Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Potenza S001 vs Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) — Compared

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

Too close to call: Potenza S001 and P Zero (PZ4) are level at 65.

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.

Potenza S001

Summer

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

Best test result: #7 of 49 in 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test (dry 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 BPirelli

P Zero (PZ4)

Summer

Tests 67 · 33 tests Owners 63 · 2,592 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2021 EVO Summer Tyre Test (overall ranking)

“Pirelli P Zero Tyres But if a rant. Brought my i4 edrive 40 about 14 months ago from a main dealer here in the UK. The front tyres (Hankook) had decent tread, obviously the rears did not, so the dealer swapped them for brand new Pirelli PZero (PZ4) tyres at the rear. Honest to god I have never driven tyres so dam trash in my life. Anything other than a perfect warm dry day, there is little to no grip and car struggles to put its power down. I assume the Zero in P Zero refers to the grip levels. Just wondered if anyone else had any experience with Pirelli’s? Read more”

Category by category

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

  1. 72

    Dry

    P Zero (PZ4) +9
    81
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001P Zero (PZ4)
    Professional tests (TWG score)7987
    Reviews found online6373
    Dry Braking (% of best)96%90%
    Dry Handling (% of best)99%99%
  2. 75

    Wet

    P Zero (PZ4) +4
    79
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001P Zero (PZ4)
    Professional tests (TWG score)8486
    Reviews found online6269
    Wet Braking (% of best)87%87%
    Wet Handling (% of best)94%98%
  3. 51

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001P Zero (PZ4)
    Reviews found online39–
  4. 59

    Comfort

    P Zero (PZ4) +7
    66
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001P Zero (PZ4)
    Professional tests (TWG score)6369
    Reviews found online5162
  5. 52

    Noise

    P Zero (PZ4) +16
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001P Zero (PZ4)
    Professional tests (TWG score)4872
    Reviews found online5864
  6. 54

    Treadwear

    Potenza S001 +21
    33
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001P Zero (PZ4)
    Professional tests (TWG score)5826
    Reviews found online4945
  7. 61

    Handling

    P Zero (PZ4) +8
    69
    Why this score
    SourcePotenza S001P Zero (PZ4)
    Reviews found online6169
Scores at a glance
Bridgestone Potenza S001 vs Pirelli P Zero (PZ4): scores by category (0–100)
CategoryBridgestone Potenza S001Pirelli P Zero (PZ4)
Relative Score 65 65
Dry 72 81
Wet 75 79
Snow 51 –
Comfort 59 66
Noise 52 68
Treadwear 54 33
Handling 61 69

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

P Zero (PZ4)

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 S001P Zero (PZ4)ΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 96% #7/49 · 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test 90% #4/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 +5.8 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #5/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 99% #4/9 · 2017 Motor Mag UHP Tyre Test −0.4 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 73% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 80% #15/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test −7.3 Different tests
Noise Other 99% #6/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test 96% #16/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test +2.4 Different tests
Price Other 54% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 71% #9/11 · 2020 AMS 18 Inch Summer Tyre Test −17.0 Different tests
Tested Tread Life (Miles) Other 54% #17/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires 46% #20/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires +7.7 Same test
Value Other 60% #19/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 62% #10/10 · 2025 AZ Summer Tyre Test −2.5 Different tests
Wear Other 85% #12/16 · 2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer Tyre Test 52% #18/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test +33.2 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 20% #5/10 · 2012 EVO Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/9 · 2021 EVO Summer Tyre Test −80.0 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 97% #7/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 93% #10/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test +3.6 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 70% #5/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 88% #5/8 · 2025 Sports Cars Tyre Test −17.5 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 90% #2/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 90% #3/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Subj. Wet Handling Subj 78% #3/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2019 EVO Summer Tyre Test −22.0 Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Total 0% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 0% #9/10 · 2025 AZ Summer Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 87% #7/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test 87% #5/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test +0.1 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 94% #6/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test 98% #3/11 · 2023 Sport Auto UHP Tyre Test −3.6 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 P Zero (PZ4)

Pros

  • Outstanding dry grip and handling performance
  • Precise steering feedback and agile cornering stability
  • Low road noise and high comfort on smooth tarmac

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear, especially on performance or rear-wheel-drive vehicles
  • Subpar performance and susceptibility to aquaplaning in cold or heavy wet weather
  • Stiff ride quality that can transmit harsh impacts on rough roads
All owner themes in the P Zero (PZ4) 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

Pirelli P Zero (PZ4)

Negative

Community sentiment regarding the Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) is largely critical, with users reporting extremely rapid tread wear and severe grip issues outside of warm, dry conditions. While some drivers consider them for OEM run-flat availability, multiple posts highlight concerns over poor longevity and lackluster wet and cold weather performance compared to competitors like Michelin.

Top themes
#rapid tread wear#cold and wet grip#run flat availability#comparison to Michelin#OEM tire lifespan#luxury versus sport variants

Based on 7 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Potenza S001 B · Pirelli P Zero (PZ4)
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available55193
Rim diameters15″ – 21″17″ – 24″
Tread depth8/32″—
UTQG280 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Potenza S001

Pirelli P Zero (PZ4)

Too close to call: Bridgestone Potenza S001 and Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) are within 2 points overall. Bridgestone Potenza S001 is stronger on treadwear. Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) is stronger on noise, dry and handling.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Bridgestone Potenza S001 scores 54 vs 33 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) scores 68 vs 52 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) scores 81 vs 72 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) scores 69 vs 61 on handling.

Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza S001
Tire B · Pirelli P Zero (PZ4)

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

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.

65

Too close to call

Potenza S001

Amazon