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))
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Nitto NT555 G2 — 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 + 2 road tests and 11 + 412 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 79–59
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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79
Dry
Defender LTX M/S +2455Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 75 (est.) 49 Reviews found online 84 64 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 84.3 = 79
NT555 G2: 60% × 49 + 40% × 63.8 = 55
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).
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82
Wet
Defender LTX M/S +3151Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 79 (est.) 48 Reviews found online 86 54 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 79 (est.) + 40% × 85.7 = 82
NT555 G2: 60% × 48.3 + 40% × 53.9 = 51
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).
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74
Snow
Defender LTX M/S +2648Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 58 (est.) Reviews found online 77 33 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.4 (est.) + 40% × 76.5 = 74
NT555 G2: 60% × 58.5 (est.) + 40% × 32.5 = 48
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 NT555 G2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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75
Comfort
Defender LTX M/S +966Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 78 65 Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.6 (est.) + 60% × 77.7 = 75
NT555 G2: 40% × 68 (est.) + 60% × 65 = 66
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 0.21).
No road tests of comfort for NT555 G2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.21).
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–
Noise
No comparison65Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) – ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online – 64 NT555 G2: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 64 = 65
No road tests of noise for NT555 G2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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80
Treadwear
Defender LTX M/S +476Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 75 83 Reviews found online 86 66 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.3 = 80
NT555 G2: 60% × 83.3 + 40% × 66 = 76
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82
Handling (owners)
Defender LTX M/S +2062Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S NT555 G2 Reviews found online 82 62
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender LTX M/S | Nitto NT555 G2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 59 |
| Dry | 79 | 55 |
| Wet | 82 | 51 |
| Snow | 74 | 48 |
| Comfort | 75 | 66 |
| Noise | – | 65 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 76 |
| Handling (owners) | 82 | 62 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
79
/ 100
Defender LTX M/S
59
/ 100
NT555 G2
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.
| Discipline | Category | Defender LTX M/S | NT555 G2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tested Tread Life (Miles) | Treadwear | 84% #2/13 · 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires | 100% #1/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #3/13 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires | #10/10 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test | – | 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 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 NT555 G2
Pros
- Aggressive, visually appealing tread pattern and sidewall design
- Exceptional value and lower price point compared to premium brands like Michelin or Pirelli
- Long-lasting tread life and slow wear rates for a summer performance tire
Cons
- Poor wet-weather traction, with multiple users reporting hydroplaning and a slippery feel in the rain
- Lack of straight-line traction and wheel spin under heavy acceleration, especially on high-horsepower RWD vehicles
- Subpar performance in cooler temperatures or cold conditions, requiring heat to grip properly
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S | B · Nitto NT555 G2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | Summer |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 88 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10.2/32″ |
| UTQG | 720 - 800 B A | 320 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
59
/ 100
Nitto NT555 G2
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better wet, snow 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.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 51 on wet.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 74 vs 48 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 55 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 62 on handling.
Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire B · Nitto NT555 G2
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Defender LTX M/S or NT555 G2?
Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or NT555 G2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 82 vs 51 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or NT555 G2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 55 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or NT555 G2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 48 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or NT555 G2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 66 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or NT555 G2?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 80 vs 76 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