Tests – · none yet Owners 46 · 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 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — 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 + 21 road tests and 10 + 12,721 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 82–54
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Tests 85 · 21 tests Owners 76 · 12,721 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 45 in 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout (dry braking)
“Those are Pilot sport 4 (all season). If it had s after the 4 it would be the summer high performance version. I put the pilot sport 4 on wife's GTI autobahn 2016. Great handling tire, stiff side walls, not the smoothest ride but best overall.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
53
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 +3487Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 20 tests ≈ 58 (est.) 89 Reviews found online 45 84 Potenza S-02A: 60% × 58.3 (est.) + 40% × 44.7 = 53
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 89.3 + 40% × 84 = 87
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).
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55
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 +3489Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 20 tests ≈ 59 (est.) 93 Reviews found online 49 85 Potenza S-02A: 60% × 58.7 (est.) + 40% × 48.7 = 55
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 92.6 + 40% × 84.5 = 89
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).
-
57
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) – Reviews found online 47 – Potenza S-02A: 60% × 63.1 (est.) + 40% × 46.8 = 57
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 0.32).
-
51
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 +2576Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 63 (est.) 81 Reviews found online 42 72 Potenza S-02A: 40% × 63.4 (est.) + 60% × 42.3 = 51
Pilot Sport 4: 40% × 81.2 + 60% × 71.7 = 76
No road tests of comfort for Potenza S-02A. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
60
Noise
Pilot Sport 4 +1070Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 13 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 73 Reviews found online 51 ≈ 66 (est.) Potenza S-02A: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 51 = 60
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 73.1 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 70
No road tests of noise for Potenza S-02A. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
-
53
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 +1871Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests ≈ 58 (est.) 78 Reviews found online 44 60 Potenza S-02A: 60% × 58.4 (est.) + 40% × 43.9 = 53
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 78.1 + 40% × 59.5 = 71
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 0.36).
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48
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 4 +3381Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Pilot Sport 4 Reviews found online 48 81 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison76Why this score
Source Potenza S-02A Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 14 tests – 76
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza S-02A | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 54 | 82 |
| Dry | 53 | 87 |
| Wet | 55 | 89 |
| Snow | 57 | – |
| Comfort | 51 | 76 |
| Noise | 60 | 70 |
| Treadwear | 53 | 71 |
| Handling (owners) | 48 | 81 |
| Efficiency | – | 76 |
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
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
54
/ 100
Potenza S-02A
82
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4
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 Pilot Sport 4
Pros
- Exceptional wet and dry traction with outstanding resistance to aquaplaning
- Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and a reduction in cabin noise compared to standard run-flat tires
- Progressive and predictable breakaway limits during spirited driving
Cons
- Faster-than-average treadwear, particularly under aggressive driving or on rear-wheel-drive performance cars
- Softer sidewalls can lead to a slight lack of initial steering precision and a vague feel at the limit for hardcore enthusiasts
- Performance drops off significantly in cold, freezing, or snowy winter conditions
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
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 line as a premium upgrade offering exceptional dry and wet grip, precise handling, and superior ride comfort compared to OEM or run-flat tires. While celebrated for performance, users frequently discuss its high price tag, faster treadwear, and noticeable drop in EV efficiency. Some drivers also note increased road noise and reduced traction when temperatures drop near freezing.
r/BMW
·1 upvote ·2024-09-24
“I basically always ran Michelins on the BMWs I had. Pilot Super Sport on the E91 335d (which unexpectedly did really well wrt longevity with 600nm+ and a heavy foot) and now PS4 ZP (so the runflat type) on my 320hp F31 330d. They are just really really good. Pretty pricey though.”
team-bhp.com
“I ran the stock 17" Ecopia's on my Ecosport for about 45k km. Luckily didn't face any side wall cuts. Overall it was a average tyre with decent grip levels - good grip without any squealing when driving up a ghat road quite enthusiastically even at the fag end of it's life. Ride quality was pretty bad and the smallest of ruts would result in a thud and being low profile amplified it even more. The tyres developed these cracks along the shoulder around the 35-40k mark which should not have happened due to which I changed them at 45k even though there was probably enough thread for about 5-10k km more. Moved to the Michelin PS4 now and the difference is night and day!”
mbworld.org
“Quote: Originally Posted by ua549 In over 55 years of driving I've never gotten more than 20k miles on a set of tires. Michelin Pilot Sport is the worst at 6k miles twice in a row with free factory replacements though I've gotten 18k miles on Michelin AS3 tires once or twice. Dunlop Sport is second at 15k miles. Overall Pirelli Cinturato P7 are the longest wearing tires I've owned over the years at 20k miles consistently. I swap out run flat tires if they come on a new car. I believe that heat is a major cause of tire wear. Even after a 2 mile trip @ 35 mph the tires on my E300 register about 120°F. Cold they are between 80°F and 85°F. In the dead of winter they are 5° colder. The OEM tires on my 5 year old '18 E300 got 12k miles. The car has 20k miles on it now and the P7 tires are about 40% worn. My experience with Summer tires is 15 to 18k max. The only Summer tires that I have owned that lasted more than 20 were the Pilot Sport PS4...which BTW is one of their marketing highlights, longer tread wear...though still shorter than all seasons which normally are rated for 30k or more.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Run-flat replacement upgrade#Treadwear and longevity#Cold weather performance#Road noise and comfort#EV range and efficiency#Comparison to Continental tires
Based on 246 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza S-02A | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 62 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 140 A A | 300 - 320 A - AA A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
54
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza S-02A
82
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better dry, wet and handling. 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 want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 87 vs 53 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 89 vs 55 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 81 vs 48 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 76 vs 51 on comfort.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S-02A
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
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Potenza S-02A or Pilot Sport 4?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza S-02A or Pilot Sport 4?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 89 vs 55 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza S-02A or Pilot Sport 4?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 87 vs 53 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Potenza S-02A or Pilot Sport 4?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 70 vs 60 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza S-02A or Pilot Sport 4?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 76 vs 51 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza S-02A or Pilot Sport 4?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 71 vs 53 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