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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender T+H vs Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Defender T+H is ahead, 72–63

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Tire AMichelin

Defender T+H

Premium Touring All Season tire

Tests – · 1 test Owners 72 · 1 review

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 73

    Dry

    Defender T+H +11
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HAssurance CS Fuel Max
    Reviews found online7558
  2. 73

    Wet

    Defender T+H +9
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HAssurance CS Fuel Max
    Reviews found online7463
  3. 67

    Snow

    Defender T+H +7
    60
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HAssurance CS Fuel Max
    Reviews found online6454
  4. 70

    Comfort

    Defender T+H +9
    61
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HAssurance CS Fuel Max
    Reviews found online7054
  5. 69

    Noise

    Defender T+H +5
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HAssurance CS Fuel Max
    Reviews found online7060
  6. 74

    Treadwear

    Defender T+H +9
    65
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HAssurance CS Fuel Max
    Professional tests (TWG score)77–
    Reviews found online7164
  7. 72

    Handling

    Defender T+H +12
    60
    Why this score
    SourceDefender T+HAssurance CS Fuel Max
    Reviews found online7260
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender T+HGoodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max
Relative Score 72 63
Dry 73 62
Wet 73 64
Snow 67 60
Comfort 70 61
Noise 69 64
Treadwear 74 65
Handling 72 60

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

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.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender T+H

Assurance CS Fuel Max

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Defender T+H

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Tire B Assurance CS Fuel Max

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life with many users reporting over 50,000 miles
  • Improved fuel economy
  • Consistent and reliable on-road handling

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
All owner themes in the Assurance CS Fuel Max review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender T+H B · Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max
CategoryPremium Touring All Season tire—
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Tread depth—10 - 11/32″
UTQG—600 A B
Treadwear warranty—65,000 mi
Sidewall—Vertical Serrated Band
Max pressure—51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender T+H

Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max

Winner: Michelin Defender T+H — better handling, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender T+H scores 72 vs 60 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender T+H scores 73 vs 62 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender T+H scores 73 vs 64 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender T+H scores 70 vs 61 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Defender T+H
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max
Check price on Amazon

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How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

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

72

Leads

Defender T+H

Amazon