Head-to-head Updated

Continental EcoContact 6 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — 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 6 + 23 road tests and 3,269 + 6,512 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 86–58

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Continental EcoContact 6

EcoContact 6

Summer

± 5

Tests 71 · 6 tests Owners 42 · 3,269 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (noise)

“For efficiency I would recommend continental ecocontact 6/7. I get around 11kw/100km in the city and 14-15kw/100km on the highway. Would recommend. RWD 19 inch wheels Not very good on a rainy road tho”

Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 5

Summer

± 4

Tests 86 · 23 tests Owners 87 · 6,512 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling (tester's mark))

“Put some 235/45 R17 ps5’s on my 9-5 They fill up the arches quite nice!”

Category by category

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

  1. 64

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 5 +28
    92
    Why this score
    SourceEcoContact 6Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 23 tests7793
    Reviews found online4590

    EcoContact 6: 60% × 76.9 + 40% × 45.3 = 64

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 93.2 + 40% × 90.2 = 92

  2. 51

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 5 +43
    94
    Why this score
    SourceEcoContact 6Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 23 tests5394
    Reviews found online4793

    EcoContact 6: 60% × 53.5 + 40% × 46.6 = 51

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 93.3 = 94

  3. 55

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 5 +23
    78
    Why this score
    SourceEcoContact 6Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests≈ 65 (est.)71
    Reviews found online4983

    EcoContact 6: 40% × 64.8 (est.) + 60% × 49.2 = 55

    Pilot Sport 5: 40% × 70.9 + 60% × 83.3 = 78

    No road tests of comfort for EcoContact 6. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 77

    Noise

    EcoContact 6 +30
    47
    Why this score
    SourceEcoContact 6Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 15 tests8533
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    EcoContact 6: 60% × 84.8 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 77

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.3 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 47

    No owner ratings of noise for EcoContact 6 or Pilot Sport 5. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  5. 60

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 5 +26
    86
    Why this score
    SourceEcoContact 6Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests7992
    Reviews found online3278

    EcoContact 6: 60% × 79.2 + 40% × 31.8 = 60

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92 + 40% × 77.9 = 86

  6. 45

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 5 +44
    89
    Why this score
    SourceEcoContact 6Pilot Sport 5
    Reviews found online4589
  7. 100

    Efficiency

    EcoContact 6 +37
    63
    Why this score
    SourceEcoContact 6Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 17 tests10063
Scores at a glance
Continental EcoContact 6 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryContinental EcoContact 6Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Relative Score 58 86
Dry 64 92
Wet 51 94
Comfort 55 78
Noise 77 47
Treadwear 60 86
Handling (owners) 45 89
Efficiency 100 63

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
± 5

EcoContact 6

± 4

Pilot Sport 5

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.

DisciplineCategoryEcoContact 6Pilot Sport 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 96% #3/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 95% #10/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 100% #2/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 99% #4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 67% #8/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 87% #6/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 89% #8/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 94% #6/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 83% #7/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 91% #9/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 96% #8/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 97% #5/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 94% #8/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 98% #3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Noise Noise 100% #2/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 99% #2/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 81% #3/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 93% #2/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Fuel Consumption Efficiency 100% #1/10 · 2022 ViBilagare Eco vs Normal Tyre Test 95% #8/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/8 · 2026 Summer ECO Tyre Test 92% #3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 63% #6/10 · 2022 ViBilagare Eco vs Normal Tyre Test 56% #13/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #1/21 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test #13/20 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 75% #16/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 71% #15/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #6/8 2026 Auto Motor Und Sport Summer Tire Test R17 #9/50 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A EcoContact 6

Pros

  • Excellent fuel efficiency and low rolling resistance
  • Low road noise and high cabin comfort
  • Good dry grip and stable handling under normal driving conditions

Cons

  • Rapid and premature tread wear, especially on drive wheels
  • Subpar wet-weather grip and high susceptibility to aquaplaning
  • Shallow initial tread depth out of the box (approx. 6.0-6.5mm)
All owner themes in the EcoContact 6 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

Continental EcoContact 6

Negative

Community sentiment regarding the Continental Eco Contact 6 is overwhelmingly negative, with users frequently criticizing its poor wet weather grip, braking performance, and handling. While praised occasionally for low rolling resistance and energy efficiency, owners repeatedly report premature tread wear, cracking, and chunking or delamination under normal driving conditions.

r/BMW ·2 upvotes ·2025-05-18

“Used Continental EcoContact 6 I have recently bought a G31 from 2022 which came with winter tires. Therefor I have bought summer tires which are used and were advertised as 5,5mm profile depth on each tire. I have measured each tire and am wondering which tire should be installed on which side and if front or rear would be better. Unfortunately there is no mark to show on which position they were on the previous owners car. Starting from outside moving inside I have measured the following millimetres: Tire 1: 5.51, 5.69, 5.85, 5.36 Tire 2: 5.40, 5.58, 5.71, 5.33 Tire 3: 5.59, 5.69, 5.79, 5.39 Tire 4: 5.38, 5.55, 5.73, 5.34 Seeing the numbers I would go with tire 2 and 4 on one axis und 1 and 3 on the other. Would that be a good idea and where should each pair go, front or rear? Is this even important at this low difference? I am happy for any advise. Thanks. Read more”

xc40forums.co.uk ·2023-01-17

“Just did not wish folk to think it may be dangerous. I do agree with you though, 38psi is high, and they go much higher as the tyre warms during driving.”

