Head-to-head Updated

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 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 1 + 27 road tests and 104 + 6,614 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 83–73

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Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 4 S

Summer

± 4

Tests 82 · 27 tests Owners 86 · 6,614 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.

  1. 76

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 S +17
    93
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 25 tests≈ 73 (est.)94
    Reviews found online8092

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 72.9 (est.) + 40% × 79.5 = 76

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 94.3 + 40% × 92.1 = 93

    No road tests of dry for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 79

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 S +9
    88
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 26 tests≈ 77 (est.)86
    Reviews found online8391

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 77.3 (est.) + 40% × 82.5 = 79

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 90.7 = 88

    No road tests of wet for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 68

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)–
    Reviews found online66–

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 69 (est.) + 40% × 65.9 = 68

    No road tests of snow for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 68

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 S +11
    79
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 69 (est.)70
    Reviews found online6784

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 40% × 68.7 (est.) + 60% × 67 = 68

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 40% × 70.4 + 60% × 84.2 = 79

    No road tests of comfort for ExtremeContact DWS 06. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 70

    Noise

    ExtremeContact DWS 06 +1
    69
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 20 tests≈ 67 (est.)70
    Reviews found online74≈ 67 (est.)

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 73.9 = 70

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69

    No road tests of noise for ExtremeContact DWS 06. 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 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.

  6. 65

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 4 S +7
    72
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7070
    Reviews found online5874

    ExtremeContact DWS 06: 60% × 69.8 + 40% × 58.4 = 65

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74.1 = 72

  7. 76

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 S +14
    90
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 S
    Reviews found online7690
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    72
    Why this score
    SourceExtremeContact DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 23 tests–72
Scores at a glance
Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryContinental ExtremeContact DWS 06Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Relative Score 73 83
Dry 76 93
Wet 79 88
Snow 68 –
Comfort 68 79
Noise 70 69
Treadwear 65 72
Handling (owners) 76 90
Efficiency – 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.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
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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
Important
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
± 9

ExtremeContact DWS 06

± 4

Pilot Sport 4 S

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 DWS 06Pilot Sport 4 SΔHead-to-head
Tested Tread Life (Miles) Treadwear 67% #11/19 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires 62% #6/22 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #6/19 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires #1/10 2026 ACE Summer Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A ExtremeContact DWS 06

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Strong performance in light snow and cold weather

Cons

  • Softer sidewalls can reduce steering sharpness or cause rollover during heavy track/autocross use
  • Tread wear can be faster than expected with aggressive driving or on lower-profile sizes
  • Occasional reports of increased road noise or vibration as the tire ages
All owner themes in the ExtremeContact DWS 06 review

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
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 S review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06

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

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Positive

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.

rennlist.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by gcurnew I got the Goodyear F1s on my car when delivered and found them surprisingly nice: good grip, quiet, compliant ride. Put PS4Ss on last year and while I'm happy with them, they are a tad noisier than the F1s with a slightly stiffer ride and no apparent difference in grip or handling. I know the Michelins are the "go to" tire and pretty much everyone raves about them...but I'm in the camp that thinks the F1s are an equivalent tire. Having had both, I would have just bought a set of F1 rears (my fronts were only partially worn) rather than a full set of Michelins. I've used Michelin exclusively for the past two decades. My car came with the F1s and was pleasantly surprised. Dare I say better than 4S? Excellent in the wet and dry and they don't seem to get greasy like the 4Ss can when pushed. Still don't know how they wear but unless performance drops off or noise suddenly goes up like with Pirellis, I might buy them again.”

camaro6.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by D_H I hated the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires. Was not happy with the wear. I wanted a drivable tire, and that's why I got them. They were pricy. Didn't last anywhere near the 30,000 mile range. Lasted just over 15,000 miles. Tire wear was not even, and the performance is a joke. But again, that's not why I got them. Tires always want to slip traction. I'm just going to stick with the stock tires from now on. I was wanting to know what everyone thought about these Atturo AZ850 front and rear tires though. I just put a very lightly used (from a friend) set of Atturo AZ850's in 1LE size on my 2020 2SS (I mounted them on MRR017 1LE Replica Wheels (285/30ZR20 Fronts and 305/30ZR20 Rears)), so far VERY happy with them especially considering the cost... They definitely hook better than my old 275 run flats...”

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 · Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
CategoryAll SeasonSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—110
Rim diameters—17″ – 22″
Tread depth10/32″—
UTQG560 A - AA A—
Treadwear warranty50,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — better dry, handling and comfort. Where the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 93 vs 76 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 90 vs 76 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 79 vs 68 on comfort.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 88 vs 79 on wet.

Tire A · Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

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ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Which is better in the wet, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 88 vs 79 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 93 vs 76 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 69 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 79 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, ExtremeContact DWS 06 or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 72 vs 65 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