tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — 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 9 + 1 road tests and 1,371 + 10 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 SUV leads, 81–79 Narrow edge

Check price on Amazon · Pilot Sport 4 SUV or Defender LTX M/S on Amazon
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 Pilot Sport 4 SUV
Tire AMichelin

Pilot Sport 4 SUV

Summer

± 5

Tests 80 · 9 tests Owners 79 · 1,371 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 12 in 2023 Best SUV Tyres Tested (wet braking)

“Loving my new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires and Enkei Raijin wheels”

Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire BMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

± 7Provisional

Tests – · 1 test Owners 82 · 10 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))

Category by category

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

  1. 86

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 SUV +8
    78
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests86≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online8683

    Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 60% × 86 + 40% × 86.4 = 86

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.3 = 78

    No road tests of dry for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 91

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 SUV +10
    81
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests94≈ 78 (est.)
    Reviews found online8784

    Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 60% × 94 + 40% × 86.7 = 91

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.2 (est.) + 40% × 84.2 = 81

    No road tests of wet for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 73 (est.)
    Reviews found online–76

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.7 (est.) + 40% × 76 = 74

    No road tests of snow for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 64

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    75
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests54≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online7178

    Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 40% × 54.2 + 60% × 71.2 = 64

    Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.7 (est.) + 60% × 77.6 = 75

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

  5. 58

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests53–
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)–

    Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 60% × 52.5 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 58

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4 SUV. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 72

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +7
    79
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7775
    Reviews found online6585

    Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 60% × 77.1 + 40% × 65.3 = 72

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.5 + 40% × 85.1 = 79

  7. 83

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 SUV +3
    80
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online8380
  8. 64

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests64–
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 4 SUVMichelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 81 79
Dry 86 78
Wet 91 81
Snow – 74
Comfort 64 75
Noise 58 –
Treadwear 72 79
Handling (owners) 83 80
Efficiency 64 –

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.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

Pilot Sport 4 SUV

± 7

Defender LTX M/S

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Sport 4 SUVDefender LTX M/SΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #5/9 2026 Summer SUV Tyre Test #3/13 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Pilot Sport 4 SUV

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and safety in both wet and dry conditions
  • Precise steering response and enhanced cornering stability for heavy SUVs
  • Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and overall handling

Cons

  • Higher-than-average purchase price
  • Increased road noise reported by some users as the tread wears down
  • Faster tread wear and shorter mileage lifespan under aggressive driving or heavy vehicle loads
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 SUV review

Tire B Defender LTX M/S

Pros

  • Exceptional tread longevity and mileage lifespan
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality at highway speeds
  • Strong year-round traction across dry, wet, and light snow conditions

Cons

  • High upfront purchase price
  • Subpar performance in deep mud, sand, and off-road environments
  • Limited ice and severe winter capability compared to dedicated winter tires
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV

Positive

Community sentiment toward the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV is generally very positive, with owners highlighting its strong grip, handling precision, and suitability for heavy performance SUVs. Users frequently compare it favorably to older Latitude Sport 3 and standard passenger tires, though they emphasize its summer-only limitation below 40°F and note trade-offs in price and tread life.

bobistheoilguy.com ·2022-02-01

“From 3 model you mention, only Alenza is designed for heavy vehicle/SUV, so longevity is better than other 2 for your Envoy even though the traction may not be the best. If you can find Pilot Sport 4 SUV, then it may be the best to replace Latitude Sport 3. I like Latitude Sport 3, the best in wet weather and great in dry, but it is true it is only 25000 miles lifetime.”
rennlist.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by robtr8 I like to use the tire size calculator on 1010Tires.com. Shows 285/40's as being almost 3% bigger than the OE size. Generally speaking you want no more than a 1% different. The PS 4 SUV's are available in a 295/35. Rocketcar - if you had P-Zero's then yup. They suck. Took them off the F Type immediately if not sooner. Quote: Originally Posted by RAudi Driver That's why they are called P-Zeros. If they were good Pirelli would have named them P-10's. Quote: Originally Posted by BrettIsAwesomer Not a fan of the LS3 on my Cayenne. They came on the car when I bought it but will replace with Pilot Sport 4 SUV later this year. There are some stretches of road where the surface conditions change and I get a terrible droning noise in the cabin with the LS3. However, in my Cayman with PS4S in the same areas you can barely tell the road surface changed. The wear on both sets is about the same. 2016 Cayenne S e-Hybrid with 21" Latitude Sport 3 (295/35) 2014 Cayman with 20" Pilot Sport 4S (235-265/35) I am putting an OPC warranty on the Cayenne, so for me the LS3 is is best N rated tyre available...”
r/CX5 ·103 upvotes ·2021-05-15

“Loving my new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires and Enkei Raijin wheels”
Top themes
#Summer temperature limitations#Grip and handling performance#Tread life and wear#Comparison with Latitude Sport 3#Ride comfort and firmness#SUV-specific load design

Based on 37 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
CategorySummerAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available65—
Rim diameters17″ – 23″—

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Narrow edge: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV — better wet and dry. Pick the Michelin Defender LTX M/S if comfort and treadwear matter most to you. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 75 vs 64 on comfort.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV scores 91 vs 81 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV scores 86 vs 78 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 72 on treadwear.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Check price on Amazon

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

Pilot Sport 4 SUV or Defender LTX M/S?

Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport 4 SUV or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV, 91 vs 81 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport 4 SUV or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV, 86 vs 78 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport 4 SUV or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 64 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport 4 SUV or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 72 on our treadwear score.

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