Tests 73 · 4 tests Owners 64 · 119 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental Premium Contact 5 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 80–69
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Tests 84 · 21 tests Owners 74 · 12,686 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (overall ranking)
“CC2s fitted yesterday. Initial subjective reaction are they deffinately seem both quieter and more comfortable than the stock PS4. I did a non scientific noise test using a app on my phone. On my way to have the tyres changed I drove a section of the A460 toward & from Cannock, approx half a mile in each direction. I did exactly the same run at the same speed with the CC2s a couple of hours later. This is a fairly rough surface well worn tarmac but I avoided all ruts & holes. PS4: 41psi 50mph, average noise level 67.4db. The average being registered by the app, not my calculation. CC2: 40 psi 50mph, average noise level 64.6db. In both cases the phone lay on the central console forward of the tray & armrest. The comfort feeling is the CC2s are softer, damping ridges & ruts better than the PS4, while driving a route of 14 miles each way I drive every Tuesday & Thursday & consists of a wide range of different surfaces including the newer super smooth quiete tarmac.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
71
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 +1485Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 71 88 Reviews found online 70 81 Dry Braking (% of best) 100% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) 99% 100% -
76
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 +1187Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 78 91 Reviews found online 73 81 Wet Braking (% of best) 87% 100% Wet Handling (% of best) 97% 97% -
71
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 +778Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 75 83 Reviews found online 66 71 -
69
Noise
Pilot Sport 4 +574Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 76 Reviews found online – 72 -
61
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 +970Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Pilot Sport 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 69 76 Reviews found online 48 61 -
66
Handling
Pilot Sport 4 +1278Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Pilot Sport 4 Reviews found online 66 78
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental Premium Contact 5 | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 80 |
| Dry | 71 | 85 |
| Wet | 76 | 87 |
| Comfort | 71 | 78 |
| Noise | 69 | 74 |
| Treadwear | 61 | 70 |
| Handling | 66 | 78 |
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
69
/ 100
Premium Contact 5
80
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Premium Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 98% #6/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test | +1.9 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #8/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 100% #2/9 · 2017 EVO Summer Tyre Test | −0.7 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 86% #9/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 95% #2/10 · 2022 AutoBild 19 Inch Summer UHP Tyre Test | −8.8 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #6/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 99% #5/11 · 2018 AMS Summer UHP Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 79% #7/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 66% #7/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test | +13.0 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 60% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 59% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +0.3 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 77% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 74% #5/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +2.6 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/16 · 2015 European Tyre Test 185/60R14 | 100% #1/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 94% #12/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 99% #3/7 · 2019 EVO Summer Tyre Test | −5.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 98% #2/7 · 2019 EVO Summer Tyre Test | −7.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 78% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 90% #2/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test | −12.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 80% #5/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 100% #1/11 · 2020 AMS 18 Inch Summer Tyre Test | −20.0 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 0% #16/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 87% #5/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2017 AMS Summer UHP Tyre Test | −13.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #6/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 97% #4/11 · 2019 Auto Bild Sports Car Tyre Test | +0.5 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Premium Contact 5
Pros
- Exceptional grip in both wet and dry road conditions
- High levels of ride comfort and low cabin noise
- Predictable and safe handling characteristics
Cons
- Rapid and premature tread wear
- Soft sidewalls leading to vague steering feedback and body roll
- Performance degradation as the tread depth decreases
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 Premium Contact 5
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.”
bobistheoilguy.com
·2 upvotes ·2020-11-13
“First time post for me on Bitog. I just installed the new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 AS tires on my 2017 Mazda GT. Noise doesn't seem to be an issue I'm experiencing. Prior to the new Pilot Sports 4's all seasons I had the Michelin Pilot Sport AS 3+ and the 4's are much quieter on the Mazda. The 4's feel a tad bit softer in ride, quieter and handle just as nice. However, they are new rubber and the tread pattern is completely different from the Michelin Pilot Sports AS 3+ . I've only put about 500 miles on them, but so far, I really like them for their ride comfort, noise, stability and wet/dry grip levels. They feel like a more mature AS3+ if you have them now”
r/RZ34
·1 upvote ·2026-10-08
“Switched from the garbage stock Potenza's to Continental DWS06 a week after grabbing my Z. Absolutely fucking worth it. I got Swift R lowering springs installed and that also made a great improvement. Z feels much more confidant and way more composed on my twisty roads and roundabouts My ND Miata also came with the same Potenza's and I went with the Michelin PS4's. Transformed the handling as well”
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 Premium Contact 5 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 23 | 62 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 17″ | 16″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Continental Premium Contact 5
80
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better dry, handling and wet. 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 85 vs 71 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 78 vs 66 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 87 vs 76 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 70 vs 61 on treadwear.
Tire A · Continental Premium Contact 5
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.