Tests – · 1 test Owners 79 · 10 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Too close to call: Defender LTX M/S and Pilot Sport 4 SUV are level at 77.
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Tests 78 · 9 tests Owners 76 · 1,363 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2020 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Summer Tire Test R18 (overall ranking)
“I'm leaning towards the Pilot Sport 4 SUV over the LS3. I'd really like to see how much better these tires grip. Although it sounds like I'll be sacrificing a little comfort, but with air suspension I'm not too worried.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
78
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 SUV +684Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport 4 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) – 86 Reviews found online 83 83 -
77
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 SUV +683Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport 4 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) – 85 Reviews found online 80 80 -
73
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport 4 SUV Reviews found online 74 – -
73
Comfort
Defender LTX M/S +1558Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport 4 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) – 49 Reviews found online 76 70 -
70
Noise
Defender LTX M/S +961Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport 4 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) – 53 Reviews found online 75 74 -
77
Treadwear
Defender LTX M/S +473Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport 4 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 76 78 Reviews found online 79 65 -
79
Handling
Level79Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport 4 SUV Reviews found online 79 79
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender LTX M/S | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 77 |
| Dry | 78 | 84 |
| Wet | 77 | 83 |
| Snow | 73 | – |
| Comfort | 73 | 58 |
| Noise | 70 | 61 |
| Treadwear | 77 | 73 |
| Handling | 79 | 79 |
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
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
77
/ 100
Defender LTX M/S
77
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4 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.
| Discipline | Category | Defender LTX M/S | Pilot Sport 4 SUV | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 83% #3/13 · 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires | 100% #1/9 · 2020 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Summer Tire Test R18 | −16.7 | 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
Tire B Pilot Sport 4 SUV
Pros
- Outstanding grip and safety in both wet and dry conditions
- Precise steering response and enhanced cornering stability for heavy SUVs
- Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and overall handling
Cons
- Higher-than-average purchase price
- Increased road noise reported by some users as the tread wears down
- Faster tread wear and shorter mileage lifespan under aggressive driving or heavy vehicle loads
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV is widely regarded as a high-performance tire option for luxury and sport utility vehicles, often compared against alternatives like Pirelli Scorpions and Michelin's own Latitude series. Users appreciate its strong grip and dynamic capabilities, though questions regarding tread wear, run-flat options, and comparisons with all-season variants are common.
r/Audi
·1 upvote ·2026-07-09
“Nope nope nope. I live in the SE and my RWD sports car get squirrelly with normal driving when it drops below 40 on my PS4Ss. You’d be in a ditch first bit of snow.”
r/Howsmytire
·1 upvote ·2026-07-15
“Used Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV I am looking to buy these used Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires. They have 7+ mm thread left, DOT 0923. I am wondering why the two tires on the right are so rough / full of small holes, while the ones on the left are so smooth. Probably the right ones were on the front, but still what could this condition be indicating? I still haven't been to the shop to see them and feel how is the rubber, wanted to hear an advice first.”
r/CX5
·103 upvotes ·2021-05-15
“Loving my new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires and Enkei Raijin wheels”
Top themes
#handling and grip#tread life and wear#comparison with other tires#luxury SUV fitment#seasonal performance
Based on 9 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | Summer |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
Which one should you actually buy?
77
/ 100
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
77
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
Too close to call: Michelin Defender LTX M/S and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV are within 2 points overall. Michelin Defender LTX M/S is stronger on comfort, noise and treadwear. Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV is stronger on dry and wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 73 vs 58 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 70 vs 61 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV scores 84 vs 78 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV scores 83 vs 77 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
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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.