Tests – · none yet Owners 41 · 49 reviews
Bridgestone Potenza RE040 vs Nitto NT555 G2 — 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 + 2 road tests and 49 + 412 owner reviews. How we score
NT555 G2 is ahead, 58–51
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Tests 60 · 2 tests Owners 58 · 412 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))
“Update! I ended up going with the Nitto NT555 G2’s, thanks for all the suggestions. They are amazing tires! They ride smooth for an ultra performance, the price was friendly, and they grip extremely well!”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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54
Dry
NT555 G2 +155Why this score
Source Potenza RE040 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 59 (est.) 49 Reviews found online 46 64 Potenza RE040: 60% × 58.8 (est.) + 40% × 46 = 54
NT555 G2: 60% × 49 + 40% × 63.9 = 55
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 0.42).
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51
Wet
Level51Why this score
Source Potenza RE040 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 56 (est.) 48 Reviews found online 43 54 Potenza RE040: 60% × 55.6 (est.) + 40% × 43.2 = 51
NT555 G2: 60% × 48.3 + 40% × 53.9 = 51
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).
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49
Snow
Potenza RE040 +148Why this score
Source Potenza RE040 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 59 (est.) ≈ 59 (est.) Reviews found online 33 33 Potenza RE040: 60% × 58.8 (est.) + 40% × 33.2 = 49
NT555 G2: 60% × 58.6 (est.) + 40% × 32.7 = 48
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 NT555 G2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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46
Comfort
NT555 G2 +2066Why this score
Source Potenza RE040 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 62 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 35 65 Potenza RE040: 40% × 61.8 (est.) + 60% × 34.7 = 46
NT555 G2: 40% × 68 (est.) + 60% × 65 = 66
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 NT555 G2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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54
Noise
NT555 G2 +1165Why this score
Source Potenza RE040 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 35 64 Potenza RE040: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 34.8 = 54
NT555 G2: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 64.1 = 65
No road tests of noise for Potenza RE040 or NT555 G2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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50
Treadwear
NT555 G2 +2676Why this score
Source Potenza RE040 NT555 G2 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 57 (est.) 83 Reviews found online 40 66 Potenza RE040: 60% × 57 (est.) + 40% × 39.8 = 50
NT555 G2: 60% × 83.3 + 40% × 66 = 76
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).
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48
Handling (owners)
NT555 G2 +1462Why this score
Source Potenza RE040 NT555 G2 Reviews found online 48 62
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza RE040 | Nitto NT555 G2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 51 | 58 |
| Dry | 54 | 55 |
| Wet | 51 | 51 |
| Snow | 49 | 48 |
| Comfort | 46 | 66 |
| Noise | 54 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 50 | 76 |
| Handling (owners) | 48 | 62 |
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.
Potenza RE040
NT555 G2
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
Tire B NT555 G2
Pros
- Aggressive, visually appealing tread pattern and sidewall design
- Exceptional value and lower price point compared to premium brands like Michelin or Pirelli
- Long-lasting tread life and slow wear rates for a summer performance tire
Cons
- Poor wet-weather traction, with multiple users reporting hydroplaning and a slippery feel in the rain
- Lack of straight-line traction and wheel spin under heavy acceleration, especially on high-horsepower RWD vehicles
- Subpar performance in cooler temperatures or cold conditions, requiring heat to grip properly
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Bridgestone Potenza RE040
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Nitto NT555 G2
Owners praise the NT555 G2 for its low price, quiet and smooth ride, good dry grip for street use, and long tread life (often 20k–50k+ miles). Many others report weak performance in cold and wet conditions, poor traction off the line on powerful cars (easy wheelspin), and flat-spotting after sitting. Some report quality issues such as balance problems, cracking and belt failure. It is often judged a budget or mid-tier performance tire that falls short of Michelin PS4S and Continental alternatives.
