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Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Nexen Roadian H/T — 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 + 21 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–53

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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))

Nexen Roadian H/T
Tire BNexen

Roadian H/T

All-Season

Tests – · none yet Owners 46 · 21 reviews

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 +26
    50
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoadian H/T
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 57 (est.)
    Reviews found online8140

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

    Roadian H/T: 60% × 56.7 (est.) + 40% × 40.3 = 50

    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 Roadian H/T. 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 +21
    57
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoadian H/T
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 76 (est.)≈ 60 (est.)
    Reviews found online8152

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

    Roadian H/T: 60% × 60 (est.) + 40% × 52.3 = 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 0.56).

    No road tests of wet for Roadian H/T. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

  3. 72

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +21
    51
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoadian H/T
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 60 (est.)
    Reviews found online7339

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

    Roadian H/T: 60% × 59.7 (est.) + 40% × 39.1 = 51

    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).

    No road tests of snow for Roadian H/T. 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 +21
    52
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoadian H/T
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online7635

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

    Roadian H/T: 60% × 63.2 (est.) + 40% × 34.6 = 52

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 70

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +7
    63
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoadian H/T
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online7556

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

    Roadian H/T: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 55.6 = 63

    No road tests of noise for Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +20
    56
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoadian H/T
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests74≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online7849

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

    Roadian H/T: 60% × 60.6 (est.) + 40% × 49.2 = 56

    No road tests of treadwear for Roadian H/T. 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 +35
    44
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SRoadian H/T
    Reviews found online7944
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SNexen Roadian H/T
Relative Score 76 53
Dry 76 50
Wet 78 57
Snow 72 51
Comfort 73 52
Noise 70 63
Treadwear 76 56
Handling (owners) 79 44

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.

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Neutral
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

Roadian H/T

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 Roadian H/T

Pros

  • Excellent value and affordable pricing compared to premium brands
  • Long-lasting treadwear with high mileage potential
  • Smooth and comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • Excessive road noise, humming, and roaring often mistaken for bearing failure
  • Prone to picking up gravel and stones in the tread blocks
  • Poor winter and snow performance reported by some users
All owner themes in the Roadian H/T review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Nexen Roadian H/T
CategoryAll SeasonAll-Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—18
Rim diameters—15″ – 18″
Tread depth—11/32″
UTQG—520 A B
Treadwear warranty—60,000 mi
Sidewall—Outlined White Lettering
Max pressure—44 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Nexen Roadian H/T

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, dry and wet. 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.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 44 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 50 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 57 on wet.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 72 vs 51 on snow.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Tire B · Nexen Roadian H/T
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Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 78 vs 57 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 76 vs 50 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 72 vs 51 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 70 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 73 vs 52 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or Roadian H/T?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 76 vs 56 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