Tests – · none yet Owners 64 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 4 in 2011 Tirerack Max Performance Summer Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position vs Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 is ahead, 72–65
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Tests 72 · 1 test Owners 74 · 308 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 6 in 2010 Autocar Tyre Test - RWD (overall ranking)
“Is the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 a good choice for a daily driver? I've been considering changing my tires to Michelin Primacy 4 for my Mazda 2. I've been quoted with Michelin Pilot Sport 3 ones with manufacturing date of mid 2024 for 25% less, that the garage wants to clear from their warehouse. Is this an overkill? Edit: Thank you all for your help. I went with the PS3 and it seems that it was a good choice. Read more”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
69
Dry
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +372Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 67 Reviews found online 70 79 -
69
Wet
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +877Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 76 Reviews found online 69 80 -
66
Comfort
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +571Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Reviews found online 62 73 -
66
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Reviews found online 65 – -
56
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +965Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Reviews found online 50 64 -
69
Handling
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +877Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Reviews found online 69 77
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position | Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 65 | 72 |
| Dry | 69 | 72 |
| Wet | 69 | 77 |
| Comfort | 66 | 71 |
| Noise | 66 | – |
| Treadwear | 56 | 65 |
| Handling | 69 | 77 |
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.
Important
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Important
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Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
65
/ 100
Potenza S-04 Pole Position
72
/ 100
Pilot Sport 3 PS3
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 S-04 Pole Position | Pilot Sport 3 PS3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/4 · 2011 Tirerack Max Performance Summer Tyre Test | 33% #3/6 · 2010 Autocar Tyre Test - RWD | +16.7 | 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
- Excellent dry handling and cornering stability
- Competent performance in wet conditions
- Unexpectedly high levels of ride comfort for a performance-oriented tire
Cons
- Rapid tread wear rate
- Audible road noise or humming on certain surfaces
- Wet-weather performance is good but outperformed by some direct competitors
Tire B Pilot Sport 3 PS3
Pros
- Exceptional wet and dry grip
- Outstanding wet-weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
- Enhanced ride comfort and compliance over road imperfections
Cons
- Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly with spirited driving
- Softer sidewalls can result in a slightly spongy or 'squidgy' feel during aggressive cornering
- Higher initial purchase price compared to some mid-range alternatives
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
Mixed
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
The Michelin Pilot Sport 3 (PS3) is largely viewed as an older generation tire, often overshadowed by its successor, the PS4. While some users consider buying discounted warehouse stock for daily driving or note limited size availability, others strongly advise against choosing the PS3 when newer iterations are available. (Note: Several posts in the discussion confuse the tire with the PlayStation 3 gaming console.)
Top themes
#PS3 vs PS4 comparison#Limited size availability#Discounted warehouse stock#Daily driving suitability#Tread life expectations#Console confusion
Based on 10 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | — | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
65
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
72
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — better treadwear, wet and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 65 vs 56 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 77 vs 69 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 77 vs 69 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 71 vs 66 on comfort.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
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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.