Tests 80 · 5 tests Owners 78 · 63 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2026 Summer SUV Tyre Test (dry handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — 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 5 + 27 road tests and 63 + 6,632 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 4 S leads, 83–79 Narrow edge
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Tests 81 · 27 tests Owners 86 · 6,632 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)
“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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87
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 S +693Why this score
Source Potenza Sport Evo Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 25 tests 92 95 Reviews found online 80 92 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 99% 94% Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 99% 100% Potenza Sport Evo: 60% × 92.5 + 40% × 79.5 = 87
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 94.6 + 40% × 91.7 = 93
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88
Wet
Level88Why this score
Source Potenza Sport Evo Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 26 tests 91 86 Reviews found online 83 90 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 97% 100% Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 97% 90% Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 87% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 95% 90% Potenza Sport Evo: 60% × 91.1 + 40% × 82.6 = 88
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 86 + 40% × 90.4 = 88
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74
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 S +579Why this score
Source Potenza Sport Evo Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests 75 70 Reviews found online 73 84 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 84% Potenza Sport Evo: 40% × 75 + 60% × 72.7 = 74
Pilot Sport 4 S: 40% × 70.4 + 60% × 84 = 79
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45
Noise
Pilot Sport 4 S +2469Why this score
Source Potenza Sport Evo Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 20 tests 30 70 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 96% 98% Potenza Sport Evo: 60% × 30.4 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 45
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 66.5 (est.) = 69
No owner ratings of noise for Potenza Sport Evo or Pilot Sport 4 S. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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72
Treadwear
Level72Why this score
Source Potenza Sport Evo Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 73 70 Reviews found online 72 74 Potenza Sport Evo: 60% × 72.8 + 40% × 71.7 = 72
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74.4 = 72
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84
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 4 S +690Why this score
Source Potenza Sport Evo Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews found online 84 90 -
47
Efficiency
Pilot Sport 4 S +2572Why this score
Source Potenza Sport Evo Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 23 tests 47 72 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 90% 98%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 83 |
| Dry | 87 | 93 |
| Wet | 88 | 88 |
| Comfort | 74 | 79 |
| Noise | 45 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 72 |
| Handling (owners) | 84 | 90 |
| Efficiency | 47 | 72 |
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
79
/ 100
Potenza Sport Evo
83
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4 S
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 2 tests that ran both, Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo finished ahead 1 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 1 times.
| Discipline | Category | Potenza Sport Evo | Pilot Sport 4 S | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 99% | 94% | +5.2 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% | 100% | −0.8 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 67% #14/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 98% #4/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 90% #3/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 96% #4/7 · 2025 Autobild Sportcars Summer Tire Test R20 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 97% | 100% | −3.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% | 90% | +7.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 100% | 87% | +12.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% | 90% | +5.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 92% #6/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 84% #8/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 100% | 84% | +16.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Noise | Noise | 96% | 98% | −1.9 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% | 98% | −7.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test · 255/35 R19 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #3/10 | #1/10 | – | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 ACE Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Potenza Sport Evo
Pros
- Phenomenal dry and wet grip providing high confidence
- Sharp, responsive steering feel and quick turn-in
- Improved tread wear characteristics and durability compared to the original Potenza Sport
Cons
- Potential understeer issues on front-wheel-drive vehicles with heavy front weight distribution
- Some users reported wheelspin or slippage under full throttle in lower gears on specific setups
- Concerns regarding long-term wear rates under aggressive driving conditions
Tire B Pilot Sport 4 S
Pros
- Exceptional grip and predictable handling in both dry and wet conditions
- Noticeable reduction in road noise and improved ride comfort compared to competitors and run-flats
- Sharper steering response and improved cornering stability
Cons
- High initial purchase price
- Rapid tread wear reported by some aggressive drivers and track users
- Soft sidewalls can cause a slightly vague or laggy initial response during rapid steering transitions
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S as a benchmark max-performance summer tire, praising its outstanding dry and wet grip, stability, and daily driving refinement. Common criticisms focus on its premium price, rapid tread wear on high-powered heavy vehicles or hot track sessions, and significantly reduced grip in cold weather. Many enthusiasts consider it an ideal street tire, though some note softer sidewalls compared to predecessors or recommend dedicated track tires for hard circuit driving.
bobistheoilguy.com
·2024-01-21
“My 2020 Kia Forte GT came with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires. Those were not going to work in the PNW as a daily driver tire. I went right to Costco and bought some Michelin Pilot All season tires, the ones that compete with the Continental DWS at the time. I listed the take offs on Craigslist for $400 and sold them that day.”
r/CarTalkUK
·4 upvotes ·2025-01-26
“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”
r/cars
·4 upvotes ·2018-08-21
“I’ll say this. Going from the Pilot Super Sport to the Pilot Sport 4 S of the same size, I’m disappointed in the soft sidewall of the 4 S. This is an 8.5” wide wheel with 235/40/18 tires. The left-right fast slalom action got a bit mushy like the weight transfer was slowed down when I switched to the 4 S. I think a shorter sidewall 4 S would perform better in this way, or the same tire on a 9” wide wheel too. That said, the dry and wet grip is exceptional. To save money, I’d recommend the Continental ExtremeContact Sport.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Track day durability#High price vs alternatives#Tread life and wear#Cold weather performance#Sidewall stiffness and comfort
Based on 208 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 108 | 110 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | 17″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 8/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 300 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 57 | 57 |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo
83
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Narrow edge: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — better efficiency, noise and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 72 vs 47 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 69 vs 45 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 93 vs 87 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 90 vs 84 on handling.
Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
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Potenza Sport Evo or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Which is better in the wet, Potenza Sport Evo or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Neither, by our numbers: 88 vs 88 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Potenza Sport Evo or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 93 vs 87 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Potenza Sport Evo or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 69 vs 45 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Potenza Sport Evo or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 79 vs 74 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Potenza Sport Evo or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 72 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
Which rolls more easily, Potenza Sport Evo or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 72 vs 47 on our efficiency 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