Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 vs Michelin Defender2 — 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 + 2 road tests and 3,650 + 11,218 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Defender LTX M/S2 77, Defender2 76.

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.”

Michelin Defender2
Tire BMichelin

Defender2

All Season

± 7

Tests 64 · 2 tests Owners 89 · 11,218 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test (noise (tester's mark))

“I just ordered Michelin Defender 2 for our 15 Outback . We've had 2 sets of Yokohama YK-CTX after OEM which only lasted about 20k (first set) and 25k (second set). I've had Michelin Defender (orig) and Michelin Defender2 on our Ford Taurus. Very comfortable and great tread life.”

Category by category

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

  1. 68

    Dry

    Defender2 +12
    80
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Defender2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests5273
    Reviews found online9292

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

    Defender2: 60% × 72.7 + 40% × 91.7 = 80

  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S2 +3
    75
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Defender2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests6864
    Reviews found online9392

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

    Defender2: 60% × 64 + 40% × 92.3 = 75

  3. 82

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S2 +23
    59
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Defender2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests8746
    Reviews found online7579

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

    Defender2: 60% × 46.1 + 40% × 78.9 = 59

  4. 82

    Comfort

    Level
    82
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Defender2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 73 (est.)
    Reviews found online8888

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

    Defender2: 40% × 72.5 (est.) + 60% × 88.1 = 82

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S2 or Defender2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 75

    Noise

    Defender2 +4
    79
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Defender2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 67 (est.)73
    Reviews found online8987

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

    Defender2: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 86.9 = 79

    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

    Level
    80
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Defender2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 74 (est.)≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online8989

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

    Defender2: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 89.2 = 80

    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 Defender2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 87

    Handling (owners)

    Defender2 +2
    89
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Defender2
    Reviews found online8789
Scores at a glance
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 vs Michelin Defender2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/S2Michelin Defender2
Relative Score 77 76
Dry 68 80
Wet 78 75
Snow 82 59
Comfort 82 82
Noise 75 79
Treadwear 80 80
Handling (owners) 87 89

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

± 7

Defender2

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/S2Defender2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 93% #9/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 96% #3/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Circle Dry 99% #2/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 100% #2/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #6/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 84% #3/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 94% #4/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 95% #3/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #5/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 99% #5/7 · Tire Rack Touring All-Season Tire Test (November 2025) – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 86% #9/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 70% #2/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Ice Traction Snow 90% #11/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 81% #2/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 97% #2/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 100% #3/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 97% #3/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 100% #3/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 94% #3/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 100% #3/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 94% #3/30 · 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test 90% #8/11 · 2024 TireRack All Season and Weather Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Road Rating (tester's mark) Other 98% #3/9 · 2024 Tire Rack Highway All Season Tyre Test 85% #3/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #3/30 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tyre Snow Test #2/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

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 Defender2

Pros

  • Long-lasting tread life and high mileage capability
  • Confident dry and wet traction with stable handling
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality on specific vehicles and highway surfaces

Cons

  • Stiffer, harder ride compared to original equipment or older models
  • Noticeable road noise and lack of noise absorption on certain pavement types
  • Reduced fuel economy (MPG) reported by multiple users
All owner themes in the Defender2 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

Michelin Defender2

Positive

Community sentiment toward the Michelin Defender2 is strongly positive, with owners widely praising its exceptional tread life, durability, and 80k-mile warranty. Many drivers and EV owners report excellent longevity and efficiency, though some note elevated road noise compared to premium touring tires or question its necessity for low-mileage driving.

bobistheoilguy.com ·8 upvotes ·2026-05-11

“Taking advantage of Michelin's $80 rebate that runs until 5/23/26, I bought four 225/65R17 Michelin Defender2 tires for my wife's '21 Rav4. I took them home with me and the production dates are 4425 so that is less than a year old and I'm ok with that. I plan to have them mounted this fall after I put on her winter tires. It will also be a good time to put new batteries in her tire pressure sensors although I have never done that before. Last time they see daylight before they go to the basement for storage until fall.”

mbworld.org

“I have Mercedes GLE 350 2018 with Scorpion Verde 255/50/19 R 107H. Drove 45 K miles in 4 years on it and still have 35% left. Got it slightly damaged on the side but still driveable so i am thinking about changing tires. For the same size, what would be better Michelin Defender2 or Primacy Tour A/S? Prefer quiet/smooth ride/noise isolation/safety.Never accelerate too fast/slalom or overusing breaks. Driving in Los Angeles. Max 80 mph/no quick turns. Thought that Primacy Tour A/S should be better for my needs as above, but read bad reviews (very low usable tire mileage ~ 35000 miles, wobbly, bad when raining) vs great for Defender2”

teslamotorsclub.com ·2 upvotes ·2025-03-13

“I have put Michelin Defender2 on my Model Y P right when I got it. I have driven 62k miles on them and they have plenty life left. Very impressed with their longevity. I didn't drive the Pilot Sport enough to really be able to compare, but the Defender2 is definitely not a performance tire. Efficiency is pretty amazing. I just drove from Dallas to Orlando and my average was 268 Wh/m going at the speed limit of 65 to 75. Road noise could be better, but part of it is that the Y is so well sound insulated from other noises that tire noise is the loudest thing left. It is far less noisy overall than my Model S was. So it might appear noisier only because the other noises are so reduced.”

Top themes
#tread life longevity#80k mileage warranty#EV efficiency and range#road noise trade-off#comparison to CrossClimate2#speed rating fitment issues#ride comfort

Based on 24 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 B · Michelin Defender2
CategoryAll-Season tireAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Tread depth11 - 14/32″10 - 11/32″
UTQG820 B A840 B B
Treadwear warranty—80,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlack Side Wall
Max pressure50 - 80 psi50 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

Michelin Defender2

Too close to call: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 and Michelin Defender2 are within 2 points overall. Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 is stronger on snow and wet. Michelin Defender2 is stronger on dry and noise.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 59 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender2 scores 80 vs 68 on dry.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Defender2 scores 79 vs 75 on noise.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 78 vs 75 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
Tire B · Michelin Defender2

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

Defender LTX M/S2 or Defender2?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S2 or Defender2?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 78 vs 75 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S2 or Defender2?

Michelin Defender2, 80 vs 68 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S2 or Defender2?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2, 82 vs 59 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Defender LTX M/S2 or Defender2?

Michelin Defender2, 79 vs 75 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S2 or Defender2?

Neither, by our numbers: 82 vs 82 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S2 or Defender2?

Neither, by our numbers: 80 vs 80 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

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