Continental TerrainContact AT vs Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
- TR Score
- 8.9/10
- Owners say
- 79% · 9
- TR Score
- 7.6/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 23
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Continental TerrainContact AT finished ahead 2 times and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus not once. The TerrainContact AT was 9.6% quicker in the snow traction test.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose Continental TerrainContact AT for daily road use, wet/snow safety, and quiet comfort; pick Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus if you prioritize fuel economy, a firmer/engaging feel on light trails, and aggressive styling.
Where the TerrainContact AT is stronger
- Best-in-test wet grip: shortest wet braking and fastest wet handling
- Shorter dry braking and strong overall road safety margins
- Significantly lower noise and better ride comfort
Where the Scorpion All Terrain Plus is stronger
- Lower rolling resistance for better fuel economy
- Slight edge in dry handling lap time
- Good curved aquaplaning resistance
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
TerrainContact AT vs Scorpion All Terrain Plus at a glance
| Category | TerrainContact AT | Gap | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won2 shared tests | 2 | 0 | |
| Dry3 measurements | 1 | Level between the two. | 1 |
| Wet6 measurements | 4 | 1 | |
| Snow6 measurements | 6 | The TerrainContact AT was 9.6% quicker in the snow traction test (2 tests) | 0 |
| Off road4 measurements | 2 | 1 | |
| Comfort3 measurements | 3 | 0 | |
| Value1 measurement | 0 | 1 | |
| Tyre Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.9/10 | The TerrainContact AT by 1.3 | 7.6/10 |
| Owner rating9 and 23 reviews | 79% | The Scorpion All Terrain Plus by 3 points | 82% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 67% | The Scorpion All Terrain Plus by 4 points | 71% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 1 | 1 size made in both | 24 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tyres; a tick marks the tyre ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 2 tests, 2022 to 2023
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | TerrainContact AT | Field | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 Best All Terrain Tyres In Snow | P5 of 7 | P6 of 7 | |
| 2022/23 Best 9 All Terrain Tyres | P2 of 9 | P4 of 9 |
Performance profile
20 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
TerrainContact AT
Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it.
Where each scores higher
TerrainContact AT
Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
TerrainContact AT
Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the TerrainContact AT 79% from 9 reviews and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus 82% from 23. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | TerrainContact AT | Gap | Scorpion All Terrain Plus | Wins | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41.6 | 4.1% | 43.4 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 68.6 | 0.3% | 68.41 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||||||
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| 58 | 7.9% | 62.95 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 81.33 | 3.5% | 84.3 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||||||
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| 13.39 | 2.3% | 13.7 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 84.4 | 0.7% | 83.8 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 3.12 | 9% | 3.4 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 47.84 | 6.4% | 51.11 | 2-0 | |||||||||
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| 5.66 | 9.6% | 6.26 | 2-0 | |||||||||
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| 102.6 | 7.8% | 111.2 | 2-0 | |||||||||
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| 62.73 | 0.7% | 63.16 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| scored | 5.9% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||
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| 58 | 0.4% | 58.26 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||||||
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| scored | 5.6% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| scored | 11.1% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 71.9 | 6.2 dB | 78.1 | 1-0 | |||||||||
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| 9.67 | 8.1% | 8.89 | 0-1 | |||||||||
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Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the TerrainContact AT scores 8.9 and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus 7.6 out of 10.
| TerrainContact AT | Category | Scorpion All Terrain Plus | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 | Dry | 70 | ||
| 76 | Wet | 46 | ||
| 97 | Comfort | 8 | ||
| 24 | Value | 71 | ||
| 58 | Snow | 22 | ||
| 24 | Ice | - | ||
| 37 | Off road | 56 | ||
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
What owners say
| TerrainContact AT | Category | Scorpion All Terrain Plus | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.1 | Dry Grip | 8.5 | ||
| 8.8 | Wet Grip | 8.4 | ||
| 7.9 | Road Feedback | 8.5 | ||
| 8.2 | Handling | 8.1 | ||
| 7.6 | Wear | 7.4 | ||
| 8.1 | Comfort | 8.4 | ||
| 4.8 | Snow Grip | 7.9 | ||
| 4.3 | Ice Grip | 6.6 | ||
Owners rate the TerrainContact AT 79% from 9 reviews and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus 82% from 23. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Continental TerrainContact AT
- 79%from 9 reviews
- 67%would buy again
- 163,059 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers report the Continental TerrainContact AT delivers strong all-around performance, especially excellent wet-road grip/hydroplaning resistance, confident on-road handling, and generally quiet, comfortable manners for an all-terrain tyre. Off-road traction on dirt, gravel, and mild-to-moderate trails is commonly described as solid. A minority of users note faster-than-expected tread wear, and some mention more noticeable tread-pattern noise at highway speeds. Winter/mountain conditions (snow/ice) are mixed, with a couple of drivers reporting reduced confidence compared with their expectations.
- Excellent wet traction and hydroplaning resistance
- Quiet for an all-terrain tyre with good ride comfort
- Good on-road handling/stability and overall all-around performance
- Capable traction on gravel, dirt, and light-to-moderate off-road use
- Some increase in tread-pattern road noise at highway speeds
- Tread life can be shorter than expected for some drivers
- Mixed confidence in snow/ice or mountain winter conditions
Summarised by AI from 9 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 9 TerrainContact AT reviews40% city, 40% highway, 20% ranch road driving. This tire gave exceptional grip on road in both wet and dry, and decent grip off road. MPG was average. I might be happy with this tire, but for the money, the Michelin LTX MS2 is the better choice because of how fast these tires wore out. Quick wear doesn't just mean you buy new tires sooner, but you have to rotate them more often, and that is annoying.