r/AutoTuga ·3 upvotes ·2026-08-20

“Desgaste anormal Continental EcoContact 6 Q — BMW X3 BMW X3 (~72.000 km, cerca de 1 ano e pouco). Já trocou os 4 pneus uma vez e vai agora para o segundo jogo. O primeiro conjunto começou a escamar / sair aos bocados (principalmente à frente). A marca assumiu e colocou pneus iguais (Continental EcoContact 6 Q). Agora, ao fim de cerca de 20.000 km, está a acontecer exatamente o mesmo à frente. Para piorar, após notar perda de pressão lenta atrás, fomos verificar e os dois pneus traseiros estão completamente comidos por dentro. Mais alguém com problemas crónicos de desgaste prematuro com este modelo de pneu ou comportamento semelhante no X3? Read more”

Top themes
#poor wet grip#energy efficiency#premature wear#tread chunking#factory OE fitment#replacement alternatives

Based on 29 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Positive

Community sentiment towards the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is largely positive, with drivers frequently praising its outstanding wet grip, daily driving comfort, and impressive tread life. While widely recommended as a dependable, premium all-round performance tire, some enthusiasts criticize it for having a slightly numb steering feel, softer sidewalls, and poor heat resistance during track use compared to more aggressive alternatives.

r/i20n ·17 upvotes ·2025-07-21

“Tyres: Ps5’s initial impression Tyres seem to be a common question across a few forums so I thought ide share. So after 12 months (27,000kms) with my i20n, I was (over) due to replace my tyres. While I loved the p-zeros, I wasn’t keen on the short life, so went with the pilot sport 5. My impressions as follows: Initial impression: a lot less road noise than the p-zero City drive: no noticeable difference (apart from the reduced noise) Highway drive: handling is not noticeably changed, but the reduced noise is really appreciated here! Twisty’s: the difference here is notable, ps5’s don’t provide quite the same aggressive limitless grip feel as the p-zeros. Still holds the line perfectly but noted a bit of slip on the inside front wheel under heavy throttle. I do approx 100km on back roads commuting to and from work every day, so I’ll update this thread if I find anything worth reporting Read more”

r/AudiA5 ·1 upvote ·2026-04-30

“I had PS5’s on they were great literally all the grip you could ever want (not a very powerful car) and they have an incredibly long life span, I didn’t find them loud at all and i also now have an Audi a5 coupe and the car itself blocks out most noise especially if you have music on so it’s not something you should worry about, I know the Asym6 have more grip but it’s marginal I’d personally get the ps5’s just because of the beautiful side wall!”

r/Miata ·2 upvotes ·2026-05-13

“Anyone else greatly disappointed with their Michelin Pilot sport 5? My 10th anniversary recently got a set of 16 inch ND wheels (due to better tires being available on 16s) and a set of brand new PS5s. It’s on the original bilstein suspension with H&R sway bars and poly bushings all around. After having driven the PS5s for around 4k km i have to say i really don’t like them most of the time. Pros: They’re numb, which is amazing for highway driving. You really can’t feel anything from the tires and they’re super quiet. Cons: They’re numb. I literally can’t feel what they’re doing, they just don’t give any useable feedback from the road and the main thing i do is spirited driving. They also overheat extremely fast? I take five to six quicker turns and on the next turn in the entire car is just sliding around doing whatever the fuck it wants all while there still being no feedback whatsoever.. I’m frustrated af because i thought i’d treat myself to a good nice quality set of tires for once and thats the result.. I have driven on Kumho PS71s for i think a thousand km’s last year and they were waaay grippier and gave very good feedback. The car just isn’t as fun to drive now and it sucks hard. Rant over, thanks for listening. Tldr: Tyre bad :(”

Top themes
#wet grip performance#tread life longevity#daily driving comfort#track heat delamination#premium pricing comparisons#road noise levels#steering feel feedback

Based on 173 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental EcoContact 6 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available10466
Rim diameters13″ – 22″16″ – 22″
Tread depth7/32″—
UTQG320 A A320 - 340 A - B A
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure51 psi—
Sizes in common2626

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental EcoContact 6

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Continental EcoContact 6 if efficiency and noise matter most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 89 vs 45 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 94 vs 51 on wet.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Continental EcoContact 6 scores 100 vs 63 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental EcoContact 6 scores 77 vs 47 on noise.

Tire A · Continental EcoContact 6
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5

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EcoContact 6 or Pilot Sport 5?

Which is better in the wet, EcoContact 6 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 94 vs 51 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, EcoContact 6 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 92 vs 64 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, EcoContact 6 or Pilot Sport 5?

Continental EcoContact 6, 77 vs 47 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, EcoContact 6 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 78 vs 55 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, EcoContact 6 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 86 vs 60 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, EcoContact 6 or Pilot Sport 5?

Continental EcoContact 6, 100 vs 63 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