Summer tire Updated October 2026

Bridgestone Potenza S001 review

Name: Bridgestone Potenza S001
Brand: Bridgestone

Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners

Owners 56 · 5,804 reviews analysed Road tests 71 · 29 tests

How scores work

Check price on Amazon · Potenza S001 Compare with another tire

Add your size for an exact match

Width/AspectRRim

The Amazon link then searches this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

The Bridgestone Potenza S001 divides opinion sharply, functioning as a polarizing ultra-high-performance tire praised for its sharp steering response and dry-weather agility, yet heavily criticized for high road noise, a stiff ride—especially in run-flat variants—and inconsistent wet-weather traction. While many drivers appreciate its OEM fitment pedigree on European performance sedans and hot hatches, a significant portion of users report rapid treadwear and a lack of progressive feedback at the limit.

Community sentiment Mixed Read the buzz

#run-flat stiffness and harshness#premature tread wear#tread cracking issues#wet and dry grip#switching to non-run-flats

Owners rate it 14.7 points lower than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

How scores work

Relative score: 0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
Road tests: 0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
Owner reviews: 0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.

By owner reviews

56/100

From 5,804 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.

Would buy again 63%

Dry

Overall dry

62.6

Corner stability

60.2

Dry traction

62.9

Steering response

60.8

Wet

Overall wet

62.3

Wet traction

62.8

Snow & ice

Overall snow & ice

39.1

Comfort

Overall comfort

51.4

Noise

Overall noise

57.6

Treadwear

Overall treadwear

48.5

Handling

Overall handling

61.1

Own these tires? Write a review →

By road tests

71/100

Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.

Dry

78.6

Wet

84.2

Comfort

63.3

Noise

48.1

Treadwear

58.1

By discipline (% of best in test)

Dry Braking

75.4%

Dry Handling

62.9%

Subj. Dry Handling

90.6%

Wet Braking

64.1%

Subj. Wet Handling

75%

Wet Handling

64.6%

Straight Aquaplaning

67.1%

Curved Aquaplaning

43.8%

Side G-Force on Wet surface

43.8%

Inside Noise level

24.6%

Subjective Comfort

50%

Rolling Resistance

30.8%

Price

10%

Wear

71.9%

Bridgestone Potenza S001 specs & sizes

Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.

Specifications
Tread depth	8/32″
UTQG	280 A A
Sidewall	Blackwall
Max pressure	50 psi

Size	Retailer
185/55 R15	Amazon
205/45 R17	Amazon
205/50 R17	Amazon
215/40 R17	Amazon
225/45 R17	Amazon
225/50 R17	Amazon
225/55 R17	Amazon
235/55 R17	Amazon
245/40 R17	Amazon
245/45 R17	Amazon
255/45 R17	Amazon
225/35 R18	Amazon
225/40 R18	Amazon
225/45 R18	Amazon
225/50 R18	Amazon
235/40 R18	Amazon
235/45 R18	Amazon
235/50 R18	Amazon
245/35 R18	Amazon
245/40 R18	Amazon
245/45 R18	Amazon
245/50 R18	Amazon
255/35 R18	Amazon
255/40 R18	Amazon
255/45 R18	Amazon
265/35 R18	Amazon
265/40 R18	Amazon
285/35 R18	Amazon
225/35 R19	Amazon
225/40 R19	Amazon
225/45 R19	Amazon
235/35 R19	Amazon
235/40 R19	Amazon
235/45 R19	Amazon
245/35 R19	Amazon
245/45 R19	Amazon
255/35 R19	Amazon
255/40 R19	Amazon
265/35 R19	Amazon
275/40 R19	Amazon
285/30 R19	Amazon
295/30 R19	Amazon
195/50 R20	Amazon
215/45 R20	Amazon
245/30 R20	Amazon
245/35 R20	Amazon
245/40 R20	Amazon
255/35 R20	Amazon
255/40 R20	Amazon
275/35 R20	Amazon
285/25 R20	Amazon
285/30 R20	Amazon
295/35 R20	Amazon
305/30 R20	Amazon
245/40 R21	Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 5,804 owner reviews found online.

