Tests 72 · 6 tests Owners 55 · 5,807 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.. .”
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza S001 vs Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 6 + 1 road tests and 5,807 + 2 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Potenza S001 68, Ventus RS3 Z222 67.
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Tests 59 · 1 test Owners 73 · 2 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
73
Dry
Potenza S001 +172Why this score
Source Potenza S001 Ventus RS3 Z222 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 1 tests 79 67 Reviews found online 63 79 Potenza S001: 60% × 79.1 + 40% × 62.7 = 73
Ventus RS3 Z222: 60% × 67 + 40% × 79 = 72
-
76
Wet
Potenza S001 +1660Why this score
Source Potenza S001 Ventus RS3 Z222 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 1 tests 84 52 Reviews found online 62 72 Potenza S001: 60% × 84.4 + 40% × 62.3 = 76
Ventus RS3 Z222: 60% × 51.9 + 40% × 71.8 = 60
-
51
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S001 Ventus RS3 Z222 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 59 (est.) – Reviews found online 38 – Potenza S001: 60% × 59.2 (est.) + 40% × 37.6 = 51
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 0.33).
-
58
Comfort
Ventus RS3 Z222 +967Why this score
Source Potenza S001 Ventus RS3 Z222 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 63 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 51 65 Potenza S001: 60% × 63.3 + 40% × 51.1 = 58
Ventus RS3 Z222: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 65.1 = 67
No road tests of comfort for Ventus RS3 Z222. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
57
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Potenza S001 Ventus RS3 Z222 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests 56 – Reviews found online 59 – Potenza S001: 60% × 55.7 + 40% × 58.6 = 57
-
54
Treadwear
Ventus RS3 Z222 +1367Why this score
Source Potenza S001 Ventus RS3 Z222 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests 58 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 48 68 Potenza S001: 60% × 58 + 40% × 48.4 = 54
Ventus RS3 Z222: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 67.9 = 67
No road tests of treadwear for Ventus RS3 Z222. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
-
61
Handling (owners)
Ventus RS3 Z222 +1677Why this score
Source Potenza S001 Ventus RS3 Z222 Reviews found online 61 77
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza S001 | Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 67 |
| Dry | 73 | 72 |
| Wet | 76 | 60 |
| Snow | 51 | – |
| Comfort | 58 | 67 |
| Noise | 57 | – |
| Treadwear | 54 | 67 |
| Handling (owners) | 61 | 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 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
Recomputed
Headline score
68
/ 100
Potenza S001
67
/ 100
Ventus RS3 Z222
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 S001 | Ventus RS3 Z222 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% #7/49 · 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test | 91% #4/5 · 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 99% #4/5 · 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 90% #2/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test | 70% #5/5 · 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #1/49 · 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test | 82% #5/5 · 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #12/22 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires | #3/5 2019 17 inch Track Day Tyre Test | – | 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
Tire B Ventus RS3 Z222
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip with minimal warm-up time required
- Predictable and progressive handling characteristics
- Superior wet weather performance compared to typical semi-slick tires
Cons
- Limited suitability for snow or freezing conditions
- Performance is highly dependent on achieving optimal operating temperature
- Stiff sidewall construction may impact ride comfort for 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.
r/CarTalkUK
·2 upvotes ·2023-11-15
“Brand New Bridgestone Potenza S001 Tyres worn after 10k mileage? So I got 4 brand new tyres last June from Costco, 255/35 R19. I only drive locally, occasional trips to another city. 10k mileage later, my front two tyres flagged up on my recent MOT as : Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge CHANGE ASAP (5.2.3 (e)) Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge EDGED (5.2.3 (e)) Seems surprising to me as I don't drive crazy, occasional spirited driving. 2011 Audi s5. is this normal? Thinking of getting another brand this time for the front two tyres. Car is a quattro but same types on same axis should suffice? Any recommendations on tyres? Read more”
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.”
bimmerfest.com
·2012-02-16
“Thanks for the comments. I'm not sure a paltry $3m fine will move BMW to more or quicker recalls. It's just a drop in the bucket for them. In this case too, BMW has yet to accept any responsibility for the tire issues and has put it all on Goodyear for warranty and replacement. This is the sort of BS thing I am expecting to happen, although unlike the LS2's, I have been assured that there are no Excellence tires to be had anywhere. I just hope they do the right thing here. The latest issue of Roundel reviews the new F30 and they claim the new Bridgestone Potenza S001 uses "third generation run-flat technology", whatever that is, and say its a great tire. I called around though, and no tire dealers even have that tire in their system yet.”
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
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza S001 | B · Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 55 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 21″ | — |
| Tread depth | 8/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 280 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza S001
67
/ 100
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222
Too close to call: Bridgestone Potenza S001 and Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 are within 2 points overall. Bridgestone Potenza S001 is stronger on wet. Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 is stronger on handling, treadwear and comfort. Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 2 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Bridgestone Potenza S001 scores 76 vs 60 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 scores 77 vs 61 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 scores 67 vs 54 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222 scores 67 vs 58 on comfort.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S001
Tire B · Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222
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Potenza S001 or Ventus RS3 Z222?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza S001 or Ventus RS3 Z222?
Bridgestone Potenza S001, 76 vs 60 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza S001 or Ventus RS3 Z222?
Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 72 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza S001 or Ventus RS3 Z222?
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222, 67 vs 58 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza S001 or Ventus RS3 Z222?
Hankook Ventus RS3 Z222, 67 vs 54 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