Tests 72 · 6 tests Owners 52 · 5,811 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (wet braking)
“Had a set of run flats for a brief period, heavy tires, very stiff sidewalls, wouldn't run them again.. .”
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza S001 vs Continental ExtremeContact Sport — 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 6 + 2 road tests and 5,811 + 45 owner reviews. How we score
ExtremeContact Sport is ahead, 71–62
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 74 · 2 tests Owners 70 · 45 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
72
Dry
ExtremeContact Sport +476Why this score
Source Potenza S001 ExtremeContact Sport Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 1 tests 79 74 Reviews found online 60 80 Potenza S001: 60% × 79.4 + 40% × 60 = 72
ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 73.9 + 40% × 80.3 = 76
-
75
Wet
ExtremeContact Sport +580Why this score
Source Potenza S001 ExtremeContact Sport Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 1 tests 86 80 Reviews found online 60 80 Potenza S001: 60% × 85.5 + 40% × 60 = 75
ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 79.6 + 40% × 80.4 = 80
-
50
Snow
Potenza S001 +347Why this score
Source Potenza S001 ExtremeContact Sport Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 58 (est.) ≈ 56 (est.) Reviews found online 38 32 Potenza S001: 60% × 58.4 (est.) + 40% × 37.6 = 50
ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 56.3 (est.) + 40% × 32.2 = 47
No road tests of snow for Potenza S001. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
No road tests of snow for ExtremeContact Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
-
54
Comfort
ExtremeContact Sport +1973Why this score
Source Potenza S001 ExtremeContact Sport Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 63 ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 47 74 Potenza S001: 40% × 63.3 + 60% × 47.2 = 54
ExtremeContact Sport: 40% × 70.1 (est.) + 60% × 74.4 = 73
No road tests of comfort for ExtremeContact Sport. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
56
Noise
ExtremeContact Sport +1571Why this score
Source Potenza S001 ExtremeContact Sport Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests 56 73 Reviews found online 56 68 Potenza S001: 60% × 55.7 + 40% × 55.8 = 56
ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 68 = 71
-
52
Treadwear
ExtremeContact Sport +1769Why this score
Source Potenza S001 ExtremeContact Sport Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests 58 70 Reviews found online 43 68 Tested Tread Life (Miles) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 54% 62% Potenza S001: 60% × 58 + 40% × 42.7 = 52
ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 67.8 = 69
-
60
Handling (owners)
ExtremeContact Sport +1575Why this score
Source Potenza S001 ExtremeContact Sport Reviews found online 60 75 -
41
Efficiency
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S001 ExtremeContact Sport Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests 41 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza S001 | Continental ExtremeContact Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 62 | 71 |
| Dry | 72 | 76 |
| Wet | 75 | 80 |
| Snow | 50 | 47 |
| Comfort | 54 | 73 |
| Noise | 56 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 52 | 69 |
| Handling (owners) | 60 | 75 |
| Efficiency | 41 | – |
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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
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
62
/ 100
Potenza S001
71
/ 100
ExtremeContact Sport
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.
In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Potenza S001 finished ahead 0 times and Continental ExtremeContact Sport 1 times.
| Discipline | Category | Potenza S001 | ExtremeContact Sport | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% #7/49 · 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test | 100% #2/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 98% #3/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #1/49 · 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test | 100% #1/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 96% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 99% #2/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Tested Tread Life (Miles) | Treadwear | 54% | 62% | −7.6 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires · 215/60R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #12/22 | #2/22 | – | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires · 215/60R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Potenza S001
Pros
- Precise and sharp steering response
- Strong dry-pavement cornering grip
- Stiff sidewalls providing robust rim protection and high-speed stability
Cons
- High levels of road noise and cabin drone
- Stiff, harsh ride quality (particularly noticeable on run-flat versions)
- Poor or unpredictable wet-weather grip and sudden loss of traction
Tire B ExtremeContact Sport
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet traction with high confidence in the rain
- High value for money compared to primary competitors like Michelin
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality for an ultra-high-performance tire
Cons
- Softer sidewalls leading to a slight delay or lack of immediate steering feedback and precision
- Requires a brief warm-up period in colder temperatures, sometimes causing temporary vibrations
- Stiff ride over sharp road imperfections noted by some users
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Mixed
Bridgestone Potenza S001
Community sentiment regarding the Bridgestone Potenza S001 is predominantly mixed to negative, particularly concerning the run-flat variants. Drivers frequently report stiff sidewalls, harsh ride quality, road noise, premature wear, and tread cracking, leading many to switch to non-run-flat alternatives like Michelin. However, several owners find them adequate for spirited driving, citing satisfactory dry and wet grip as well as acceptable ride comfort on specific vehicle setups.
mybmwi3.com
·2026-03-31
“I run the Bridgestone Potenza S001 Ultra-High Summer Peformance Tire 215/45R/20s on the rear and 195s on the front. They ride softer than stock tires. Not cheap tho.”
f30.bimmerpost.com
“Quote: Originally Posted by ProjectBoost Yeah and the Bridgestone's should be replaced too. +1 Bridgestone Potenza S001 are near the bottom of all run flat tires. If you prefer run flat tires, Pirelli P Zero are much better.”
r/tires
·1 upvote ·2025-10-01
“Bridgestone Potenza S001 all year in Portland Oregon? As a second car in the family, do you think I can get away with running Bridgestone Potenza S001, with good tread depth, all year in Portland Oregon? I've lived here my whole life so I know the climate well. As long as I don't drive during the 1-3 snow days, do you think I'm good? My other car is a Honda Pilot AWD that we do summer/winter tire swap and take skiing ~20 times a year. For a car I never plan on taking in the snow, doing summer/winter swap or summer/all-season seems like overkill.”
Top themes
#run-flat stiffness and harshness#premature tread wear#tread cracking issues#wet and dry grip#switching to non-run-flats#road noise generation#OEM tire replacement
Based on 43 community posts
Tire B
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza S001 | B · Continental ExtremeContact Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 55 | 1 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 21″ | 17″ |
| Tread depth | 8/32″ | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | 280 A A | 340 AA A |
| Treadwear warranty | — | 30,000 mi |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | 44 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
62
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza S001
71
/ 100
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
Winner: Continental ExtremeContact Sport — better comfort, treadwear and noise. Pick the Bridgestone Potenza S001 if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 73 vs 54 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 69 vs 52 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 71 vs 56 on noise.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 75 vs 60 on handling.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S001
Tire B · Continental ExtremeContact Sport
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Potenza S001 or ExtremeContact Sport?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza S001 or ExtremeContact Sport?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 80 vs 75 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza S001 or ExtremeContact Sport?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 76 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Potenza S001 or ExtremeContact Sport?
Bridgestone Potenza S001, 50 vs 47 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Potenza S001 or ExtremeContact Sport?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 71 vs 56 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza S001 or ExtremeContact Sport?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 73 vs 54 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza S001 or ExtremeContact Sport?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 69 vs 52 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