Tests – · none yet Owners 46 · 10 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position vs Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 — 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 + 1 road tests and 10 + 1,457 owner reviews. How we score
Firehawk Indy 500 is ahead, 65–55
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 62 · 1,457 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))
“I just put Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's on my NC2 and I like them and would recommend them. I paid about $635 with installation at Costco but you might even be able to find them for less elsewhere.”
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
Firehawk Indy 500 +1174Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 65 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 60 77 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 64.7 (est.) + 40% × 60.2 = 63
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 77.3 = 74
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).
No road tests of dry for Firehawk Indy 500. 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
Firehawk Indy 500 +966Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 61 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 52 65 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 60.6 (est.) + 40% × 52.2 = 57
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 67.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.7 = 66
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).
No road tests of wet for Firehawk Indy 500. 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
Firehawk Indy 500 +945Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 52 (est.) ≈ 57 (est.) Reviews found online 11 27 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 51.8 (est.) + 40% × 11.2 = 36
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 56.9 (est.) + 40% × 27.4 = 45
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).
No road tests of snow for Firehawk Indy 500. 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
Firehawk Indy 500 +865Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 65 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 52 64 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 40% × 65.3 (est.) + 60% × 51.8 = 57
Firehawk Indy 500: 40% × 67.7 (est.) + 60% × 63.6 = 65
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).
No road tests of comfort for Firehawk Indy 500. 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
Firehawk Indy 500 +466Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 55 64 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 54.9 = 62
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 64.3 = 66
No road tests of noise for Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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50
Treadwear
Firehawk Indy 500 +1666Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 57 (est.) 70 Reviews found online 40 61 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 57.1 (est.) + 40% × 40.1 = 50
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 60.7 = 66
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).
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57
Handling (owners)
Firehawk Indy 500 +1471Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Firehawk Indy 500 Reviews found online 57 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position | Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 55 | 65 |
| Dry | 63 | 74 |
| Wet | 57 | 66 |
| Snow | 36 | 45 |
| Comfort | 57 | 65 |
| Noise | 62 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 50 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 57 | 71 |
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
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
55
/ 100
Potenza S-04 Pole Position
65
/ 100
Firehawk Indy 500
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 | Firehawk Indy 500 | 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 | #9/22 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires | – | 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 Firehawk Indy 500
Pros
- Exceptional value and affordability compared to premium tier brands like Michelin
- Outstanding dry grip and confident, responsive cornering capabilities
- Surprisingly quiet and comfortable ride quality on the highway
Cons
- Accelerated tread wear and shorter overall lifespan
- Poor performance and loss of traction in cold temperatures (below 40°F)
- Vulnerability to hydroplaning or reduced traction in heavy standing water
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
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is overwhelmingly praised as an exceptional value and 'bang for your buck' summer performance tire. Drivers consistently highlight strong dry grip, commendable wet traction, comfortable ride quality, and progressive handling breakaway. Minor criticisms center on reduced performance in cold temperatures, softer steering feedback, and grease on hard track sessions.
audizine.com
·2025-01-27
“I had them on my B8.5 S4. I found the sidewall stiffness to be very low and introduced more slop in the steering than the continentals I was running prior. Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum”
r/S2000
·4 upvotes ·2025-06-04
“Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 reviews Hi all! First post here on Reddit for S2K. I have a 2002 with 80k (130 km's) that is 100% stock. I recently purchased some new tires moving from a Potenza RE-71 (rear) Potenza RE760 (front) I bought the Indy 500 Firehawk since a lot of S2K owners say they are an excellent tire, perfect for the S2K with a ton of great qualities. So far I am thinking a little bit of a mixxed bag. The tires are not as responsive as I thought and don't inspire the same level of cornering confidence. The seem a little mushy/soft and my rear end thus far doesn't seem as firmly planted as I would like. Almost kind of wobbly? Alignment is fine, tires are brand new with less than 100 miles on them and tire pressure is factory spec within 1 psi. The DOT code for the tires is late 2024 so brand new. I don't track the car and these days just baby it around town mostly so the tires use should fine for my use. Thanks! Leer más”
r/Miata
·1 upvote ·2026-10-07
“I just put Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's on my NC2 and I like them and would recommend them. I paid about $635 with installation at Costco but you might even be able to find them for less elsewhere.”
Top themes
#value for money#dry grip performance#wet road traction#ride comfort#cold temperature limitations#track and autocross use#sidewall and steering response
Based on 141 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position | B · Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer tire | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 47 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | 9 - 10/32″ |
| UTQG | 280 A A | 340 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | 50 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
55
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
65
/ 100
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
Winner: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 — better treadwear, handling and dry. 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 want the longest tread life
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 scores 66 vs 50 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 scores 71 vs 57 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 scores 74 vs 63 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 scores 66 vs 57 on wet.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
Tire B · Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
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Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Firehawk Indy 500?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Firehawk Indy 500?
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 66 vs 57 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Firehawk Indy 500?
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 74 vs 63 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Firehawk Indy 500?
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 45 vs 36 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Firehawk Indy 500?
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 66 vs 62 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Firehawk Indy 500?
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 65 vs 57 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Firehawk Indy 500?
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 66 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