88
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
85/100
15 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max 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 comfort, wet and treadwear. Pick the Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max if handling matters most to you.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
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 8
Why this score
| Source | Assurance CS Fuel Max | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 81 | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 94 |
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Assurance CS Fuel Max | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 79 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 91 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Assurance CS Fuel Max | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 67 | 94 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 75 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Assurance CS Fuel Max | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 73 | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 87 |
| SimpleTire owners | 86 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Assurance CS Fuel Max | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Assurance CS Fuel Max | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 81 | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 97 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Assurance CS Fuel Max leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Assurance CS Fuel Max | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 85 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max | Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 88 | 95 |
| Dry | 90 | 98 |
| Wet | 87 | 96 |
| Snow | 76 | 82 |
| Comfort | 86 | 96 |
| Noise | 87 | 95 |
| Treadwear | 88 | 97 |
| Handling | 100 | 97 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
88
/ 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 Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max is highly regarded by users for its exceptional tread longevity and reliable on-road performance. Owners frequently report high satisfaction with the tire's durability, often citing it as a cost-effective choice due to its extended service life and fuel efficiency benefits.
Pros
- Exceptional tread life with many users reporting over 50,000 miles
- Improved fuel economy
- Consistent and reliable on-road handling
- High value proposition despite a higher initial purchase price
Cons
- Higher upfront cost compared to competing options
- Limited availability at some local retailers
- Primarily optimized for on-road use rather than off-road or severe weather conditions
Observations
- Users operating large SUVs, such as the Yukon XL, report excellent tread retention even after 40,000 miles.
- The tire is frequently praised for its performance on heavy-duty, on-road vehicles and trucks.
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 · Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | — | Premium Touring All Season tire |
| Vehicle type | — | SUV and 4x4 |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 600 A B | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 65,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Vertical Serrated Band | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
88
/ 100
Goodyear
95
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better comfort, wet and treadwear. Pick the Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max if handling matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 96 vs 86 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 96 vs 87 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 88 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 98 vs 90 on dry.
Tire A · Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max
Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
More comparisons
Also compared with
Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max 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.