Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season vs Michelin Primacy Tour A/S

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The Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season is a SUV/Crossover touring all-season tire, while the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S comes in the grand touring all-season category. Let’s see how well these tires perform next to each other.

Primary Tour A S on BMW 5 series
Primacy Tour A/S on BMW (5 series).

Main Highlights

Pirelli Scorpion Verde excels in:

  • Superior snow grip due to thick siping.
  • Enhanced ride comfort with sound-absorbing technology.
  • Better wet handling with efficient water clearance.
  • Quick recovery and stability after turns.

More detailed discussion on Michelin’s tire: https://tiredriver.com/michelin-primacy-tour-a-s-review/

Whereas Michelin Primacy Tour A/S excels in:

  • Improved ice performance with specialized rubber.
  • Stronger wet braking capabilities.
  • Shorter dry braking distances and better straight-line stability.
  • Better control and grip during mid-corner handling.

More detailed discussion on Pirelli’s tire: https://tiredriver.com/pirelli-scorpion-verde-all-season-review/

Construction Differences

The Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season is equipped with an asymmetric tread pattern that showcases a sophisticated design.

Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season tread 1
Verde All Season

This tire includes five distinct block columns, commonly referred to as ribs in the tire industry.

The asymmetric design is readily apparent, with the outer two shoulder ribs offering similar features, such as lateral voids and “blockers” in front of them, complemented by a parallel siping pattern.

However, one side is characterized by lateral voids interrupted by strategically placed ridges that connect the lugs longitudinally.

In contrast, the other side features a continuous, unadorned rib running alongside the shoulder blocks, effectively closing off the lateral channels.

Additionally, this smooth rib is also present on two of the three central ribs, which together create four circumferential grooves.

Despite these differences, the ribs share common characteristics, including biters and linear siping.

Internally, the tire is constructed with a two-ply polyester casing, reinforced with twin wide steel belts and dual nylon cap plies. A polyamide layer is situated just beneath the rubber surface to enhance bump absorption and overall ride comfort.

Similarly, the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S also comes with a five-rib design with an asymmetric tread pattern.

Primary Tour A S
Primacy Tour A/S

The first two ribs on the right side of the tire feature densely packed shoulder lugs with curved inside edges, and in-groove notches that align similarly, creating a zigzag pattern with the adjacent rib.

While this neighboring rib also has curved siping, its notches are more pronounced.

The subsequent two ribs share similar characteristics, including biters and interlocking siping with longitudinal vertical slits.

On the far left, the shoulder design mirrors that of the opposite side, with comparable interlocking sipes but otherwise no significant differences.

The internal structure of the Michelin tire comprises a two-ply polyester cord casing, supported by two steel belts and topped with a single-ply polyamide cap ply, ensuring durability and stability.

Side Note: If you are confused about all season tires, don’t get overwhelmed, I sorted them all out in my comprehensive all season category, check it out here: https://tiredriver.com/all-season-tires/

Sizes Specifications

FeatureMichelin Primacy Tour A/SPirelli Scorpion Verde
Rim Sizes17 to 22 inches16 to 20 inches
Speed RatingsH and VH and V
Load RatingsSL and XLSL and XL
Tread Depth7 to 11/32″9 to 12/32″
Weight Range25 to 37 lbs26 to 40 lbs
Treadwear Warranty55k miles for H and V.
45k miles for W (speed rated) sizes.
65k miles
UTQG Rating540 A A600 A A

Winter Performance

When we’re looking at how all-season tires handle winter, we really zero in on three things:

  • How quickly the tire can speed up.
  • Its handling, especially how responsive it is when you steer.
  • How it performs on different kinds of wintry surfaces, with a special focus on soft snow and ice.

Now, after checking out these aspects, I’ve noticed that the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is pretty awesome on ice, while the Pirelli Scorpion Verde performs better on snow.

The Pirelli gets its top-notch snow grip from its thick siping slits designed to grab onto snow. These sipes, along with lateral notches, create really effective snow-to-snow contact, which is key, because snow sticks better to itself than to tire tread.

On the flip side, the Michelin stands out with its ice grip and handling. Simply put, it has a more ice-biting rubber that’s particularly better at braking and traction, especially with its combination of winter-optimized wave-like and linear siping.

Though keep in mind, that both tires don’t come with 3-peak mountain snowflake ratings, and there are better options out there. So, maybe take a look around and see what other all-season options are out there.

Overall Ride Comfort

A comfortable driving experience is affected by two main elements: the noise coming from the tread and the tire’s ability to soften the impact of road defects. Let’s look into these in detail.

Noise Comfort

Now for the most part, the noise we’re talking about comes from air particles smacking into the tire’s surface. Let me break it down a bit.

What happens is air particles sneak into the tread via the gaps around the edges. When they hit, they create sound vibrations. These vibrations hang out and bounce around in the tread grooves, making what’s called in-groove resonances, and this just adds to the whole noise situation.

Now, out of both tires, the Scorpion Verde All Season, is a star in this area. Though this goes for sizes that come with Pirelli’s Noise Cancelling System.

This is a fancy way of saying they slap a layer of sound-absorbing foam on the inside of the tire to keep things quieter inside your ride.

Road Smoothness

When we’re talking about how smoothly a tire rolls over those annoying bumps and cracks in the road, it’s all about the tire’s inner and outer build. Simply put, they’ve got to be flexible enough to manage vibrations without making a fuss.

Now, the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season has the upper hand here, as it’s got a softer rubber that helps a lot. Plus, it’s built with more layers, including an extra polyester layer inside and a nylon cap ply on top.

