Tests 74 · 2 tests Owners 70 · 45 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental ExtremeContact Sport vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — 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 2 + 21 road tests and 45 + 12,698 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 81–75
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Tests 85 · 21 tests Owners 76 · 12,698 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 45 in 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout (dry braking)
“Those are Pilot sport 4 (all season). If it had s after the 4 it would be the summer high performance version. I put the pilot sport 4 on wife's GTI autobahn 2016. Great handling tire, stiff side walls, not the smoothest ride but best overall.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
76
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 +1187Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 20 tests 74 89 Reviews found online 80 85 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 73.9 + 40% × 80.3 = 76
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 89.1 + 40% × 84.5 = 87
-
80
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 +1090Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 20 tests 80 93 Reviews found online 80 85 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 79.6 + 40% × 80.4 = 80
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 93.1 + 40% × 84.6 = 90
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47
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 56 (est.) – Reviews found online 32 – ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 56.3 (est.) + 40% × 32.2 = 47
No road tests of snow for ExtremeContact Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
-
73
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 +477Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 70 (est.) 83 Reviews found online 74 72 ExtremeContact Sport: 40% × 70.1 (est.) + 60% × 74.4 = 73
Pilot Sport 4: 40% × 83.4 + 60% × 72.4 = 77
No road tests of comfort for ExtremeContact Sport. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
71
Noise
Level71Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 13 tests 73 73 Reviews found online 68 ≈ 67 (est.) ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 68 = 71
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 73.4 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 71
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4. 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.
-
69
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 +271Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests 70 78 Reviews found online 68 59 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 67.8 = 69
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 78.1 + 40% × 59.4 = 71
-
75
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 4 +681Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Pilot Sport 4 Reviews found online 75 81 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison76Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 14 tests – 76
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental ExtremeContact Sport | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 75 | 81 |
| Dry | 76 | 87 |
| Wet | 80 | 90 |
| Snow | 47 | – |
| Comfort | 73 | 77 |
| Noise | 71 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 71 |
| Handling (owners) | 75 | 81 |
| Efficiency | – | 76 |
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
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
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
75
/ 100
ExtremeContact Sport
81
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4
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.
| Discipline | Category | ExtremeContact Sport | Pilot Sport 4 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #2/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #3/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #1/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | 70% #8/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | 70% #4/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% #2/5 · 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tyre Test | 99% #6/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/22 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires | #7/9 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A ExtremeContact Sport
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet traction with high confidence in the rain
- High value for money compared to primary competitors like Michelin
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality for an ultra-high-performance tire
Cons
- Softer sidewalls leading to a slight delay or lack of immediate steering feedback and precision
- Requires a brief warm-up period in colder temperatures, sometimes causing temporary vibrations
- Stiff ride over sharp road imperfections noted by some users
Tire B Pilot Sport 4
Pros
- Exceptional wet and dry traction with outstanding resistance to aquaplaning
- Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and a reduction in cabin noise compared to standard run-flat tires
- Progressive and predictable breakaway limits during spirited driving
Cons
- Faster-than-average treadwear, particularly under aggressive driving or on rear-wheel-drive performance cars
- Softer sidewalls can lead to a slight lack of initial steering precision and a vague feel at the limit for hardcore enthusiasts
- Performance drops off significantly in cold, freezing, or snowy winter conditions
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 line as a premium upgrade offering exceptional dry and wet grip, precise handling, and superior ride comfort compared to OEM or run-flat tires. While celebrated for performance, users frequently discuss its high price tag, faster treadwear, and noticeable drop in EV efficiency. Some drivers also note increased road noise and reduced traction when temperatures drop near freezing.
bimmerfest.com
·2024-10-19
“Wow! You burn rubber. I totally appreciate what you’ve said and on my old e60 I ran both contis D06 and Michelins ps4 for 3 sets each. Both different feel and wear. Contis lasted longer but didn’t feel as nice as PS4. Now I’m in another BMW and cannot rotate the same way with a staggered wheel size. I’m in NC, when I drove PS4, in cold weather, they wore out quickly. They are a summer tire for sure, but I will use a slightly higher pressure to lengthen service life. That camber is rough on the inner tire shoulder / tread and the all season contains held up better there.”
r/JettaGLI
·59 upvotes ·2026-09-27
“Reminder: Tires are the key to this car Just replaced my Michelin Pilot Sport 4 AS tires with a new set ahead of the rainy season. Lasted 36K miles. It was the best mod to the car and a fresh set reminded just how good a brand new set is. The car is glued to the road, riding wonderfully smooth and quiet. Spend the money, get the best tires for you. The tune can wait. And it will need it.”
f30.bimmerpost.com
“Quote: Originally Posted by weston.__ I will be going down the non-rft route, Pilot Sport 4. You're not the only one to say the ride quality with non-rft is a massive improvement and this is the reason why I will change once the time comes. I went from Bridgestone S001 RFT to 'go-flats' and have found the suppleness an obvious difference. Since I put the pressure to the mid point between the low and high load plated pressures I have yet to have any of the heartstopping thumps come through the suspension that the Bridgestone seemed prone to.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Run-flat replacement upgrade#Treadwear and longevity#Cold weather performance#Road noise and comfort#EV range and efficiency#Comparison to Continental tires
Based on 246 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental ExtremeContact Sport | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 1 | 62 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 340 AA A | — |
| Treadwear warranty | 30,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
75
/ 100
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
81
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better dry, wet and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 87 vs 76 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 90 vs 80 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 81 vs 75 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 77 vs 73 on comfort.
Tire A · Continental ExtremeContact Sport
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
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ExtremeContact Sport or Pilot Sport 4?
Which is better in the wet, ExtremeContact Sport or Pilot Sport 4?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 90 vs 80 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, ExtremeContact Sport or Pilot Sport 4?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 87 vs 76 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, ExtremeContact Sport or Pilot Sport 4?
Neither, by our numbers: 71 vs 71 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, ExtremeContact Sport or Pilot Sport 4?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 77 vs 73 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, ExtremeContact Sport or Pilot Sport 4?
Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 71 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
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