Head-to-head Updated

Pirelli Scorpion vs Michelin CrossClimate 3 — 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 4 + 5 road tests and 1,034 + 3,204 owner reviews. How we score

CrossClimate 3 leads, 83–79 Narrow edge

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Pirelli Scorpion
Tire APirelli

Scorpion

Summer

± 6

Tests 86 · 4 tests Owners 75 · 1,034 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2024 Summer SUV Tyre Test (noise)

“I have both Blizzaks and some new Pirelli Scorpions. We got @12" over the last 12 hours and had no trouble with my Sienna at all. Stable, good braking and great traction off the line. The Blizzaks are good in lighter snow/icier conditions, not so good in the deep stuff.”

Michelin CrossClimate 3
Tire BMichelin

CrossClimate 3

All Season

± 5

Tests 81 · 5 tests Owners 87 · 3,204 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2025 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test (snow braking)

“Winter ready: Michelin Cross Climate 3 All season tyres fitted today on the C63. Michelin Cross Climate 3 Sport (Front) Michelin Cross Climate 3 (Rear) Sizing availability is the reason for the slight difference in specifications. PS5s are wrapped up until next year! Read more”

Category by category

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

  1. 81

    Dry

    CrossClimate 3 +4
    85
    Why this score
    SourceScorpionCrossClimate 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 5 tests8582
    Reviews found online7588

    Scorpion: 60% × 85.1 + 40% × 75.2 = 81

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 82.3 + 40% × 88.1 = 85

  2. 81

    Wet

    CrossClimate 3 +3
    84
    Why this score
    SourceScorpionCrossClimate 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 5 tests8480
    Reviews found online7690

    Scorpion: 60% × 84.4 + 40% × 75.9 = 81

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 79.7 + 40% × 89.5 = 84

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    87
    Why this score
    SourceScorpionCrossClimate 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests–93
    Reviews found online–79

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 93.2 + 40% × 78.6 = 87

  4. 78

    Comfort

    CrossClimate 3 +6
    84
    Why this score
    SourceScorpionCrossClimate 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 1 tests8377
    Reviews found online7588

    Scorpion: 40% × 82.7 + 60% × 74.7 = 78

    CrossClimate 3: 40% × 77.4 + 60% × 88.3 = 84

  5. 85

    Noise

    Scorpion +16
    69
    Why this score
    SourceScorpionCrossClimate 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 3 tests9771
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    Scorpion: 60% × 96.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 85

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 71.1 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69

    No owner ratings of noise for Scorpion or CrossClimate 3. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 72

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate 3 +9
    81
    Why this score
    SourceScorpionCrossClimate 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 69 (est.)79
    Reviews found online7586

    Scorpion: 60% × 69.3 (est.) + 40% × 75.1 = 72

    CrossClimate 3: 60% × 78.7 + 40% × 85.6 = 81

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

  7. 73

    Handling (owners)

    CrossClimate 3 +18
    91
    Why this score
    SourceScorpionCrossClimate 3
    Reviews found online7391
  8. 77

    Efficiency

    CrossClimate 3 +4
    81
    Why this score
    SourceScorpionCrossClimate 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 3 tests7781
Scores at a glance
Pirelli Scorpion vs Michelin CrossClimate 3: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryPirelli ScorpionMichelin CrossClimate 3
Relative Score 79 83
Dry 81 85
Wet 81 84
Snow – 87
Comfort 78 84
Noise 85 69
Treadwear 72 81
Handling (owners) 73 91
Efficiency 77 81

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

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

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Scorpion

± 5

CrossClimate 3

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

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.

