Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs Nexen Roadian HTX2 tires

The Italian tire maker Pirelli has a legacy of over 150 years that boasts many innovations and breakthroughs. On the other hand, Nexen is the first South Korean tire brand that’s also around 80 years old and rolls out tires in different categories. Besides all-season, all-terrain, and winter, these brands also manufacture all-weather tires that can be used year-round and handle moderate to severe winter conditions. The Scorpion WeatherActive and Roadian HTX2 are all-weather tires designed for SUVs and light trucks.

The Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive and Nexen Roadian HTX2 feature special rubber compounds to resist low temperatures and remain flexible for optimum traction and grip in moderate to severe winter weather conditions. Both are backed by long tread life warranties and Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certifications. So, which one should you buy? Let’s compare Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs Nexen Roadian HTX2 based on our unique scoring mechanism – SimpleScore – and decide which one is the best for your SUV /Light truck.

Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive tires

Launched in 2022, the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive delivers superior wet performance and great snow traction thanks to a newer compound technology engineered to boost the tread’s capabilities in low temperatures. Designed exclusively for the North American market, the Scorpion WeatherActive features an innovative tread design that allows exceptional snow and wet performance while maintaining comfortable ride quality. While the zigzag central groove allows increased groove and surface connection for enhanced traction, handling, and braking on snow, trumpet-shaped lateral grooves effectively evacuate water to resist hydroplaning. Backed by the 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Pirelli tire is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, assuring excellent performance in severe winter ice and snow conditions.

Boasting a superb 9.5 out of 10 SimpleScore, the Pirelli all-weather tire impresses in every aspect, whether traction, grip, comfort, longevity, or durability.

Nexen Roadian HTX2 tires

Introduced in 2021, the Roadian HTX2 retains the core values of its predecessor while adding new traits to boost performance further. While its optimized tread design lowers road noise and rolling resistance for higher fuel efficiency, the wide grooves and open shoulder slots help avoid the risk of hydroplaning through the effective clearing of water. Whether dry, wet, or moderate to severe winter conditions, the Roadian HTX2 delivers fantastic grip and traction thanks to the large, angled tread block and multiple sipes. Backed by Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification, the Nexen tire comes with a 50,000 mile warranty for LT sizes and a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for P-metric tire sizes.

With a fantastic overall SimpleScore of 8.6, the Roadian HTX2 offers great handling, traction, control, and longevity.

Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs Nexen Roadian HTX2 tires on traction

Traction becomes highly significant when you are driving on slippery surfaces of ice and snow. All-weather tires feature great details to tackle such situations.

A score of 9.8 shows that the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive offers exceptional grip and traction on dry, wet, and severe winter weather conditions thanks to the innovative rubber compound and trumpet-shaped lateral grooves that quickly expel water and slush to avoid the risk of hydroplaning and boost snow and wet traction. Additionally, the zigzag central groove is also responsible for enhancing grip.

In contrast, the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake-certified Nexen Roadian HTX2 achieves an 8.4 traction score. While the dense siping coupled with large, angled tread blocks allows increased grip and traction, the circumferential grooves and deep lateral grooves push water and slush out of the tread to mitigate the risk of hydroplaning and enhance wet and snow traction.

As visible above, the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive scores several times higher than the Roadian HTX2 in traction and wins the traction race.

ADVANTAGE: Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive

Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs Nexen Roadian HTX2 tires on handling

Excellent control and steering response are needed when you are traversing slippery terrain. The Pirelli and the Nexen promise enhanced handling in dry, wet, and snowy conditions.

Scoring a superb 9.6 out of 10, the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive features a zigzag central groove which offers enhanced coordination within the grooves for increased wet handling. The directional tread pattern and dense sipes provide consistent performance in different weather conditions.

With an 8.3 handling score, the Roadian HTX2 delivers precise steering response in dry, wet, and moderate to severe snowy conditions thanks to the large, angled grooves and solid shoulder design. Additionally, the zigzag ribbed tread design boosts grip and allows increased control at high speeds on tricky surfaces.

The Pirelli continues to dominate the comparison, with another convincing lead in the handling department.

ADVANTAGE: Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive

Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs Nexen Roadian HTX2 tires on longevity

Longevity is the best part of all-weather tires as you get most of the traits of all-season and winter tires with a prolonged service life.

With deep and continuous siping (66% of which remain visible even after the tire is 90% worn), the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive scores 9.1 in longevity. Thanks to the balanced footprint, it puts more rubber on the surface to promote uniform tread wear throughout the tire's lifecycle. It is backed by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

Matching the longevity score of the Pirelli tire, the Nexen Roadian HTX2 features an optimized tread pattern that resists uneven wear. Its reinforced carcass and durable construction boost stability and longevity. It is backed by a solid limited manufacturer tread life warranty that begins from 50,000 miles and goes all the way up to 70,000 miles.

The Nexen finally matches the Pirelli in SimpleScore, and goes a notch higher with a better mileage warranty.

ADVANTAGE: Tie

When to use each

All-weather tires are a perfect option if your region experiences unpredictable weather conditions, as they offer superior traction, grip, handling, comfort, and longevity in dry, wet, and moderate to severe winter conditions. The Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive and the Nexen Roadian HTX2 are great all-weather tires to go for.

If the temperature consistently remains below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, you should go for dedicated winter tires as they come with a special rubber compound to combat sub-freezing temperatures.

Which one should you choose?

In a nutshell, it’s the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive that wins the comparison due to its exceptional handling and traction performance. However, the Nexen Roadian HTX2 gives it a tough fight in terms of tread life, ending the battle in a tie (9.1 vs. 9.1). Now, let’s discuss the last and most crucial aspect of the two – the price.

For a tire size 225/65R17 102H, the Pirelli costs $200 per tire, which means four would cost $800. Similarly, the Nexen costs $161 per tire, and for four, it’s $644. The difference between the two is $156!

Based on the SimpleScores, you should opt for the Pirelli Scorpion WeatheActive if you:

• Drive vehicles like Acura RDX, Audi Q5 and the GMC Yukon
• Want exceptional traction (9.8 vs 8.4) and handling (9.6 vs 8.3)
• Want the ‘Pirelli’ brand

On the other hand, the Nexen Roadian HTX2 should be your choice if you:

• Drive vehicles like Chevrolet Express 2500, Honda Passport, and Jeep Liberty
• Prefer all-weather tires with a longer tread life (70,000 vs 60,000 miles)
• Want raised white/black sidewall lettering for a unique style

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help, and our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.