Tests – · none yet Owners 47 · 10 reviews
Bridgestone Potenza S-02A looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza S-02A vs Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS — 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 10 + 452 owner reviews. How we score
Potenza RE 71RS is ahead, 74–54
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests 78 · 2 tests Owners 69 · 452 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 7 in 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test (wet handling (tester's mark))
“Drove my GR86 coast to coast on pre-thrashed 200tw tires in 3.5 days AMA 2024 GR86 Premium performance package mt Bridgestone Potenza RE-71rs tires Car had 24,000ish miles and now has 27,000ish”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
53
Dry
Potenza RE 71RS +2982Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests ≈ 59 (est.) 76 Reviews found online 45 92 Potenza S-02A: 60% × 58.6 (est.) + 40% × 45.4 = 53
Potenza RE 71RS: 60% × 76 + 40% × 92.1 = 82
No road tests of dry for Potenza S-02A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
-
55
Wet
Potenza RE 71RS +2378Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests ≈ 59 (est.) 85 Reviews found online 49 67 Potenza S-02A: 60% × 58.8 (est.) + 40% × 49.1 = 55
Potenza RE 71RS: 60% × 85 + 40% × 66.7 = 78
No road tests of wet for Potenza S-02A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
56
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 62 (est.) – Reviews found online 47 – Potenza S-02A: 60% × 62 (est.) + 40% × 47.4 = 56
No road tests of snow for Potenza S-02A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
-
52
Comfort
Potenza RE 71RS +860Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 64 (est.) 71 Reviews found online 43 52 Potenza S-02A: 40% × 64.4 (est.) + 60% × 43 = 52
Potenza RE 71RS: 40% × 71.1 + 60% × 52 = 60
No road tests of comfort for Potenza S-02A. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
61
Noise
Potenza RE 71RS +465Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 67 Reviews found online 52 63 Potenza S-02A: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 51.5 = 61
Potenza RE 71RS: 60% × 66.6 + 40% × 63.3 = 65
No road tests of noise for Potenza S-02A. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
52
Treadwear
Potenza RE 71RS +557Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 58 (est.) ≈ 61 (est.) Reviews found online 44 51 Potenza S-02A: 60% × 58.2 (est.) + 40% × 43.7 = 52
Potenza RE 71RS: 60% × 60.9 (est.) + 40% × 51.4 = 57
No road tests of treadwear for Potenza S-02A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
No road tests of treadwear for Potenza RE 71RS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
-
49
Handling (owners)
Potenza RE 71RS +3786Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Potenza RE 71RS Reviews found online 49 86
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza S-02A | Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 54 | 74 |
| Dry | 53 | 82 |
| Wet | 55 | 78 |
| Snow | 56 | – |
| Comfort | 52 | 60 |
| Noise | 61 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 52 | 57 |
| Handling (owners) | 49 | 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 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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
54
/ 100
Potenza S-02A
74
/ 100
Potenza RE 71RS
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Potenza S-02A
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet grip with reliable road holding
- Superior steering feedback and linear response requiring less slip angle
- Impressive tread longevity for daily driving under normal conditions
Cons
- Poor grip and performance when tires are cold
- Inconsistent tread life expectations, with some users reporting rapid wear
- Can feel skittish in snow, particularly as the tread nears its wear limit
Tire B Potenza RE 71RS
Pros
- Outstanding dry grip and rapid warm-up characteristics.
- Highly predictable and communicative at the limit, allowing for easy recovery.
- Improved on-road refinement, noise levels, and comfort compared to its predecessor.
Cons
- Rapid tread wear, especially when used aggressively on track or heavy vehicles.
- Tendency to become 'greasy' or lose peak grip during extended track sessions.
- Stiff sidewalls can make mounting the tires onto rims difficult.
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Bridgestone Potenza S-02A
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS
Community sentiment toward the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS is overwhelmingly positive, with drivers praising its high grip levels, responsive turn-in, and improved refinement over the older RE-71R. Discussions frequently center around track and autocross setups, optimal hot tire pressures, clearance pricing, and its streetability regarding road noise and gravel pickup. Minor caveats noted include fast wear characteristic of 200tw competition tires and rotation limits stemming from an asymmetrical tread design.
rennlist.com
“I ran RE-71R on 19" rims, 255/285 F/R, and starting at about 26 psi would end up at around 35 at end of 25 min session with even tire temps across the width of the tire once I got my camber dialed in.”
civicx.com
·2 upvotes ·2025-02-25
“I just put some Bridgestone Potenza Re71rs on my FC1 and holt shit these things kick ass. I took the same turn series before/after the tire change and the turn-in is ridiculous. Looking forward to hitting up some backroads and Lagun Seca for a trackday.”
s2ki.com
“Quote: Back to the RE71RS tires: 1. How loud is the tread noise? 2. How much gravel are they picking up in normal and back roads driving? Just replaced my 7 and 8 year old Bridgestone S04 tires (aged out). Less than 100 miles so far. I'm happy. 1. No increase in tread noise I can detect. Surprisingly quiet. My former RE-11As were a little noisey. The Dunlops were LOUD. 2. Twinkling of fine gravel is present under the car. Noticeable and expected. -- Chuck”
Top themes
#track and autocross performance#tire pressure tuning#road noise and refinement#clearance pricing and availability#fitment and sizing#tread wear and longevity#comparison to previous RE-71R
Based on 33 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza S-02A | B · Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 10 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 19″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | 7/32″ |
| UTQG | 140 A A | 200 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
54
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza S-02A
74
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS
Winner: Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS — better handling, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score. Bridgestone Potenza S-02A rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS scores 86 vs 49 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS scores 82 vs 53 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS scores 78 vs 55 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS scores 60 vs 52 on comfort.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S-02A
Tire B · Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Potenza S-02A or Potenza RE 71RS?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza S-02A or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 78 vs 55 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza S-02A or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 82 vs 53 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Potenza S-02A or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 65 vs 61 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza S-02A or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 60 vs 52 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza S-02A or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 57 vs 52 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