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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Michelin Primacy MXM4 — 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 + 1 road tests and 10 + 10 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 78–61

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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 Primacy MXM4
Tire BMichelin

Primacy MXM4

All Season

± 7Provisional

Tests 72 · 1 test Owners 54 · 10 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 +5
    73
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 74 (est.)87
    Reviews found online8352

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

    Primacy MXM4: 60% × 87.2 + 40% × 51.9 = 73

    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).

  2. 81

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +24
    57
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 78 (est.)56
    Reviews found online8458

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

    Primacy MXM4: 60% × 56.1 + 40% × 57.5 = 57

    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).

  3. 74

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +18
    56
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 62 (est.)
    Reviews found online7648

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

    Primacy MXM4: 60% × 62.2 (est.) + 40% × 47.9 = 56

    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 Primacy MXM4. 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 +20
    55
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 71 (est.)64
    Reviews found online7848

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

    Primacy MXM4: 40% × 63.9 + 60% × 48.3 = 55

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

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    76
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests–82
    Reviews found online–≈ 67 (est.)

    Primacy MXM4: 60% × 81.9 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 76

    No owner ratings of noise for Primacy MXM4. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 79

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +17
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests75≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online8559

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

    Primacy MXM4: 60% × 63.7 (est.) + 40% × 59.2 = 62

    No road tests of treadwear for Primacy MXM4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 80

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S +30
    50
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4
    Reviews found online8050
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    55
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests–55
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SMichelin Primacy MXM4
Relative Score 78 61
Dry 78 73
Wet 81 57
Snow 74 56
Comfort 75 55
Noise – 76
Treadwear 79 62
Handling (owners) 80 50
Efficiency – 55

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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Defender LTX M/S

± 7

Primacy MXM4

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

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryDefender LTX M/SPrimacy MXM4ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/13 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires #4/3 2024 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 – 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 Primacy MXM4

Pros

  • Exceptional ride comfort and vibration dampening
  • Strong tread life and durability
  • High fuel efficiency

Cons

  • Mediocre dry grip and handling precision
  • Noticeable understeer when cornering
  • Soft sidewalls that lack steering feedback
All owner themes in the Primacy MXM4 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Michelin Primacy MXM4
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Michelin Primacy MXM4

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, wet 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 Primacy MXM4 rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 50 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 81 vs 57 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 75 vs 55 on comfort.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 74 vs 56 on snow.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Tire B · Michelin Primacy MXM4
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Defender LTX M/S or Primacy MXM4?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or Primacy MXM4?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 81 vs 57 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or Primacy MXM4?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 78 vs 73 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or Primacy MXM4?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 56 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or Primacy MXM4?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 55 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or Primacy MXM4?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 62 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