And yes, that sound-absorbing layer we talked about earlier? It’s not just for noise, as it also helps smooth out the bumps too.

In simpler terms, this tire has a deeper tread which gives it a bit of an edge in soaking up those jolts and jitters. And more room in the tread means vibrations have somewhere to go and settle down.

On the flip side, there’s the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S. It’s decently stable, but it doesn’t quite give you as much of a smooth ride experience you get from Pirelli here.

This goes, especially when you’re taking corners, where the tire feels a bit rougher. That’s likely because it has a stiffer nylon layer inside and tougher rubber on the outside.

Wet Performance

Wet conditions test a tire’s ability to clear water from its tread, affecting both traction and the resistance to hydroplaning. Let’s see how these aspects have been addressed.

Hydroplaning Resistance

Now, most of the water gets funneled out through grooves, and getting rid of it quickly is crucial to keep control.

I mean, since water can’t be compressed, if it’s not moved out of the way fast, it forms a barrier between the tire and the road. And this can lead to hydroplaning, where the tire basically surfs on the water, killing all traction.

Enters the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season. Its groove design is top-notch, slinging out way more water in comparison here.

Its grooves are connected better, making it super efficient. Plus, it’s got greater tread depth, that handle more water at a time.

And yes, the tire’s weight is also helping here. It basically creates a better negative pressure for water, so it gushes out form the middle towards shoulders (and out of the tire).

Wet Grip and Handling

Even though most water is channeled out by the grooves, a bit still clings on, directly hitting the rubber and risking slippage. And that’s where sipes step in.

These tiny slits give water a place to escape when squeezed between the rubber and the road. Though they need to be flexible to work their magic.

Having said that, here, the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season takes the lead with its dense, flexible siping. It’s especially great for handling, keeping its cool and staying flexible even during tight turns.

Moreover, its sipes are smartly designed to avoid stiffening or sealing shut during sharp cornering, ensuring consistent performance.

Conversely, the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S falls a bit short in this aspect. Its tread doesn’t offer the same level of detailed siping, particularly around the edges, and lacks the varied angles found in the Pirelli.

While it does feature interlocking siping slits, they’re more susceptible to stiffening, according to my tests. Basically its sipes are better designed for icy conditions.

However, it’s important to recognize that the Michelin outperforms the Pirelli in wet braking. So, while it may not be as adept at handling sharp turns, it demonstrates its own set of advantages in wet environments.

Overall Dry Performance

Let’s dissect the dry performance of tires by assessing their linear/lateral grip and steering response carefully.

Directional Grip

Directional grip refers to a tire’s capability to maintain traction on the road while traveling in a straight line. This quality is assessed by evaluating the tire’s braking effectiveness, which largely depends on the design of the tread’s footprint.

Now here, the central part of the tread, where the lugs encounter the road most frequently as the tire rolls forward, plays a crucial role, and considering that, it makes sense why the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S takes the lead, (according to my personal experience, and testing with this tire).

Basically, the tire on average offers a 4 feet shorter braking distances (stopping from 60 mph), compared to Pirelli.

This is because the tire features a more continuous, robust rib along its center and a more durable base layer reinforced with a harder rubber compound.

This combination ensures a steady and extensive contact with the road surface, enhancing traction and control.

In contrast, the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season’s design includes a more you can say, segmented central ribs, which limit its rubber-to-road contact.

Additionally, the tire also weigh a little more, and so it’s greater generated momentum (inertia), is a relatively harder to stop.

Overall Handling

When it comes to handling, it all boils down to two biggies: the side grip (lateral grip) and how quick and precise they feel when you make a turn (steering responsiveness).

Let’s start with lateral grip. From what my tests show, it’s a tight race between the two tires, where neither really pulls ahead based on how they cling to the road on the sides.

But, mix in steering responsiveness, and we’re playing a whole different game.

Now, the steering is all about three key moments:

  • Cornering Entry: This is where you’re slowing down just before you hit the curve.
  • Mid-corner: This is the tricky part. You want your tires to hold on tight to avoid skidding out (causing understeering and oversteering).
  • Exit: This is where you’re coming out of the curve and the tire’s ability to straighten out (along with acceleration) gets tested.

Now, these moments are crucial for the tire’s overall dry handling times, of course. And while the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season might not zip into corners as fast due to a tad slower braking (discussed in previous section), it does snap back to a straight line quicker after the turn.

But here’s the kicker: the real game-changer is the mid-corner phase. And this is where the Pirelli, being a bit heavier, tends to lose its grip and understeer.

So, while both tires are pretty solid in the lateral grip department, the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S edges out, especially in those critical mid-corners, leading to faster lap times on average.

Just a heads-up: The difference between the two tires is pretty slim, and it’s even more so during summer. I’ve actually dived into this in more detail here: https://tiredriver.com/are-all-season-tires-good-for-summer/

Wrapping Up

So overall, both tires have their strengths.

Here, the Michelin excels on ice with superior grip and braking, thanks to its ice-oriented siping, while the Pirelli dominates in snow due to its thick sipes and snow-adhering design.

For overall comfort, the Pirelli leads with its noise-cancelling tech and smoother ride, though it’s worth noting neither tire boasts the 3-peak mountain snowflake rating, suggesting there are better specialized options available.

In wet conditions, the Pirelli’s siping and groove design offer excellent water clearance and handling, outpacing the Primacy Tour’s less flexible siping but not its wet braking.

Dry performance sees a close match in grip, but the Michelin’s superior design provides better braking and mid-corner stability.

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