Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 2 + 0 road tests and 11,304 + 21 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Defender2 77, Scorpion Weatheractive 78.
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests 64 · 2 tests Owners 89 · 11,304 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test (noise (tester's mark))
“I just ordered Michelin Defender 2 for our 15 Outback . We've had 2 sets of Yokohama YK-CTX after OEM which only lasted about 20k (first set) and 25k (second set). I've had Michelin Defender (orig) and Michelin Defender2 on our Ford Taurus. Very comfortable and great tread life.”
Tests – · none yet Owners 83 · 21 reviews
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Defender2 | Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests | 73 | ≈ 74 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 92 | 83 |
Defender2: 60% × 72.7 + 40% × 91.5 = 80
Scorpion Weatheractive: 60% × 74 (est.) + 40% × 82.6 = 77
No road tests of dry for Scorpion Weatheractive. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
| Source | Defender2 | Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests | 64 | ≈ 79 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 92 | 86 |
Defender2: 60% × 64 + 40% × 92.2 = 75
Scorpion Weatheractive: 60% × 78.9 (est.) + 40% × 85.8 = 82
No road tests of wet for Scorpion Weatheractive. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
| Source | Defender2 | Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests | 46 | ≈ 73 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 79 | 80 |
Defender2: 60% × 46.4 + 40% × 79.3 = 60
Scorpion Weatheractive: 60% × 73.5 (est.) + 40% × 79.7 = 76
No road tests of snow for Scorpion Weatheractive. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
| Source | Defender2 | Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 72 (est.) | ≈ 71 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 88 | 79 |
Defender2: 40% × 72.5 (est.) + 60% × 87.6 = 82
Scorpion Weatheractive: 40% × 70.7 (est.) + 60% × 78.6 = 75
No road tests of comfort for Defender2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for Scorpion Weatheractive. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
| Source | Defender2 | Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests | 73 | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 87 | 82 |
Defender2: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 87.1 = 79
Scorpion Weatheractive: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 82.4 = 73
No road tests of noise for Scorpion Weatheractive. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Defender2 | Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 75 (est.) | ≈ 73 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 89 | 84 |
Defender2: 60% × 74.6 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80
Scorpion Weatheractive: 60% × 72.8 (est.) + 40% × 84 = 77
No road tests of treadwear for Defender2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for Scorpion Weatheractive. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
| Source | Defender2 | Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 89 | 78 |
| Category | Michelin Defender2 | Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 78 |
| Dry | 80 | 77 |
| Wet | 75 | 82 |
| Snow | 60 | 76 |
| Comfort | 82 | 75 |
| Noise | 79 | 73 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 77 |
| Handling (owners) | 89 | 78 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Defender2
Scorpion Weatheractive
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
| Discipline | Category | Defender2 | Scorpion Weatheractive | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | #6/7 2025 Autobild Pirelli All-Terrain Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community sentiment toward the Michelin Defender2 is strongly positive, with owners widely praising its exceptional tread life, durability, and 80k-mile warranty. Many drivers and EV owners report excellent longevity and efficiency, though some note elevated road noise compared to premium touring tires or question its necessity for low-mileage driving.
“I just ordered Michelin Defender 2 for our 15 Outback . We've had 2 sets of Yokohama YK-CTX after OEM which only lasted about 20k (first set) and 25k (second set). I've had Michelin Defender (orig) and Michelin Defender2 on our Ford Taurus. Very comfortable and great tread life.”
“So here's the latest on Tires recommendations: (still dithering). Looking for smooth, soft ride, good mileage. I do have a mountain home; use ~30ish days during winter ski season, but mostly highway driving in Southern California ( don't disparage me for being a Californian. I cant stand the people or the government too lol. But it's a beautiful state). 2020 300GLC 4MATIC California car, 235/60 18H rating What will it be...?????? MICHELIN DEFENDER LTX M/S - seems like you guys are in favor. But hard to get. And the size is a 235/60 106T designation. Is the T speed max of 116mph not safe enough when OEM was an H rating 130mph? MICHELIN DEFENDER2. $238. Tire rack MICHELIN CrossClimate2 SUV tire rack $248. - hearing both good and bad. I heard they're soft and mileage tanks. Check out reviews on the Michelin USA official site. Pretty interesting. CONTINENTAL CROSSCONTACT LX25 $222. tire rack high rating? Also just got this from TireRack customer service CONTINENTAL EXTREMECONTACT DWS 06 PLUS. $238. Not sure, seems like TR is trying to promote them for Cont.”
“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”
Based on 24 community posts
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
| Attribute | A · Michelin Defender2 | B · Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Weather |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 1 | 31 |
| Rim diameters | 18″ | 17″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | 10 - 11/32″ |
| UTQG | 840 B B | 700 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | 80,000 mi | 60,000 mi |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 50 - 51 psi | 44 - 51 psi |
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, comfort and noise. Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive is stronger on snow and wet.
Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive scores 76 vs 60 on snow.
Michelin Defender2 scores 89 vs 78 on handling.
Michelin Defender2 scores 82 vs 75 on comfort.
Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive scores 82 vs 75 on wet.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive, 82 vs 75 on our wet score.
Michelin Defender2, 80 vs 77 on our dry score.
Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive, 76 vs 60 on our snow score.
Michelin Defender2, 79 vs 73 on our noise score.
Michelin Defender2, 82 vs 75 on our comfort score.
Michelin Defender2, 80 vs 77 on our treadwear score.
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