DisciplineCategoryScorpionCrossClimate 3ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/6 · 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test 96% #3/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #3/10 · 2025 Autobild SUV Off-Road Summer Tyre Test 98% #7/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 80% #4/6 · 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test 87% #9/9 · 2026 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 225/40 R18 – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 82% #9/10 · 2025 Autobild SUV Off-Road Summer Tyre Test 85% #5/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 94% #3/6 · 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test 94% #4/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 97% #3/6 · 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test 94% #6/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 98% #5/6 · 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test 98% #7/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 98% #5/6 · 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test 99% #3/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 100% #2/6 · 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test 100% #1/9 · 2026 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 225/40 R18 – Different tests
Noise Noise 100% #2/10 · 2025 Autobild SUV Off-Road Summer Tyre Test 99% #8/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise (tester's mark) Noise 80% #2/6 · 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test 96% #3/9 · 2026 Die Reifentester All Season Tyre Test - 225/40 R18 – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 86% #4/10 · 2025 Autobild SUV Off-Road Summer Tyre Test 99% #2/8 · 2026 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/6 2025 Vi Bilagare Summer EV Tyre Test #4/11 2027 AvD All-Season Tire Test R17 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Scorpion

Pros

  • Excellent ride comfort and quietness
  • Confident grip in both wet and dry conditions
  • Impressive tread wear and longevity compared to stock alternatives

Cons

  • Average steering feedback and imprecise cornering when pushed
  • Potential for low-speed howling or tread noise
  • Loss of grip reported when starting uphill on wet surfaces
All owner themes in the Scorpion review

Tire B CrossClimate 3

Pros

  • Superior wet weather grip and braking performance
  • Enhanced ride comfort and smoothing of road imperfections
  • Low road noise levels and quiet operation

Cons

  • Premium price point compared to competitors
  • Softer sidewalls can reduce cornering precision or steering feel
  • Tread pattern tends to pick up and hold small stones
All owner themes in the CrossClimate 3 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Pirelli Scorpion

Mixed

Community opinions on the Pirelli Scorpion tire line are divided. Many users praise aftermarket variants like the AS Plus 3 and WeatherActive for delivering a remarkably plush, quiet ride, excellent wet traction, and good snow performance compared to factory options. However, several users report drawbacks such as quicker-than-expected treadwear, potential rolling resistance impacts on EV range, and issues with factory-installed OEM versions, which some owners criticize as noisy or prone to premature wear.

r/TeslaModelY ·3 upvotes ·2026-07-10

“New Tires Range Hit? Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3 ELECT Just recently swapped the OE Continentals for the Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3 ELECT tires and drove a little over 500 miles since then. The same commute I’ve been taking went from around 220-240 Wh/mi to 260-280 Wh/mi. Longer trips on almost pure highway went from 270 Wh/mi to 285-290 Wh/mi. I guess the new tires has higher rolling resistance than the OE tires and probably should have looked into Hankook Ion if one was to want efficiency? The Pirelli is comfortable and quiet, just the hit in efficiency wasn’t what I was expecting. Read more”

r/xcmtb ·38 upvotes ·2025-11-21

“Yes, another tire advice post. Anybody running Pirelli Scorpion XC M + Scorpion XC RC combo? Hi, Thinking about buying a Pirelli set for my Scale. Now running stock OEM Schwalbe Racing Ray/Ralph Performance in 2.35. They’re grippy, but slow and heavy most of the time, and they lack suppleness. No other tire was throwing me around so much on small roots and sharp hits. When I lower the pressure they get even slower while still being not supple enough. Logical upgrade was same combo Ray/Ralph 2.35 in SuperRace, so a much lighter and softer version, but I bought 2 sets and had to return both of which, because they were 2.15 actually, not 2.35. Mezcal and Barzo seem like too little grip for me, and I have a crossmark/ikon combo for the super dry conditions. I mostly ride flat singletrack, a bit of sand and want to race. So to the Pirellis. I’d like them to cover most conditions, much like the Racing Ray/Ralph which are surprisingly alright in the wet. I’d like to run both in 2.4, XC RC prowall rear and XC M Lite front. Thanks for any advice! Read more”

r/tires ·165 upvotes ·2026-04-25

“Pirelli scorpions are worst tire ever made Rode like trash since new, they started developing dry rot after a year and half since installed. Pretty much all the dry rot you see is after a YEAR AND A HALF, the cracking down middle of tread is something that happened at a later date. I will say, they do have over 40,000 miles on them. But at least half of their life was dry rotted to sh17 UPDATED WITH DATE CODE (3622) For those saying they were from 2012. Read more”

