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Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus: Taking the New Pirelli All-Terrain on a 15,000-Mile Torture Test

May 2, 2019 / by Jered Korfhage

Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus: Taking the New Pirelli All-Terrain on a 15,000-Mile Torture Test

Posted in Product Reviews on May 2, 2019

Jered Korfhage Staff Editor - Four Wheeler

With a name like Pirelli, you might not expect to find the company’s new tire anywhere but on the tarmac, clocking high-speed laps and apexing every chicane. Interestingly, that was precisely our first experience with the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus—and we were so intrigued that we wanted to learn more.

We met the previous iteration of Pirelli’s all-terrain tire, the Scorpion ATR, more than a decade ago in the Nevada desert, and the tire has since been heavily reimagined. We were told emphasis was put toward building a tire that was visually appealing and capable off-road, while making no sacrifices to handling on the blacktop. Engineers even addressed the tire’s performance in wet grass, identifying an off-road niche they claim to be frequently overlooked. Our initial rendezvous with the tire was inspiring (yet brief), so we decided to get chummy with the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus between Ohio and California, driving in everything from thick mud and rocky washes to blizzards and sand dunes.

The Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus in its happy place—Colorado’s San Juan Mountains—where conditions ranged from muddy rocks to fresh snow.

The Mud

Summer in Ohio means rain, and rain not only makes corn but mud as well. The blue-gray sludge has the sucking power of your shop vacuum, the consistency of cold pudding, and it is where we sunk our new Pirelli tires the same day we got ’em mounted. The 15/32-inch-deep treads fought the mud to the best of their ability, and despite being at street pressure, they succeeded at pulling our Jeep through a severely rutted backwoods trail, with the help of the moderately sized shoulder lugs and some momentum.

We hit the thickest mud during the early part of our test and found it to be the tire’s weak point. However, with some correct line choice and momentum, it proved its worth and got us through the trail.

The Road

Once we flung the mud from the tires, the highway portion of the test started in a big way—driving the open interstates from Ohio to California. Having stepped into our new Pirelli shoes from a set of mud tires, we were pleased that highway noise was next to imperceptible. The tires took minimal weight to balance, tracked straight on the pavement, and appeared to be right at home on the surface we spend the majority of our time driving. When the summertime thunderstorms left the highways resembling small waterways, we were thankful for the tread grooves and their diligent direction of water out from beneath the tires, preventing hydroplaning even at highway speeds and during braking.

We spent the better part of a year and 15,000 miles with the new Scorpions and were quite pleased. Signs of abuse were negligible, treadwear was even, and we were left with many compliments on the tire’s good looks.

The Rocks

Although we wouldn’t pick the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus for our next dedicated rock buggy, we made darn sure to test them out on a few ’crawling adventures. Seeing as street pressure gave these tires as much sidewall flex as a regulation basketball, we broke out the deflator and dropped them down to about 20 psi. Sure enough, the contact patch increased and the sidewalls flowed around the boulders, giving us the grip we needed as we expertly picked lines through rugged rock gardens. The weakest link in the new Scorpion is the two-ply sidewall, and extra care is required if you spend more of your time among jagged rocks.

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When we dropped the pressure down to 15 psi, the sidewalls were happy to conform to whatever boulder the Jeep laid eyes on. The two-ply sidewall meant that caution in extra-jagged rocks was necessary to avoid sidewall failure.

The Gravel

To keep our off-road desires satisfied on the journey from Ohio to California, we planned dirt detours at least once every 24 hours. While crossing America’s Heartland, that meant a handful of gravel county roads to break from the monotonous pavement. If a solid portion of your off-highway driving is graded dirt and gravel, then the Pirelli Scorpion seems to be formulated just for you. Of the 15,000 total miles we drove on these tires, the second most prevalent terrain was dirt/gravel roads, and we cruised happily without worrying about punctures or losing traction in the turns. Galloping through roads seemingly paved with fist-sized rocks, a situation where we’ve seen mud-terrains lose noticeable chunks of rubber, the Scorpions emerged largely unscathed.

We spent most of our off-road time driving at moderate speeds on roads ranging from graded gravel to baseball-sized jagged mine tailings—without a single puncture. Conical stone ejectors kept rocks from lodging between the treads and drilling into the tire, preventing flats.

The Snow

Though our Jeep spent the winter in California, there were ample amounts of white stuff within weekend-exploration distance, and it was not uncommon to see flakes flying during our travels. The best part of snowy roads with the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires? The Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol emblazoned on the sidewalls. When other motorists were begrudgingly fastening snow chains to their 2WD sedans, we cruised slowly past them with warm smiles as our tires bit into the frosty roads. The tighter spacing of the tread blocks and generous siping were visually similar to dedicated snow tires, and they performed as such.

Let’s cut right to it: What the Scorpion lacks in the mud is made up for with snow prowess. The Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake even makes it permissible on snowy highways, which require 2WD vehicles or vehicles with all-season tires to don chains.

Our best snow experiences were during snowfall and in moderate accumulations of freshly fallen snow. The rubber compound stayed pliable and the sipes kept biting, keeping us plowing through the trails like a horse-drawn sleigh.

During all of our snow testing, the only “stuck” we encountered was due to ground clearance, not lack of traction.

Notice the interlocking P- and S-shaped tread blocks—Pirelli Scorpion!

The Sand

Whether it was just-for-fun laps at the dunes or many miles deep into a backcountry wash, we were not disappointed with the Scorpion’s sand performance. Perhaps it was the desert-dwelling creature that inspired the tire’s name, or the fact that flotation was commendable at both reduced and street air pressures. Again, it is by no means a sand paddle, but we did not have to consult our trail shovels or recovery gear once while testing in the sand.

Though definitely not sand paddles, the Scorpion All Terrain Plus warranted no complaints in the dunes or washes.

Thoughts After 15,000 Miles

This tire is worth your attention. Its happy place was dry to moderately wet dirt and gravel, pressure dropped to roughly 25 psi, cruising at a spritely pace, with the sidewalls absorbing the irregularities in the trail. Ride this tire on the pavement and you’ll easily believe it was purpose-built to be there. Drive in the snow as much as you do the gravel? This is your tire. Will it still get you home from a day in the dunes, rocks, or mud ruts? Absolutely. Does it give that trail-ready curb appeal? You bet.

Specifications (as tested)

Tire: Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Size: 285/70R17
Type: Radial all-terrain
Load range: D
Max load (lb): 3,200@65 psi
Sidewall construction: 2-ply polyester
Tread construction: 2-ply polyester, 2-ply steel, 2-ply nylon
Approved rim width (in): 7.5-9
Tread depth (in): 15/32
Section width (in): 11.5
Overall diameter (in): 32.8
Maximum psi: 65
Weight (lb): 54