You're shopping for new tires for your CUV, and Pirelli's own lineup gives you two all-season options with nearly identical names. The Scorpion AS 4 and the Scorpion AS Plus 3 both target the same drivers: crossover, SUV and light truck owners who want confident all-season grip, a quiet cabin and tires that still look good after 50,000 miles. So which one actually belongs on your vehicle? Here's a side-by-side look at what separates these two Scorpion siblings, and where each one makes the most sense.
Two Tires, One Mission: All-Season Confidence for CUVs and SUVs
Both tires sit in Pirelli's Scorpion touring family, built for the segment that now represents roughly a third of all-season tire fitments in North America: crossovers, SUVs and pickup trucks. That's not a coincidence. Vehicles in this class have grown heavier and more powerful over the past decade, and drivers expect a tire that can handle daily commuting, highway trips and the occasional early snowfall without sacrificing ride comfort.
The Scorpion AS Plus 3 launched first, in 2021, as part of Pirelli's "Plus" product line, engineered specifically for North American driving conditions and the segment's fastest-growing wheel sizes. The Scorpion AS 4 is the newer arrival, positioned as Pirelli's next-generation replacement tire for the same vehicle types, with an updated compound and tread design meant to push wet-weather performance and comfort further.
Tread Design and Technology
This is where the two tires diverge the most.
The Scorpion AS Plus 3 relies on 3D sipe technology: full-depth sipes that stay functional as the tread wears down, rather than losing their grip-generating edges over the tire's life. Combined with a tread pattern engineered to minimize void space for better road contact, the AS Plus 3 aims to keep handling and snow traction consistent from the first mile to the last.
The Scorpion AS 4 takes a different route. It uses a symmetrical tread pattern with optimized pattern stiffness, meant to improve how the tire wears and how it looks once it's partially worn. Pirelli also reduced tread pattern void and refined the pitch sequence, which smooths out noise frequency peaks. In plain terms: engineers tuned the block layout specifically to keep the cabin quiet as the tire ages, not just when it's brand new. On the compound side, the AS 4 introduces new tailor-made polymers for abrasion resistance and a new resin package aimed squarely at wet grip.
Neither tire carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol. Both are M+S rated, which means light snow traction, not the certified winter performance of a dedicated winter tire or an all-weather tire like the Scorpion WeatherActive. If you're in Quebec, that distinction matters: neither of these tires satisfies the province's mandatory winter tire law between December 1 and March 15. Budget for a proper winter set if that's your reality.
Wet and Dry Performance
Pirelli built the Scorpion AS 4 around one specific priority: wet braking and wet handling. The new resin package in the compound is designed to raise grip levels across weather conditions, with particular attention to rainy-day confidence, something touring SUV owners in coastal or rain-heavy regions will appreciate.
The Scorpion AS Plus 3 also performs well on wet roads. Independent user review aggregates put its wet grip score meaningfully higher than its dry grip and handling scores, suggesting Pirelli's engineering focus with this generation already leaned toward wet-weather confidence, a strength the AS 4 was designed to build on further.
Where user feedback on the AS Plus 3 gets more mixed is handling responsiveness. Reviewers rate it strongly for wear, snow and ice grip, but lower on outright handling feel compared to some rivals in the Grand Touring all-season category. Since the AS 4 only recently reached the market, independent long-term test data isn't available yet, so treat Pirelli's own claims accordingly and watch for third-party test results as they roll in.
Comfort and Cabin Noise
Comfort is a headline feature on both tires, but they get there differently. The AS Plus 3 promises a quieter ride than its predecessor through its tread pattern and 3D sipe layout. The AS 4 goes a step further by specifically targeting noise consistency over the tire's lifespan, not just when new. Pirelli's stated goal with the AS 4 is that the cabin stays just as quiet at 30,000 miles as it was on day one, addressing a common complaint with touring tires that get noisier as tread depth decreases.
Mileage and Treadwear Warranty
Here's a spec where the two tires are dead even: both the Scorpion AS 4 and the Scorpion AS Plus 3 carry a 70,000-mile limited treadwear warranty (about 112,650 km), which is strong for the Grand Touring all-season category. Both use UTQG 800 A A ratings on comparable sizes, reflecting Pirelli's confidence in tread durability and traction grade.
The AS 4 adds one extra perk in the US market: a 60-day trial period, giving buyers a window to test the tire on their own vehicle and routes before fully committing. That kind of trial isn't standard across the AS Plus 3 lineup, so check with your retailer if a trial period matters to your purchase decision.
Size Availability and Vehicle Fitment
Both tires cover the popular 17 to 22-inch wheel diameters that dominate today's CUV and SUV market. The Scorpion AS Plus 3 ships in 37 sizes and was designed with specific fitments in mind, including the Honda CR-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota Highlander, Kia Sorento and Ford F-150.
The Scorpion AS 4 casts a wider net with over 40 available sizes, extending coverage into more 20, 21 and 22-inch fitments that suit larger SUVs and pickups, plus popular crossovers like the Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester and Chevrolet Equinox. If you're running an unusual size or a newer vehicle, check the AS 4's size chart first. Its broader range makes it more likely to have a direct fit.
Price and Value
Pricing on both tires lands in a similar bracket for the premium touring all-season segment, though exact pricing varies by size and retailer. Since the AS Plus 3 has been on the market since 2021, you'll find more competitive pricing and wider retailer availability across common sizes. The AS 4, as the newer release, may carry a modest premium in some sizes until it's fully established across the supply chain, but that gap tends to narrow quickly as new tire lines mature.
For either tire, treat the treadwear warranty as part of the value equation. A 70,000-mile warranty on a properly rotated and aligned set effectively lowers your cost per kilometer over the tire's service life, even if the upfront price looks steep next to a budget all-season option.
Which Scorpion Should You Choose?
Choose the Scorpion AS Plus 3 if:
You drive one of its specifically engineered fitments (CR-V, Grand Cherokee, Highlander, Sorento, F-150 and similar)
You want a proven track record with several years of real-world driver feedback
You're prioritizing snow traction and tread wear consistency in a known, well-reviewed product
Budget and immediate retailer availability matter more than having the newest tire on the market
Choose the Scorpion AS 4 if:
Wet-weather braking and handling are your top priority
You want the widest possible size selection, especially in larger 20 to 22-inch diameters
Long-term noise comfort as the tire wears matters to you
You want access to the 60-day trial period to test-drive your decision
Both tires deliver on Pirelli's core promise for this segment: confident all-season grip, a comfortable cabin and a treadwear warranty that rewards drivers who keep their tires properly maintained. The right pick comes down to your vehicle's fitment, your climate and how much weight you put on wet-weather performance versus a proven, established option.
Final Thoughts
Neither the Scorpion AS 4 nor the Scorpion AS Plus 3 is a bad choice. They're both engineered for the same job, just with a few years and a generation of Pirelli's tire research between them. If your vehicle fits both, the deciding factors usually come down to availability, price at the time of purchase and whether you'd rather have the newest tread technology or a tire with a longer track record behind it.
Not sure which size or fitment applies to your vehicle? Use the size and vehicle lookup tools to confirm compatibility before you buy, and reach out to our team if you want a second opinion based on your driving conditions.
