93
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
94/100
1,032 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Falken WildPeak A/T3W 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 noise, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Falken WildPeak A/T3W 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 2
Why this score
| Source | WildPeak A/T3W | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 89 | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 94 |
| SimpleTire owners | 97 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | WildPeak A/T3W | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 87 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 91 |
| SimpleTire owners | 95 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
WildPeak A/T3W leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | WildPeak A/T3W | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 91 | 94 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 94 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WildPeak A/T3W | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 87 |
| SimpleTire owners | 94 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | WildPeak A/T3W | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WildPeak A/T3W | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 86 | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 97 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WildPeak A/T3W | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 85 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Falken WildPeak A/T3W | Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 93 | 95 |
| Dry | 96 | 98 |
| Wet | 94 | 96 |
| Snow | 93 | 82 |
| Comfort | 93 | 96 |
| Noise | 89 | 95 |
| Treadwear | 92 | 97 |
| Handling | 94 | 97 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
93
/ 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 Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is widely regarded as a top-tier all-terrain tire, praised for its exceptional balance of aggressive off-road capability and refined on-road manners. Users consistently highlight its impressive performance in snow, rain, and mud, often noting that it provides a quieter and smoother ride than many competitors in its class. While most owners report high satisfaction, some users have noted minor trade-offs in fuel economy and occasional balancing challenges on specific heavy-duty applications.
Pros
- Exceptional year-round traction, particularly in snow, ice, and wet conditions.
- Surprisingly low road noise for an aggressive all-terrain tread pattern.
- High durability and long tread life, even under demanding conditions.
- Excellent value proposition compared to premium competitors like BFG KO2s.
- Robust sidewall construction providing confidence on rocky or uneven terrain.
Cons
- Reported minor drops in fuel economy (MPG) for some vehicles.
- Occasional reports of balancing issues or vibrations at highway speeds.
- Some users experienced 'spongy' steering feedback compared to dedicated street tires.
- A small subset of users reported faster-than-expected tread wear on heavy-duty or gravel-heavy applications.
Observations
- Subaru owners (Forester, Outback, Crosstrek) frequently cite these as the ideal 'upgrade' tire, noting they maintain comfort while significantly improving off-road confidence.
- Heavy-duty truck owners (F-250/350, Ram 2500) occasionally report steering wander or traction challenges in deep snow, often attributed to the vehicle's light rear-end weight rather than the tire itself.
- Users opting for P-Metric versions versus Load Range E (10-ply) report a noticeably smoother ride, though they sacrifice some puncture resistance for lighter-duty use.
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.
Community buzz
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Positive
Falken WildPeak A/T3W
Community feedback for the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is overwhelmingly positive, with users praising their rugged look, improved handling, and exceptional performance in severe weather like Pacific Northwest ice storms. Owners appreciate their durability and capability on both highways and light trails, expressing disappointment that the model is being discontinued in favor of the newer A/T4W.
r/CX50
·90 upvotes ·2026-04-30
“New wheels for the 50 New wheels on the cx50. Wasn’t 100% sure about the bronze on red but I like it. 17x8 sport terrain cv-1 wheels and 235/65R17 Wildpeak A/T3W tires.”
r/nissanfrontier
·58 upvotes ·2023-08-28
“Falken Wildpeak A/T3W 265/70 R17 2023 SV Midnight…replaced those stock Michelins with these Falkens….I think added maybe 0.5-1” so maybe no need to lift! I can already feel the difference in the drive 👌🏽 Read more”
r/nissanfrontier
·49 upvotes ·2024-01-10
“New tires! Falken Wildpeak A/T3W Listened to advice on here and went from 265/70 to 265/75. Looks more rugged and handles a lot better. Before & After Read more”
r/4Runner
·41 upvotes ·2024-09-13
“I’m really bummed the Wildpeak A/T3Ws are discontinued These tires have held up well, got me safely through two PNW ice storms, and now I found out that if someone tries to slash your tire, and you don’t notice it for a day, they will still hold air. Anyone know if the A/T4Ws hold up as well? Looks like I’m going to be needing a new tire sooner rather than later. Read more”
Top themes
#Snow and ice performance#Durability and toughness#Handling and ride quality#Sizing and fitment options#Discontinuation and transition to A/T4W
Based on 10 community posts
Tire B
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Falken WildPeak A/T3W | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season All Terrain and Off Road tires | Premium Touring All Season tire |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 5 | — |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 18″ | — |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 660 B B | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 55,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
93
/ 100
Falken
95
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better noise, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Falken WildPeak A/T3W if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Falken WildPeak A/T3W scores 93 vs 82 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 95 vs 89 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 92 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 96 vs 93 on comfort.
Tire A · Falken WildPeak A/T3W
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
More comparisons
Also compared with
Falken WildPeak A/T3W 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.