Michelin Defender LTX M/S Tire Review & Rating
Replacing a top performing tire like the LTX M/S2 is not an easy task for anyone, but that is exactly what the new 2015 Michelin Defender LTX M/S has been designed to do. Built for full-size pickups and SUV’s, the Defender LTX combines the best traits of the original passenger car Defender with the same tread design and tread depth of the truck/SUV LTX M/S2.An all-season tread compound utilizes Michelin’s Evertread technology that is created to resist wear and tear under tough road conditions, as well as perform well under heavier payloads. The company states that this new tread will last up to 10% longer than the original LTX M/S2, which is pretty impressive on its own. Looking at the test results you can clearly see the new Defender LTX does in fact handle heavier loads and last longer than several of the better tires in this class.
The biggest plus with this new model is where the rubber meets the road. Traction on dry, wet or snow covered road surfaces is among the best tires available today, and we do not say that lightly. In fact Michelin had third party testing done to prove the point. The Defender LTX stops shorter on wet pavement and tracts through the snow better than similar tires like the Goodyear Wrangler SR-A, Yokohama YK-HTX, Firestone LE2 among others.
The tread features four wide circumferential grooves and full-depth sipes that add to the grip in rain and snow. While traction and toughness are impressive, this model also delivers a smoother and quieter ride than you might expect. There isn’t the tread pattern noise you often find on uneven or grooved pavement. We would say that ride comfort exceeds that of the older M/S2.
Inside the tire you will find Michelin’s MaxTouch Construction that is designed to more evenly distribute the forces of acceleration, braking, and cornering for increased rolling resistance and an overall longer tread life. The Defender LTX M/S is available with either a BSW or OWL depending on the size. The tread is warranted for up to 70K miles depending on the speed rating.
Michelin is releasing 45 sizes through 2015 and another 26 sizes by the middle of 2016. Tires are available in a range of 15-22 inch sizes with T or H-speed ratings, and LT models feature an E load range rating.
Pros
- All-season traction including snow
- Tough tread compound
- Treadlife
- Value for the money
Cons
- Not a low cost tire
Overall Thoughts
There’s not a lot we can add to say how impressive this new Defender LTX M/S performs on the street. The engineers at Michelin have managed to take the best of two unique tires and combine them into a model that provides excellent year-round traction, braking and handling, as well as a comfortable ride and longer treadwear.
Overall, the Defender LTX M/S simply does not disappoint in its performance. We rank it as one of the top tires in the truck/SUV all-season category and highly recommend it.
What Vehicles Will The Michelin Defender LTX Fit?
(This is not a complete list of ALL vehicles this tire will fit)
- Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Avalanche, S10, Suburban, K2500, Colorado, Blazer
- Dodge Ram, Durango, Dakota
- Ford Expedition, Escape, Ranger, Bronco, F-150, Excursion, Explorer
- GMC Yukon, Sierra, Canyon
- Honda Element, CR-V
- Hummer H3, H2
- Isuzu Trooper
- Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Liberty
- Land Rover Discovery
- Lexus GX470
- Mazda B4000
- Mercury Mountaineer
- Mitsubishi Montero
- Nissan Titan, Xterra, Frontier, Armada, Pathfinder
- Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, FJ Cruiser, Sequoia, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Highlander
Tire Sizes
15″
31×10.50R15 C 109R OWL
205/65R15 XL 99T BSW
215/75R15 100T OWL
235/75R15 XL 109T OWL
235/75R15 XL 109T OWL
16″
215/55R16 XL 97H BSW
255/65R16 109T OWL
215/70R16 100H BSW
235/70R16 XL 109T OWL
235/70R16 XL 109T OWL
245/70R16 107T OWL
255/70R16 111T OWL
255/70R16 111T OWL
265/70R16 112T OWL
265/70R16 112T OWL
275/70R16 114H BSW
LT225/75R16 E 115/112R BSW
235/75R16 XL 112T OWL
LT245/75R16 E 120/116R BSW
245/75R16 111T OWL
LT265/75R16 E 123/120R OWL
265/75R16 116T OWL
LT215/85R16 E 115/112R BSW
LT235/85R16 E 120/116R BSW
17″
215/50R17 XL 95H BSW
225/55R17 XL 101H BSW
225/65R17 102H BSW
225/65R17 102H BSW
235/65R17 104T BSW
235/65R17 104T BSW
245/65R17 107T BSW
245/65R17 107T BSW
255/65R17 110T BSW
265/65R17 112T BSW
265/65R17 112T BSW
235/70R17 XL 109T BSW
