Pirelli Scorpion ATR Tire Review

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About the Pirelli Scorpion ATR

If you do some light off-roading frequently, then you will need a set of tires that can comfortably tackle hard-packed surfaces, light mud and other similar conditions. And this is where the Pirelli Scorpion ATR comes in.

Designed for larger crossovers, light trucks and SUVs, the Pirelli Scorpion ATR is a highly versatile on-road and off-road tire, which can comfortably handle a wide range of driving conditions and terrains.

The Pirelli Scorpion ATR has been in the market for more than ten years. And through the years, this tire has continually earned glowing reputations from those who have used it, mainly due to its outstanding on-road dynamics.

However, Pirelli has already released a successor to this tire, known as the ATR Plus. Besides that, other tire manufacturers have also released newer all-terrain tires, featuring the latest tread compounds and tread designs.

And this begs the question, is this tire still a viable option for your crossover, SUV or light truck? Well, our Pirelli Scorpion ATR tire review has all the answers to that question.

Read on to learn more about how this tire performs in various conditions and terrains, how it handles on-road and off-road conditions, as well as how it stacks up against the competition.

Design Features and Technologies

According to Pirelli, the Scorpion ATR is a reliable all-season all-terrain tire, designed to deliver dependable on-road traction, comfort as well as great resistance to wear.

Pirelli further states that the Scorpion ATR is engineered to comfortably handle even the most challenging off-road driving conditions.

So, whether you will encounter dirt-packed surfaces or light mud, you can trust this tire to deliver a solid performance in such terrains.

Also, Pirelli claims that the Scorpion ATR is a highly versatile tire, which can provide safe cornering and braking, low rolling noise as well as impressive hydroplaning resistance, on both off-road conditions as well as highway driving.

Pirelli equipped this tire with various features and technologies, to ensure it achieves all the above things. These include:

Silica-Enhanced Tread Compound

The Scorpion ATR comes with a silica-enhanced tread compound, which has been molded into a symmetric tread pattern.

This symmetric tread design features large shoulder blocks and a continuous center rib, which work together to provide great steering response, straight-line tracking as well as driving stability, even when the vehicle is moving at high speeds.

Independent Tread Blocks

If you inspect this tire carefully, you will notice that the center tread area has interlocked independent tread blocks, which help to promote a quiet and cozy ride.

Also, these blocks help to promote enhanced traction on wet, slippery, and loose surfaces while ensuring the tire wears uniformly.

Reinforced Sidewalls

 Rocks, tree stumps and various other elements can easily damage your tire, especially during off-road driving.

But with the Pirelli Scorpion ATR, you don’t have to worry about that happening. It comes with reinforced sidewalls, which are highly resistant to chips, cuts and other forms of damage.

It also comes with wide, sturdy independent shoulder blocks, which help to enhance its off-road performance even further.

Wide Circumferential Grooves

Pirelli has further equipped this tire with wide circumferential grooves. The wide circumferential grooves work together with the lateral shoulder grooves to channel water away from the tire’s surface, thus reducing the risk of hydroplaning.

Furthermore, each of the tire’s independent shoulder blocks comes with small sipes, which help to improve its traction on light snow and slippery off-road surfaces.

Maintenance Indicators

The minimum tread depth for the Scorpion ATR is 1/32-inch. Once it has reached this limit, it will lose some of its hydroplaning resistance.

Consequently, it will also lose its grip, making it unsafe on wet surfaces. Therefore, you will need to be monitoring it regularly, to check the remaining tread. And this is where maintenance indicators come in.

Maintenance indicators are designed to make your work easier when it comes to checking the remaining tread on a tire.

For the Scorpion ATR, Pirelli has utilized narrow rubber bars, which have been placed deep into the tread pattern.

These rubber bars will become increasingly visible as the Scorpion ATR wears down. And once the tread wears down to 1/32-inch, these rubber bars will flush completely with the tread pattern.

How Does the Pirelli Scorpion ATR Perform on Dry Roads?

As much as the Scorpion ATR may have been released more than a decade ago, it remains one of the best all-season tires when it comes to on-road driving.

Its dry performance is one of the best in its category. As you may expect from a Pirelli all-terrain tire the Scorpion ATR feels responsive on dry pavement.

It delivers impressive traction, outstanding stability, solid braking as well as excellent handling and cornering.

Its outstanding dry traction can be attributed to the high silica content in its tread compound, which combines with its symmetric tread pattern, to deliver enhanced traction on dry roads.

The use of radial shoulder grooves has further enhanced its handling and braking performances. Overall, its dry performance is great. In fact, you will struggle to find a newer tire that can deliver a better on-road performance than the Scorpion ATR.

How Does the Pirelli Scorpion ATR Perform in Wet Conditions

As noted earlier, this tire comes with wide circumferential grooves, which work together with the lateral grooves, to channel water away from its surface, thus helping to reduce the risk of hydroplaning.

Even when you encounter heavy rains, this tire will not lose traction and grip, thanks to its excellent hydroplaning resistance.

So, if you are looking for an all-terrain all-season tire that will deliver great traction, short braking distances and safe handling in wet and slippery conditions, then the Scorpion ATR will be a good choice.  

How Does the Scorpion ATR Perform on Ice and Snow?

When it comes to ice-covered or snow-covered roads, the Scorpion ATR doesn’t perform to the level you would expect.

As much as it may deliver some usable traction in ice and snow, you will have to drive extremely slowly in these conditions.