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
- 82%from 23 reviews
- 71%would buy again
- 525,272 milesdriven by reviewers
Most drivers rate the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus highly for confident wet and dry grip, quiet and comfortable on-road manners (for an A/T), strong snow/ice capability (3PMSF), and durable tread life, with many reporting 60,000-90,000 km. Off-road performance on dirt, gravel, and light trails is widely praised. A minority report issues such as high noise on some vehicles, faster/uneven wear when underinflated or on certain setups, and isolated quality/sidewall concerns. Overall sentiment is strongly positive given the weight of high-scoring reviews.
- wet and dry grip
- snow and ice traction
- quiet/low road noise for an A/T
- comfort
- noise on some vehicles
- faster or uneven wear in certain conditions
- customer service/warranty responsiveness
Summarised by AI from 19 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 23 Scorpion All Terrain Plus reviewsAfter quite some research, decided on the Pirelli Scorpion AT+ and not regretted it! Really good tyres, both on and off road. The first year I had to drive one hour on Motorways to get to our newly purchased farm (Valencia, Spain) then 3km on a gritted forest road and the last 2,5km on the track down to the farm. This track is seriously bad, with deep ruts, bolders, roots and pointy rocks. Inititally I used to drive down in 4x4, but this is not really necessary as these tyres have plenty of grip, so in dry weather now driving in 4x2. But, as soon as it rains, the flatter parts of this track get seriously slippery, so always in 4x4. But also then these tyres perform really well and you feel safe and confident. We have now been living in the farm for a year and go up and down the mountain at least once a day, but sometimes twice of even three times. Have the tyres just over 2 years now and they have done 12.000km, but they still look in pretty good shape, seeing the abuse they get on a daily basis. Whether I would buy them again, depends on what is then available on the market. Tyres keep improving all the time. But for now, I could certainly recommend them.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tyre: 1 sizes of the TerrainContact AT and 24 of the Scorpion All Terrain Plus, 1 of them made in both.
| Category | TerrainContact AT | Scorpion All Terrain Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Season | All Season | All Season |
| Sizes made | 1 sizes, 18 to 18 inch | 24 sizes, 16 to 20 inch |
| Made in both | 1 size 265/60 R18 | |
| EU label wet grip | C100% | D89%B7%C4% |
| EU label rolling resistance | D100% | D85%C15% |
| EU label noise | 72 dB B100% | 72-75 dB B100% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 0 of 1 | 25 of 27 |
| On the market since | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaced | - | Pirelli Scorpion ATR (2007) |
| Replaced by | Continental TerrainContact AT2 | Pirelli Scorpion XTM AT |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
This head-to-head pits two popular mild all-terrain options for SUVs and 4x4s: Continental's TerrainContact AT and Pirelli's Scorpion All Terrain Plus. Both target year-round versatility, balancing on-road manners with light off-road capability, but they approach that brief differently.
Across two shared professional tests, the Continental consistently delivered shorter braking distances and stronger wet and snow performance, while the Pirelli leaned on stable highway efficiency and slightly sharper steering feel in select scenarios. If you split time between daily commuting and weekend trails, the distinctions in braking, noise, comfort, and rolling resistance will matter day-to-day.
Conclusion
The Continental TerrainContact AT is the safer, more rounded road-bias pick: it topped both shared tests overall, led wet braking by 7.9% (58.0 m vs 62.95 m) and wet handling, stopped shorter in the dry (41.6 m vs 43.4 m), and was markedly quieter (71.9 dB vs 78.1 dB) with better ride comfort. It also outperformed in snow across braking, traction, and handling, providing a more confidence-inspiring winter buffer.
The Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus counters with lower rolling resistance (-8.1%), slightly crisper dry handling lap time, stronger curved aquaplaning, and subjectively engaging gravel balance. If you value efficiency, a meatier AT look, and occasional dirt-road play, it remains appealing. For most mixed-use drivers prioritizing safety, refinement, and wet/snow assurance, the Continental is the clearer choice.
TerrainContact AT vs Scorpion All Terrain Plus: your questions
Is the Continental TerrainContact AT or the Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus the better tyre?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Continental TerrainContact AT finished ahead 2 times and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the TerrainContact AT scores 8.9 and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus 7.6 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the TerrainContact AT or the Scorpion All Terrain Plus?
The TerrainContact AT led 4 of the 6 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 1-1 between the TerrainContact AT and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus.
Which is better in snow?
The TerrainContact AT led 6 of the 6 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it was 9.6% quicker in the snow traction test across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.1/10 for the TerrainContact AT and 8.4/10 for the Scorpion All Terrain Plus.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the TerrainContact AT 79% from 9 reviews and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus 82% from 23. 67% of TerrainContact AT owners would buy it again, against 71% for the Scorpion All Terrain Plus.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The TerrainContact AT is made in 1 sizes (18 to 18 inch) and the Scorpion All Terrain Plus in 24 (16 to 20 inch). 1 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the TerrainContact AT is graded C for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Scorpion All Terrain Plus D and D.
Which is the newer tyre?
The TerrainContact AT is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the Scorpion All Terrain Plus in 2017. The Scorpion All Terrain Plus replaced the Pirelli Scorpion ATR.
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Review the TerrainContact AT Review the Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.
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