LT245/70R17 E 119/116R BSW
255/70R17 112T BSW
LT265/70R17 E 121/118R OWL
265/70R17 115T OWL
265/70R17 115T OWL
LT285/70R17 E 121/118R BSW
LT295/70R17 E 121/118R BSW
LT225/75R17 E 116/113R BSW
235/75R17 109T BSW
LT245/75R17 E 121/118R BSW
255/75R17 115T BSW
18″
235/55R18 100T BSW
245/60R18 105H BSW
245/60R18 105H BSW
265/60R18 110T BSW
275/60R18 113H BSW
235/65R18 106T BSW
LT255/65R18 E 120/117R BSW
255/65R18 111T BSW
255/65R18 111T BSW
265/65R18 114T BSW
LT275/65R18 E 123/120R BSW
275/65R18 116T BSW
LT285/65R18 E 125/122R BSW
265/70R18 116T BSW
LT265/70R18 E 124/121R BSW
LT275/70R18 E 125/122R BSW
LT295/70R18 E 129/126R BSW
19″
255/50R19 XL 107H BSW
235/55R19 XL 105H BSW
245/55R19 103H BSW
255/60R19 109H BSW
20″
35×12.50R20 E 121R BSW
255/50R20 XL 109H BSW
265/50R20 107T BSW
305/50R20 116H BSW
255/55R20 XL 110H BSW
275/55R20 113T BSW
275/55R20 113T BSW
LT265/60R20 E 121/118R BSW
275/60R20 115T BSW
LT285/60R20 E 125/122R BSW
LT275/65R20 E 126/123R BSW
LT285/65R20 E 127/124R BSW
LT295/65R20/E 129/126R BSW
Price Range
Michelin Defender LTX M/S prices range from approximately $125 and up. You may also find occasional rebates, discount prices, coupons and special offers on this tire.
Warranty
Michelin provides a 6-year or 70,000 mile tread warranty on T and H-speed rated sizes, and 6-years or 50,000 miles on LT sizes. Tire uniformity is guaranteed for the first year or first 2/32 inch of wear.
Materials and workmanship are warranted for 6-years and include free replacement during the first year or first 2/32 inch of wear. A prorated amount is given for the remaining time period or down to the final 2/32 inch of tread depth.
You will also find a 3-year flat tire changing service and Michelin’s 30-day customer satisfaction guarantee.
Share this review
You guys make a great tire. I put a set on my wife’s SUV and we love them. Better than the last set of Bridgestone. The Blizzak DM-V2 is rated for up to 1″ of snow. The BF Goodrich TA/KO2 is rated for up to 12″. Do you know and are you willing to tell me what the rating on the Michelin LTX M/S is. I’m sure that it will be between 1″ & 3″. But it would be nice to here it from the factory and get everybody on the same page.
I don’t like stereotypes but I, as a girl, have basically no idea what those numbers mean. So which one is better?:))
I got some new brand of tires the last time and their lifespan was really limited. I can’t remember the exact name but I was pretty disappointed.
Thanks a lot. Trying to decide between X LT A/S vs Defender LTX M/S. Which is the best?
I put them on my 2500 Ram and got 120000 kms . 285-65-20. I’m work in PA. And from Toronto Canada . I had other tires Firestone Transforce which was down to wear bar in 50000 kms or 30 k. I was completely satisfied wirth the tires. They preformed well in all conditions and yes I pull a trailer 12000 k. Bought almost new truck and before I made the deal they would have install Michelins or no deal.
Just got a set of 4 installed on my Infinity FX35. If i knew they would sound like a heavy cleated winter lug I would not have purchased them. And yes it ‘has new wheel bearings’ all the way around. They also pick up every crack in the road and you feel that through the steering. I do remember what I had and how silent they were when I drove in for replacement. I explained to the tire sales that I needed a quite, soft riding summer only tire for the car as this is not a heavy vehicle. $1659. Canadian and it rides like a 10 ply, which it very well may be. I’m very disappointed in this expensive purchase.
Nice response in return of this issue with genuine
arguments and describing everything regarding that.
The greatest in addition to with this new model is the place where everything becomes real. Footing on dry, wet or snow covered street surfaces is among the best tires accessible today, and we don’t say that softly. Truth be told Michelin had outsider testing done to make the statement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadway_noise
Will Michelin Defender Defender LTX M/S 235/65R18 tires for my 2018 X5 make me happy?
Cushy, and quite ride are important.
2019 buick envision 19560 miles on 225x60x18 down to tread wear indications can not believe on lease car
Look, these tires will pull a trailer in the mud, over smallish rocks and on cool pavement but, load them down on hot pavement and its like driving on jello, people will laugh at you whirling the steering wheel around just to stay straight.
