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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Compared (May 2026)

Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.

Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
52/100
35 owner reviews
Dry
73
Wet
52
Snow
24
Comfort
69
Noise
–
Treadwear
68
Handling
64

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Michelin

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Premium Touring All Season tire

Michelin Defender LTX M/S tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
95/100
109 owner reviews
Dry
98
Wet
96
Snow
82
Comfort
96
Noise
95
Treadwear
97
Handling
97

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better snow, wet and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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Category breakdown

7 categories, side by side

Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.

Dry

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Defender LTX M/S leads by 25
A — Dunlop Grandtrek AT20
73
B — Michelin Defender LTX M/S
98
Why this score
SourceGrandtrek AT20Defender LTX M/S
Tire Rack owners 50 92
Tyre Reviews owners 73 94
SimpleTire owners 89 –

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Defender LTX M/S leads by 44
A — Dunlop Grandtrek AT20
52
B — Michelin Defender LTX M/S
96
Why this score
SourceGrandtrek AT20Defender LTX M/S
Tire Rack owners 50 83
Tyre Reviews owners 52 91
SimpleTire owners 85 –

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Defender LTX M/S leads by 58
A — Dunlop Grandtrek AT20
24
B — Michelin Defender LTX M/S
82
Why this score
SourceGrandtrek AT20Defender LTX M/S
Tire Rack owners 62 94
Tyre Reviews owners 23 80
SimpleTire owners 82 –

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Defender LTX M/S leads by 27
A — Dunlop Grandtrek AT20
69
B — Michelin Defender LTX M/S
96
Why this score
SourceGrandtrek AT20Defender LTX M/S
Tire Rack owners 38 84
Tyre Reviews owners 69 87
SimpleTire owners 87 –

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop Grandtrek AT20
–
B — Michelin Defender LTX M/S
95
Why this score
SourceGrandtrek AT20Defender LTX M/S
SimpleTire owners 83 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Defender LTX M/S leads by 29
A — Dunlop Grandtrek AT20
68
B — Michelin Defender LTX M/S
97
Why this score
SourceGrandtrek AT20Defender LTX M/S
Tire Rack owners 69 92
Tyre Reviews owners 68 97
SimpleTire owners 83 –

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Defender LTX M/S leads by 33
A — Dunlop Grandtrek AT20
64
B — Michelin Defender LTX M/S
97
Why this score
SourceGrandtrek AT20Defender LTX M/S
Tyre Reviews owners 64 85

Scores at a glance

Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop Grandtrek AT20Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 59 95
Dry 73 98
Wet 52 96
Snow 24 82
Comfort 69 96
Noise – 95
Treadwear 68 97
Handling 64 97

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

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

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Dunlop Grandtrek AT20

The Dunlop Grandtrek A/T20 is a polarizing tire that is frequently criticized for its poor wet-weather performance and limited off-road capability, despite being a common original equipment choice for various 4x4s. While a significant portion of users report exceptional tread longevity and acceptable dry-road comfort, many owners find the lack of confidence in rain and snow to be a safety concern that outweighs the tire's durability.

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and high mileage durability
  • Quiet and comfortable ride on paved surfaces
  • Reliable performance in dry, warm weather conditions
  • Consistent availability as a factory-fitted original equipment tire

Cons

  • Dangerous handling and poor traction on wet roads
  • Inadequate performance in snow, ice, and mud
  • Susceptibility to shoulder wear and uneven tread degradation
  • Limited off-road durability and puncture resistance

Observations

  • Owners of heavy 4x4s like the Toyota Land Cruiser and Mitsubishi Shogun frequently report that the tire's performance does not match the vehicle's off-road capabilities.
  • Some users noted that adjusting tire pressure slightly above factory recommendations can help mitigate uneven shoulder wear, though this remains a recurring complaint across various models.
Tire B Michelin Defender LTX M/S

The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is widely regarded as a premier all-season tire for trucks and SUVs, consistently praised for its exceptional tread longevity and balanced performance across various weather conditions. While the vast majority of users report superior ride comfort, stability, and fuel efficiency, a small minority of owners have noted issues with increased road noise as the tires age or inconsistent traction in specific wet-weather scenarios.

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life often exceeding 60,000–80,000 miles
  • Strong all-weather traction, particularly in dry and light snow conditions
  • Improved fuel efficiency due to low rolling resistance
  • High level of ride comfort and stability for heavy vehicles
  • Reliable performance that often outperforms original equipment (OE) tires

Cons

  • Increased road noise reported by some users as the tire tread wears down
  • Higher price point compared to competitors
  • Occasional reports of reduced wet-weather grip or traction loss during turns
  • Limited off-road capability in mud or deep sand

Observations

  • Heavy-duty truck owners (RAM 2500/3500) report high satisfaction with durability, even under heavy usage or towing conditions.
  • SUV owners (Expedition, Highlander) frequently cite the tire as a significant upgrade over factory-installed rubber, specifically noting improvements in cabin quietness and fuel economy.
  • Users recommend running higher tire pressures (40-45 psi) to optimize performance and handling on certain truck platforms.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Category—Premium Touring All Season tire
Vehicle type—SUV and 4x4
SidewallBlackwall—
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Michelin

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better snow, wet and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 24 on snow.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 96 vs 52 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 64 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 68 on treadwear.

Tire A · Dunlop Grandtrek AT20
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.