Pirelli Tire Review (2021)

Pirelli review

In Our Opinion:

Pirelli tires are beloved by high-speed enthusiasts and luxury car owners. The company produces exceptional performance tires, as well as a few notable winter tire models. Our team likes Pirelli’s commitment to fuel efficiency and sustainability. However, Pirelli tires are not the best option for drivers on a budget.

Industry Standing:

Tire Variety:

Affordability:

Customer Satisfaction:

Pros:

Good winter tires

Strong industry reputation

Excellent performance tires

Eco-friendly and fuel-efficient technology

Cons:

Expensive

Tires may wear quickly

Some reported issues with wet handling

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Pirelli tires are made for speed, comfort, and expert handling. They’re well-known in the automotive industry, but are they the right tires for you?

In this review, we’ll discuss Pirelli tires in depth, including the company’s quality, popular models, costs, customer feedback, and more. We’ll also go over which kinds of drivers should consider other brands.

After researching the tire industry, our review team compiled a list of the best tires and brands currently available. To start comparing prices from a variety of highly rated brands, including Pirelli, visit TireRack.com.

Pirelli Tires Overview

Pirelli Tires Industry Ratings

Pirelli’s Most Popular Models

Cost of Pirelli Tires

Pirelli Customer Reviews

Positive Customer Reviews

Negative Customer Tires

Our Final Thoughts on Pirelli Tires

Top Recommendations for Tires

Michelin: Best Tires Overall

Cooper: Most Affordable

Frequently Asked Questions

Pirelli Tires Overview

Established in 1872, Pirelli is an Italian tire manufacturer best known for its high-performance models. Pirelli tires are used by some of the biggest luxury names in the industry: Maserati, Lamborghini, Audi, BMW, and Porsche, to name a few. The company is based in Milan but also has North American headquarters in Rome, Georgia. It’s the seventh largest tire manufacturer in the world.

Pirelli makes tires for cars, light trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and bicycles. They’re not our first choice for your daily commuter, but they’re an excellent option for sports vehicles, as Pirelli tires are synonymous with performance. The company’s models are made for speed, excellent handling, and grip in wet and dry conditions. Pirelli has also made considerable efforts toward sustainability, like sourcing plant-based materials and synthetic rubbers.

Pirelli Tires Industry Ratings

Passenger tire brands, Pirelli included, report their tire ratings based on an evaluation system created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This system is called Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG), and it grades tires – except specialized tires – based on their treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance.

Here’s an explanation of the UTQG grading system:

Treadwear: This grade estimates the longevity of your tires. To calculate treadwear, tires are measured against a control tire given a rating of 100. If a tire has a 500 treadwear rating, that means it lasted five times longer than the control. Most passenger tires have between a 300 and 500 treadwear rating, according to data from SaferCar.gov.

Traction: This grade measures how well your tires “grip” a wet road. Traction grades are given on a scale of AA, A, B, or C. Good day-to-day passenger tires typically receive an A rating.

Temperature: This grade evaluates a tire’s heat resistance on a scale of A, B, or C. Tires need to withstand different temperatures based on their specialization. Performance tires, for example, usually move at much higher speeds than all-season tires, and in turn, require higher temperature ratings.

It’s important to note that the NHTSA does not oversee UTQG tests. Tire testing and reporting are performed by manufacturers themselves or independent analysts hired by manufacturers.

Below, we’ve listed several top-rated Pirelli tire models and their treadwear, traction, and temperature ratings using data from SaferCar.gov.

Pirelli Tire

Tire Type

Treadwear Score

Traction Score

Temperature Resistance

P4 Four Seasons Plus (T-speed rated)

PassengerStandard touringAll-season

760

A

B

Scorpion Verde All Season

Crossover/SUVTouringAll-season

600

A

A

Scorpion ATR

Light truck/SUVAll-terrain

520

A

B

P Zero Nero All Season

PassengerMax performanceSummer

400

A

A

If you want to know more about a Pirelli tire you already own, you can check the tire’s sidewall for the UTQG grade.

Pirelli’s Most Popular Models

Pirelli produces both original equipment (OE) and replacement models, and supplies tires for many prestigious car manufacturers. The most popular Pirelli tires are performance-focused. While the company does offer a few decent winter and all-terrain models, Pirelli tires are best on open roads or around the track.

Using customer data from Tire Rack, we outlined some of the most popular Pirelli tires below. These models are well-regarded in the industry and have received largely positive reviews.

Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3: A reputable winter tire with a performance design that often makes best winter tires lists

Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus: A grand touring all-season tire with a 70,000-mile tread life warranty and eco-friendly design

Pirelli P Zero: A quiet maximum performance summer tire with exceptiona

Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus: An all-season touring tire with upgraded fuel efficiency and notable wet and dry handling performance

While Pirelli offers one of the longest tire warranties in the industry – a 90,000-mile treadwear warranty for the P4 Four Seasons Plus – most of its treadwear warranties are average. Since the manufacturer specializes in high-performance tires, this comes as no surprise.

Here are a few examples of Pirelli tires’ treadwear warranties for replacement models:

Pirelli Scorpion STR: 65,000 miles

Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus: 70,000 miles

Pirelli P Zero Nero All Season: 45,000 miles

Pirelli’s limited warranty covers repairs of any defective materials or workmanship after the first year of purchase or before the tire wears to 2/32-inch of the original tread.

Cost of Pirelli Tires

On average, most Pirelli tires are well above $100 apiece. This is on the expensive side but is on par with the cost of Michelin and Goodyear tires. Many drivers don’t mind paying more for Pirelli tires because they’re highly specialized and often made for premium car brands.

Below, we’ve outlined the average cost of a few Pirelli tires.

Pirelli Tire Model

Average Cost

Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Plus

$88 to $135

Pirelli Scorpion Asimmetrico

$165 to $453

Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus

$150 to $292

Pirelli Customer Reviews

Customer reviews can give you a better look at how Pirelli tires perform on the road and how the tires drive in different scenarios. Pirelli received top marks in the 2020 J.D. Power Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study

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for passenger tires. Out of 1,000 possible points, Pirelli scored 788, making it the frontrunner in the study.

We detailed both positive and negative customer experiences below to give you a well-rounded idea of Pirelli’s pros and cons.

Positive Customer Reviews

“[In] October 2016, the factory tires were replaced with Pirelli Cinturato P7s, and [I] immediately wondered why I waited so long to replace the old tires. Highway tire noise went to almost zero, [and] handling dry, wet, or [in] snow was a definite improvement. Fuel mileage [also] picked up about 0.5 mpg.” – via Tire Rack

“[The Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow] are by far the best tires I’ve ever driven on in the winter. Five inches of ice and snow to three feet of snow... these tires did very well. Very comfortable tires, they do not wear fast, and they are quiet.” – via Tire Rack

Negative Customer Tires

“If you are driving in any significant amount of rain, [the Scorpion Verde All Seasons] are terrible. Traction is horrible. There really is not much of a tread pattern to them. Driving in heavy rain recently, I had to slow down to 55 mph on the highway.” – via Tire Rack

“[Pirelli P6000] OEMs are horrible. Tire noise is so loud that you think you are driving a monster truck vs. an Audi A6 4.2... Someone at Audi must have gotten a payoff from the OEM to use up these tires. I [cannot] see any engineer in his right mind putting these tires on this car.” – via Tire Rack

Our Final Thoughts on Pirelli Tires

Pirelli is a sound choice for performance tires. Customers are often impressed with their dry handling and low noise on the road. The manufacturer also produces quality models for the eco-conscious driver. However, Pirelli tires are expensive and regularly cost upwards of $100 per tire. If you’re on a budget or want a tire better suited for the daily commute, consider other brands.

Top Recommendations for Tires

Michelin and Cooper are two of our top-rated tire manufacturers. Both are well-regarded in the industry and have received many positive customer reviews. In our 2021 tires review, we named Michelin tires the Best Overall and Cooper tires the Most Affordable.

Michelin: Best Tires Overall

Michelin produces excellent tire options across all categories, including all-season tires, summer tires, and all-terrain tires. Michelin models may have a higher price tag, but their high-quality rubber and design make them a worthwhile investment.

Learn more in our review of Michelin tires, or compare rates for Michelin tires right away at TireRack.com.

Cooper: Most Affordable

Drivers shopping for affordable tires that don’t compromise on quality should look to Cooper. A relatively new tire manufacturer, Cooper makes replacement models starting as low as $84 per tire. The tire manufacturer offers long-lasting treadwear warranties up to 80,000 miles, placing it in leagues with the industry’s more mature players.

Read more in our full review of Cooper tires, or start shopping for Cooper tires at TireRack.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Pirelli tires any good?

Pirelli is a strong choice for performance models and even a few winter models. However, the company’s tires are highly specialized and won’t be the right choice for every driver.

Is Pirelli better than Michelin?

We rated Pirelli lower than Michelin in our 2021 best tires review, but Pirelli makes great options for luxury passenger cars. Which tire is right for you will depend on what you’re looking for.

Who are Pirelli tires made by?

ChemChina makes Pirelli tires.

How long do Pirelli tires last?

The longest Pirelli tread life warranty is 90,000 miles, but most of its models have a service life of between 50,000 and 65,000 miles.