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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Defender2 vs Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive — Compared

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

Defender2 leads, 77–76 Narrow edge

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Tire AMichelin

Defender2

All Season

Tests 65 · 2 tests Owners 87 · 11,218 reviews

Best test result: #10 of 11 in 2024 TireRack All Season and Weather Tyre Test (overall ranking)

“I am sick from New Michelin Defender2 tires. Need recommendation of all season tires with less offgassing of toxic chemicals. Short of breath and nasal congestion from 3 brand new Michelin Defender2 tires offgassing on my SUV. Tires consist of approximately 400 chemicals. What is the half life of their offgassing? I am considering replacing them with Hanhook Kinergy tires. Has anyone smelled them? Read more”

Tire BPirelli

Scorpion Weatheractive

All Weather

Tests – · none yet Owners 80 · 21 reviews

Best test result: #6 of 7 in 2025 Autobild Pirelli All-Terrain Tire Test R19 (overall ranking)

Category by category

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

  1. 80

    Dry

    Defender2 +4
    76
    Why this score
    SourceDefender2Scorpion Weatheractive
    Professional tests (TWG score)73–
    Reviews found online9081
  2. 74

    Wet

    Scorpion Weatheractive +5
    79
    Why this score
    SourceDefender2Scorpion Weatheractive
    Professional tests (TWG score)65–
    Reviews found online8883
  3. 59

    Snow

    Scorpion Weatheractive +16
    75
    Why this score
    SourceDefender2Scorpion Weatheractive
    Professional tests (TWG score)47–
    Reviews found online7778
  4. 79

    Comfort

    Defender2 +5
    74
    Why this score
    SourceDefender2Scorpion Weatheractive
    Reviews found online8878
  5. 78

    Noise

    Defender2 +6
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDefender2Scorpion Weatheractive
    Professional tests (TWG score)73–
    Reviews found online8579
  6. 78

    Treadwear

    Defender2 +4
    74
    Why this score
    SourceDefender2Scorpion Weatheractive
    Reviews found online8779
  7. 88

    Handling

    Defender2 +11
    77
    Why this score
    SourceDefender2Scorpion Weatheractive
    Reviews found online8877
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Defender2Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive
Relative Score 77 76
Dry 80 76
Wet 74 79
Snow 59 75
Comfort 79 74
Noise 78 72
Treadwear 78 74
Handling 88 77

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

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Recomputed
Headline score

Defender2

Scorpion Weatheractive

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryDefender2Scorpion WeatheractiveΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 10% #10/11 · 2024 TireRack All Season and Weather Tyre Test 17% #6/7 · 2025 Autobild Pirelli All-Terrain Tire Test R19 −6.7 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Defender2

Pros

  • Long-lasting tread life and high mileage capability
  • Confident dry and wet traction with stable handling
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality on specific vehicles and highway surfaces

Cons

  • Stiffer, harder ride compared to original equipment or older models
  • Noticeable road noise and lack of noise absorption on certain pavement types
  • Reduced fuel economy (MPG) reported by multiple users
All owner themes in the Defender2 review

Tire B Scorpion Weatheractive

Pros

  • Exceptional traction in snow, slush, and icy conditions
  • Strong wet-weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality on dry pavement

Cons

  • Occasional reports of swaying or instability on ice
  • Increased rolling resistance in heavy rain noted by some users
  • Feedback can feel numb or 'gliding' on concrete surfaces
All owner themes in the Scorpion Weatheractive review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Michelin Defender2

Positive

The Michelin Defender2 is widely praised by the community as a top-tier all-season tire, frequently compared favorably against alternatives like the CrossClimate2 and Continental LX25. Users highlight its exceptional tread life, excellent Consumer Reports rankings, and balanced performance, though minor concerns exist regarding speed rating requirements and rare individual complaints.

r/crv ·6 upvotes ·2025-04-07

“Michelin CC2 or Defender2 or Continental crosscontact LX25?? For 2019 Honda Crv. I heard a lot of pros for these tires in the following order. CC2 --> Defender2 --> LX25 But Cons which i what i like to know about.. CC2 - lots of reviews on mpg hit. Defender2 - Not sure if also has mpg hit. Lx25 - I have a friend who is already 20k on it and tire looks new and didn't mention about any mpg hit for him Thank you. Update: Thank you for all your valuable reviews, I have ordered these from Costco and should get them rolling soon. MICHELIN DEFENDER2 AS 235/60R18 107H XL BSW ALL SEASON TIRE. Read more”
r/tires ·3 upvotes ·2025-02-08

“Michelin Defender2 for handling, comfort, and noise? Vehicle is a 2008 Honda Accord LX Sedan. 215/60/R16. I prefer A/S tires and only drive in a warm dry climate with occasional rain (southern CA) I know that Michelins are generally considered the best tire maker but the main advantage of the Defender2's seems to be their excellent durability and tread life. The thing is I have an older car and although I love it I'll probably be selling it within 4yrs. In addition I only average around 6000 miles per year. So I would rather have tires that are more focused on providing a balance of ride quality, comfort, and handling while I have the car. I can get Turanza Quiettracks for about the same price also from Costco so maybe these or another tire might be better suited for my needs? Thanks for reading. Read more”
Top themes
#long tread life#consumer reports ranking#all season performance#fuel economy impact#tire comparisons

Based on 5 community posts

Tire B

Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Defender2 B · Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive
CategoryAll SeasonAll Weather
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverSUV and 4x4
Sizes available131
Rim diameters18″17″ – 22″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″10 - 11/32″
UTQG840 B B700 A A
Treadwear warranty80,000 mi60,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side WallBlack Side Wall
Max pressure50 - 51 psi44 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Defender2

Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive

Too close to call: Michelin Defender2 and Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive are within 2 points overall. Michelin Defender2 is stronger on handling, noise and comfort. Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive is stronger on snow and wet.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive scores 75 vs 59 on snow.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Defender2 scores 88 vs 77 on handling.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Defender2 scores 78 vs 72 on noise.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Defender2 scores 79 vs 74 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Defender2
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive
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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

Narrow edge

Defender2

Amazon