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 3,699 + 6 owner reviews. How we score
Defender LTX M/S2 leads, 77–75 Narrow edge
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 73 · 1 test Owners 79 · 6 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test (dry braking)
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests | 52 | 77 |
| Reviews found online | 91 | 78 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 93% | 100% |
| Dry Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 99% | 96% |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 52 + 40% × 91.4 = 68
Grabber H/T: 60% × 77 + 40% × 78.1 = 77
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests | 67 | 74 |
| Reviews found online | 92 | 82 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 92% | 99% |
| Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 94% | 95% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 97% | 98% |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 66.8 + 40% × 91.7 = 77
Grabber H/T: 60% × 73.9 + 40% × 81.6 = 77
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests | 84 | 63 |
| Reviews found online | 77 | 80 |
| Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 86% | 84% |
| Ice Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 90% | 87% |
| Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 97% | 79% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 97% | 91% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 94% | 76% |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 94% | 82% |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 84 + 40% × 76.9 = 81
Grabber H/T: 60% × 63.4 + 40% × 79.7 = 70
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 73 (est.) | ≈ 70 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 88 | 75 |
Defender LTX M/S2: 40% × 72.6 (est.) + 60% × 87.6 = 82
Grabber H/T: 40% × 70 (est.) + 60% × 74.8 = 73
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 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for Grabber H/T. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 66 (est.) | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 89 | 78 |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 88.6 = 75
Grabber H/T: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 78.1 = 71
No road tests of noise for Defender LTX M/S2 or Grabber H/T. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 75 (est.) | ≈ 71 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 89 | 78 |
Defender LTX M/S2: 60% × 74.6 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80
Grabber H/T: 60% × 70.6 (est.) + 40% × 78 = 74
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).
No road tests of treadwear for Grabber H/T. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
| Source | Defender LTX M/S2 | Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 87 | 77 |
| Category | Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 | General Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 75 |
| Dry | 68 | 77 |
| Wet | 77 | 77 |
| Snow | 81 | 70 |
| Comfort | 82 | 73 |
| Noise | 75 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 74 |
| Handling (owners) | 87 | 77 |
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.
Defender LTX M/S2
Grabber H/T
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 2 tests that ran both, Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 finished ahead 2 times and General Grabber H/T 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | Defender LTX M/S2 | Grabber H/T | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 93% | 100% | −7.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Dry Circle | Dry | 99% | 96% | +2.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% | 99% | −7.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 94% | 95% | −1.6 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% | 98% | −1.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 86% | 84% | +2.2 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 90% | 87% | +3.2 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% | 79% | +17.9 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% | 91% | +6.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 94% | 82% | +11.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 94% | 76% | +18.3 | 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) | |||||
| Road Rating (tester's mark) | Other | 98% | 98% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test · 265/70 R17 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #3/30 | #14/30 | – | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test · 265/70 R17 |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
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.
“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.”
“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.”
“I had the crossclimate on my Avalon. They were noisy. Don't know if vehicle choice matters. Put the Defender LTX M/S2 on my GC Overland. So far I really like them.”
Based on 83 community posts
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 | B · General Grabber H/T |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All-Season tire |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 1 | 41 |
| Rim diameters | 22″ | 15″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 11 - 14/32″ | 11 - 14/32″ |
| UTQG | 820 B A | 720 B A - B |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering |
| Max pressure | 50 - 80 psi | 44 - 80 psi |
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
General Grabber H/T
Narrow edge: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — better snow, handling and comfort. Pick the General Grabber H/T if dry matters most to you. General Grabber H/T rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 6 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 81 vs 70 on snow.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 87 vs 77 on handling.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 73 on comfort.
General Grabber H/T scores 77 vs 68 on dry.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 77 on the wet score, within 3 points.
General Grabber H/T, 77 vs 68 on our dry score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 81 vs 70 on our snow score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 75 vs 71 on our noise score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 82 vs 73 on our comfort score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 80 vs 74 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
