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Michelin Defender T+H vs Toyo A23 — 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.
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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
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | 82 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 78 |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | 73 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 59 |
Snow
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 73 | 51 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 60 |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | 69 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 66 |
Noise
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | 51 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 64 |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 63 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender T+H | Toyo A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 89 | 64 |
| Dry | 94 | 78 |
| Wet | 91 | 59 |
| Snow | 76 | 60 |
| Comfort | 89 | 66 |
| Noise | 87 | – |
| Treadwear | 90 | 64 |
| Handling | 92 | 63 |
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.
Tire A
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 Toyo A23 is a polarizing OEM tire that receives highly inconsistent feedback, often depending on the user's driving environment and expectations. While some owners report satisfactory longevity and reliable performance for daily commuting, a significant portion of users criticize its poor wet-weather traction and premature tread wear.
Pros
- Solid dry road grip and stability
- Acceptable comfort and noise levels for highway driving
- Capable off-road performance in muddy or rural conditions
- Competitive value for fleet or standard daily use
Cons
- Dangerous or unpredictable traction in wet conditions
- Inconsistent tread life with reports of premature wear
- High levels of road noise reported by some users
- Poor value proposition compared to premium aftermarket alternatives
Observations
- Users of larger 4x4 vehicles like the Shogun Sport report highly polarized experiences, ranging from excellent off-road capability to extreme instability in the wet.
- CUV owners, specifically those with the Mazda CX5, appear more satisfied with the tire's longevity, with some reporting up to 44,000 miles of service.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender T+H | B · Toyo A23 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring All Season tire | All Season Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
Michelin
Toyo
Winner: Michelin Defender T+H — better wet, handling and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Michelin Defender T+H scores 91 vs 59 on wet.
Michelin Defender T+H scores 92 vs 63 on handling.
Michelin Defender T+H scores 90 vs 64 on treadwear.
Michelin Defender T+H scores 89 vs 66 on comfort.
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.