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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Kumho Road Venture AT51 — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–66

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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 BKumho

Road Venture AT51

Tests – · none yet Owners 64 · 154 reviews

Best test result: #17 of 13 in 2018 SA4x4 All-Terrain Tire Test R17 (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 +9
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoad Venture AT51
    Reviews found online8167
  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +9
    69
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoad Venture AT51
    Reviews found online8169
  3. 72

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +3
    69
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoad Venture AT51
    Reviews found online7368
  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +7
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoad Venture AT51
    Reviews found online7662
  5. 70

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +6
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoad Venture AT51
    Reviews found online7459
  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +15
    61
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoad Venture AT51
    Professional tests (TWG score)74–
    Reviews found online7857
  7. 78

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +16
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoad Venture AT51
    Reviews found online7862
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SKumho Road Venture AT51
Relative Score 76 66
Dry 76 67
Wet 78 69
Snow 72 69
Comfort 73 66
Noise 70 64
Treadwear 76 61
Handling 78 62

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

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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

Road Venture AT51

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/SRoad Venture AT51ΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 83% #3/13 · 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires -7% #17/13 · 2018 SA4x4 All-Terrain Tire Test R17 +90.0 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 Road Venture AT51

Pros

  • Exceptional value and affordable price point compared to premium competitors
  • Impressive traction and confidence in snow and winter conditions
  • Quiet and smooth highway ride with minimal road noise for an all-terrain tire

Cons

  • Faster-than-expected tread wear for some users under heavy or everyday use
  • Poor self-cleaning capabilities in deep or heavy mud
  • Reduced wet traction and potential slippage when the tread wears low
All owner themes in the Road Venture AT51 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Kumho Road Venture AT51
CategoryAll Season—
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—10
Rim diameters—15″ – 18″
Tread depth—13.5/32″
UTQG—540 A A
Treadwear warranty—55,000 mi
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—65 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Kumho Road Venture AT51

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, treadwear and dry. 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 62 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 61 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 Your priority is wet-weather safety

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

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Tire B · Kumho Road Venture AT51
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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