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Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Michelin Premier A/S — 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 is ahead, 78–62

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Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

± 7Provisional

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))

Michelin Premier A/S
Tire BMichelin

Premier A/S

All Season

± 8Provisional

Tests – · none yet Owners 55 · 7 reviews

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 78

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    65
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremier A/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 74 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online8363

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.3 = 78

    Premier A/S: 60% × 65.9 (est.) + 40% × 62.8 = 65

    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 Premier A/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 81

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    68
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremier A/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 78 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online8467

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.2 (est.) + 40% × 84.2 = 81

    Premier A/S: 60% × 68.5 (est.) + 40% × 66.7 = 68

    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 Premier A/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 74

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +15
    59
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremier A/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online7652

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.7 (est.) + 40% × 76 = 74

    Premier A/S: 60% × 63.8 (est.) + 40% × 52.1 = 59

    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 Premier A/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 75

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremier A/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online7858

    Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.7 (est.) + 60% × 77.6 = 75

    Premier A/S: 40% × 67.2 (est.) + 60% × 58.4 = 62

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

  5. 79

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +32
    47
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremier A/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests75≈ 55 (est.)
    Reviews found online8534

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.5 + 40% × 85.1 = 79

    Premier A/S: 60% × 55 (est.) + 40% × 34.1 = 47

    No road tests of treadwear for Premier A/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  6. 80

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S +19
    61
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPremier A/S
    Reviews found online8061
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SMichelin Premier A/S
Relative Score 78 62
Dry 78 65
Wet 81 68
Snow 74 59
Comfort 75 62
Treadwear 79 47
Handling (owners) 80 61

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
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Defender LTX M/S

± 8

Premier A/S

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 Premier A/S

Pros

  • Comfortable ride quality with effective bump damping
  • Predictable and precise handling in dry conditions
  • Good center-line tracking and steering feedback

Cons

  • Disappointing tread life and premature wear
  • Poor traction and confidence in snow and ice
  • Susceptibility to hydroplaning at highway speeds
All owner themes in the Premier A/S review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Michelin Premier A/S
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Michelin Premier A/S

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better treadwear, handling and snow. 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 Premier A/S 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 47 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 61 on handling.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 74 vs 59 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 65 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Tire B · Michelin Premier A/S
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Defender LTX M/S or Premier A/S?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or Premier A/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 81 vs 68 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or Premier A/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 78 vs 65 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or Premier A/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 59 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or Premier A/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 62 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or Premier A/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 47 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