Pirelli Scorpion Winter review
The Pirelli Scorpion Winter is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in wet and dry conditions, often mimicking the handling characteristics of a summer tire. While many users praise its confidence-inspiring grip on highways and in heavy rain, consensus is mixed regarding its performance in severe ice and deep slush, where some drivers report a lack of traction.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
79.5%By road tests
76.7%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 17 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Pirelli Scorpion Winter is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in wet and dry conditions, often mimicking the handling characteristics of a summer tire. While many users praise its confidence-inspiring grip on highways and in heavy rain, consensus is mixed regarding its performance in severe ice and deep slush, where some drivers report a lack of traction.
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance and resistance to aquaplaning
- Strong dry road handling and stability at high speeds
- Comfortable and quiet ride quality for long-distance cruising
- Predictable and confidence-inspiring grip in light to moderate snow
Cons
- Inconsistent performance on hard ice and slushy conditions
- Faster tread wear compared to standard summer tires
- Reduced snow traction as the tire ages and tread depth decreases
- High-speed stability can feel vague at extreme velocities
Worth knowing
- Users with heavy SUVs and performance crossovers report high satisfaction with highway handling but note faster tread wear.
- Drivers utilizing staggered fitments on 20-inch wheels report good feedback and handling, though some note the design is aging compared to newer iterations.
4 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2021 AZ SUV Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18
8th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 8th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 8th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 8th of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 9th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 9th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 9th of 10 | |
| Noise | 7th of 10 | |
| Price | 6th of 10 |
2018 AZ SUV Winter tire Test · 235/60 R18
5th of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 9 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 9 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 9 | |
| Dry Handling | 8th of 9 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 9 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 3rd of 9 | |
| Straight Aqua | 6th of 9 | |
| Noise | 4th of 9 | |
| Price | 4th of 9 |
2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 tire Test · 235/60 R18
2nd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 10 | |
| Noise | 4th of 10 | |
| Price | 7th of 10 |
2017 ADAC SUV Winter tire Test - 215/65 R16
8th of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Side G-Force on Wet surface | 1st of 16 | |
| Wear | 4th of 16 | |
| Inside Noise level | 5th of 16 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 12th of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 3rd of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 3rd of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 6th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 1st of 16 | |
| Wet Braking | 1st of 16 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 1st of 16 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 1st of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 16 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 2nd of 16 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 16 |
Pirelli Scorpion Winter specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Tread depth | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi |
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