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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender LTX M/S vs Pirelli Scorpion STR — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 1 + 0 road tests and 10 + 57 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S is ahead, 78–63

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Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

± 7Provisional

Tests – · 1 test Owners 82 · 10 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))

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 +15
    63
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion STR
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 74 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online8361

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.3 = 78

    Scorpion STR: 60% × 65.1 (est.) + 40% × 60.9 = 63

    No road tests of dry for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

    No road tests of dry for Scorpion STR. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 81

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +14
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion STR
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 78 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online8466

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.2 (est.) + 40% × 84.2 = 81

    Scorpion STR: 60% × 67.9 (est.) + 40% × 65.5 = 67

    No road tests of wet for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for Scorpion STR. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 74

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +13
    61
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion STR
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online7655

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.7 (est.) + 40% × 76 = 74

    Scorpion STR: 60% × 64.7 (est.) + 40% × 54.5 = 61

    No road tests of snow for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

    No road tests of snow for Scorpion STR. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 75

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S +16
    59
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion STR
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online7854

    Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.7 (est.) + 60% × 77.6 = 75

    Scorpion STR: 40% × 66.3 (est.) + 60% × 53.7 = 59

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S or Scorpion STR. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion STR
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online–64

    Scorpion STR: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 64.4 = 66

    No road tests of noise for Scorpion STR. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 79

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +19
    60
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion STR
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests75≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online8556

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.5 + 40% × 85.1 = 79

    Scorpion STR: 60% × 62.5 (est.) + 40% × 55.8 = 60

    No road tests of treadwear for Scorpion STR. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 80

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S +17
    63
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/SScorpion STR
    Reviews found online8063
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/SPirelli Scorpion STR
Relative Score 78 63
Dry 78 63
Wet 81 67
Snow 74 61
Comfort 75 59
Noise – 66
Treadwear 79 60
Handling (owners) 80 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 starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Defender LTX M/S

± 7

Scorpion STR

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 STR

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability, with many users reporting 40,000 to 80,000+ miles of use.
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality, particularly on highway surfaces.
  • Strong performance in wet and snowy conditions, providing a secure, surefooted feel.

Cons

  • Increased road noise and potential for rougher ride quality as the tread wears down.
  • Inconsistent tread life reports, with some users experiencing premature wear compared to expectations.
  • Mixed feedback on wet-weather grip, with some users finding it inferior to dedicated summer or high-performance alternatives.
All owner themes in the Scorpion STR review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S B · Pirelli Scorpion STR
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—4
Rim diameters—17″ – 20″
Tread depth—10/32″
UTQG—520 A A
Treadwear warranty—65,000 mi
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—44 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Pirelli Scorpion STR

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better treadwear, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 60 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 63 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 75 vs 59 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 78 vs 63 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion STR
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Defender LTX M/S or Scorpion STR?

Which is better in the wet, Defender LTX M/S or Scorpion STR?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 81 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Defender LTX M/S or Scorpion STR?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 78 vs 63 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Defender LTX M/S or Scorpion STR?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 74 vs 61 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Defender LTX M/S or Scorpion STR?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 75 vs 59 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Defender LTX M/S or Scorpion STR?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 60 on our treadwear score.

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.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology