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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Yokohama C Drive2 — 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 + 31 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 77–64

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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))

Yokohama C Drive2
Tire BYokohama

C Drive2

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 62 · 31 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 +13
    63
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SC Drive2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online8161

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

    C Drive2: 60% × 65 (est.) + 40% × 61 = 63

    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 C Drive2. 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 +11
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SC Drive2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 76 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online8166

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

    C Drive2: 60% × 67.6 (est.) + 40% × 65.8 = 67

    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 C Drive2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

  3. 72

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SC Drive2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)–
    Reviews found online73–

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

    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).

  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    68
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SC Drive2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7666

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

    C Drive2: 60% × 68.6 (est.) + 40% × 66.1 = 68

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S or C Drive2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 70

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SC Drive2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)–
    Reviews found online75–

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

    No road tests of noise for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 76

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +14
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SC Drive2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests74≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online7860

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

    C Drive2: 60% × 63.9 (est.) + 40% × 59.9 = 62

    No road tests of treadwear for C Drive2. 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 +18
    61
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SC Drive2
    Reviews found online7961
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SYokohama C Drive2
Relative Score 77 64
Dry 76 63
Wet 78 67
Snow 72 –
Comfort 73 68
Noise 70 –
Treadwear 76 62
Handling (owners) 79 61

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

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

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

Defender LTX M/S

C Drive2

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/SC Drive2ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/13 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires #7/10 2015 Auto Bild 215/55 R16 Technical 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 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 C Drive2

Pros

  • Exceptional ride comfort and vibration damping
  • Low road noise levels
  • Strong wet weather performance for most users

Cons

  • Inconsistent tread life, with some users reporting rapid wear
  • Handling can feel vague or lack feedback for performance-oriented drivers
  • Sudden loss of grip at the limit
All owner themes in the C Drive2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Yokohama C Drive2
CategoryAll SeasonSummer
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—3
Rim diameters—16″ – 18″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Yokohama C Drive2

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, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 61 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 62 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 63 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 67 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Tire B · Yokohama C Drive2
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Defender LTX M/S or C Drive2?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or C Drive2?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 78 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or C Drive2?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 76 vs 63 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or C Drive2?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 73 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or C Drive2?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 76 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