Tests – · 1 test Owners 83 · 11 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))
Nexen N5000 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Nexen N5000 — 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 11 + 15 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 79–36
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
79
Dry
Defender LTX M/S +4534Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S N5000 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 75 (est.) ≈ 47 (est.) Reviews found online 84 16 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 84.3 = 79
N5000: 60% × 46.6 (est.) + 40% × 16.2 = 34
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 0.41).
No road tests of dry for N5000. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
-
82
Wet
Defender LTX M/S +4537Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S N5000 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 79 (est.) ≈ 45 (est.) Reviews found online 86 24 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.8 (est.) + 40% × 85.6 = 82
N5000: 60% × 45.3 (est.) + 40% × 24.2 = 37
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 N5000. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
74
Snow
Defender LTX M/S +2747Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S N5000 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 58 (est.) Reviews found online 77 31 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 76.6 = 74
N5000: 60% × 58.1 (est.) + 40% × 31.3 = 47
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 0.32).
No road tests of snow for N5000. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
-
75
Comfort
Defender LTX M/S +4035Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S N5000 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 59 (est.) Reviews found online 78 20 Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 77.7 = 75
N5000: 40% × 58.8 (est.) + 60% × 19.6 = 35
No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for N5000. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
–
Noise
No comparison52Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S N5000 Professional tests (TWG score) – ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online – 30 N5000: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 29.8 = 52
No road tests of noise for N5000. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
80
Treadwear
Defender LTX M/S +4634Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S N5000 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 75 ≈ 48 (est.) Reviews found online 86 14 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.3 = 80
N5000: 60% × 47.6 (est.) + 40% × 14.3 = 34
No road tests of treadwear for N5000. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
82
Handling (owners)
Defender LTX M/S +6121Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S N5000 Reviews found online 82 21
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender LTX M/S | Nexen N5000 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 36 |
| Dry | 79 | 34 |
| Wet | 82 | 37 |
| Snow | 74 | 47 |
| Comfort | 75 | 35 |
| Noise | – | 52 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 34 |
| Handling (owners) | 82 | 21 |
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
Recomputed
Headline score
79
/ 100
Defender LTX M/S
36
/ 100
N5000
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 life and long-term durability, often exceeding 60,000 miles
- Smooth, quiet, and comfortable highway ride quality
- Strong traction and secure handling in wet, dry, and moderate snow conditions
Cons
- High initial purchase price compared to competitors
- Subpar off-road performance, specifically struggling in mud, sand, and loose gravel
- Limited ice performance compared to dedicated winter tires
Tire B N5000
Pros
- Exceptional value and budget-friendly pricing
- Quiet and smooth ride quality
- Reliable wet and dry handling for normal driving conditions
Cons
- Severe lack of traction and dangerous slipperiness in wet conditions for certain setups
- Premature tread wear or short lifespan reported by multiple users
- Inner sidewall cracking issues
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S | B · Nexen N5000 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | — | 9/32″ |
| UTQG | 720 - 800 B A | 600 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | — | 60,000 mi |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 44 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
36
/ 100
Nexen N5000
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, treadwear and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 11 reviews), so read this result as provisional. Nexen N5000 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 15 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 21 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 34 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 34 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 37 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire B · Nexen N5000
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Defender LTX M/S or N5000?
Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or N5000?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 82 vs 37 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or N5000?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 34 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or N5000?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 47 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or N5000?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 35 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or N5000?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 80 vs 34 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