89
/ 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 Yokohama AVID Ascend — 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
89
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
91/100
23 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Michelin Defender T+H and Yokohama AVID Ascend are within 2 points overall. Michelin Defender T+H is stronger on handling. Yokohama AVID Ascend is stronger on snow.
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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)
AVID Ascend leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | AVID Ascend |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 80 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
AVID Ascend leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | AVID Ascend |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 80 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
AVID Ascend leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | AVID Ascend |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 73 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 80 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | AVID Ascend |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 70 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
AVID Ascend leads by 1
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | AVID Ascend |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 95 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Defender T+H leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | Defender T+H | AVID Ascend |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 80 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender T+H | Yokohama AVID Ascend |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 89 | 89 |
| Dry | 94 | 95 |
| Wet | 91 | 93 |
| Snow | 76 | 85 |
| Comfort | 89 | 89 |
| Noise | 87 | 88 |
| Treadwear | 90 | 90 |
| Handling | 92 | 80 |
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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Recomputed
Headline score
89
/ 100
Tire A
89
/ 100
Tire B
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 Yokohama Avid Ascend is widely regarded as a high-value, all-season tire that excels in wet weather performance and ride comfort. While most users report significant improvements in traction and noise levels compared to factory-installed tires, a small subset of owners has raised concerns regarding premature tread wear and occasional manufacturing defects.
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather traction and hydroplaning resistance
- High value-to-performance ratio compared to premium competitors
- Smooth and quiet ride quality
- Reliable handling in light snow and slushy conditions
Cons
- Reports of premature or uneven tread wear in some instances
- Occasional noise issues on dry pavement
- Isolated reports of tires going out of round after moderate mileage
Observations
- Subaru Forester owners frequently cite these as a superior upgrade for both comfort and all-weather capability.
- Users of AWD vehicles, including the Audi A4 and Toyota Sienna, report high satisfaction with the tire's handling in mixed precipitation.
- Hybrid vehicle owners noted that the tire maintains fuel efficiency comparable to factory specifications.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender T+H | B · Yokohama AVID Ascend |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring All Season tire | Premium Touring All Season tire |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | — | 12/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 740 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | — | 75,000 mi |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 51 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
89
/ 100
Michelin
89
/ 100
Yokohama
Too close to call: Michelin Defender T+H and Yokohama AVID Ascend are within 2 points overall. Michelin Defender T+H is stronger on handling. Yokohama AVID Ascend is stronger on snow.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Defender T+H scores 92 vs 80 on handling.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Yokohama AVID Ascend scores 85 vs 76 on snow.
Tire A · Michelin Defender T+H
Tire B · Yokohama AVID Ascend
More comparisons
Also compared with
Michelin Defender T+H also compared with
Yokohama AVID Ascend 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.