91
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
82/100
Owner ratings
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Michelin Defender T+H vs Michelin XAS — 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
90
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
90/100
1 owner review
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Michelin Defender T+H and Michelin XAS are within 2 points overall. Michelin Defender T+H is stronger on dry.
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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 T+H leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | XAS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 90 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Defender T+H leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | XAS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 90 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | XAS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 73 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
XAS leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | XAS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 90 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | XAS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 90 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender T+H | Michelin XAS |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 91 | 90 |
| Dry | 94 | 90 |
| Wet | 91 | 90 |
| Snow | 76 | – |
| Comfort | 89 | 90 |
| Noise | 87 | – |
| Treadwear | 90 | 90 |
| Handling | 92 | – |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
91
/ 100
Tire A
90
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
The Michelin XAS is highly regarded as a dependable, classic radial tire that maintains its reputation for reliability and performance in vintage applications. Users consistently praise its quiet operation and balanced grip across various road conditions, reflecting its historical status as a premium choice for classic vehicles.
Pros
- Excellent reliability and durability over long-term use
- Quiet operation across a variety of speeds and surfaces
- Consistent grip performance on both wet and dry tarmac
- Proven track record for heavy-load applications like towing
Cons
- Limited availability of specific vintage sizes
- Higher price point associated with the Michelin Classic line
Observations
- Proven capability for heavy-load scenarios, including towing caravans and fully loaded family vehicles.
- Highly regarded for use on classic family sedans and estate cars from the 1980s era.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender T+H | B · Michelin XAS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring All Season tire | Summer Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
91
/ 100
Michelin
90
/ 100
Michelin
Too close to call: Michelin Defender T+H and Michelin XAS are within 2 points overall. Michelin Defender T+H is stronger on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Defender T+H scores 94 vs 90 on dry.
Tire A · Michelin Defender T+H
Tire B · Michelin XAS
More comparisons
Also compared with
Michelin Defender T+H 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.