73
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
71/100
35 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Continental ContiCrossContact LX 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.
VS
95
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
95/100
109 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, treadwear and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 15
Why this score
| Source | ContiCrossContact LX | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 94 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | ContiCrossContact LX | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 91 |
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | ContiCrossContact LX | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 94 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 54 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 20
Why this score
| Source | ContiCrossContact LX | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 87 |
| SimpleTire owners | 94 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | ContiCrossContact LX | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 31
Why this score
| Source | ContiCrossContact LX | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 57 | 97 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 35
Why this score
| Source | ContiCrossContact LX | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 62 | 85 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental ContiCrossContact LX | Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 95 |
| Dry | 83 | 98 |
| Wet | 73 | 96 |
| Snow | 64 | 82 |
| Comfort | 76 | 96 |
| Noise | 90 | 95 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 97 |
| Handling | 62 | 97 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
Tire A
95
/ 100
Tire B
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Continental ContiCrossContact LX receives highly polarized feedback, often serving as a polarizing factory-fitted OEM tire. While some users praise its dry-road handling, quiet ride, and value, a significant portion of owners report severe dissatisfaction regarding wet-weather traction, hydroplaning, and inconsistent tread life.
Pros
- Strong dry-road grip and handling performance
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality on pavement
- Competitive price point compared to premium alternatives
- Good initial feedback and steering response
Cons
- Poor wet-weather performance, including hydroplaning and sliding
- Inconsistent and often premature tread wear
- Susceptibility to uneven wear patterns
- Lack of confidence in winter or slushy conditions
Observations
- Owners of modern SUVs like the Volvo XC60 and Jeep Cherokee frequently report dissatisfaction with the tire's longevity and wet-weather safety when fitted as OEM equipment.
- Long-term durability appears highly variable, with some users reporting 60,000km+ of life while others experience failure or significant wear before 20,000 miles.
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 · Continental ContiCrossContact LX | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season Premium Touring tires | Premium Touring All Season tire |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 4 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 18″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 680 A B | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 65,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Continental
95
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better handling, treadwear and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 62 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 66 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 96 vs 73 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 96 vs 76 on comfort.
Tire A · Continental ContiCrossContact LX
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental ContiCrossContact LX also compared with
Michelin Defender LTX M/S also compared with
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.