Do you want to drive your SUV beyond where the road ends? Then invest in an all-terrain tire, and you will conquer anything the journey throws at you.
SUV all-terrain tires are designed with off-roaders in mind. And since off-roading is unpredictable, these tires can handle anything from gravel, sand, mud, and rocks. And since you will not be off-roading every day, these tires are still good for on-road driving so you won’t have to invest in another set of tires.
The best thing about on-road and off-road all-terrain tires is that despite being made for off-roading, they are comfortable and less noisy on the road,
One such tire is the Pirelli Scorpion ATR Tire. This tire has been on the market for more than 15 years, and surprisingly it’s still among the most popular all-terrain tires. This is even after the brand released the predecessor Scorpion All Terrain Plus, the tire remains a great tire for older trucks and SUVs.
But the big question is…
Is it worth buying the Pirelli Scorpion ATR Tire in 2022? That’s what this article is about. This article covers the features, performance in dry, wet, and snowy conditions, and why it has remained popular.
With that out of the way, here is a quick recap of the Pirelli Scorpion ATR Tire
Pirelli Scorpion ATR Tire Specs and Details
| Brand | Pirelli |
| Type | On-/Off-Road All-Terrain |
| Season | All-season |
| Cars | Truck/SUV |
| Rim Diameter | 15 to 20 |
| Sizes | 10 |
| Load Range | C1 – SL |
| Load Index | 109 – 123 |
| Speed Rating | H (130 mph) – T (118mph) |
| UTQG | 520AB |
| Side Wall | OWL |
| Run-flat | No |
| Tread pattern | Symmetric |
| Tread life Warranty | 50,000 |
| Overall Diameter – Inches | 30.5 – 32.99 |
| Tread depth | 12 – 15/32″ |
| Max PSI | 44 – 80 PSI |
| Weight | 40 LBS – 51 LBS |
Pirelli Scorpion ATR Tire Features
Pirelli describes Scorpion ATR as tenacious and reliable, but how is it done, and does it meet the demands when it hits the road?
Curved frontal grooves
The first thing you will notice with this tire is the curved central grooves purposely designed to provide maximum grip on rocky and irregular road surfaces. There is also the self-cleaning action that removes stones and mud as you drive.
Wide rugged shoulder blocks
Lateral traction is provided by the rugged shoulder blocks, which also improves braking efficiency. The wide rugged blocks also improve the cornering performance of your car, and there is a better ejection of mud.
Robust carcass and reinforced sidewalls
The Scorpion ATR also features a robust carcass and most importantly reinforced sidewalls; as you know driving off-road is risky because of protruding stones and sticks. This is taken care of by the reinforced carcass to prevent cuts and punctures that could mess up your trip.
SEALINSIDE Technology
Even if a puncture occurs, this tire has the SEALINSIDE technology. This technology makes it possible to drive even after a puncture since the tire doesn’t lose air pressure. Pirelli says this covers almost 85% of causes that can cause pressure loss.
Ratings
The Scorpion ATR has a 520AB Uniform Tire Quality Grade and is available for 15 to 20 rim diameters. In total it’s available in10 sizes. It has a load index of 109 to 123. This means the tire handles between 2271 to 3417 lbs at maximum pressure. The speed rating of H -T means the tire can handle between 118 mph and 130mph.
The tire has a tread depth of between 11/32 and 16/32. As you continue to drive the tread depth will wear. The tire becomes unusable when only 2/32 of the tread depth is left. There are narrow rubber bars embedded between some treads that will slowly get exposed as the tread wears out. These bars serve as maintenance indicators. When they flush with the tread, it’s time to replace the tires.
Performance
While the Pirelli Scorpion ATR is not the best all-terrain tire on the market, it offers reliable traction and performance when off-roading. The reinforced sidewalls protect the tire from cuts and punctures.
On the road, the tire performs excellently and is very quiet, which is a challenge with most all-terrain tires. The tire delivers impressive braking and cornering abilities on the road.
On wet surfaces, the circumferential grooves and lateral grooves get into action for adequate water evacuation to boost wet traction and reduce hydroplaning.
On ice and snowy conditions, the tires deliver average performance. The performance isn’t close to what you’d get when driving on winter tires.
Warranty
The Pirelli Scorpion ATR Tire has a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty over unlimited time, just like the ATR Plus. However, this warranty does not cover the LT sizes. If the rear and front wheels differ in size, the warranty is 25,000 miles.
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What this means is that if you use the tire properly and the treadwear wears out before hitting 50,000 miles, the Pirelli will prolate the remaining mileage. Compared to other tires in this category, ATR’s treadwear warranty is a bit lower, but very few tires cover for unlimited time
| DISCOVERER AT3 XLT | 6 Years / 60,000 Miles |
| GRABBER A/TX | 6 Years / 60,000 Miles |
| WILDPEAK A/T TRAIL | 5 Years / 65,000 Miles |
| DESTINATION A/T2 | 5 Years / 55,000 Miles |
| WILDPEAK A/T3W | 5 Years / 55,000 Miles |
Where is the Pirelli Scorpion ATR Tire Made?
Pirelli tires are made across its different production facilities that are located in different countries. For instance, in the US, Pirelli has a production facility in Madison, Tennessee. For this specific tire, it seems they are made in Venezuela, Brazil, and Romania. The most accurate way to know where the tire was made is by checking the DOT code.
Wrapping up
The Pirelli Scorpion ATR tire has been on the market for over a decade. This tire has stood the test of time to be one of the best all-terrain tires for old SUVs. The tire is designed to meet the demands of an off-roading tire. Overall, the Pirelli Scorpion ATR tire provides good performance (average) on wet and dry roads. The performance is better on gravel unpaved roads.
Pirelli Scorpion ATR Sizes
| Tire Diameter | |
| 15” | P255/70R16109T |
| 17 | 225/65R17102H
265/70R17115T 265/70R17115T |
| 18 | P265/60R18110H |
| 20 | 275/50R20113VP
275/55R20111S 275/60R20115T 275/60R20115T |
Sam is Automole’s editor-in-chief and classic car enthusiast. Sam is studying mechanical engineering at Cockrell School of Engineering, Austin. He also writes for many top automotive publications and appears on the Collecting Cars Podcast.
