tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 vs BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 — 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 + 1 road tests and 3,650 + 193 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S2 is ahead, 77–66

Check price on Amazon · Defender LTX M/S2 or All-Terrain T/A KO3 on Amazon
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.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S2

All-Season tire

± 7

Tests 66 · 1 test Owners 88 · 3,650 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 30 in 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test (snow braking)

“The tires are over inflated for transport. The dealership should set them to the proper PSI during PDI but that's not always the case. I had 55 PSI in mine which explained the rough ride.”

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
Tire BBFGoodrich

All-Terrain T/A KO3

All-Terrain tire

± 8

Tests 56 · 1 test Owners 76 · 193 reviews

Best test result: #7 of 30 in 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test (snow handling (tester's mark))

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 68

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S2 +6
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2All-Terrain T/A KO3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests5254
    Reviews found online9275

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 51.7 + 40% × 91.7 = 68

    All-Terrain T/A KO3: 60% × 53.6 + 40% × 75 = 62

  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S2 +15
    63
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2All-Terrain T/A KO3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6854
    Reviews found online9376

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 68.1 + 40% × 92.5 = 78

    All-Terrain T/A KO3: 60% × 54.2 + 40% × 75.7 = 63

  3. 82

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S2 +16
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2All-Terrain T/A KO3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests8759
    Reviews found online7575
    Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–086%76%
    Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–090%87%
    Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–097%94%
    Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–094%79%
    Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–094%88%

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 86.8 + 40% × 75.3 = 82

    All-Terrain T/A KO3: 60% × 59.5 + 40% × 75.2 = 66

  4. 82

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S2 +17
    65
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2All-Terrain T/A KO3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 73 (est.)61
    Reviews found online8868

    Defender LTX M/S2: 40% × 72.5 (est.) + 60% × 88.1 = 82

    All-Terrain T/A KO3: 40% × 60.6 + 60% × 68.2 = 65

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 75

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S2 +12
    63
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2All-Terrain T/A KO3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 67 (est.)63
    Reviews found online8963

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 88.9 = 75

    All-Terrain T/A KO3: 60% × 62.6 + 40% × 62.6 = 63

    No road tests of noise for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 80

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S2 +4
    76
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2All-Terrain T/A KO3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 74 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8983

    Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 89.2 = 80

    All-Terrain T/A KO3: 60% × 72.1 (est.) + 40% × 82.5 = 76

    No road tests of treadwear for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for All-Terrain T/A KO3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 87

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S2 +12
    75
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2All-Terrain T/A KO3
    Reviews found online8775
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/S2BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
Relative Score 77 66
Dry 68 62
Wet 78 63
Snow 82 66
Comfort 82 65
Noise 75 63
Treadwear 80 76
Handling (owners) 87 75

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Defender LTX M/S2

± 8

All-Terrain T/A KO3

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.

In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 finished ahead 1 times and BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryDefender LTX M/S2All-Terrain T/A KO3ΔHead-to-head
Ice Braking Snow 86% 76% +9.8 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17
Ice Traction Snow 90% 87% +3.8 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17
Snow Braking Snow 97% 94% +2.8 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 94% 88% +5.8 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17
Snow Traction Snow 94% 79% +15.3 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/30 #7/30 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Defender LTX M/S2

Pros

  • Exceptionally long tread life and high mileage durability
  • Smooth, comfortable, and quiet highway ride quality
  • Improved fuel economy and low rolling resistance compared to factory or all-terrain tires

Cons

  • High upfront premium price point
  • Occasional minor wheel spin or reduced traction on wet surfaces during hard takeoffs
  • Treads can pack with snow, making them mediocre in deep winter conditions
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S2 review

Tire B All-Terrain T/A KO3

Pros

  • Significantly quieter and more comfortable on-road ride compared to the KO2 and factory alternatives
  • Exceptional off-road grip on dirt, gravel, and rough forest service trails
  • Strong braking performance across various surfaces including snow and dirt

Cons

  • Consistent balancing and high road force issues reported by some users, leading to steering wheel wobble
  • Subpar ice traction, as is common for standard all-terrain tires not designated as dedicated winter options
  • Slower on-center steering response compared to competing light truck tires
All owner themes in the All-Terrain T/A KO3 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

Positive

The community widely views the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 as an outstanding highway and daily driving tire, praising its smooth ride, low road noise, and reliable wet traction. While considered an ideal replacement for noisy all-terrain or OEM tires, some users question its performance in severe winter or deep mud conditions compared to dedicated off-road tires. A few owners also raised minor concerns regarding warranty differences, balancing, and tread life compared to prior generations.

r/LexusGX550 ·5 upvotes ·2026-09-26

“Tires 24 overtrail+ I'm at 20,000 miles now and need to change the stock tires that come with the overtrail +. I'm just looking for some recommendations, was thinking of getting the Michelin defender ltx m/s2 but wanted to see what other people were using. I do not off-road too much and do a lot of city and highway driving and when reading seems like the Michelin defender kind of fulfills what I need. Also, has anybody gone up a size and tires? I know the stock size is 265/70R18, but I was curious if anybody used a larger tire with the OEM wheels that come with it. I know the 24 is 1 inch shorter than the 25 and 26 so outcomes can be a little different. Appreciate anybody's experience they have dealt with. Thank you”
f150gen14.com ·2 upvotes ·2024-05-02

“I'm likely swapping out the tires that come on my soon-to-be built Lariat when I get it, so I've been doing some research myself. That Conti is a good tire, but I'm not sure I want an AT tire on this one. I'd be more interested in the TerrainContact H/T. But both of them come highly recommended. If I go Michellins, I'm going Defender LTX M/S2. Bit pricey but has really good user reviews overall. On my last F150 (2011 EB FX4) I ran Firestone Destinations and they rode really well, good in the rain, etc, but wore down quick. Then again, I did a lot of towing. The Bridgestone Duelers used to be a great tire but the reviews on these haven't been great lately...not for the price they want.”
r/RivianR2 ·1 upvote ·2026-09-06

“The Michelin Defender LTX m/s2 is available in 255/60/20 and is a fantastic tire. Not severe snow rated but it has a great reputation for being great in the snow. Lasts forever too.”
Top themes
#highway ride comfort#wet weather traction#low road noise#fuel and range efficiency#light snow performance#all-terrain comparison

Based on 83 community posts

Tire B

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 B · BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
CategoryAll-Season tireAll-Terrain tire
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available192
Rim diameters22″15″ – 22″
Tread depth11 - 14/32″15 - 16/32″
UTQG820 B A—
Treadwear warranty—50,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlack Side Wall - Raised White Lettering
Max pressure50 - 80 psi35 - 80 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — better comfort, snow and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 65 on comfort.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 66 on snow.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 78 vs 63 on wet.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 75 vs 63 on noise.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Defender LTX M/S2 or All-Terrain T/A KO3?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S2 or All-Terrain T/A KO3?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 78 vs 63 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S2 or All-Terrain T/A KO3?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 68 vs 62 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S2 or All-Terrain T/A KO3?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 82 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Defender LTX M/S2 or All-Terrain T/A KO3?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 75 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S2 or All-Terrain T/A KO3?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 82 vs 65 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S2 or All-Terrain T/A KO3?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 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