Tests – · none yet Owners 46 · 10 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position vs Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — 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 + 308 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 is ahead, 74–58
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 72 · 1 test Owners 77 · 308 reviews
“I used them for my PS3’s last year, got the cash back offer too. Saved a fortune over the other big name tyre suppliers.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
63
Dry
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +1073Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 65 (est.) 67 Reviews found online 60 82 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 64.7 (est.) + 40% × 60.1 = 63
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 82.2 = 73
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 0.41).
-
57
Wet
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +2279Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 61 (est.) 76 Reviews found online 52 84 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 60.6 (est.) + 40% × 52.2 = 57
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 76.2 + 40% × 84.3 = 79
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).
-
35
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 52 (est.) – Reviews found online 11 – Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 51.6 (est.) + 40% × 11.2 = 35
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).
-
57
Comfort
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +1673Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 65 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 52 75 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 40% × 65.3 (est.) + 60% × 51.8 = 57
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 40% × 70 (est.) + 60% × 75.4 = 73
No road tests of comfort for Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Pilot Sport 3 PS3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
62
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) – Reviews found online 55 – Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 55 = 62
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.
-
50
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +1666Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 57 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 40 66 Potenza S-04 Pole Position: 60% × 57 (est.) + 40% × 40.1 = 50
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 65.5 = 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).
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport 3 PS3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
57
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +2481Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Reviews found online 57 81 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison54Why this score
Source Potenza S-04 Pole Position Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests – 54
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position | Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 58 | 74 |
| Dry | 63 | 73 |
| Wet | 57 | 79 |
| Snow | 35 | – |
| Comfort | 57 | 73 |
| Noise | 62 | – |
| Treadwear | 50 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 57 | 81 |
| Efficiency | – | 54 |
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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
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
58
/ 100
Potenza S-04 Pole Position
74
/ 100
Pilot Sport 3 PS3
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 | Pilot Sport 3 PS3 | 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 | #10/16 2016 ADAC Tyre Test - 225/45 R17 | – | 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 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
Community sentiment regarding the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 (PS3) is mixed, with users commending its wet grip, aquaplaning resistance, and daily ride comfort. However, enthusiasts often note soft sidewalls and subdued sportiness compared to the PS2, with many recommending newer iterations like the PS4 and PS4S for sharper handling and reduced road noise.
mx5nutz.com
·2025-11-11
“PS3 or rainsports do pretty well for daily use with the odd track day too.”
r/tires
·3 upvotes ·2025-08-02
“Michelin PS3 MO1 vs Pirelli Pzero MO About to order 4 new tires for this 2012 Mercedes CLS500 SB (X218), but tire choices are quite limited. Sizes: 255/40R18 99Y front 285/35R18 97Y rear Currently running Pirelli Pzero MO on all corners, which are in desperate need of replacement. Unfortunately, Michelin PS4, PS5 or PS4S are not available in both these sizes in Europe. The PS4 has been quite an improvement over the PS3 iirc, so it feels wrong to go for the PS3. However, the Pirelli Pzero MO isn’t the newest PZ5 iteration nor the previous PZ4 I suppose. So… Should we go for another set of Pirelli Pzero or the Michelin PS3? (PFA) Read more”
mbworld.org
“In the past I've used the DWS on several cars including a 2002 Carrera 4..........yes I put High Performance All Seasons on a Porsche. They were much quieter and tread wear was much better than summer tires. After years of pushing it to the limit I've mellowed in years and attitude. Not too much over the limit driving these days so the DWS fits my needs perfectly. However, I was not aware that this tire is available in 20 or 21 inch tires??? I have also had good results with Michelin PS3 All Seasons but they are not available (at least from Tire Rack) for the GL 20" or 21" set up.”
Top themes
#Wet grip performance#Aquaplaning resistance#Comparison to PS4#Comfortable daily driving#Soft sidewall feel#Road noise issues#Availability and sizing
Based on 37 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer tire | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 280 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
58
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
74
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — better handling, wet and comfort. 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
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 81 vs 57 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 79 vs 57 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 73 vs 57 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 66 vs 50 on treadwear.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 79 vs 57 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 73 vs 63 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 73 vs 57 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza S-04 Pole Position or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 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