Falken Wildpeak MT01 vs Pirelli Scorpion MTR tires

As you’re no doubt aware, there are a lot of trucks, SUVs, and crossovers on the roads. These vehicles have taken over family cars and daily driver duties, the kind of things that used to be handled by minivans (and big V8 station wagons a generation before that). Modern trucks and SUVs get a little more sophisticated, refined, and comfortable with every model year, and it’s no surprise that light truck tires have evolved along with them. Many of those trucks and SUVs are equipped with 4WD, and to get the best of their performance potential, you need a good-quality set of all-terrain tires. The best all-terrain tires are designed for balanced offroad traction in mud, snow, loose dirt, and gravel, along with ride quality, handling, durability, and road manners that are equally at home on the pavement. And then, there's the toughness of mud-terrain tires for drivers who like to take their trucks through heavier mud, deep snow, or maybe rock-crawling with aired-down tires over challenging obstacles. Today’s all-terrain and mud-terrain tires are designed to complement the weight, power, torque, center of gravity, load capacity, braking, and handling of modern trucks and SUVs and that brings us to this head-to-head comparison of the Falken Wildpeak M/T01 and Pirelli Scorpion MTR.

In this comparison, we refer frequently to SimpleScore rankings for these tires. If you’re unfamiliar with SimpleScore, it’s the system the SimpleTire team developed to give you a quick, at-a-glance picture of a tire’s performance and value. We look at things like specs, reviews, and other data points. Then, we distill that information into a numerical value from 1 to 10 for handling, traction, longevity categories, and an overall average SimpleScore for any given tire. For the Falken Wildpeak M/T01 and Pirelli Scorpion MTR, SimpleScore rankings are as follows:

Falken Wildpeak M/T01

• Traction: 8.4
• Durability: 8.6
• Longevity: 8.6
• Overall average SimpleScore: 8.4

Pirelli Scorpion MTR

• Traction: 9.6
• Durability: 9.2
• Longevity: 7.6
• Overall average SimpleScore: 8.4

As you can see, the Pirelli and the Falken are both premium tires with a lot to recommend them when it comes to SimpleScore rankings, but of course, SimpleScore is the 30,000 foot view that doesn’t impart a lot of insight when it comes to a tire’s strengths and weaknesses. Let’s go ahead and dig in for a closer look with this head-to-head product comparison:

Falken Wildpeak MT01 tires

For extreme offroad traction in difficult terrain or sloppy mud, nothing can get the job done like a set of mud-terrain tires, and that’s what Falken is shooting for with the Wildpeak M/T01. Whether it’s mud, sand, rocks, or obstacles, the Falken Wildpeak M/T01 is ready to dig in and deliver the confident traction you need.

Designed with a cut-and-chip-resistant tread compound, the Wildpeak M/T01 features Falken’s DURASPEC construction, complete with a 3-ply sidewall design that protects against impacts, cuts, and abrasions. Its aggressive mud-terrain tread blocks are designed with stone ejectors toward the base of the tread grooves to shed mud, rocks, and debris easily, so there’s always a clear section of the tire to dig in as the wheel turns. Heat diffuser technology in the tire’s lower sidewall helps protect the tire’s internal structure, especially when hauling heavy loads or towing.

The Wildpeak M/T01’s tread includes offset shoulder blocks and aggressive upper sidewall blocks with lugs that extend from the shoulder down onto the upper sidewall for excellent lateral traction when cornering or clawing out of ruts. The offset shoulder blocks also help the Wildpeak M/T01 with aired-down performance as it conforms over rocks, logs, and other uneven surfaces. The Wildpeak M/T01 tread pitch is randomized and computer-tuned for a surprisingly quiet ride, considering it’s an aggressive mud-terrain tire. SimpleTire’s prices on Falken Wildpeak M/T01 tires start at $209 per tire.

Pirelli Scorpion MTR tires

Tough and rugged, the Pirelli Scorpion MTR is a mud-terrain tire designed for the worst punishment and conditions you can put it through. Its massive, chunky tread blocks are designed to claw through loose, sticky, or rough surfaces and terrain, with stone bumpers to quickly shed rocks and debris from the tread. At the Scorpion MTR’s shoulder, alternating scoops and large, notched over-the-shoulder lugs help find any available traction to get you where you need to go, especially when the tire is being used aired-down over rocks.

