Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Potenza S001 vs Continental ExtremeContact Sport — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

ExtremeContact Sport is ahead, 71–63

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Potenza S001

Summer

Tests 71 · 6 tests Owners 56 · 5,797 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (wet braking)

“Potenza S001 cracking Has anyone had issues with their OEM Bridgestone Potenza S001 tires cracking? I have OEM tires on my 2018 CLub with 17k miles with cracking in the treads for all 4 tires and because they are 4 years + 3 months past manufacture date, Bridgestone told me to Beat It. These are $185 tires that don't last 4 seasons....why would I ever buy them if they are PoS?”

Tests 74 · 2 tests Owners 69 · 45 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 5 in 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test (wet braking)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 72

    Dry

    ExtremeContact Sport +4
    76
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001ExtremeContact Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score)7974
    Reviews found online6380
    Dry Braking (% of best)93%100%
    Dry Handling (% of best)99%98%
  2. 75

    Wet

    ExtremeContact Sport +3
    78
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001ExtremeContact Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score)8478
    Reviews found online6278
    Wet Braking (% of best)100%100%
    Wet Handling (% of best)100%100%
  3. 51

    Snow

    Potenza S001 +4
    47
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001ExtremeContact Sport
    Reviews found online3932
  4. 59

    Comfort

    ExtremeContact Sport +13
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001ExtremeContact Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score)63–
    Reviews found online5274
  5. 52

    Noise

    ExtremeContact Sport +19
    71
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001ExtremeContact Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score)4873
    Reviews found online5869
  6. 54

    Treadwear

    ExtremeContact Sport +15
    69
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001ExtremeContact Sport
    Professional tests (TWG score)5870
    Reviews found online4968
  7. 61

    Handling

    ExtremeContact Sport +13
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001ExtremeContact Sport
    Reviews found online6174
Scores at a glance
Bridgestone Potenza S001 vs Continental ExtremeContact Sport: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryBridgestone Potenza S001Continental ExtremeContact Sport
Relative Score 63 71
Dry 72 76
Wet 75 78
Snow 51 47
Comfort 59 72
Noise 52 71
Treadwear 54 69
Handling 61 74

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.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Potenza S001

ExtremeContact Sport

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.

DisciplineCategoryPotenza S001ExtremeContact SportΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 93% #7/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test 100% #2/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test −7.2 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #5/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 98% #3/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test +1.0 Different tests
Noise Other 96% #8/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 99% #2/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test −2.5 Different tests
Tested Tread Life (Miles) Other 54% #17/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires 62% #6/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires −7.7 Same test
Overall Ranking Overall 20% #5/10 · 2012 EVO Summer Tyre Test 95% #2/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires −75.2 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests

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
All owner themes in the Potenza S001 review

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
All owner themes in the ExtremeContact Sport review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Bridgestone Potenza S001

Mixed

Community opinion on the Bridgestone Potenza S001 is divided, with some users praising their dry grip and stability, while many others criticize their rapid wear, stiffness (especially run-flat variants), noise, and cracking issues. Owners frequently compare them unfavorably to alternatives like Michelin or Pirelli, though budget-friendly deals tend to draw occasional interest.

r/BMWi3 ·1 upvote ·2024-01-09

“I put the Potenza S001 tires on the rear of my i3s with that Tire Rack deal but I didn't think they would fit on the 5.5 inch rims. I think the rears are 6.0".”

r/TyreReviews ·3 upvotes ·2026-02-22

“Replacing Bridgestone Potenza s001 RunFlats with Primacy 5 vs. PS5. Suggestions? I drive a VW Jetta which only has 160 Hp. I do occasionally really enjoy some spirited driving or taking aggressive turns. My considerations are that I do really care about Comfort and road noise and so that leads me towards the Primacy 5. At the same time, I don't think the power of my car justifies the PS5. My question is basically, I've online that for runflats to be runflats they have really stiff sidewalls, which might be contributing to the current feel of my car and I wonder if, even though everything else about the Potenza s001 is quite worse compared to the Primacy 5, I wonder if I will miss the stiff sidewall? And just because of that should I consider the PS5?”

f30.bimmerpost.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by Josspeed Quote: Originally Posted by cfm56d7b +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. GREAT! Thanks... so Pzero much better than B S001 To caveat the "much better" statement ... - All run flat tires generate more noise - Some run flat tires produce a harsher ride. In this case, S001 tires are harsher than P Zero tires. I've owned both - As the mileage increases, run flat tires generate more noise as the tread wears off. It's normal. The only question is whether the driver is willing to tolerate it - In average driving, P Zero tires will probably last 25K to 28K miles. Or less. I am replacing the OEM set at 24K miles. Yet the convenience of run flat tires is attractive. For me, P Zero tires represent a good compromise and a much better option than S001 which were exorbitantly harsh even when new.”

Top themes
#Tread Wear and Longevity#Run-Flat Stiffness and Comfort#Road Noise and Harshness#Dry Grip and Stability#Quality and Cracking Issues#Value and Deals

Based on 16 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
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available551
Rim diameters15″ – 21″17″
Tread depth8/32″10/32″
UTQG280 A A340 AA A
Treadwear warranty—30,000 mi
SidewallBlackwallBlack Side Wall
Max pressure50 psi44 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Potenza S001

Continental ExtremeContact Sport

Winner: Continental ExtremeContact Sport — better noise, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Bridgestone Potenza S001 if snow matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 71 vs 52 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 69 vs 54 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 72 vs 59 on comfort.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 74 vs 61 on handling.

Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S001
Tire B · Continental ExtremeContact Sport

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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.

71

Leads

ExtremeContact Sport

Amazon