Tests – · 1 test Owners 56 · 23 reviews
Best test result: #13 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 81–61
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Tests 80 · 27 tests Owners 82 · 6,570 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 10 in 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test (overall ranking)
“I've had the Kumhos and the PS4s on my M3. The PS4 are absolutely silk-slipper grade wonderful tires. probably the best tires for this car. But, the Kumhos are 9/10 as good, and way less expensive.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
75
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 S +1590Why this score
Source Potenza RE-71R Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 91 Reviews found online 79 89 -
65
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 S +2085Why this score
Source Potenza RE-71R Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 85 Reviews found online 63 85 -
48
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza RE-71R Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews found online 33 – -
58
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 S +1775Why this score
Source Potenza RE-71R Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 70 Reviews found online 47 81 -
62
Noise
Pilot Sport 4 S +668Why this score
Source Potenza RE-71R Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 69 Reviews found online 54 – -
35
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 S +3671Why this score
Source Potenza RE-71R Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) 38 70 Reviews found online 31 72 -
73
Handling
Pilot Sport 4 S +1386Why this score
Source Potenza RE-71R Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews found online 73 86
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 61 | 81 |
| Dry | 75 | 90 |
| Wet | 65 | 85 |
| Snow | 48 | – |
| Comfort | 58 | 75 |
| Noise | 62 | 68 |
| Treadwear | 35 | 71 |
| Handling | 73 | 86 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Neutral
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Less important
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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
61
/ 100
Potenza RE-71R
81
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4 S
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Potenza RE-71R | Pilot Sport 4 S | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tested Tread Life (Miles) | Other | 38% #22/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires | 62% #6/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires | −23.1 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 43% #13/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires | 50% #2/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | −7.1 | 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
Tire B Pilot Sport 4 S
Pros
- Exceptional grip and predictable handling in both dry and wet conditions
- Noticeable reduction in road noise and improved ride comfort compared to competitors and run-flats
- Sharper steering response and improved cornering stability
Cons
- High initial purchase price
- Rapid tread wear reported by some aggressive drivers and track users
- Soft sidewalls can cause a slightly vague or laggy initial response during rapid steering transitions
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is widely praised by the community as a premier max performance summer tire, offering exceptional dry and wet grip, precise steering feel, and refined road manners for daily driving and spirited street use. While some users note higher pricing and relatively quick wear on heavier vehicles or hot tracks, it remains a benchmark choice that many enthusiasts gladly return to despite alternatives like Continental or Kumho.
r/WRX
·1 upvote ·2025-10-15
“Running new ps4s on my is350 awd. Its my family daily driver. Drove it to nyc on a road trip full load with kids in car. Drove nice and smooth. These tires are great for daily and for some spirited driving. They grip well too on turns and feel stable on the freeway.”
bobistheoilguy.com
·2025-01-24
“IMO the Super Sports are a far better tire than the Pilot Sport 4 S's; better steering response and less tread squirm at the limit. The PS 4 S name was misleading to me because I thought it suggested "4 Season". I know you know this @f355spider , but for the benefit of others, both are maximum performance summer tires. Based on my limited wet road experience both seemed decent in the rain (SS and 4S). A comparison of the Cups 2s (left) to the Super Sports. 235/35-19s on a spare set of wheels. Been running Cup 2s on the E46 for 5 years now on a "square" set up with 235/35s on 19x8.5 BBS CHs with 35mm offset on all four corners. Scott”
r/wrx_vb
·3 upvotes ·2025-04-10
“I switched to ps4s. Sidewall is a little softer so they have a more comfortable ride at the expense of a little numbness during normal driving. Grip limits seem pretty similar. Ps4s should last longer. We'll see. Would buy again over stock dunlops.”
Top themes
#Dry and Wet Grip#Tread Life and Wear#Price vs Value#Track Performance Limits#Daily Comfort and Noise#Alternatives Comparison
Based on 104 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 110 |
| Rim diameters | — | 17″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 8/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 200 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
61
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R
81
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — better treadwear, wet and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 71 vs 35 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 85 vs 65 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 75 vs 58 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 90 vs 75 on dry.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.