When the weather turns wet or wintry, a network of in-block sipes multiplies traction and surface area with hundreds of extra biting edges to slice through snow, slush, or water. Like the Falken, the Pirelli Scorpion MTR has a specialized heavy-duty tread compound with a reinforced sidewall and a thick rim protector flange to help guard your wheels against abrasions and damage. The internal construction of the Scorpion MTR incorporates a 2-ply polyester casing with a twin steel belt package and a 2-ply nylon cap for extra durability and stability. The Scorpion MTR is M+S rated for mud/snow performance. SimpleTire’s price on the Pirelli Scorpion MTR starts at $235.97 per tire.

Falken Wildpeak MT01 vs. Pirelli Scorpion MTR tires on traction

When it comes to traction, this one’s a pretty easy call as the Pirelli gets an outstanding SimpleScore of 9.6 in that category vs 8.4 for the Falken. Both tires have similar blocky lug tread patterns for mud-terrain performance, wraparound lugs at the sidewall, and internal construction designed for aired-down rock crawling. The Pirelli, though, has the M+S rating for mud/snow performance (though it’s worth noting that neither tire has the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake rating for severe winter service). With that taken into account, our call on this one is:

ADVANTAGE: Pirelli Scorpion MTR

Falken Wildpeak MT01 vs. Pirelli Scorpion MTR tires on durability

When discussing durability, the Falken Wildpeak MT01 weighs in with a SimpleScore of 8.6 vs a SimpleScore of 9.2 for the Pirelli Scorpion MTR. The Falken is designed with its proprietary DURASPEC technology package for damage resistance and long-term ruggedness. The Pirelli noses ahead of it, though, thanks to a heavy-duty tread formulation and reinforced sidewall with a rim guard that helps protect against punctures, cuts, and abrasions (yes, a rim guard on a tire can make a significant difference in that regard). That, along with a high-tensile steel belt package and a 2-ply nylon reinforcement cap, makes the Pirelli Scorpion MTR a tough mud tire that can withstand hard punishment and rough terrain. Our call on this one:

ADVANTAGE: Pirelli Scorpion MTR

Falken Wildpeak MT01 vs. Pirelli Scorpion MTR tires on longevity

This one’s a clear-cut decision, as the Falken Wildpeak MT01 registers a SimpleScore of 8.6 for longevity vs 7.6 for the Pirelli Scorpion MTR. We should note here that a conventional manufacturer’s treadwear warranty covers neither tire for mileage (many mud-terrain tires aren’t, considering the hard use they get). While both tires are undoubtedly challenging, heat buildup is the enemy of any tire’s internal structure. The heat diffuser design of the Falken Wildpeak MT01 gives it an advantage regarding long-term durability. Our call:

ADVANTAGE: Falken Wildpeak M/T01

When to use each

The question here is, what do you need in a tire for a 4WD-equipped truck or SUV? If you want a set of mud-terrain tires just because they look cool, that might not be the best rationale. While mud-terrain tires have come a long way when it comes to noise levels, handling, and ride quality on the street, they’re still quite a bit different from all-terrain tires that are designed as a compromise between civilized performance on the street and offroad traction and durability, and unless you do a lot of serious offroading mud-terrain tires like the Falken Wildpeak M/T01 and Pirelli Scorpion MTR might not be suitable for you. On the other hand, if you go way off into the backwoods or regularly negotiate deep mud, rocks, rough terrain, sand, or snow, then all-terrain tires might not be able to get the job done for you dependably. If that sounds like your situation, then by all means, consider a set of mud-terrain tires like the Pirelli or Falken.

Which one should you choose?

It's a bit of a problem when it comes down to picking between the Falken Wildpeak M/T01 and the Pirelli Scorpion MTR. Both tires come out with equal SimpleScore averages of 8.4, which is respectable for any tire. However, the Pirelli is the stronger performer when it comes to traction and handling, and in the end, those are two huge factors in the performance of any mud-terrain or all-terrain tire. It’s a tough call, but here at the SimpleTire team, we’d probably have to go with the Pirelli Scorpion MTR.

Still trying to decide which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help. Our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.