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Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 vs Kumho Crugen HT51 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Defender LTX M/S2 is ahead, 81–71

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Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S2

Tests – · none yet Owners 87 · 3,650 reviews

“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”

Tire BKumho

Crugen HT51

All Season

Tests – · 1 test Owners 75 · 164 reviews

Category by category

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

  1. 82

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S2 +9
    73
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Crugen HT51
    Reviews found online9177
  2. 84

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S2 +9
    75
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Crugen HT51
    Reviews found online8977
  3. 72

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S2 +2
    70
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Crugen HT51
    Reviews found online7470
  4. 78

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S2 +7
    71
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Crugen HT51
    Reviews found online8772
  5. 76

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S2 +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Crugen HT51
    Reviews found online8978
  6. 80

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S2 +16
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Crugen HT51
    Professional tests (TWG score)–58
    Reviews found online9074
  7. 86

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S2 +11
    75
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Crugen HT51
    Reviews found online8675
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/S2Kumho Crugen HT51
Relative Score 81 71
Dry 82 73
Wet 84 75
Snow 72 70
Comfort 78 71
Noise 76 71
Treadwear 80 64
Handling 86 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 and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S2

Crugen HT51

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 Crugen HT51

Pros

  • Exceptional value and lower price point compared to premium competitors
  • Smooth, quiet, and comfortable highway ride
  • Strong dry, wet, and winter/snow traction

Cons

  • Slightly vague or 'squishy' steering feel/sidewall stiffness compared to some OEM tires
  • Potential negative impact on fuel economy (decreased MPG for some truck owners)
  • Occasional reports of accelerated shoulder wear or balancing issues
All owner themes in the Crugen HT51 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/tires ·1 upvote ·2025-12-12

“The Defender LTX M/S2s are the best tires I've ever run. They last forever. Great dry and wet traction. Quiet. Had them on a LR Disco and a fwd RX350z. Got around easily in ten inches of snow with the Lexus. I used to like Bridgestone but I've had better experiences with Michelins.”
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.”
r/ToyotaTundra ·2 upvotes ·2026-01-18

“I have the same truck. I love my Defender LTX M/S2 tires. Very good on the rroadand in rain and snow. I haven't towed with them but have had no issues on forest service roads in Washington state. I would definitely get them again.”
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

Kumho Crugen HT51

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 B · Kumho Crugen HT51
Category—All Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available144
Rim diameters22″15″ – 22″
Tread depth11 - 14/32″12.5/32″
UTQG820 B A720 A A
Treadwear warranty—70,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlackwall
Max pressure50 - 80 psi50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

Kumho Crugen HT51

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — better treadwear, handling and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 80 vs 64 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 86 vs 75 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 73 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 84 vs 75 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
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Tire B · Kumho Crugen HT51
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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.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

81

Leads

Defender LTX M/S2

Amazon