Pros

Precise and sharp steering response
Strong dry-pavement cornering grip
Stiff sidewalls providing robust rim protection and high-speed stability
Durable tread life reported by conservative or highway drivers

Cons

High levels of road noise and cabin drone
Stiff, harsh ride quality (particularly noticeable on run-flat versions)
Poor or unpredictable wet-weather grip and sudden loss of traction
Fast treadwear when driven aggressively

Worth knowing

Users running 18-inch and 19-inch run-flat variants on BMW models frequently noted a significantly firmer, harsher ride and high cabin noise compared to standard non-run-flat options.
Lightweight sports cars like the Mazda MX-5 Miata often felt overly bouncy, with drivers reporting sudden rear-end twitchiness in wet or cooler conditions.

29 published test appearances

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires · 215/60R18

12th of 22

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Tested Tread Life (Miles)	17th of 22

Source: Consumer Reports

2020 Auto Bild Summer tire Test · 245/45 R18

11th of 20

Best: Wet Braking · 1st Weakest: Rolling Resistance · 20th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	1st of 20
Wet Handling	1st of 20
Dry Braking	7th of 20
Dry Handling	12th of 20
Rolling Resistance	20th of 20
Straight Aqua	7th of 20
Noise	20th of 20
Value	19th of 20
Price	18th of 20
Wear	12th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership	20th of 20

Source: Auto Bild

2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer tire Test · 225/40 R18

9th of 16

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wear	12th of 16

Source: ADAC

2020 tire Market Overview Braking Test · 245/45 R18

3rd of 49

Best: Wet Braking · 1st Weakest: Dry Braking · 7th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	1st of 49
Dry Braking	7th of 49

Source: Auto Bild

2020 TCS Summer Tire Test R18 · 225/40R18

9th of 14

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: TCS

2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP tire Test · 245/30 R20

5th of 8

Best: Straight Aqua · 2nd Weakest: Wet Braking · 8th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	8th of 8
Wet Handling	5th of 8
Dry Braking	5th of 8
Dry Handling	5th of 8
Rolling Resistance	8th of 8
Straight Aqua	2nd of 8
Subj. Dry Handling	2nd of 8
Subj. Comfort	5th of 8
Subj. Wet Handling	3rd of 8
Noise	8th of 8

Source: Sport Auto

2019 Auto Motor und Sport UHP Summer Tire Test R20 · 245/30R20

5th of 8

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Motor und Sport

2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP tire Test · 245/30 R20

6th of 8

Best: Straight Aqua · 3rd Weakest: Wet Braking · 7th

Discipline	Placement	Field position
Wet Braking	7th of 8
Wet Handling	6th of 8
Dry Braking	7th of 8
Dry Handling	6th of 8
Rolling Resistance	7th of 8
Straight Aqua	3rd of 8
Noise	6th of 8

Source: Auto Bild

2015 Sport Auto 235/35 R19 UHP tire Test · 235/35 R19

6th of 7

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Sport Auto

2014 EVO Max Performance Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17

10th of 10

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: evo

2014 Auto Review Max Performance tire Test · 255/40 R19

5th of 7

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Autoreview

2014 ACE Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17

5th of 11

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: ACE

2013 Auto Express Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17

7th of 10

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Express

2013 Auto Review Performance Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17

7th of 9

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Autoreview

2013 Sport Auto Max Performance Summer tire Test · 225/40 R18

8th of 10

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Sport Auto

2013 Auto Bild Performance Summer tire Test · 225/35 R18

4th of 8

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Bild

2013 European Summer Sports tire Test · 225/45 R17

9th of 18

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

2012 EVO Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17

5th of 10

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: evo

2012 Sport Auto Summer tire Test · 235/35 R19

8th of 9

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Sport Auto

2012 Auto Bild Max Performance tire Test · 225/45 R17

5th of 15

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Bild

2012 Autobild 50 tire Braking Test · 225/45 R17

8th of 44

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Bild

2012 EVO Max Performance tire Test · 235/40 R18

6th of 10

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: evo

2011 Auto Express Ultra High Performance tire Test · 225/45 R17

8th of 10

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Express

2011 AMS Ultra High Performance tire Test · 225/45 R17

3rd of 11

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Motor und Sport

2011 Sport Auto Max Performance Summer tire Test · 245/40 R18

4th of 7

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Sport Auto

2011 Autobild Max Performance Summer tire Test · 225/40 r18

6th of 10

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Bild

2011 Auto Zeitung Max Performance tire Test · 225/45 r17

7th of 14

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: Auto Zeitung

2011 Subjective shootout - 255/40 R19 Max Performance Summer tires · 255/40 R19

3rd of 3

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

2010 EVO FWD tire Test · 235/35 r19

7th of 9

Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.

