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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R vs Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 1 + 0 road tests and 23 + 10 owner reviews. How we score

Potenza RE-71R leads, 57–55 Narrow edge

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Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 71

    Dry

    Potenza RE-71R +8
    63
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE-71RPotenza S-04 Pole Position
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online7360

    Potenza RE-71R: 60% × 70.1 (est.) + 40% × 73.2 = 71

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 64.7 (est.) + 40% × 60.2 = 63

    No road tests of dry for Potenza RE-71R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

    No road tests of dry for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 61

    Wet

    Potenza RE-71R +4
    57
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE-71RPotenza S-04 Pole Position
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online5752

    Potenza RE-71R: 60% × 63.4 (est.) + 40% × 57.3 = 61

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 60.6 (est.) + 40% × 52.2 = 57

    No road tests of wet for Potenza RE-71R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 47

    Snow

    Potenza RE-71R +11
    36
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE-71RPotenza S-04 Pole Position
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 58 (est.)≈ 52 (est.)
    Reviews found online3011

    Potenza RE-71R: 60% × 57.7 (est.) + 40% × 29.8 = 47

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 51.8 (est.) + 40% × 11.2 = 36

    No road tests of snow for Potenza RE-71R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 47

    Comfort

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position +10
    57
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE-71RPotenza S-04 Pole Position
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online3752

    Potenza RE-71R: 40% × 62.2 (est.) + 60% × 36.5 = 47

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 40% × 65.3 (est.) + 60% × 51.8 = 57

    No road tests of comfort for Potenza RE-71R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 60

    Noise

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position +2
    62
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE-71RPotenza S-04 Pole Position
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online5055

    Potenza RE-71R: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 50 = 60

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 54.9 = 62

    No road tests of noise for Potenza RE-71R or Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 31

    Treadwear

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position +19
    50
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE-71RPotenza S-04 Pole Position
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests39≈ 57 (est.)
    Reviews found online1940

    Potenza RE-71R: 60% × 39.3 + 40% × 18.5 = 31

    Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 57.1 (est.) + 40% × 40.1 = 50

    No road tests of treadwear for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 68

    Handling (owners)

    Potenza RE-71R +11
    57
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE-71RPotenza S-04 Pole Position
    Reviews found online6857
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Potenza RE-71RBridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
Relative Score 57 55
Dry 71 63
Wet 61 57
Snow 47 36
Comfort 47 57
Noise 60 62
Treadwear 31 50
Handling (owners) 68 57

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Potenza RE-71R

± 8

Potenza S-04 Pole Position

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryPotenza RE-71RPotenza S-04 Pole PositionΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #13/22 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires #2/4 2011 Tirerack Max Performance Summer Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Potenza RE-71R

Pros

  • Phenomenal dry grip and exceptional cornering traction
  • Fast heat-up times, making them ideal for autocross and time attacks
  • Consistent performance throughout the lifespan of the tire

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear and short lifespan, wearing faster in hot weather or heavy track use
  • Noticeable road noise on the highway due to the aggressive tread pattern
  • Uncomfortable and stiff ride quality for daily driving
All owner themes in the Potenza RE-71R review

Tire B Potenza S-04 Pole Position

Pros

  • Exceptional dry and wet handling with predictable, repeatable limits
  • Solid sidewall design that improves cornering and braking performance
  • Surprisingly smooth and comfortable ride quality for a performance tire

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear, which is typical for tires in this category
  • Complete lack of usability in freezing temperatures, ice, or snow
  • Development of a road humming noise as the tire wears
All owner themes in the Potenza S-04 Pole Position review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R B · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
CategorySummerSummer tire
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Tread depth8/32″10/32″
UTQG200 A A280 A A
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure44 psi50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R

Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position

Narrow edge: Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R — better snow, handling and dry. Pick the Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position if treadwear and comfort matter most to you. Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position scores 50 vs 31 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R scores 47 vs 36 on snow.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R scores 68 vs 57 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position scores 57 vs 47 on comfort.

Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R
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Tire B · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
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Potenza RE-71R or Potenza S-04 Pole Position?

Which is better in the wet, Potenza RE-71R or Potenza S-04 Pole Position?

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R, 61 vs 57 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza RE-71R or Potenza S-04 Pole Position?

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R, 71 vs 63 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Potenza RE-71R or Potenza S-04 Pole Position?

Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R, 47 vs 36 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Potenza RE-71R or Potenza S-04 Pole Position?

Neither, by our numbers: 60 vs 62 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Potenza RE-71R or Potenza S-04 Pole Position?

Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position, 57 vs 47 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Potenza RE-71R or Potenza S-04 Pole Position?

Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position, 50 vs 31 on our treadwear score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology