear 76 64
Handling 78 69

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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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

Winterforce 2 UV

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/SWinterforce 2 UVΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 83% #3/13 · 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires 0% #8/8 · 2022 Consumer Reports Winter/Snow Truck/SUV Tires +83.3 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 Winterforce 2 UV

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Firestone Winterforce 2 UV
CategoryAll Season—
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—30
Rim diameters—15″ – 18″
Tread depth—12/32″
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—44 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Firestone Winterforce 2 UV

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 64 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

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

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 68 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 72 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Firestone Winterforce 2 UV
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