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Head-to-head Updated

Yokohama iceGUARD iG51v vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 76–71

Check price on Amazon · Defender LTX M/S or iceGUARD iG51v on Amazon
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Category by category

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

  1. 72

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    76
    Why this score
    SourceiceGUARD iG51vDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7481
  2. 78

    Wet

    Level
    78
    Why this score
    SourceiceGUARD iG51vDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online8181
  3. 75

    Snow

    iceGUARD iG51v +3
    72
    Why this score
    SourceiceGUARD iG51vDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7873
  4. 71

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +2
    73
    Why this score
    SourceiceGUARD iG51vDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7276
  5. 65

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    70
    Why this score
    SourceiceGUARD iG51vDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online6274
  6. 61

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +15
    76
    Why this score
    SourceiceGUARD iG51vDefender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–74
    Reviews found online5978
  7. 73

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +5
    78
    Why this score
    SourceiceGUARD iG51vDefender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7378
Scores at a glance
CategoryYokohama iceGUARD iG51vMichelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 71 76
Dry 72 76
Wet 78 78
Snow 75 72
Comfort 71 73
Noise 65 70
Treadwear 61 76
Handling 73 78

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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Neutral
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Less important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

iceGUARD iG51v

Defender LTX M/S

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A iceGUARD iG51v

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Yokohama iceGUARD iG51v B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
CategoryPremium Touring Winter tireAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Tread depth13/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Yokohama iceGUARD iG51v

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better treadwear, noise and handling. Pick the Yokohama iceGUARD iG51v if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 61 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 70 vs 65 on noise.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 73 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 76 vs 72 on dry.

Tire A · Yokohama iceGUARD iG51v
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Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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.

76

Leads

Defender LTX M/S

Amazon