Tests – · 1 test Owners 82 · 10 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 1 + 0 road tests and 10 + 7 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S leads, 78–76 Narrow edge
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Tests – · none yet Owners 78 · 7 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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78
Dry
Defender LTX M/S +177Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport A/S 3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 74 (est.) ≈ 74 (est.) Reviews found online 83 82 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.3 = 78
Pilot Sport A/S 3: 60% × 74.1 (est.) + 40% × 82.3 = 77
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 0.42).
No road tests of dry for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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81
Wet
Level81Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport A/S 3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 78 (est.) ≈ 78 (est.) Reviews found online 84 84 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.2 (est.) + 40% × 84.2 = 81
Pilot Sport A/S 3: 60% × 78.2 (est.) + 40% × 84.2 = 81
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 0.55).
No road tests of wet for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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74
Snow
Defender LTX M/S +371Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport A/S 3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 73 (est.) ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 76 72 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.7 (est.) + 40% × 76 = 74
Pilot Sport A/S 3: 60% × 71.1 (est.) + 40% × 71.5 = 71
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 0.37).
No road tests of snow for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
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75
Comfort
Defender LTX M/S +471Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport A/S 3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 78 71 Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.7 (est.) + 60% × 77.6 = 75
Pilot Sport A/S 3: 40% × 69.5 (est.) + 60% × 71.2 = 71
No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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79
Treadwear
Defender LTX M/S +1069Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport A/S 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 75 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 85 71 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.5 + 40% × 85.1 = 79
Pilot Sport A/S 3: 60% × 68 (est.) + 40% × 71.4 = 69
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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80
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport A/S 3 +282Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S Pilot Sport A/S 3 Reviews found online 80 82
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender LTX M/S | Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 78 | 76 |
| Dry | 78 | 77 |
| Wet | 81 | 81 |
| Snow | 74 | 71 |
| Comfort | 75 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 79 | 69 |
| Handling (owners) | 80 | 82 |
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
78
/ 100
Defender LTX M/S
76
/ 100
Pilot Sport A/S 3
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 A/S 3
Pros
- Exceptional grip in both wet and dry weather conditions
- Outstanding cornering stability and steering responsiveness
- Stiff sidewalls providing superior handling compared to competitors
Cons
- Noticeable and bothersome road noise
- Heavy tire construction
- Shorter than expected tread life for certain drivers on abrasive surfaces
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S | B · Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 6 |
| Rim diameters | — | 19″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
78
/ 100
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
76
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3
Narrow edge: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better treadwear, comfort and snow. Where the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 7 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 69 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 75 vs 71 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 74 vs 71 on snow.
Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3
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Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport A/S 3?
Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport A/S 3?
Neither, by our numbers: 81 vs 81 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport A/S 3?
Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 77 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport A/S 3?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 71 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport A/S 3?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 71 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport A/S 3?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 69 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