Source: evo

What owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of the scores above.

Community sentiment regarding the Bridgestone Potenza S001 is predominantly mixed to negative, particularly concerning the run-flat variants. Drivers frequently report stiff sidewalls, harsh ride quality, road noise, premature wear, and tread cracking, leading many to switch to non-run-flat alternatives like Michelin. However, several owners find them adequate for spirited driving, citing satisfactory dry and wet grip as well as acceptable ride comfort on specific vehicle setups.

r/Miata

“Potenza S001 cracking Has anyone had issues with their OEM Bridgestone Potenza S001 tires cracking? I have OEM tires on my 2018 CLub with 17k miles with cracking in the treads for all 4 tires and because they are 4 years + 3 months past manufacture date, Bridgestone told me to Beat It. These are $185 tires that don't last 4 seasons....why would I ever buy them if they are PoS?”

2022-03-30

mybmwi3.com

“I run the Bridgestone Potenza S001 Ultra-High Summer Peformance Tire 215/45R/20s on the rear and 195s on the front. They ride softer than stock tires. Not cheap tho.”

2026-03-31

r/BMWi3 ·1 upvote

“I put the Potenza S001 tires on the rear of my i3s with that Tire Rack deal but I didn't think they would fit on the 5.5 inch rims. I think the rears are 6.0".”

2024-01-09

f30.bimmerpost.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by Josspeed Quote: Originally Posted by cfm56d7b +1 Bridgestone Potenza S001 are near the bottom of all run flat tires. If you prefer run flat tires, Pirelli P Zero are much better. GREAT! Thanks... so Pzero much better than B S001 To caveat the "much better" statement ... - All run flat tires generate more noise - Some run flat tires produce a harsher ride. In this case, S001 tires are harsher than P Zero tires. I've owned both - As the mileage increases, run flat tires generate more noise as the tread wears off. It's normal. The only question is whether the driver is willing to tolerate it - In average driving, P Zero tires will probably last 25K to 28K miles. Or less. I am replacing the OEM set at 24K miles. Yet the convenience of run flat tires is attractive. For me, P Zero tires represent a good compromise and a much better option than S001 which were exorbitantly harsh even when new.”

r/tires ·1 upvote

“Bridgestone Potenza S001 all year in Portland Oregon? As a second car in the family, do you think I can get away with running Bridgestone Potenza S001, with good tread depth, all year in Portland Oregon? I've lived here my whole life so I know the climate well. As long as I don't drive during the 1-3 snow days, do you think I'm good? My other car is a Honda Pilot AWD that we do summer/winter tire swap and take skiing ~20 times a year. For a car I never plan on taking in the snow, doing summer/winter swap or summer/all-season seems like overkill.”

2025-10-01

r/TyreReviews ·3 upvotes

“Replacing Bridgestone Potenza s001 RunFlats with Primacy 5 vs. PS5. Suggestions? I drive a VW Jetta which only has 160 Hp. I do occasionally really enjoy some spirited driving or taking aggressive turns. My considerations are that I do really care about Comfort and road noise and so that leads me towards the Primacy 5. At the same time, I don't think the power of my car justifies the PS5. My question is basically, I've online that for runflats to be runflats they have really stiff sidewalls, which might be contributing to the current feel of my car and I wonder if, even though everything else about the Potenza s001 is quite worse compared to the Primacy 5, I wonder if I will miss the stiff sidewall? And just because of that should I consider the PS5?”

2026-02-22

Sentiment breakdown

Positive19%

Mixed51%

Negative30%

Top themes

#run-flat stiffness and harshness#premature tread wear#tread cracking issues#wet and dry grip#switching to non-run-flats#road noise generation#OEM tire replacement

From 43 threads and comments.