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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Potenza RE040 vs Bridgestone Potenza RE050 — 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 0 + 0 road tests and 49 + 60 owner reviews. How we score

Potenza RE050 is ahead, 57–51

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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. 54

    Dry

    Potenza RE050 +5
    59
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE040Potenza RE050
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 59 (est.)≈ 62 (est.)
    Reviews found online4655

    Potenza RE040: 60% × 58.8 (est.) + 40% × 45.8 = 54

    Potenza RE050: 60% × 62.4 (est.) + 40% × 54.5 = 59

    No road tests of dry for Potenza RE040. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for Potenza RE050. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 51

    Wet

    Potenza RE050 +8
    59
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE040Potenza RE050
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 56 (est.)≈ 62 (est.)
    Reviews found online4354

    Potenza RE040: 60% × 55.7 (est.) + 40% × 43.2 = 51

    Potenza RE050: 60% × 61.6 (est.) + 40% × 54.1 = 59

    No road tests of wet for Potenza RE040. 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 RE050. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 48

    Snow

    Potenza RE050 +9
    57
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE040Potenza RE050
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 59 (est.)≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online3348

    Potenza RE040: 60% × 58.6 (est.) + 40% × 33 = 48

    Potenza RE050: 60% × 63.5 (est.) + 40% × 48.3 = 57

    No road tests of snow for Potenza RE040. 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 RE050. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 46

    Comfort

    Potenza RE050 +4
    50
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE040Potenza RE050
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online3542

    Potenza RE040: 40% × 61.8 (est.) + 60% × 34.7 = 46

    Potenza RE050: 40% × 63.3 (est.) + 60% × 41.9 = 50

    No road tests of comfort for Potenza RE040. 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 RE050. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 54

    Noise

    Potenza RE050 +6
    60
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE040Potenza RE050
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online3550

    Potenza RE040: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 34.9 = 54

    Potenza RE050: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 50.4 = 60

    No road tests of noise for Potenza RE040 or Potenza RE050. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 50

    Treadwear

    Potenza RE050 +4
    54
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE040Potenza RE050
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 57 (est.)≈ 59 (est.)
    Reviews found online4047

    Potenza RE040: 60% × 56.9 (est.) + 40% × 39.9 = 50

    Potenza RE050: 60% × 59.3 (est.) + 40% × 46.5 = 54

    No road tests of treadwear for Potenza RE040. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for Potenza RE050. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 48

    Handling (owners)

    Potenza RE050 +4
    52
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE040Potenza RE050
    Reviews found online4852
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Potenza RE040Bridgestone Potenza RE050
Relative Score 51 57
Dry 54 59
Wet 51 59
Snow 48 57
Comfort 46 50
Noise 54 60
Treadwear 50 54
Handling (owners) 48 52

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 RE040

± 8

Potenza RE050

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Potenza RE040

Pros

  • Excellent dry weather grip and handling
  • High level of steering feedback and directness
  • Progressive and predictable breakaway characteristics

Cons

  • Excessive and intrusive road noise
  • Poor performance and lack of confidence in wet or cold conditions
  • Harsh ride quality due to stiff construction
All owner themes in the Potenza RE040 review

Tire B Potenza RE050

Pros

  • Exceptional dry weather grip and cornering stability
  • High levels of steering feedback and road communication
  • Predictable and progressive handling characteristics when new

Cons

  • Significant increase in road noise over the life of the tire
  • Noticeable decline in wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance as tread depth decreases
  • Inconsistent tread life, with many users reporting premature wear
All owner themes in the Potenza RE050 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Potenza RE040 B · Bridgestone Potenza RE050
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available34
Rim diameters16″ – 18″17″ – 19″
Tread depth10/32″9/32″
UTQG140 A A140 A A
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Sizes in common00

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Potenza RE040

Bridgestone Potenza RE050

Winner: Bridgestone Potenza RE050 — better snow, wet and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 scores 57 vs 48 on snow.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 scores 59 vs 51 on wet.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 scores 60 vs 54 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 scores 59 vs 54 on dry.

Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza RE040
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Tire B · Bridgestone Potenza RE050
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Potenza RE040 or Potenza RE050?

Which is better in the wet, Potenza RE040 or Potenza RE050?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050, 59 vs 51 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza RE040 or Potenza RE050?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050, 59 vs 54 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Potenza RE040 or Potenza RE050?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050, 57 vs 48 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Potenza RE040 or Potenza RE050?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050, 60 vs 54 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Potenza RE040 or Potenza RE050?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050, 50 vs 46 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Potenza RE040 or Potenza RE050?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050, 54 vs 50 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