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Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 vs Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT — 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 60 + 79 owner reviews. How we score

Potenza RE050 leads, 57–53 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. 59

    Dry

    Potenza RE050 +5
    54
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE050Potenza S001 RFT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 59 (est.)
    Reviews found online5546

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

    Potenza S001 RFT: 60% × 59 (est.) + 40% × 46.2 = 54

    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).

    No road tests of dry for Potenza S001 RFT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 59

    Wet

    Potenza RE050 +1
    58
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE050Potenza S001 RFT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online5453

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

    Potenza S001 RFT: 60% × 60.9 (est.) + 40% × 52.8 = 58

    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).

    No road tests of wet for Potenza S001 RFT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 57

    Snow

    Potenza RE050 +15
    42
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE050Potenza S001 RFT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 55 (est.)
    Reviews found online4822

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

    Potenza S001 RFT: 60% × 55 (est.) + 40% × 21.8 = 42

    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).

    No road tests of snow for Potenza S001 RFT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 50

    Comfort

    Potenza RE050 +5
    45
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE050Potenza S001 RFT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 62 (est.)
    Reviews found online4234

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

    Potenza S001 RFT: 40% × 61.6 (est.) + 60% × 33.7 = 45

    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).

    No road tests of comfort for Potenza S001 RFT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 60

    Noise

    Potenza S001 RFT +1
    61
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE050Potenza S001 RFT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online5052

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

    Potenza S001 RFT: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 52.1 = 61

    No road tests of noise for Potenza RE050 or Potenza S001 RFT. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 54

    Treadwear

    Potenza S001 RFT +4
    58
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE050Potenza S001 RFT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 59 (est.)≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online4753

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

    Potenza S001 RFT: 60% × 61.5 (est.) + 40% × 52.6 = 58

    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).

    No road tests of treadwear for Potenza S001 RFT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 52

    Handling (owners)

    Potenza RE050 +4
    48
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza RE050Potenza S001 RFT
    Reviews found online5248
Scores at a glance
CategoryBridgestone Potenza RE050Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT
Relative Score 57 53
Dry 59 54
Wet 59 58
Snow 57 42
Comfort 50 45
Noise 60 61
Treadwear 54 58
Handling (owners) 52 48

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 RE050

± 7

Potenza S001 RFT

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A 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

Tire B Potenza S001 RFT

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability
  • Precise steering feedback and handling responsiveness
  • Strong dry-road grip

Cons

  • Poor wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance
  • High levels of road noise and cabin vibration
  • Harsh, stiff ride quality over road imperfections
All owner themes in the Potenza S001 RFT review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Potenza RE050 B · Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available414
Rim diameters17″ – 19″17″ – 21″
Tread depth9/32″9/32″
UTQG140 A A280 A A
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure51 psi51 psi
Sizes in common11

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050

Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT

Narrow edge: Bridgestone Potenza RE050 — better snow, dry and comfort. Pick the Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT if treadwear matters most to you.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 scores 57 vs 42 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 scores 59 vs 54 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Bridgestone Potenza RE050 scores 50 vs 45 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT scores 58 vs 54 on treadwear.

Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza RE050
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Tire B · Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT
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Potenza RE050 or Potenza S001 RFT?

Which is better in the wet, Potenza RE050 or Potenza S001 RFT?

Neither, by our numbers: 59 vs 58 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza RE050 or Potenza S001 RFT?

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

Which is better in snow, Potenza RE050 or Potenza S001 RFT?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050, 57 vs 42 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Potenza RE050 or Potenza S001 RFT?

Neither, by our numbers: 60 vs 61 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Potenza RE050 or Potenza S001 RFT?

Bridgestone Potenza RE050, 50 vs 45 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Potenza RE050 or Potenza S001 RFT?

Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT, 58 vs 54 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