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Last updated 9/30/2024 - Originally published 9/30/2024
Written by SimpleTire
Contrary to what many people think, all-weather tires are different from all-season tires. Though both are meant to provide year-round traction and performance, all-weather tires are capable of handling moderate to heavy snow, thereby occupying an area where all-season tires don’t quite fit in. Anyone who’s ever aimed to safely navigate through 3-4 inches of snow on the roads will be aware that all-season tires will not provide the kind of braking, traction, and control necessary here. Therefore, it can be said that all-weather tires occupy the sweet spot between all-season and winter tires, but without the headache of having to store and maintain winter tires above 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do you know about SimpleScore? SimpleScore is our system of ascertaining a tire’s suitability to your needs as per its capabilities and performance as per its traction, handling, longevity, and overall score. For the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive and Toyo Celsius II, the SimpleScore numbers shake out as follows:
Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive
- Traction: 9.8
- Handling: 9.6
- Longevity: 9.1
- Overall average SimpleScore: 9.5
Toyo Celsius II
- Traction: 8.5
- Handling: 8.5
- Longevity: 9.0
- Overall average SimpleScore: 8.7
Both, the Pirelli and the Toyo have their own sets of strengths and weaknesses. The tires are sold at distinctly different price points (which we’ll touch on in a bit), but we have much more to tell you apart from the SimpleScores here, so let’s use this product comparison to understand both tires in greater detail, shall we?
Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive tires
The Pirelli name has been associated with excellence and performance for many years. Launched in September 2022, the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive is the older product in this comparison and is responsible for winter traction without sacrificing much in the way of tread life, ride comfort, road etiquette, noise level, braking, handling, or cornering performance. The Three Peak Mountain Snowflake rating certifies this tire for severe winter service, and a directional tread pattern is most suitable for a confident grip. While a 3-rib design prevents tread squirm, angled grooves remove water and slush to prevent hydroplaning. Apart from the above, a zigzag central groove and a tread pitch that is randomly adjusted and computer-tuned to cancel out specific frequencies and resonances. A special tread compound is most helpful during moderate to severe winters and a limited manufacturer tread life warranty is on offer. Based on the above, the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive makes a strong case for an amazing average SimpleScore of 9.5.
Toyo Celsius II tires
Toyo Tires is a popular Japanese brand that is recognized for its superior performance, service, and quality, along with innovative engineering and design. The company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility produces high-quality tires and its American division is called Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. With the Toyo Celsius II, you’ll get to experience a healthy mix of tread life, comfort, and year-round traction. A unique tread compound and snow claws make it a great choice for moderate to severe snow. Much like the Pirelli, it is also available with a Three Peak Mountain Snowflake rating. The limited manufacturer warranty is also the same as the Pirelli, the details of which will be given later. Expect the tire to provide a flexible platform that fits into most on-road situations. As a comfortable tire, it can easily absorb large bumps, and we found it suitable for an average SimpleScore of 8.7.
Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs Toyo Celsius II tires on traction
So how do the traction of the Pirelli and the Toyo compare with one another? The Toyo has an amazing suite of attributes for a steady, confident grip in winter conditions, but its SimpleScore in that category is 8.5 as compared to an unbeatable 9.8 for the Pirelli. Evaluations show that the Pirelli's directional tread pattern effectively removes water and slush from the tire's contact patch and that the tire's 3-rib tread design and network of sipes improve winter grip. In comparison, the Toyo Celsius II features an asymmetric tread pattern, snow claws, and a sophisticated polymer blend for good grip in slick winter conditions. While zigzag and trumpet-shaped grooves work with continuous sipes to boost traction on the Pirelli, zigzag-shaped tread blocks and high sipe density prevent the tire from slipping in cold conditions and lead to consistent grip on the Toyo.
Both the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive and the Toyo Celsius CUV have 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake certifications for extreme winter use. However, in the traction area our choice is:
ADVANTAGE: Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive
Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs Toyo Celsius II tires on handling
The Toyo and Pirelli showcase one-sided rivalry in the handling category if you go by the SimpleScores - 9.6 for the Pirelli and 8.5 for the Toyo. Perhaps it's best to keep in mind that Pirelli has decades of experience in the motorsports industry, which serves as a testing ground for tire designs and eventually provides design elements that are incorporated into other tires in the company's lineup. Now, we're not saying that Toyo is not present in the motorsports world; it has made plenty of DOT competition tires. It's just that Pirelli has a richer legacy in this space, being a part of the prestigious Formula One and World Superbike Championship.
When it comes to features, both tires sport the same tread depth. The Pirelli tire is built in a manner to prevent “tread squirm”, which means that it provides better road contact through greater rigidity. In comparison to the Celsius II, the Scorpion WeatherActive offers more confident and decisive handling due to its solid tread face that is planted firmly on the pavement. This has a significant impact on steering responsiveness, cornering abilities, and general road manners. Our recommendation in this area is:
ADVANTAGE: Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive
Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs Toyo Celsius II tires on longevity
The manufacturer's limited tread life warranty typically provides the full picture when it comes to longevity, although this isn't always the case. The Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive vs. Toyo Celsius II comparison presents a bit of a conundrum as both tires present the same limited manufacturer tread life warranties of 60,000 miles. However, the Pirelli has a higher SimpleScore for longevity (9.1) than the Toyo (9.0), although the difference is much lesser than in the other parameters. In situations such as these, we usually trust customer feedback, and feedback indicates that Pirelli's tread design and tire compound provide superior wear characteristics and longer service life compared to Toyo.
Both tires are available with sipes; the Pirelli receives deep, continuous sipes and the Toyo gets dense sipes. Apart from traction, sipes are also useful in reducing tire wear. However, the asymmetric tread pattern leads to less uneven wear than the directional tread pattern, thereby showing why the Toyo has such a high longevity score. Our choice in the longevity area is:
ADVANTAGE: Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive
When to use each
Both, the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive and Toyo Celsius II are great options for all-weather tires if you're looking for reliable, steady grip throughout the year. Both feature a broad manufacturer's tread life warranty, have the same tread depths, are Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified for winter traction, and function effectively all year long. You can avoid the storage and maintenance headaches associated with specialized winter tires with these, as long as you don't have to travel through very heavy snow or more than 6 months of heavy snow.
However, on warmer days, the tread compound of winter tires wears down quickly so tire manufacturers advise switching back to all-season tires when temperatures rise above 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit. With an all-weather tire, you won't have to think about changing tires throughout the year. Otherwise, both tires are great choices and have their own strengths and weaknesses, as highlighted ahead.
Which one should you choose?
This is where the difficulty of this specific comparison arises. Indeed, there is a significant difference between the ratings and performance of the two tires (though the two tires are very close to each other in the longevity category) between the Scorpion WeatherActive and the Toyo Celsius CUV in all relevant SimpleScore categories. Let’s look at their starting prices for a better understanding - the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive is priced at $191.18 ($764.72 for 4) and the Toyo Celsius II at $100.61 ($402.44 for 4). Clearly, there’s a massive difference in the prices, so if it isn’t for the money, you can select the Pirelli.
To summarize, the reasons for buying the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive include:
- You want better traction
- You want better overall performance
- You need long-lasting tire
Here’s why you should consider the Toyo Celsius II:
- You want the cheaper tire
- You are willing to compromise a bit on longevity
- You want to avoid tire spin in the cold
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.