Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Potenza S001 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — Compared

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

Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 82–65

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Potenza S001

Summer

Tests 71 · 6 tests Owners 56 · 5,804 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 49 in 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking 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?”

Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 5

Summer

Tests 84 · 23 tests Owners 82 · 6,414 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 3 in Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres (dry handling)

“The Tire Rack no longer has the selection with the major name brands it once did. I can order the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 in 225/45R18 from Costco but the Tire Rack doesn't offer it in that size. I can order the Continental Sport Contact 7 at Discount Tire in 225/45R18 but not at the Tire Rack. When my wife and I had a Corolla Hybrid, it took a 195/65R15. Michelin quit offering the CC2 in that size so the next best all-weather tire at the time that fit was the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 750. The Tire Rack never offered that tire but Discount Tire had it in stock locally. None of the tires I mentioned are exclusive tires for certain retailers. I enjoy the Tire Rack website and the testing they do, but they are no longer the go to merchant when buying tires like they once was.”

Category by category

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

  1. 72

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 5 +16
    88
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score)7991
    Reviews found online6384
    Dry Braking (% of best)96%97%
    Dry Handling (% of best)99%100%
  2. 75

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 5 +15
    90
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score)8492
    Reviews found online6287
    Wet Braking (% of best)100%95%
    Wet Handling (% of best)96%100%
  3. 51

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001Pilot Sport 5
    Reviews found online39–
  4. 59

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 5 +16
    75
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score)6371
    Reviews found online5180
  5. 52

    Noise

    Potenza S001 +7
    45
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score)4830
    Reviews found online58–
  6. 54

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 5 +28
    82
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score)5887
    Reviews found online4975
  7. 61

    Handling

    Pilot Sport 5 +22
    83
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001Pilot Sport 5
    Reviews found online6183
Scores at a glance
Bridgestone Potenza S001 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryBridgestone Potenza S001Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Relative Score 65 82
Dry 72 88
Wet 75 90
Snow 51 –
Comfort 59 75
Noise 52 45
Treadwear 54 82
Handling 61 83

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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost

Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

Potenza S001

Pilot Sport 5

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.

DisciplineCategoryPotenza S001Pilot Sport 5ΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 96% #7/49 · 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test 97% #9/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test −1.5 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres −1.5 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 89% #8/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 81% #2/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres +8.0 Different tests
Noise Other 96% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 97% #12/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test −0.9 Different tests
Price Other 54% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 58% #20/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test −3.5 Different tests
Value Other 60% #19/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 80% #6/10 · 2025 AZ Summer Tyre Test −20.1 Different tests
Wear Other 85% #12/16 · 2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer Tyre Test 93% #2/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test −8.4 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 33% #3/11 · 2011 AMS Ultra High Performance Tyre Test 11% #9/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? +22.2 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 97% #7/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 99% #8/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test −2.2 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 70% #5/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 70% #5/10 · 2025 AZ Summer Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 90% #2/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 100% #1/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test −10.0 Different tests
Subj. Wet Handling Subj 78% #3/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 60% #7/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test +18.0 Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Total 0% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 0% #13/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 100% #1/49 · 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test 95% #4/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test +5.3 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 96% #5/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 100% #1/4 · Michelin CrossClimate 3 & 3 Sport vs Pilot Sport 5 vs Primacy 5 −4.0 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 Pilot Sport 5

Pros

  • Outstanding wet and dry traction with high resistance to aquaplaning
  • Superior tread life and longevity compared to competitors and previous generations
  • Noticeable improvements in ride comfort and a quieter cabin over rough road surfaces

Cons

  • Softer sidewalls can lead to initial steering vagueness or understeer during hard cornering
  • Higher price point compared to some tier-one competitors
  • Performance and grip degrade significantly under intense track heat or heavy circuit use
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 5 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Bridgestone Potenza S001

Mixed

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.

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

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Positive

Community opinion on the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is overwhelmingly positive for daily street driving, praising its exceptional wet grip, tread longevity, and quiet comfort compared to run-flats and older performance tires. However, several enthusiasts note downsides for aggressive or track use, specifically citing softer sidewalls, muted steering feedback, and poor heat resistance leading to delamination under track conditions. Most drivers consider it an outstanding premium all-rounder for sporty street cars rather than a dedicated track or extreme-performance tire.

r/TeslaUK ·3 upvotes ·2026-03-27

“Pilot sport 5? Hi, after replacement tyres for M3. Just touched 30k miles and all 4 need doing. Michelin 235/45 ZR18 (98Y) XL TL PILOT SPORT 5 I was looking at these 154 pounds from Costco. Only they’re not T rated. Was comparing them with the original 235/45 ZR 18 PILOT SPORT 4 XL TO TESLA these are 204 pounds at Costco. Thoughts on whether the PS5 will be ok please? Visited a couple of independent tyre shops yesterday, 1 quoted budget 100 each through to PS4s at 230 each. The second wouldn’t quote on non Tesla approved, so just quoted the PS4 T0s at 203 each. Cheers”

r/CarsAustralia ·8 upvotes ·2025-09-10

“In my experience they are quite long wearing tires and well worth the cost. I used to get around 40k out of most tyres. My first set of ps4’s lasted 55k and now the ps5’s are trending to beat it. I'm a pretty spirited driver around the roundabouts of Canberra too, though I only have a hatch so experiences may vary. As to performance I've driven them on my i30 n-line and other people’s i30N, BRZ, tesla 3, and stinger and the tyres have more grip than I have guts to push them on public roads. In both wet and dry they are very confidence inspiring and a hell of a lot of fun.”

r/ft86 ·2 upvotes ·2026-07-21

“PS5 is a very good allround, comfortable but grippy tire. PS4S has a stiffer sidewall and is way sportier but harsher. There is to date no successor for the PS4S. I switched from PS4S to PS5 on my mustang and its a way better fit for a daily tire. I would remommend to get PS5 for the rear aswell.”

Top themes
#wet grip performance#tread wear longevity#daily driving comfort#track heat delamination#soft sidewall steering feedback#road noise levels#comparison with ps4s

Based on 174 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Potenza S001 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available5566
Rim diameters15″ – 21″16″ – 22″
Tread depth8/32″—
UTQG280 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Potenza S001

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better treadwear, handling and dry. Pick the Bridgestone Potenza S001 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 82 vs 54 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 83 vs 61 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 88 vs 72 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 75 vs 59 on comfort.

Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S001
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5

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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.

82

Leads

Pilot Sport 5

Amazon