Looking for a tire for your full-size SUV, pickup truck, or van that is capable of taking you everywhere regardless of the type of road? Then this article is for you.
Today, we will take an in-depth look at one of Michelin’s best-selling tires, the amazing Defender LTX M/S.
TL;DR: Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Ready to find out more about this great tire? Let’s first look at a summary of its main advantages and disadvantages.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
PROS
- Amazing tread life
- Unsurpassed ride quality
- Outstanding off-road performance
- Excellent traction in dry, wet, and snow
CONS
- None worth mentioning
Best For:
Drivers of full-size vans, pickup trucks, SUVs, commercial vans, shuttles, and chassis cab vehicles requiring premium all-season tires with excellent grip and durability regardless of the type of terrain
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Performance Ratings
One of the most important aspects to consider when reviewing a tire is the total number of miles reported. The reason is simple. The higher the number of miles reported, the ratings are more reliable.
In this sense, this tire has more than 14 million miles, ensuring its ratings’ reliability. This also means that their ranking of 4 out of 45 in the Highway All-Season Tires segment is also pretty solid.
To facilitate your navigation through this review you can use the following links.
- Off-Road Performance
- Dry Performance
- Wet Performance
- Snow / Ice Performance
- Comfort Performance
- Treadwear Performance
- Warranty
- Specs & Options
- Reviews
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Off-Road Performance
|
Off-Road Performance Ratings |
|
|---|---|
|
Off-Road Overall |
8.1 |
|
Dirt Performance |
8.6 |
|
Sand Performance |
8.1 |
|
Mud Performance |
7.6 |
|
Rock Performance |
8.2 |
The Defender LTX M/S is one of the most versatile tires offered by Michelin. So no wonder it has such good off-road performance. Whether you use your vehicle for a business or personal activity, this tire will not disappoint you when tackling dirt, sand, or mud roads.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Dry Performance
|
Dry Performance Ratings |
|
|---|---|
|
Dry Overall |
9.3 |
|
Cornering Stability |
9.2 |
|
Dry Traction |
9.4 |
|
Steering Response |
9.2 |
One reason that makes this tire a favorite among the most demanding drivers is its excellent dry traction. Its advanced tread design gives you reliable braking and predictable handling on straights and curves. Without a doubt, this is one of the best tires for daily driving today.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Wet Performance
|
Wet Performance Ratings |
|
|---|---|
|
Wet Overall |
9.2 |
|
Hydroplaning Resistance |
9.2 |
|
Wet Traction |
9.2 |
Thanks to its high-density 3-D Active Sipes and wide circumferential channels, this tire can give you safe handling even in the most inclement weather conditions. This impressive reliability in the wet explains its popularity in such demanding applications as fleets of commercial vans, shuttles, and chassis cab vehicles.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Snow / Ice Performance
|
Snow / Ice Performance Ratings |
|
|---|---|
|
Snow / Ice Overall |
8.3 |
|
Light Snow Traction |
8.9 |
|
Deep Snow Traction |
8.2 |
|
Ice Traction |
7.8 |
When it comes to grip on snow and ice, few tires in this segment give you the astonishing performance of the Defender LTX M/S. While not a winter tire, the LTX M/S offers safe handling and predictable braking on relatively heavy vehicles such as full-size pickups, vans, and SUVs.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Comfort Performance
|
Comfort Performance Ratings |
|
|---|---|
|
Overall Comfort |
9.1 |
|
Ride Quality |
9.2 |
|
Noise |
8.9 |
If you think that a tire as robust as this is not capable of giving you a smooth, quiet ride, then think again. Michelin has combined advanced tread design with a sophisticated manufacturing process to provide you with a sedan-like driving experience. If you are looking for a quiet tire for daily use, this is one of your best options.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Treadwear Performance
|
Treadwear Performance Ratings |
|
|---|---|
|
Treadwear |
8.9 |
One of the most critical aspects of this segment is durability. This is why Michelin has used its exclusive Evertread compound in conjunction with its MaxTouch Construction to promote uniform wear across the entire tread. If your priority is to use a tire with long tread life, few will give you the performance of this tire.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Warranty
Treadlife Warranty
6-year warranty or 70,000 miles (T- & H rated), 50,000 miles (R rated), whichever occurs first. This warranty is halved when the rear and the front tires are different in size.
Uniformity Warranty
Complaints regarding these tires’ uniformity must be subscribed in the first year of use or the first 2/32″ of wear.
Workmanship / Materials Warranty
Michelin provides an amazing 6-year warranty against defects in workmanship or materials. Moreover, it also offers free tire replacement for the first year, 2/32″ wear, or 25% wear. Don’t know how to check treadwear? Read this in-depth guide: How to Check Tire Tread.
Photo credit: michelinman.com
Road Hazard Warranty
Sadly, none.
Manufacturer Special Warranty
This tire comes with a special warranty consisting of 60-day satisfaction (in which you can exchange the tire for a BFGoodrich or Uniroyal equivalent) and a 3-year flat changing service.
Tire Rack Road Hazard Warranty
On top of the tread life warranty offered by Michelin, this tire features Tire Rack’s leading warranty that covers refunds of up to $40 for repairs per tire per occurrence. Moreover, if the tire suffers non-repairable damage within the first 2 years, a refund of the original purchase price or replacement purchase price (whichever is less) will be made.
As if this tire’s incredible ratings weren’t enough reason to consider it, add a best-in-class 70k mile / 6-year warranty and Tire Rack’s Road Hazard Warranty to make it one of the best options currently on the market.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Specs & Options
If we talk about available sizes, this tire is one of the market leaders. Michelin manufactures this rim in sizes ranging from 15 inches to 22 inches, with a rim width ranging from 215 to 305. Regarding its UTQG, the value of 800 AA is in line with what is expected for this type of vehicle tire. For more information about the UTQG, read here.
With rim sizes from 15 to 22 inches, it will not be difficult to get a Defender LTX M/S set for your vehicle.
Photo credit: autoguide.com
Michelin Defender LTX M/S Reviews
Reviews only confirm how great this tire is. From a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 to a Toyota 4Runner to a GMC Yukon, the Defender LTX M / S has exceeded the expectations of everyone who has driven it.
This tire provides an outstanding balance between comfort, performance, and safety, whether in snow, mud, or highway. Moreover, in terms of durability, it is common to find reviews of drivers who have used the Defender for more than 90k miles without problems.
Its versatility to offer an unsurpassed driving experience in all types of light trucks, SUVs, and vans makes this tire, without a doubt, one of your best alternatives for daily driving all year round.
Quick Recap
|
Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|
|---|---|
|
Off-Road |
8.1 |
|
Dry |
9.3 |
|
Wet |
9.2 |
|
Snow / Ice |
8.3 |
|
Comfort |
9.1 |
|
Treadwear |
8.9 |
End of the Road
The Michelin Defender LTX M/S undoubtedly has all the features that most drivers of full-size pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans are looking for. Reliability, a robust design, good grip on all types of terrain, excellent ride quality, and fantastic durability. An excellent option to consider if you need a premium all-season tire set.