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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Michelin Defender T+H vs Michelin Energy Saver A/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.

Tire A Michelin

Michelin Defender T+H

Premium Touring All Season tire

Michelin Defender T+H tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
82/100
Owner ratings
Dry
94
Wet
91
Snow
76
Comfort
89
Noise
87
Treadwear
90
Handling
92

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Michelin

Michelin Energy Saver A/S

Premium Touring All Season tire

Michelin Energy Saver A/S tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
59/100
9 owner reviews
Dry
75
Wet
55
Snow
50
Comfort
70
Noise
–
Treadwear
64
Handling
67

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Michelin Defender T+H — better wet, snow and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Defender T+H leads by 19
A — Michelin Defender T+H
94
B — Michelin Energy Saver A/S
75
Why this score
SourceDefender T+HEnergy Saver A/S
Tire Rack owners 92 82
Tyre Reviews owners – 74

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Defender T+H leads by 36
A — Michelin Defender T+H
91
B — Michelin Energy Saver A/S
55
Why this score
SourceDefender T+HEnergy Saver A/S
Tire Rack owners 88 73
Tyre Reviews owners – 53

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Defender T+H leads by 26
A — Michelin Defender T+H
76
B — Michelin Energy Saver A/S
50
Why this score
SourceDefender T+HEnergy Saver A/S
Tire Rack owners 73 52
Tyre Reviews owners – 50

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Defender T+H leads by 19
A — Michelin Defender T+H
89
B — Michelin Energy Saver A/S
70
Why this score
SourceDefender T+HEnergy Saver A/S
Tire Rack owners 88 81
Tyre Reviews owners – 69

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Michelin Defender T+H
87
B — Michelin Energy Saver A/S
–

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Defender T+H leads by 26
A — Michelin Defender T+H
90
B — Michelin Energy Saver A/S
64
Why this score
SourceDefender T+HEnergy Saver A/S
Tire Rack owners 88 76
Tyre Reviews owners – 63

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Defender T+H leads by 25
A — Michelin Defender T+H
92
B — Michelin Energy Saver A/S
67
Why this score
SourceDefender T+HEnergy Saver A/S
Tyre Reviews owners – 67

Scores at a glance

Michelin Defender T+H vs Michelin Energy Saver A/S: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Defender T+HMichelin Energy Saver A/S
Relative Score 89 63
Dry 94 75
Wet 91 55
Snow 76 50
Comfort 89 70
Noise 87 –
Treadwear 90 64
Handling 92 67

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

Tire A

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.

Tire A Michelin Defender T+H

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Tire B Michelin Energy Saver A/S

The Michelin Energy Saver AS receives a mixed reception, primarily valued for its fuel efficiency and longevity in specific conditions, but frequently criticized for inconsistent tread life and poor performance in wet or cold weather. While some long-term users report exceptional durability, many modern drivers find the tire's grip and noise levels inadequate for daily commuting.

Pros

  • High fuel economy and rolling efficiency
  • Potential for high mileage in specific driving conditions
  • Reliable dry weather traction for some users

Cons

  • Significant hydroplaning tendencies in wet conditions
  • Inconsistent tread life, with reports of premature wear
  • Excessive road noise and audible squealing during cornering
  • Unsettling braking performance in emergency situations

Observations

  • Hybrid and EV owners, such as those with the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Nissan Leaf, report faster-than-expected tread wear.
  • Users note that the tire's performance characteristics, particularly in cold and wet climates, are often perceived as inferior to dedicated winter or performance-oriented tires.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender T+H B · Michelin Energy Saver A/S
CategoryPremium Touring All Season tirePremium Touring All Season tire
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin

Michelin

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

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender T+H scores 91 vs 55 on wet.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender T+H scores 76 vs 50 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender T+H scores 90 vs 64 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender T+H scores 92 vs 67 on handling.

Tire A · Michelin Defender T+H
Tire B · Michelin Energy Saver A/S

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.