If you drive fast, the vehicle may swerve off the road, due to the tire’s poor traction. Simply put, it lacks the level of traction needed to deliver safe driving in snowy and icy conditions.

So, if you live in an area that experiences heavy winters, then the Scorpion ATR is not the right choice for your vehicle. Instead, you should choose a dedicated winter or snow tire.

Is the Pirelli Scorpion ATR Suitable for Off-road Driving?

One of the areas where the Scorpion ATR outshines most of the other all-terrain tires in its category is off-road performance.

It’s one of the most capable performers when it comes to light off-road driving. Whether you encounter loose dirt, mud or other off-road conditions, this tire will serve you well.

Its remarkable off-road performance can be attributed to 2 main features: a self-cleaning tread pattern and reinforced sidewalls.

The self-cleaning tread pattern helps to push out rocks, chunks of mud or any other debris from under the tire, thus delivering maximum traction.

On the other hand, the reinforced sidewalls provide additional strength and resilience, thus enabling the tire to resist damage and handle harsh off-road conditions.

That said, it’s important to note that the Scorpion ATR is not specifically engineered for serious off-road conditions.

It lacks some key features and technologies that you would find on a dedicated off-road tire.

So, if you consider yourself a rugged off-roader, then the Scorpion ATR may not be the best choice for your driving needs.

Instead, you should opt for its replacement, the Scorpion ATR Plus, which is renowned for its impressive off-road performance.

Ride Quality

When it comes to ride quality and on-road manners, the Scorpion ATR performs surprisingly well.

It delivers a plush ride. Furthermore, it doesn’t produce as much noise as you would expect from an all-terrain tire.

Available Sizes

The Scorpion ATR comes in a wide selection of sizes, ranging from 15 inches to 22 inches. It’s available as both an OE tire for some brands as well as a replacement tire.

Compatible Vehicles

When it comes to compatibility, the Scorpion ATR will fit numerous makes and models of SUVs and light trucks. Some of the vehicles that this tire will fit include:

• GMC Yukon, Sierra and Envoy
• Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado and Avalanche
• Ford F-150, F-250, Explorer, Expedition, Ranger and Escape
• Honda Pilot, Element and Ridgeline
• Dodge Ram, Dakota and Durango
•  Infiniti QX4
• Mercedes Benz R350 and G500
• Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee
•  Lexus RX300
• Hummer H2
•  Land Rover LR3
• Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, RAV4, 4Runner and Tundra
•  Nissan Frontier, Titan and Xterra
• Volkswagen Touareg

Warranties and Guarantees

Just like other Pirelli tires, the Scorpion ATR is backed by strong warranties and guarantees.

These warranties are designed to provide the buyer with some relief, if the tire wears out prematurely or it’s damaged beyond repair, before it's advertised life. They include:

Standard Limited Warranty Coverage

This warranty is basically a workmanship and materials warranty. It’s designed to cover the Scorpion ATR from defects or issues arising from the materials used to make the tire or its manufacturing process.

Under this warranty, Pirelli offers to replace your tire at no charge, if your Scorpion ATR tire becomes unserviceable during its first 12 months from the purchase date or within its first 2/32-inch of usable tread.

The replacement will also include free mounting and balancing, meaning you will not pay anything.

And if the tire is damaged after 12 months from the purchase date, then the replacement will be done on a pro-rata basis.

The pro-rata cost is determined by multiplying the percentage of the tire’s tread that has been worn with the dealer’s current price.

For instance, if the worn percentage is 75% and the Scorpion ATR is currently going for $114, then the amount you will pay towards the new tire’s replacement will be around $86 while Pirelli will cover the remaining balance of $28.

 Also, the buyer will be responsible for mounting and balancing fees.

Treadwear Coverage

The Scorpion ATR also comes with a 50,000-mile tread life warranty. So, if your Scorpion ATR doesn’t reach the promised 50,000-mileage coverage, then Pirelli will replace it.

The replacement will be done on a prorated basis. Therefore, before you get a replacement, you will first have to pay the pro-rata cost and Pirelli will cover the rest.

The pro-rata cost is determined by multiplying the percentage of the actual mileage delivered by the tire with the dealer’s current selling price.

Pirelli Confidence Plus Plan

The Scorpion ATR also qualifies for the company’s Confidence Plus Plan. The Confidence Plus Plan is more of a customer satisfaction guarantee.

Under this plan, if you purchase a set of four Scorpion ATR tires and you are not satisfied with their performance, then you can return them for a free replacement, within 30 days.

And if there is currently, no available set of suitable Pirelli tires for your vehicle, then you will get a refund, minus applicable fees and taxes.

How Much Does the Pirelli Scorpion ATR Cost?

The Scorpion ATR is currently going for approximately $100 to $500. The actual price that you will pay for this tire will depend on the size that you’ve chosen and the dealer you are buying from.

For instance, if you opt to purchase this tire from Priority Tire, then the prices range between $100 and $522. And if you were to shop at Tire Buyer, then the prices range from $114 to $504.

Pirelli Scorpion ATR Pros

• Outstanding off-road traction
• Impressive highway manners
• Durable tread design
• Low noise levels

Pirelli Scorpion ATR Cons

• Unimpressive performance ice and snow

Should You Buy the Pirelli Scorpion ATR?

If your vehicle frequently shifts between regular road conditions and irregular terrain, then the Scorpion ATR will be an ideal tire choice for your driving needs. It combines the decent handling of standard highway or street tires with the rugged performance of an off-road tire. But on the other hand, if you only drive on paved roads or you spend most of your time driving through country roads, then this tire may not be the best option for you.