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 + 6 road tests and 3,699 + 1 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S2 is ahead, 77–68
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests 65 · 1 test Owners 88 · 3,699 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.”
Tests 66 · 6 tests Owners 71 · 1 review
Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2022 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ All-Season Tire Test R17 (straight aquaplaning)
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests | 52 | 73 |
| Reviews found online | 91 | 71 |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 52 + 40% × 91.4 = 68
Discoverer All Season: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 70.5 = 72
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests | 67 | 73 |
| Reviews found online | 92 | 74 |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 66.8 + 40% × 91.7 = 77
Discoverer All Season: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 73.6 = 73
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests | 84 | 41 |
| Reviews found online | 77 | 69 |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 84 + 40% × 76.9 = 81
Discoverer All Season: 60% × 41.2 + 40% × 68.8 = 52
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 73 (est.) | ≈ 68 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 88 | 66 |
Defender LTX M/S2: 40% × 72.6 (est.) + 60% × 87.6 = 82
Discoverer All Season: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 65.9 = 67
No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S2. 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 Discoverer All Season. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.21).
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests | ≈ 66 (est.) | 77 |
| Reviews found online | 89 | ≈ 66 (est.) |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 88.6 = 75
Discoverer All Season: 60% × 77.1 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 73
No road tests of noise for Defender LTX M/S2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
No owner ratings of noise for Discoverer All Season. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests | ≈ 75 (est.) | 64 |
| Reviews found online | 89 | 70 |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 74.6 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80
Discoverer All Season: 60% × 64 + 40% × 70 = 66
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 0.36).
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 87 | 71 |
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests | – | 34 |
| Category | Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 | Cooper Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 68 |
| Dry | 68 | 72 |
| Wet | 77 | 73 |
| Snow | 81 | 52 |
| Comfort | 82 | 67 |
| Noise | 75 | 73 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 87 | 71 |
| Efficiency | – | 34 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Defender LTX M/S2
Discoverer All Season
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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/S2 | Discoverer All Season | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 93% #9/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test | 95% #4/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #6/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test | 97% #4/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 94% #4/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test | 98% #6/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #5/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test | 98% #7/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #2/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test | 95% #5/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #3/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test | 97% #3/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 94% #3/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test | 95% #8/12 · 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #3/30 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test | #7/12 2024 Minivan / SUV All Season Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
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.
“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.”
“Got them last month. Did road trip to Vegas and back. Astonishing tire. You almost don’t know they are there. They just provide feedback necessary to have good control. No noise, no uncomfortable transfer of impact. Excellent in rain. Went through several downpours. As expected from 12/32 depth and this design, hydroplaning resistance is excellent. But what I pay attention is braking and handling, and they are excellent there. Did by now 3,000mls no any noticeable wear.”
“Defender LTX M/S2 275/50/22 on Fuel 22’s Coming off the Allenzas the quiet smooth ride is very noticeable. A section of paved road that has roots underneath but not really washboard - on the Allenzas it was noisy and bumpy and with the Defenders it is barely noticeable. They are that good”
Based on 83 community posts
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 | B · Cooper Discoverer All Season |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
| Tread depth | 11 - 14/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 820 B A | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | — |
| Max pressure | 50 - 80 psi | — |
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
Cooper Discoverer All Season
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — better snow, handling and comfort. Pick the Cooper Discoverer All Season if dry matters most to you.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 81 vs 52 on snow.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 87 vs 71 on handling.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 67 on comfort.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 80 vs 66 on treadwear.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 77 vs 73 on our wet score.
Cooper Discoverer All Season, 72 vs 68 on our dry score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 81 vs 52 on our snow score.
Neither, by our numbers: 75 vs 73 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 82 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 80 vs 66 on our treadwear score.
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