Yes, they howl, more so the faster you drive. And anyone is welcome to stop by and check my wheel bearings, they are good. Like was said, no problems yesterday with my other tires, today the LTX, and noise.
Great for a SUV, light duty truck, or even a F250 super duty, as long as you stay light weight and slow on cool road surfaces.
Great in the rain and cornering with a fairly good steering response, but all this goes right in the ditch, as you may, if you carry/pull a load on hot surfaces like spring/summer driving in the south of the U.S.
Have these on my Buick suv now and love them, had them on a F250 and they were simply dangerouse, yes they were LT rated.
Just my opinion, but Toyo Open Country 2 10ply for quiet, super solid heavy weight carrying or heavy trailer pulling on any type or temperature road surface in anything but heavy loose snow and keep the Michelin LTX for the grocery getter, as long as you don’t get too many cans of soup at once.
“Riding on jello” …need more air pressure.
I have put Michelin tires on every vehicle I have owned until I put new Defender LTX M/S on my 2500 HD truck and tried pulling my Camp Trailer down the freeway. After 120 miles had to pull in and get different brand of tires to continue trip. They only had 1705 miles on them. It was like driving on jello. My wife was in tears and I was in shock. Never experienced anything like it. Tire size is LT265/60R20. Michelin won’t do anything since I replaced them with a competitors tire, even if they don’t have anything better. Goodbye Michelin.
will this fit and not void out any warranty on my 2019 Mercedes metris cargo van?
Hi Sharon, What tires did you end up purchasing for your 2018 CRV AWD? And are you happy with them? I am about to purchase tires for my 2014 CRV. My car rarely carries a heavy load and I do mostly short trips with some 30 mile freeway driving at times. We do have snowy winters, so I want something that will be good on wet snowy roads.
Any feed back would be appreciated!
Thanks, Robin
Will these tires fit on a 2018 Honda CR-V AWD?
My late husband always loved the Michelin tires and their performance and I was thinking of purchasing these for my car, after reading all the reviews I’m really confused…
Well if you just bought him the Michelin’s, maybe he wouldn’t be late anymore! Bad tires must be keeping him from being on time! You could always play some Ashanti for him, so he’ll be “Always on Time”.
I have a 2004 GMC 2500 HD. I pull a lot of trailers and love these tires! Would absolutely recommend them.
I have a 2021 Lexus GX460 with Michelin Latitude Tour HP 265 60R 18. How are the LTX different?
A late answer but I had the Micheline Latitude tires on my jeep grand Cherokee and found them to perform very poorly compared to the Micheline Defender LTX in the snow. The Defender’s were really the best tires I ever used on any vehicle and I will be switching back ASAP.
Cheers D.
New set of Ltx on Ford F-350 Cannot get them balanced.
Just got these on my 2017 Tacoma TRD Off Road and they’re great tires so far! Smooth ride, no noise even at highway speeds. I got white lettering outside and they look sharp. If they last anywhere near what I’ve been reading, I’ll be a happy camper.
What’s the difference between T rated vs H rated on the defender tire?
Just purchased these tires, on back order, for my 2014 Ford S/D diesel with camper shell will pull 26 ft travel trailer. Use majority of the time on highway without the trailer. When I do pull the trailer it is usually for trips over 300 miles. l Anyone have any experience with these tires with this similar setup. I am getting mixed reviews on the tires.
Hi John, i’ve done some research on these for my 2016 gmc canyon and would have preferred to get these in a load rated “E” tire but not available for my 18″ Canyon. Should be available for the Ford super duty lines. E rated tires are 10 py tires and they are better for heavier loads and towing trailers. These seem like they will still do the job for me because my trailer is only 6000 lbs max. Hope that helps…Cheers, Orlando
If you own a Honda Element do not buy these tires. At certain speeds on a worn cement highway they will howl and vibrate the car and you will hate them. On a smooth blacktop road you will love them. Snoqualmie Pass is hell.
Sorry that you bought a Honda Element but blame the road surface for the noise genius.
What up are they good tires or not for a k1500 1/2 ton pick up. No towing: light loads basic paved and gravel roads rain and snow in the twin cities suburbs in minnesota… 6 months of snow and ice possibility on our well.maintained paved roads and highways.
Hi Brenda,
What tires did you end up purchasing and putting on your Honda CRV. I have a 2014 CRV and am trying to figure out what to purchase and put on my car. I live in the midwest and looking for a good tire that can drive in snow. I usually drive alone or with one, sometimes two passengers. I hardly ever carry loads and mostly drive shorter trips. I wont drive in major snow. Thank you for any advice!
