Multi-pass dual-indenter (MPDI) scratch tests were carried out on a wide range of steels with different microstructures to investigate the relation between the formation of subsurface deformation layers under repetitive local sliding contact and their abrasion resistance. Five steel grades with different work hardening capability, i.e. Interstitial-Free steel, Fully Martensitic steel, Dual Phase steel, Quench Partitioning steel and TWining Induced Plasticity steel were selected. The results of this well-defined local contact damage test method and those of the standard ASTM G65 dry sand rubber wheel abrasion test were correlated. Results suggest that the abrasion resistance of steels is controlled by the properties of the work hardening layer formed beneath the abraded surface and depends on the thickness of the work hardening layer. When applying the correct evaluation parameters the new scratch test MPDI methodology reproduces the material response to the ASTM G65 abrasion test rather well and provides a reproducible and quantitative method to screen the abrasion resistance of new construction steels. Moreover, the MPDI test allows to quantitatively evaluate the abrasion resistance of steels for working conditions beyond those of the standardized G65 test.