Top themes
#Ride comfort and smoothness#Wet and winter weather traction#Road noise levels#Treadwear and longevity#OEM vs aftermarket differences#Rolling resistance and efficiency

Based on 89 community posts

Tire B

Michelin CrossClimate 3

Positive

The community views the Michelin CrossClimate 3 and its Sport variant as top-tier all-weather tires offering exceptional snow performance, longevity, comfort, and low noise, though some note they lag slightly behind competitors like Pirelli in wet and dry braking. Users appreciate the introduction of the Sport version for better handling and steering feel, though it may feature a slightly shorter tread life. Frustration remains high among North American drivers due to the lack of a confirmed release date in the US.

r/Mustang ·56 upvotes ·2025-10-10

“Switched to Michelin CC3s for the winter Changed wheels (back to OEMs PP) and tires (Michelin Cross Climate 3s) for the winter season. Decided to change them early this time (temps just dropped below 10C) in order to see how the tires behaved vs summer PZero (it would not be fair to do this at 0C). Only a few hundreds km so I can’t tell about MPG and wear yet but I’m happy with what seems to be good grip and comfort. Noise is louder but I still manage to cope with it (anyway the real culprits here are my Steeda dual rate springs that act like noise amplifiers 😝). Will report back to the group with findings as I plan to track them soon. Read more”

r/tires ·1 upvote ·2025-09-29

“Brand new Michelin CrossClimate 3 Sport with sidewall defect Bought new Michelin CrossClimate 3 tires from an official dealer in Romania. One tire already shows a sidewall defect (cracked/missing rubber, no curb hit, no damage from me) I’m mostly worried about the sidewall, since I know that can’t be repaired and could be dangerous. I’m currently in Austria — do you think Michelin will replace this under warranty? Read more”

r/carsireland ·1 upvote ·2026-10-19

“I've Michelin crossclimate3 sports, they're a great tyre, highly recommend them for our roads, year round. One thing to be conscious of with all season tyres is if you need to replace one, it has to be with a all season or it can be dangerous, and you will fail a NCT (if they notice it)”

Top themes
#Snow and Winter Performance#Wet and Dry Grip#Tread Wear and Longevity#Ride Comfort and Noise#CrossClimate 3 Sport Variant#North American Availability

Based on 132 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Pirelli Scorpion B · Michelin CrossClimate 3
CategorySummerAll Season
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available7282
Rim diameters16″ – 22″16″ – 22″
Tread depth10/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—
Sizes in common3535

Which one should you actually buy?

Pirelli Scorpion

Michelin CrossClimate 3

Narrow edge: Michelin CrossClimate 3 — better handling, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Pirelli Scorpion if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin CrossClimate 3 scores 91 vs 73 on handling.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Pirelli Scorpion scores 85 vs 69 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin CrossClimate 3 scores 81 vs 72 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin CrossClimate 3 scores 84 vs 78 on comfort.

Tire A · Pirelli Scorpion
Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate 3

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Scorpion or CrossClimate 3?

Which is better in the wet, Scorpion or CrossClimate 3?

Michelin CrossClimate 3, 84 vs 81 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Scorpion or CrossClimate 3?

Michelin CrossClimate 3, 85 vs 81 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Scorpion or CrossClimate 3?

Pirelli Scorpion, 85 vs 69 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Scorpion or CrossClimate 3?

Michelin CrossClimate 3, 84 vs 78 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Scorpion or CrossClimate 3?

Michelin CrossClimate 3, 81 vs 72 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Scorpion or CrossClimate 3?

Michelin CrossClimate 3, 81 vs 77 on our efficiency 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