Hi all, appreciate your advice. I need new tires for my 2012 Honda CRV. I live in the Gulf Islands off Vancouver/VancouverIsland, BC. Don’t drive too far – 7 km from home to village. Lots and lots of rain. We hardly ever have snow but we do LOL. There’s a fair hill to get to my house – my driveway not public road. Our roads are relatively narrow 2-way country roads, lots of corners and hills and deer. I really care about noise cause the tires Honda provides are way too noisy. I also want something that is pretty good for the few days a year I have to get up my drive with 3-6 inches of snow. Oh, yeah, I’m a fairly poor pensioner. Thanks and yours in social isolation!!
By far the noisiest tire I have ever had on any vehicle in my 57 years of driving. These tires drone like cheap big rig trailer retreads. Howls at 40 mph, roars at 60, drones all speeds above 60. I’ll NEVER buy this tire again.
You’ve got a wheel bearing going bad.
Michelin in the past made an excellent tire.
It was called the Michelin HydroEdge.
I got 100,000 miles twice on 2 sets on a 2001 Honda Accord.
It must have been too good as they no longer make them.
I have has the older ltx m+s 235 70 16s on my Ranger for 8 years and love them. lots of tread left but sidewalls are checking. excellent handling, good ride, and quiet. I have Haks for winter. will be replacing the LTX in the spring. The Michelins on the 3014 Kia Sorento are pretty well played out too so it will be an expensive spring!!!!
I have these tires on my 2015 Denali 2500 and the tread life is the worst I have ever had. I do a lot of highway driving. Less than 30k on them and almost to the wear bars. Very quiet and good handling but not worth half of what I paid.
I have a set of 295/70/18’s on a 2016 ram 2500. Only have 13000 miles on them and tread depth already down to 7/32” is less then a year.
Ride is good, they are quiet but I’ve had mud tires wear slower!
Would not recommend for long life if you use your truck as a truck. Rear tire wear extremely fast when towing.
Michelin used to make an Excellent Tire called the HydroEdge.
I had 2 sets of 4 that each got 100,000 miles. 8 tires total.
My car is a 2001 Honda Accord.
Evidently these tires were too good as they’re no longer made.
I have have a set of these on my F150 for about 3 months now. Drive well. Handle well. Ride well. Very noisy tire. Any speed over 30 mph and they are singing. at highway speed it is very annoying.
Sounds like a wheel bearing to me, not tires.
BS, the tires drone like cheap retreads. Sound like they’re coming apart. Noisiest tire I’ve ever owned. And I’v ebeen driving over 55 years, including OTR.
As a former Ford Mechanic with 26 years experience it appears to be wheel bearings.
Why the he!l does everyone reply that the road noise everyone is complaining about is caused by various other things (bearings, road conditions)?? If the car was not making noise, then begins to immediately howl after a tire change – perhaps it’s the tire!
“Noise of rolling tires driving on pavement is found to be the biggest contributor of highway noise which increases with higher vehicle speeds”
“Tire types can cause 10 dB(A) variations in noise, based on a 2001 sample of 100 commercially available tires.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadway_noise
Appreciate the review. Is there a noticeable difference between the LT tire and the P rated tires? I have a 2016 F150 and I’d rather have the 275/70R18 size, but they only make it in an LT tire. The stock 275/65R18 are too small for this truck in my opinion. My main concern is road noise and the E rated KO2s I have now have a lot of drone at highway speeds. I don’t go offroad but do pull a trailer on the weekends.
I ran K02s one year, much too noisy and stiff ride, I traded them in for defender LTX, now I have my nice Smooth quiet truck
My 1999 F350 SRW Diesel has 451,000 miles on it. I’m on my 11th set of Michelin LTX 265/75R16s. All provided reliable service, rarely required flat repairs, and did not manifest any of the problems cited in some of these comments. I tow a variety of trailers in deep mud, snow, and rocky terrain, and highway driving. I tried some Goodyears, and were quite disappointed, with tread separation before they were half worn out. Poor handling. One developed a huge bubble in the sidewall. Dealer refused to pro-rate the tires or compensate me in any way. Simple fix, really, go back to Michelin, and I’ve never been disappointed. I also have a winter set of rims with Cooper Discoverer ST s for winter ranch service. These are awesome in swampy mud and 18″ snow. These come off in April…Mitches the rest of the year.
I’ve run Michelin Defenders on my Lincoln Town Car since 2010 and had to retire them because of age, not tread wear. 60,000 on those and never a regret. I am an assertive driver and usually in the fast lane, passing traffic with the pickup, Town Car, or Sequoia, and Michelins get me there.
If you are “all over the road”, or getting 29,000 out of a set of Mitches, it ain’t the tire.
