Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 3 + 21 road tests and 3,151 + 12,714 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 82–67
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Tests 73 · 3 tests Owners 59 · 3,151 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)
“In the end I went with Bridgestone Potenza RE 050's Very happy. Grips as well as the Conti Sport5's without disintegrating after a few hard mountain passes. On a light car sport contact5's, For a heavier car RE 050's are fantastic completely sold. Pilot Sports are far too soft these cars.”
Tests 85 · 21 tests Owners 76 · 12,714 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.”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Sport Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 20 tests | 76 | 89 |
| Reviews found online | 70 | 84 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 | 95% | 97% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–1 | 98% | 99% |
Sport Contact 5: 60% × 76.2 + 40% × 69.6 = 74
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 89.3 + 40% × 83.9 = 87
| Source | Sport Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 20 tests | 75 | 92 |
| Reviews found online | 72 | 84 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 | 92% | 99% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 | 95% | 100% |
Sport Contact 5: 60% × 74.6 + 40% × 72 = 74
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 92.5 + 40% × 84.4 = 89
| Source | Sport Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests | 61 | 82 |
| Reviews found online | 60 | 72 |
Sport Contact 5: 40% × 61.3 + 60% × 60.4 = 61
Pilot Sport 4: 40% × 81.6 + 60% × 71.7 = 76
| Source | Sport Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 13 tests | 66 | 73 |
| Reviews found online | ≈ 66 (est.) | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 99% | 99% |
Sport Contact 5: 60% × 66.3 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 66
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 70
No owner ratings of noise for Sport Contact 5 or Pilot Sport 4. 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.
| Source | Sport Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests | ≈ 55 (est.) | 78 |
| Reviews found online | 34 | 60 |
Sport Contact 5: 60% × 54.9 (est.) + 40% × 34.4 = 47
Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 78.1 + 40% × 59.5 = 71
No road tests of treadwear for Sport Contact 5. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
| Source | Sport Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 66 | 81 |
| Source | Sport Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 14 tests | 74 | 76 |
| Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 96% | 93% |
| Category | Continental Sport Contact 5 | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 82 |
| Dry | 74 | 87 |
| Wet | 74 | 89 |
| Comfort | 61 | 76 |
| Noise | 66 | 70 |
| Treadwear | 47 | 71 |
| Handling (owners) | 66 | 81 |
| Efficiency | 74 | 76 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Sport Contact 5
Pilot Sport 4
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.
In the overall rankings of 3 tests that ran both, Continental Sport Contact 5 finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 3 times.
| Discipline | Category | Sport Contact 5 | Pilot Sport 4 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% | 97% | −1.4 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% | 99% | −1.5 | 0–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 100% #1/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test | 90% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 98% #3/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test | 80% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% | 99% | −6.7 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% #3/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test | 97% #4/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% | 100% | −4.9 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 100% #1/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test | 78% #7/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 67% #4/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test | 70% #5/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% | 99% | −0.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 96% | 93% | +3.4 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #7/10 | #1/10 | – | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18 |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community feedback on the Continental Sport Contact 5 highlights strong grip and effective braking in both wet and dry conditions, along with good cornering feel. However, opinions are mixed regarding treadwear and durability, with multiple users raising concerns over rapid tire wear and degradation under heavy loads or spirited driving. While some drivers prefer them over competing models, others view them as inferior to subsequent Continental generations or rival brands.
“I've just had a set of these Continental Sport Contact 5 fitted to my car and I'm quite impressed with them. They seem to be really good in the wet, stopping distances were notable shorter, more so than I'd expect with the extra tread depth. They are also really good in the dry and give a nice "feel" on tight corners. They have replaced the Eagle F1's in my mind as the best day to day tyre. Anyone else had them fitted?”
“I run Accelera PHI2's on my 20's and have done for the last 3-4 years with absolutely no problems. I'm a biker and like to press on in all my vehicles. Never had a scary moment in the van in any weather and drive just as fast in that as I do the car (conti sport contact 5's on that). Only cover about 6K in the van per year so don't want anything that lasts too long as it would deteriorate before it was anywhere near worn out. Mike likes banging on about Michelins but they can have problems as well as anything else. Michelin Agilis 51's had problems with bulges and tyre failures in the past. Other michelin tyre problems (I know how much Mike likes Yankee sites!) And Michelin have tyre factories all over the world including India and Asia. Not all cheaper tyres are bad tyres. Pirelli P6000 were notoriously bad for example, and Pirelli are not classed as a budget tyre. Mike will still bang on like a broken record though about VW and 16 and 17 inch tyres though. Its probably an old age thing”
“Quote: Originally Posted by bret In the end I went with Bridgestone Potenza RE 050's Very happy. Grips as well as the Conti Sport5's without disintegrating after a few hard mountain passes. On a light car sport contact5's, For a heavier car RE 050's are fantastic completely sold. Pilot Sports are far too soft these cars. Back in the day I had numerous sets of Potenza's on a Saab 900 Turbo...that's been a good tire for a long long time. Check out the Cooper Zeon when you get a chance, heckuva tire at any price.”
Based on 14 community posts
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.
“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.”
“Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires are noisy (a followup) I have been asked on this sub if the PS4 tires on my wife’s Bolt are noisy, and I wasn’t sure how to answer. Well, we made two 60-mile round trips this past weekend, mostly on highways with 55 and 70 mph speed limits, and I have to say that the tires are kind of noisy. Certainly not as quiet as EV-oriented tires are. The grip is fantastic, so we really like them. If you are sensitive to noise, though, these Max Performance class tires are probably not for you.”
“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.”
Based on 246 community posts
| Attribute | A · Continental Sport Contact 5 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 84 | 62 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 22″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| UTQG | 280 - 420 A - AA A | 300 - 320 A - AA A |
| Sizes in common | 38 | 38 |
Continental Sport Contact 5
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better treadwear, wet and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 71 vs 47 on treadwear.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 89 vs 74 on wet.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 76 vs 61 on comfort.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 81 vs 66 on handling.
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Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 89 vs 74 on our wet score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 87 vs 74 on our dry score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 70 vs 66 on our noise score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 76 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 71 vs 47 on our treadwear score.
Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 76 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.
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
