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Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 vs Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus — Compared

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

Defender LTX M/S2 is ahead, 81–72

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Tire AMichelin

Defender LTX M/S2

Tests – · none yet Owners 87 · 3,650 reviews

“Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 I’m looking to getting the Defenders as my next tires. As much as I’d like ATs, the unfortunately reality is that my tundra is a pavement princess/road trip vehicle 99% of the time. It will tow a trailer very rarely, and nothing crazy. Looking at the tire options, it gives me the option between the E1 rated Tires or XL tires. From my understanding the E1 rated tires have a higher payload rating, but at the cost of being heavier/harsher ride. The XL tires are better for normal driving without towing. What is your opinion on the difference and what is the better option? Thank you. Read more”

Category by category

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

  1. 82

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S2 +10
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Scorpion All Terrain Plus
    Reviews found online9174
  2. 84

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S2 +7
    77
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Scorpion All Terrain Plus
    Reviews found online8980
  3. 72

    Snow

    Scorpion All Terrain Plus +1
    73
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Scorpion All Terrain Plus
    Reviews found online7475
  4. 78

    Comfort

    Defender LTX M/S2 +7
    71
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Scorpion All Terrain Plus
    Reviews found online8773
  5. 75

    Noise

    Defender LTX M/S2 +8
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Scorpion All Terrain Plus
    Reviews found online8969
  6. 80

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S2 +12
    68
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Scorpion All Terrain Plus
    Professional tests (TWG score)–66
    Reviews found online9070
  7. 86

    Handling

    Defender LTX M/S2 +10
    76
    Why this score
    SourceDefender LTX M/S2Scorpion All Terrain Plus
    Reviews found online8676
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender LTX M/S2Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Relative Score 81 72
Dry 82 72
Wet 84 77
Snow 72 73
Comfort 78 71
Noise 75 67
Treadwear 80 68
Handling 86 76

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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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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Headline score

Defender LTX M/S2

Scorpion All Terrain Plus

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Defender LTX M/S2

Pros

  • Exceptionally long tread life and high mileage durability
  • Smooth, comfortable, and quiet highway ride quality
  • Improved fuel economy and low rolling resistance compared to factory or all-terrain tires

Cons

  • High upfront premium price point
  • Occasional minor wheel spin or reduced traction on wet surfaces during hard takeoffs
  • Treads can pack with snow, making them mediocre in deep winter conditions
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S2 review

Tire B Scorpion All Terrain Plus

Pros

  • Exceptional wet, mud, and winter/snow traction (3-peak mountain snowflake certified)
  • Surprisingly quiet and smooth ride on the highway compared to aggressive competitors
  • Aggressive, attractive sidewall and tread styling that enhances vehicle appearance

Cons

  • Some users reported persistent balancing issues or vibrations at highway speeds
  • A few drivers noted increased road noise or uneven shoulder wear as the tires aged
  • Minor reduction in fuel economy reported by some truck and SUV owners
All owner themes in the Scorpion All Terrain Plus review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

Positive

Community opinion on the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 is overwhelmingly positive, with users frequently praising its longevity, quiet and smooth ride, and excellent wet and dry traction. Many truck and SUV owners choose them over aggressive all-terrain tires because they excel in highway and daily driving while still managing respectable performance in rain and light snow.

r/Rivian ·75 upvotes ·2026-03-09

“Another vote for Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 Put the 275/60/20 LTX M/S2 on the Dune in January. It’s been ridiculously cold for most of that spell. Today is the first warm day in forever and happened to be headed to Rivian SC for a routine service. Decided to track the Efficiency on my 30 mile drive. It’s from NoVa to Gaithersburg, MD so that means town, windy parkway, and Beltway driving. The efficiency was pretty eye popping. Started with a batter around 65. No precondition. Used conserve once I got to highway. Never seen numbers this good. Read more”
r/GrandCherokee ·2 upvotes ·2025-09-01

“I had the crossclimate on my Avalon. They were noisy. Don't know if vehicle choice matters. Put the Defender LTX M/S2 on my GC Overland. So far I really like them.”
r/GXOR ·3 upvotes ·2026-07-03

“Looking for Pics of GXs with Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 TL;DR - Would love to see pics of trucks with the current Defender LTX M/S2, especially on non-OEM wheels. Longer story - Selected my Conti TerrainContact AT as the ideal mild AT - light, quiet, comfy, but with a tougher looking sidewall and just a enough extra traction. Unfortunately, 3 out of 4 cannot be road forced balanced well enough (2 different shops tried) and they have a very pronounced wobble at multiple speeds. I'm thiiiiiis close to admitting to myself I don't offroad enough to justify even a mild AT, and that the new Defender LTX M/S2 is the perfect for me. These tires are VERY well reviewed here and everywhere else, and yes- plenty say they do well in many off-road situations. But pictures are hard to come by! Please post up if you have these on your ride so I can get a sense of how they look, especially if you have 17" wheels or non-OEM sizes. Thanks! Read more”
Top themes
#Range and Efficiency#Longevity and Treadwear#Snow and Winter Traction#Highway Ride Quality#Noise Levels#Load Ratings and Options

Based on 22 community posts

Tire B

Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 B · Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available129
Rim diameters22″16″ – 20″
Tread depth11 - 14/32″12 - 16/32″
UTQG820 B A640 A B
Treadwear warranty—50,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlack Side Wall - Raised White Lettering
Max pressure50 - 80 psi44 - 80 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2

Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus

Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 — better treadwear, dry and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 80 vs 68 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 82 vs 72 on dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 86 vs 76 on handling.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 scores 75 vs 67 on noise.

Tire A · Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
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Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
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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.

81

Leads

Defender LTX M/S2

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