Based on 26 years of Ford Truck mechanic experience just can’t go wrong with Michelin tires. Best in the business. When balancing they roll like a ball and if properly rotated every 5-6 thousand miles ( due when you oil change ) may outlast warranty period. Great on alignments too. Tests on round out gage the best I have ever worked with. No surprises with Michelin LTX brand. Next in line would be Yokohma ATM. 6 ply tire as well. Deepest tread depth in industry. My 2nd choice. My 3rd choice General Grabber TKO. Not bad at all. Goodyear all talk and no walk for trucks. Worst of the bunch and I saw a bunch in my time.
Thank you for that breakdown. Continental tires need replacing at 45,000 miles and dad has always been a Michelin fan. Getting the Michelins today
Has been a really long time since I owned a set of Michelin’s and have always heard good things about them. My current situation has been horrible. I have had two sets of Defender LTX’s put on my 4Runner in the past 2 weeks and now they are coming off to go with a set of Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056’s. 2 of the 4 in each set were out of round. I had both sets balanced numerous times using traditional balancing and both sets were balanced using the road force method to try and get the shake out of the steering wheel. I will never purchase another set of Defender’s for any of my SUV’s.
How will these tires carry heavy loads like a fifth wheel on my Ford F-350 Dually?
Hands down these tires are simply the best bang for your bucks! They’re so smooth and quite that I find myself checking my speedometer frequently because I don’t realize I’m exceeding the speed limit because they’re so smooth and quite!!
If you pull a travel trailer you will be very disappointed. These tires wander all over the road! Also they pick up gravel like crazy! Worse tire I ever owned. Can’t wait to get them off my truck!
Hey Bert, I’m really sorry you had such an experience with these tires. Can you share more details?
Hello, I’ve had these on my Dodge 2500 HO Cummins for 3 years, the tread is still awesome and I’m totally amazed! I just set this dodge up to add my lance 845 camper in the bed. Will these tires support the weight of a camper?
Hi Curt, yes you are right Michelin Defenders are some amazing tires. They are designed for light trucks
and SUVs — vehicles that primarily drive on paved surfaces such as freeways but require more traction.
If you can tell me the year of your Lancer I can help you further.
I see you don’t mention if this tire will fit my 2014 GMC Terrain
Here a link to help you find the right Michelin options for your 2014 GMC Terrain: https://www.michelinman.com/US/en/tires/GMC/Terrain/2014.html
My 2005 Sport trac has a set of Michelin LTX M/S 109T tires that have been a great success, while driving thru heavy rain and snow (we live in the Pacific NW) that now have 65K miles on them. I still have enough tread to go another 10K miles easily, but I am going to be proactive – and can afford them because of the great economy we now have – and buy a set of these improved Michelin Defender LTX M/S 111T tires. Can’t wait
Hi Gerald
Glad to learn about your experience with your previous set of Michelin’s and we hope that great experience continues when you equip your vehicle with a Michelin Defender LTX set. This is a great tire design that offers great value for money through excellent snow performance.
Gerald Miller,
You sir, are an idiot.
Bingo, you must be one of those liberal communist types?
If you called him an idiot because he mentioned our great economy, then you, sir are the idiot! This is a site to comment on tires- not politics.
I’ve had my Defenders for EXACTLY 1 Month, and as a Loyal Long Time Michelin Buyer, I’m not convinced. I’m not interested in the stopping distance of the tire on wet pavement. My brand new tires broke loose twice this weekend on wet roads driving in the Southern Ohio Hills. This is the Reason I buy new tires, I still had 5,000 miles left on my LTX’s and they were starting to break loose on wet roads. I Don’t Expect New Tires to Do That….
The wider gaps between treads picked up more stones, rocks and debris and flung it all over the side of my Blzr. I could be a mile away from where I pulled out, and shxt is still flying off of the tires like I was on a dirt road. I’m not very happy.
New tires have oil on the surface and they normally wear off after 200 miles. I understand not a lot of people, even tire shop are aware of this.
275/65 20 Defender LTX
1st set 31,400 miles
2nd set 29,700 miles
3rd set will not be a 3rd set this kind of mileage
On F250 SD Diesel. All highway miles, & rotation @ 10k & 20k
I did not see these will work for a F350 Super duty DRW King Ranch, crew cab long bed, hauling a 21600max gross fifth wheel. Will they work and handle the heavy load?
Weight wise yes. They are not 10 ply however. They are 4 ply. I hauled 18000 RV behind my F350 and they did fine.
I can’t wait until my uncle get’s these tires on his truck. I’m sure they’ll last much longer than the Firestone Transforce HT’s he always buys.