“NT555G2 are lower end performance tires. They are not even in the same class as the PSS4S you mention. If you have the money buy the Michelin PSS4s’. Also go wider in the front and rear for better traction and honestly better looks. I run Nitto NT05’s in 275/305/35R19. They are 100% stickier than the 555G2’s and on a warm day the PSS4s’ too that came with my car But that’s the point of them and the rain performance doing the actual speed limit and taking it easy in the rain fine. I have about 530 to the crank and 460 to the wheels. They will not last as long as the 555G2’s but they perform better. When it comes to pure all around best street tire though, the answer is easy the Michelin’s you mentioned are the best if you have the extra money to spend. Get a 275/295/35R19 set up since the profile of the 305 in that tire is too small at just 30 in my opinion. You’ll be very happy with those. Or get the Nitto Nt05 but expect to replace the tires every 10-15k miles depending on how rough you are on them.”
“Staggered tire recommendations? Title. I have 17x9 rims up front and 17x10.5 rims in the rear. Currently running 245/45R17 on the front and 275/40R17 in the rear. Ideally I’d like to keep these tire sizes. Tires all around are Nitto NT555 G2 tires, and I’m just not happy at all with the grip. They’re fine around corners, but if I even breathe on the throttle at all in 1st gear, I’m instantly spinning. It’s sketchy as fuck in the rain, too. I wanted Continental DWS06 tires, but they don’t make those in a 275/40R17 for my rear tires. I’d only be able to get the fronts. Thinking about Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4s, but not sure. I want to be able to handle well enough around corners, handle Ohio weather no matter what it’s doing, and I wanna be able to floor it in 1st gear and get very little wheel spin. Obviously not trying to drive the car in snow, it’s still mostly gonna see nice weather and occasional rain, I usually like to store the car over the winter and drive something else. But still, Ohio is Ohio, and our weather can absolutely never make up its damn mind. So, I come asking for tire recommendations. Don’t really mind price all too much, but my car is completely stock engine wise minus the exhaust, so it’s not like I’m pushing crazy power. I “daily” this car whenever the weather is nice, so I just need a streetable all season tire that won’t lose grip instantly whenever I try having a little fun. Thanks!”
“Like everyone else is saying, OEM tires are garbage! I’m on my 7th set of Nitto NT555G2’s and absolutely love them. Running staggered 315/35’s on 20x10 rear and 275/40 on 20x9 up front for the last 120k miles on my manual Scat and they hook up extremely well and actually last a long time. Even when I was running 275/40/20’s on my OEM wheels it was a night and day difference over the OEM tires! During Covid I couldn’t get them for the rear, so I got a pair of 305/45 NT555R2 drag radials on some Bravado 17x10 drag wheels to run for a few months and my god…felt like it dropped a full second of the 0-60!!”
Based on 85 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza RE040 | B · Nitto NT555 G2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 3 | 88 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 18″ | 15″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | 10.2/32″ |
| UTQG | 140 A A | 320 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
| Sizes in common | 2 | 2 |
Which one should you actually buy?
Bridgestone Potenza RE040
Nitto NT555 G2
Winner: Nitto NT555 G2 — better treadwear, comfort and handling. Where the Bridgestone Potenza RE040 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Nitto NT555 G2 scores 76 vs 50 on treadwear.
Nitto NT555 G2 scores 66 vs 46 on comfort.
Nitto NT555 G2 scores 62 vs 48 on handling.
Nitto NT555 G2 scores 65 vs 54 on noise.
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Potenza RE040 or NT555 G2?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza RE040 or NT555 G2?
Neither, by our numbers: 51 vs 51 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza RE040 or NT555 G2?
Neither, by our numbers: 54 vs 55 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, Potenza RE040 or NT555 G2?
Neither, by our numbers: 49 vs 48 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, Potenza RE040 or NT555 G2?
Nitto NT555 G2, 65 vs 54 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza RE040 or NT555 G2?
Nitto NT555 G2, 66 vs 46 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza RE040 or NT555 G2?
Nitto NT555 G2, 76 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