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Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Pirelli Scorpion A/T — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 77–64

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Tire BPirelli

Scorpion A/T

All Season All Terrain and Off Road tires

Tests – · none yet Owners 62 · 4 reviews

Category by category

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

  1. 78

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion A/T
    Reviews found online8366
  2. 77

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +11
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion A/T
    Reviews found online8064
  3. 72

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +18
    54
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion A/T
    Reviews found online7444
  4. 73

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +7
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion A/T
    Reviews found online7663
  5. 70

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion A/T
    Reviews found online75–
  6. 77

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion A/T
    Professional tests (TWG score)76–
    Reviews found online7963
  7. 79

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion A/T
    Reviews found online7966
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SPirelli Scorpion A/T
Relative Score 77 64
Dry 78 67
Wet 77 66
Snow 72 54
Comfort 73 66
Noise 70 –
Treadwear 77 64
Handling 79 66

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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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender LTX M/S

Scorpion A/T

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Defender LTX M/S

Pros

  • Exceptional tread longevity and mileage lifespan
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality at highway speeds
  • Strong year-round traction across dry, wet, and light snow conditions

Cons

  • High upfront purchase price
  • Subpar performance in deep mud, sand, and off-road environments
  • Limited ice and severe winter capability compared to dedicated winter tires
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S review

Tire B Scorpion A/T

Pros

  • Excellent wet-weather traction and cornering stability
  • Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and noise levels
  • Strong off-road capability

Cons

  • Reports of premature dry rotting in certain climates
  • Inconsistent longevity across different usage scenarios
  • Occasional reports of increased road noise
All owner themes in the Scorpion A/T review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Pirelli Scorpion A/T
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season All Terrain and Off Road tires
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Pirelli Scorpion A/T

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better snow, treadwear and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 72 vs 54 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 77 vs 64 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 66 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 67 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion A/T
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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.

77

Leads

Defender LTX M/S

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