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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 1 + 0 road tests and 10 + 12 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S leads, 76–73 Narrow edge

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Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

Provisional

Tests – · 1 test Owners 78 · 10 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))

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 +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPilot Sport PS2 ZP
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8179

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 81.3 = 76

    Pilot Sport PS2 ZP: 60% × 72.2 (est.) + 40% × 78.9 = 75

    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 0.40).

    No road tests of dry for Pilot Sport PS2 ZP. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).

  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +2
    76
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPilot Sport PS2 ZP
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 76 (est.)≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online8178

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.9 (est.) + 40% × 80.7 = 78

    Pilot Sport PS2 ZP: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 78.2 = 76

    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 0.56).

    No road tests of wet for Pilot Sport PS2 ZP. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

  3. 72

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPilot Sport PS2 ZP
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)–
    Reviews found online73–

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 71 (est.) + 40% × 73.2 = 72

    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 0.33).

  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +3
    70
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPilot Sport PS2 ZP
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7670

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 70.3 (est.) + 40% × 76.1 = 73

    Pilot Sport PS2 ZP: 60% × 69.3 (est.) + 40% × 70.1 = 70

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport PS2 ZP. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 70

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +1
    69
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPilot Sport PS2 ZP
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online7571

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 74.7 = 70

    Pilot Sport PS2 ZP: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 70.5 = 69

    No road tests of noise for Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport PS2 ZP. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    65
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPilot Sport PS2 ZP
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests74≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online7864

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 78 = 76

    Pilot Sport PS2 ZP: 60% × 65.2 (est.) + 40% × 64.2 = 65

    No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport PS2 ZP. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).

  7. 79

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S +2
    77
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPilot Sport PS2 ZP
    Reviews found online7977
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SMichelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP
Relative Score 76 73
Dry 76 75
Wet 78 76
Snow 72 –
Comfort 73 70
Noise 70 69
Treadwear 76 65
Handling (owners) 79 77

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

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

Pilot Sport PS2 ZP

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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 Pilot Sport PS2 ZP

Pros

  • Exceptional dry and wet grip with a glued-to-the-road feel
  • Improved ride comfort and lower cabin noise compared to standard run-flats
  • Predictable handling with gentle breakaway characteristics near limits

Cons

  • Stiff or rock-hard ride quality when kept at recommended manufacturer pressures
  • Softer sidewalls can introduce a spongy or wobbly feel during rapid direction changes on certain vehicles
  • Frustrating warranty terms for staggered setups
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport PS2 ZP review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP
CategoryAll SeasonSummer Max Performance tires
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP

Narrow edge: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better treadwear and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional. Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 12 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 65 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 73 vs 70 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP
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Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport PS2 ZP?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport PS2 ZP?

Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 76 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport PS2 ZP?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 75 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport PS2 ZP?

Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 69 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport PS2 ZP?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 73 vs 70 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or Pilot Sport PS2 ZP?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 76 vs 65 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