95
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
95/100
109 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus — 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%)
91/100
Owner ratings
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better noise, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus if snow matters most to you.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
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 LTX M/S leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Defender LTX M/S | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 94 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 95 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Defender LTX M/S | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 83 | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 95 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Scorpion All Terrain Plus leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Defender LTX M/S | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 94 | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 94 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Defender LTX M/S | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 84 | 82 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 93 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Defender LTX M/S | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 87 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Defender LTX M/S | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 97 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 92 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Defender LTX M/S leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Defender LTX M/S | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Defender LTX M/S | Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 95 | 90 |
| Dry | 98 | 93 |
| Wet | 96 | 92 |
| Snow | 82 | 88 |
| Comfort | 96 | 88 |
| Noise | 95 | 86 |
| Treadwear | 97 | 91 |
| Handling | 97 | 92 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
95
/ 100
Tire A
90
/ 100
Tire B
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is widely regarded as a premier all-season tire for trucks and SUVs, consistently praised for its exceptional tread longevity and balanced performance across various weather conditions. While the vast majority of users report superior ride comfort, stability, and fuel efficiency, a small minority of owners have noted issues with increased road noise as the tires age or inconsistent traction in specific wet-weather scenarios.
Pros
- Exceptional tread life often exceeding 60,000–80,000 miles
- Strong all-weather traction, particularly in dry and light snow conditions
- Improved fuel efficiency due to low rolling resistance
- High level of ride comfort and stability for heavy vehicles
- Reliable performance that often outperforms original equipment (OE) tires
Cons
- Increased road noise reported by some users as the tire tread wears down
- Higher price point compared to competitors
- Occasional reports of reduced wet-weather grip or traction loss during turns
- Limited off-road capability in mud or deep sand
Observations
- Heavy-duty truck owners (RAM 2500/3500) report high satisfaction with durability, even under heavy usage or towing conditions.
- SUV owners (Expedition, Highlander) frequently cite the tire as a significant upgrade over factory-installed rubber, specifically noting improvements in cabin quietness and fuel economy.
- Users recommend running higher tire pressures (40-45 psi) to optimize performance and handling on certain truck platforms.
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S | B · Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring All Season tire | — |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | — |
| Sizes available | — | 22 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 12 - 16/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 640 A B |
| Treadwear warranty | — | 50,000 mi |
| Sidewall | — | Black Side Wall - Raised White Lettering |
| Max pressure | — | 44 - 80 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
95
/ 100
Michelin
90
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better noise, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 95 vs 86 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 96 vs 88 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 91 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus scores 88 vs 82 on snow.
Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
More comparisons
Also compared with
Michelin Defender LTX M/S also compared with
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus 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.