Tests – · none yet Owners 46 · 10 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position 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 + 3 road tests and 10 + 453 owner reviews. How we score
Potenza RE 71RS is ahead, 74–58
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Tests 79 · 3 tests Owners 70 · 453 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2022 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test (dry handling)
“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.
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63
Dry
Potenza RE 71RS +2184Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests ≈ 65 (est.) 78 Reviews found online 60 92 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 64.7 (est.) + 40% × 60.2 = 63
Potenza RE 71RS: 60% × 78.2 + 40% × 91.6 = 84
No road tests of dry for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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57
Wet
Potenza RE 71RS +2077Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests ≈ 61 (est.) 85 Reviews found online 52 67 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 60.6 (est.) + 40% × 52.2 = 57
Potenza RE 71RS: 60% × 84.6 + 40% × 66.7 = 77
No road tests of wet for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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36
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 52 (est.) – Reviews found online 11 – Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 51.8 (est.) + 40% × 11.2 = 36
No road tests of snow for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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57
Comfort
Potenza RE 71RS +360Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 65 (est.) 71 Reviews found online 52 52 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 40% × 65.3 (est.) + 60% × 51.8 = 57
Potenza RE 71RS: 40% × 71 + 60% × 52.3 = 60
No road tests of comfort for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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62
Noise
Potenza RE 71RS +365Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 67 Reviews found online 55 63 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 54.9 = 62
Potenza RE 71RS: 60% × 66.5 + 40% × 63.4 = 65
No road tests of noise for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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50
Treadwear
Potenza RE 71RS +858Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Potenza RE 71RS Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 57 (est.) ≈ 61 (est.) Reviews found online 40 52 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 57.1 (est.) + 40% × 40.1 = 50
Potenza RE 71RS: 60% × 61.4 (est.) + 40% × 52.2 = 58
No road tests of treadwear for Potenza S-04 Pole Position. 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 RE 71RS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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57
Handling (owners)
Potenza RE 71RS +2986Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Potenza RE 71RS Reviews found online 57 86
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position | Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 58 | 74 |
| Dry | 63 | 84 |
| Wet | 57 | 77 |
| Snow | 36 | – |
| Comfort | 57 | 60 |
| Noise | 62 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 50 | 58 |
| Handling (owners) | 57 | 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
58
/ 100
Potenza S-04 Pole Position
74
/ 100
Potenza RE 71RS
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
| Discipline | Category | Potenza S-04 Pole Position | Potenza RE 71RS | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/4 2011 Tirerack Max Performance Summer Tyre Test | #1/7 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Potenza S-04 Pole Position
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet handling with predictable, repeatable limits
- Solid sidewall design that improves cornering and braking performance
- Surprisingly smooth and comfortable ride quality for a performance tire
Cons
- Accelerated tread wear, which is typical for tires in this category
- Complete lack of usability in freezing temperatures, ice, or snow
- Development of a road humming noise as the tire wears
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-04 Pole Position
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 agree with okie981, I start around 25-26 cold. In my experience the RE71 have a narrow optimal operating temp. You ideally want to stay between 32-35 lbs hot. Anything outside of that and they start to fall off quickly. But they are excellent and do hold the temps well when you get them there.”
r/CarTrackDays
·2 upvotes ·2025-02-17
“Need heat cycle advice I recently got a screaming deal on some Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS for my daily driver. It usually doesn't see track time but I figured it would be fun to try it out for the cost. The tires were cheap because they had a 2021 production date. In the past to heat cycle a tire, I've just driven on the highway a couple of hours and let the tire sit for 24 hours. The hurdle is, It's winter and too cold to really make an impact. To add to that, I doubt I will have clean enough roads for that tire. My track does have winter lapping when it is clean and dry, but it still may be cold. Any suggestions on how to get a heat cycle on these tires in cold temperatures? Read more”
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.”
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-04 Pole Position | B · Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer tire | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 10 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 19″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | 7/32″ |
| UTQG | 280 A A | 200 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
58
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
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-04 Pole Position 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 57 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS scores 84 vs 63 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS scores 77 vs 57 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS scores 58 vs 50 on treadwear.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
Tire B · Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS
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Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Potenza RE 71RS?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 77 vs 57 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 84 vs 63 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 65 vs 62 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 60 vs 57 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Potenza RE 71RS?
Bridgestone Potenza RE 71RS, 58 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