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 Toyo A23 — 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 + 11 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 79–49
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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 +2950Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S A23 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 75 (est.) ≈ 56 (est.) Reviews found online 84 40 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 84.3 = 79
A23: 60% × 56.3 (est.) + 40% × 39.8 = 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 0.41).
No road tests of dry for A23. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
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82
Wet
Defender LTX M/S +3349Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S A23 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 79 (est.) ≈ 54 (est.) Reviews found online 86 41 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.9 (est.) + 40% × 85.6 = 82
A23: 60% × 54.3 (est.) + 40% × 40.7 = 49
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 A23. 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 +1955Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S A23 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 62 (est.) Reviews found online 77 45 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.4 (est.) + 40% × 76.6 = 74
A23: 60% × 62.4 (est.) + 40% × 45.1 = 55
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 A23. 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 +2946Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S A23 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 62 (est.) Reviews found online 78 35 Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 77.6 = 75
A23: 40% × 62 (est.) + 60% × 35.4 = 46
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 A23. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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80
Treadwear
Defender LTX M/S +3347Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S A23 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 75 ≈ 55 (est.) Reviews found online 86 35 Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.3 = 80
A23: 60% × 55.2 (est.) + 40% × 34.9 = 47
No road tests of treadwear for A23. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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82
Handling (owners)
Defender LTX M/S +4636Why this score
Source Defender LTX M/S A23 Reviews found online 82 36
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender LTX M/S | Toyo A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 49 |
| Dry | 79 | 50 |
| Wet | 82 | 49 |
| Snow | 74 | 55 |
| Comfort | 75 | 46 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 47 |
| Handling (owners) | 82 | 36 |
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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
79
/ 100
Defender LTX M/S
49
/ 100
A23
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 A23
Pros
- Solid grip and stability in dry conditions and on the highway
- Capable off-road and in muddy tracks for 4x4 vehicles
- Reasonable comfort and low road noise for some drivers
Cons
- Dangerous and slippery performance on wet surfaces and roundabouts
- Disappointing tread life and rapid wear reported by multiple users
- High road noise noted by some drivers
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S | B · Toyo A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| UTQG | 720 - 800 B A | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
49
/ 100
Toyo A23
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, wet and treadwear. 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. Toyo A23 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 11 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 36 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 49 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 47 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 50 on dry.
Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire B · Toyo A23
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Defender LTX M/S or A23?
Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or A23?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 82 vs 49 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or A23?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 50 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or A23?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 55 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or A23?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 46 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or A23?
Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 80 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