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Michelin Defender T+H vs Michelin Primacy MXM4 — Compared

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

Defender T+H is ahead, 72–62

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Tire AMichelin

Defender T+H

Premium Touring All Season tire

Tests – · 1 test Owners 71 · 1 review

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires (overall ranking)

Tire BMichelin

Primacy MXM4

All Season

Tests 69 · 1 test Owners 57 · 10 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 3 in 2024 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 (overall ranking)

Category by category

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

  1. 72

    Dry

    Level
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score)–83
    Reviews found online7457
  2. 74

    Wet

    Defender T+H +16
    58
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score)–56
    Reviews found online7561
  3. 66

    Snow

    Defender T+H +10
    56
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HPrimacy MXM4
    Reviews found online6347
  4. 70

    Comfort

    Defender T+H +10
    60
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score)–64
    Reviews found online7053
  5. 68

    Noise

    Defender T+H +3
    65
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score)–69
    Reviews found online7058
  6. 73

    Treadwear

    Defender T+H +10
    63
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HPrimacy MXM4
    Professional tests (TWG score)75–
    Reviews found online7061
  7. 72

    Handling

    Defender T+H +18
    54
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HPrimacy MXM4
    Reviews found online7254
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender T+HMichelin Primacy MXM4
Relative Score 72 62
Dry 72 72
Wet 74 58
Snow 66 56
Comfort 70 60
Noise 68 65
Treadwear 73 63
Handling 72 54

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 T+H

Primacy MXM4

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryDefender T+HPrimacy MXM4ΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 100% #1/8 · 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires 0% #4/3 · 2024 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 +100.0 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Defender T+H

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Tire B Primacy MXM4

Pros

  • Exceptional ride comfort and vibration dampening
  • Strong tread life and durability
  • High fuel efficiency

Cons

  • Mediocre dry grip and handling precision
  • Noticeable understeer when cornering
  • Soft sidewalls that lack steering feedback
All owner themes in the Primacy MXM4 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender T+H B · Michelin Primacy MXM4
CategoryPremium Touring All Season tireAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender T+H

Michelin Primacy MXM4

Winner: Michelin Defender T+H — better handling, wet and snow. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender T+H scores 72 vs 54 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender T+H scores 74 vs 58 on wet.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender T+H scores 66 vs 56 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender T+H scores 70 vs 60 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Defender T+H
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Primacy MXM4
Check price on Amazon

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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.

72

Leads

Defender T+H

Amazon