90
/ 100
Objective (60%)
74/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
92/100
19 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental CrossContact LX25 vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Compared (September 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 dry, handling and treadwear. Pick the Continental CrossContact LX25 if snow matters most to you.
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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 16
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 71 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 93 | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 94 |
| SimpleTire owners | 99 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 91 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
CrossContact LX25 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 100 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 83 | 94 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 86 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 90 | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 97 | 87 |
| SimpleTire owners | 95 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 94 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 91 | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 97 |
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 85 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental CrossContact LX25 | Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 90 | 95 |
| Dry | 82 | 98 |
| Wet | 92 | 96 |
| Snow | 94 | 82 |
| Comfort | 94 | 96 |
| Noise | 93 | 95 |
| Treadwear | 89 | 97 |
| Handling | 85 | 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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
90
/ 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 CrossContact LX25 is highly regarded by users for its exceptional ride comfort, low noise levels, and reliable all-season traction. It is frequently cited as a superior replacement for factory-installed tires, offering a balanced performance profile that excels in daily driving conditions across various climates.
Pros
- Exceptional ride comfort and quiet operation
- Significantly improved braking performance
- Predictable and confident handling in light snow and wet conditions
- Strong value proposition compared to premium factory-installed alternatives
Cons
- Tendency to pick up and eject road gravel
- Occasional reports of premature tread wear in specific use cases
- Stiffer sidewall response when encountering sharp road imperfections or deep potholes
Observations
- Luxury SUV owners (Mercedes ML/GLE) report a significant improvement in ride quality and cabin noise when replacing factory run-flat tires with the LX25.
- Users with 19-inch wheel configurations on compact crossovers like the Mazda CX-5 find the tire to be a reliable solution for challenging New England weather conditions.
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 CrossContact LX25 | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | — | Premium Touring All Season tire |
| Vehicle type | — | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 40 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10 - 12/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 740 A A - B | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
90
/ 100
Continental
95
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better dry, handling and treadwear. Pick the Continental CrossContact LX25 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 98 vs 82 on dry.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental CrossContact LX25 scores 94 vs 82 on snow.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 85 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 89 on treadwear.
Tire A · Continental CrossContact LX25
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental CrossContact LX25 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.