Head-to-head Updated

Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 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 1 + 23 road tests and 50 + 6,469 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 87–81

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Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02
± 5

Tests 86 · 1 test Owners 80 · 50 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)

Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 5

Summer

± 4

Tests 86 · 23 tests Owners 88 · 6,469 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. 86

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 5 +6
    92
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 23 tests8793
    Reviews found online8691

    ExtremeContact Sport 02: 60% × 86.6 + 40% × 86 = 86

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92.9 + 40% × 90.8 = 92

  2. 86

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 5 +8
    94
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 23 tests8594
    Reviews found online8794

    ExtremeContact Sport 02: 60% × 84.6 + 40% × 87.4 = 86

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 94.1 + 40% × 93.6 = 94

  3. 68

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)–
    Reviews found online66–

    ExtremeContact Sport 02: 60% × 69 (est.) + 40% × 66.1 = 68

    No road tests of snow for ExtremeContact Sport 02. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 75

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 5 +4
    79
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests≈ 71 (est.)71
    Reviews found online7985

    ExtremeContact Sport 02: 40% × 70.8 (est.) + 60% × 78.5 = 75

    Pilot Sport 5: 40% × 71 + 60% × 84.7 = 79

    No road tests of comfort for ExtremeContact Sport 02. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 70

    Noise

    ExtremeContact Sport 02 +23
    47
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 15 tests≈ 67 (est.)33
    Reviews found online75≈ 67 (est.)

    ExtremeContact Sport 02: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 75.1 = 70

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 47

    No road tests of noise for ExtremeContact Sport 02. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 5. 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.

  6. 73

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 5 +14
    87
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 70 (est.)92
    Reviews found online7779

    ExtremeContact Sport 02: 60% × 70 (est.) + 40% × 77.1 = 73

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 91.9 + 40% × 78.7 = 87

    No road tests of treadwear for ExtremeContact Sport 02. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 5 +7
    89
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5
    Reviews found online8289
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    64
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 17 tests–64
Scores at a glance
Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryContinental ExtremeContact Sport 02Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Relative Score 81 87
Dry 86 92
Wet 86 94
Snow 68 –
Comfort 75 79
Noise 70 47
Treadwear 73 87
Handling (owners) 82 89
Efficiency – 64

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

ExtremeContact Sport 02

± 4

Pilot Sport 5

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.

DisciplineCategoryExtremeContact Sport 02Pilot Sport 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #2/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer 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% #1/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 99% #4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 100% #1/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 100% #1/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer 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 99% #2/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 97% #5/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #2/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 98% #3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 92% #2/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/10 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test #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 ExtremeContact Sport 02

Pros

  • Phenomenal wet and dry traction with high hydroplaning resistance
  • Superior ride comfort and compliance over bumps and road imperfections
  • Significantly lower road noise and quieter cabin compared to factory tires and rivals

Cons

  • Softer sidewalls result in a slightly mushy or less sharp initial turn-in response
  • Tread wear can be rapid, particularly on powerful rear-wheel-drive or staggered vehicle fitments
  • Can get greasy or lose performance rapidly when heavily pushed in sustained track environments
All owner themes in the ExtremeContact Sport 02 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 ExtremeContact Sport 02

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Positive

The community generally views the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 as an exceptional daily-driving tire that bridges the gap between high performance and everyday comfort. Users frequently praise its outstanding wet grip, low road noise, and impressive tread life compared to more track-focused alternatives like the PS4S. However, some enthusiast drivers feel the sidewalls and feedback can feel a bit numb or soft for aggressive track use, noting it is built more for sporty road use than dedicated circuit driving.

r/CarTrackDays ·17 upvotes ·2025-05-25

“Michelin PS5 Delaminating Near new PS5, running a low speed track, and the fronts basically fell apart after 2 sessions. I know these aren't track-focussed tires, but is this really expected for them? Looks like the tires got too hot, but I'm just shocked how poorly they performed on a stock car (Golf R). Not sure if it's worth contacting Michelin over this or not. Read more”

r/kereta ·9 upvotes ·2025-12-15

“Have to replace my tyres soon, MC7 or PS5? Hi guys, I need to replace the tyres on my civic soon and I’m stuck between the MC7 and the PS5. I not a guy who will driving 180km/h in raining day so i think both performance is good enough for me. I did some research, it seems like MC7 have better performance overall. Also found that MC7 is cheaper than PS5 in my country (around RM600-700 cheaper for 4 tyres). I prefer tread life > noise/ comfort > performance (rarely drive over 120). Any feedback on the 2 brands would be super helpful. Thanks! === UPDATED === Thank you all for suggestions and opinions. So at the end i pick the MC7. Reasons: It’s possibly quieter compared to the PS5 The price is cheaper and come with 1 year premium (or what name i forgot) warranty There’s a Continental authorized dealer near my place I’ve never tried Continental before, so I decided to give it a try At the moment, the driving experience is a bit quieter than the previous PS4 (which is expected since it’s a new tire). As for performance, I haven’t really pushed it to the limit, but it’s more than sufficient for me, didn’t experience any wheel spin or loss of traction so far. One thing I do notice is that I can constantly hear small stones sticking to the tire and hitting the wheel arch which is very annoying. Also, on a personal note, I still prefer the sidewall shape of the PS5, so it took me some time to get used to the rounded sidewall of the MC7 Read more”

r/abarth ·3 upvotes ·2026-05-10

“Great tires, used to run the stock Pirellis but the ride comfort was atrocious and there was really no performance benefit so I switched them for some PS5.”

Top themes
#Wet grip and safety#Tread life and durability#Road noise and comfort#Daily driving performance#Soft sidewall feedback#Comparison to PS4S and competitors#Value and pricing

Based on 177 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available7866
Rim diameters15″ – 21″16″ – 22″
Tread depth10/32″—
UTQG340 - 700 A - AA A—
Treadwear warranty30,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common3535

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better treadwear, wet and handling. Pick the Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 scores 70 vs 47 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 87 vs 73 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 94 vs 86 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 89 vs 82 on handling.

Tire A · Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5

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ExtremeContact Sport 02 or Pilot Sport 5?

Which is better in the wet, ExtremeContact Sport 02 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 94 vs 86 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, ExtremeContact Sport 02 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 92 vs 86 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, ExtremeContact Sport 02 or Pilot Sport 5?

Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02, 70 vs 47 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, ExtremeContact Sport 02 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 79 vs 75 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, ExtremeContact Sport 02 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 87 vs 73 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