Head-to-head Updated

Continental Sport Contact 5 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 3 + 23 road tests and 3,154 + 6,538 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 86–67

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Continental Sport Contact 5
± 7

Tests 73 · 3 tests Owners 59 · 3,154 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.”

Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 5

Summer

± 4

Tests 86 · 23 tests Owners 87 · 6,538 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. 74

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 5 +18
    92
    Why this score
    SourceSport Contact 5Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 23 tests7693
    Reviews found online7090

    Sport Contact 5: 60% × 76.2 + 40% × 69.6 = 74

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 93.2 + 40% × 90.2 = 92

  2. 74

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 5 +20
    94
    Why this score
    SourceSport Contact 5Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 23 tests7594
    Reviews found online7293

    Sport Contact 5: 60% × 74.6 + 40% × 72 = 74

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 93.3 = 94

  3. 61

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 5 +17
    78
    Why this score
    SourceSport Contact 5Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 9 tests6171
    Reviews found online6083

    Sport Contact 5: 40% × 61.2 + 60% × 60.4 = 61

    Pilot Sport 5: 40% × 70.9 + 60% × 83.4 = 78

  4. 66

    Noise

    Sport Contact 5 +19
    47
    Why this score
    SourceSport Contact 5Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 15 tests6633
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Sport Contact 5: 60% × 66.3 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 66

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.3 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 47

    No owner ratings of noise for Sport Contact 5 or Pilot Sport 5. 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.

  5. 47

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 5 +39
    86
    Why this score
    SourceSport Contact 5Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 55 (est.)92
    Reviews found online3478

    Sport Contact 5: 60% × 55 (est.) + 40% × 34.3 = 47

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92 + 40% × 77.9 = 86

    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).

  6. 66

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 5 +23
    89
    Why this score
    SourceSport Contact 5Pilot Sport 5
    Reviews found online6689
  7. 74

    Efficiency

    Sport Contact 5 +11
    63
    Why this score
    SourceSport Contact 5Pilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 17 tests7463
Scores at a glance
Continental Sport Contact 5 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryContinental Sport Contact 5Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Relative Score 67 86
Dry 74 92
Wet 74 94
Comfort 61 78
Noise 66 47
Treadwear 47 86
Handling (owners) 66 89
Efficiency 74 63

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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Sport Contact 5

± 4

Pilot Sport 5

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.

DisciplineCategorySport Contact 5Pilot Sport 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV 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 98% #4/10 · 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test 99% #4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 100% #1/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 98% #3/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test 94% #6/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 99% #3/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV 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 97% #3/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test 97% #5/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #4/10 · 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test 98% #3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 100% #1/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 67% #4/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test 90% #4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 99% #5/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test 99% #2/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise (tester's mark) Noise 67% #5/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test 87% #8/9 · 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 96% #3/8 · 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test 92% #3/7 · 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 #2/8 2020 Gute Fahrt SUV 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 Sport Contact 5

Pros

  • Outstanding dry and wet grip with excellent aquaplaning resistance
  • Precise steering response and sharp handling
  • Short braking distances in various weather conditions

Cons

  • Rapid and uneven tread wear, resulting in a short overall lifespan
  • High price point combined with poor mileage value
  • Increased road noise as the tires wear down past halfway
All owner themes in the Sport Contact 5 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 Sport Contact 5

Mixed

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.

torquecars.com ·2013-04-15

“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?”

vwt4forum.co.uk ·2016-07-04

“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”

mbworld.org

“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.”

Top themes
#wet and dry grip#rapid treadwear concerns#braking distance performance#cornering feel and handling#comparison with 5P and SC6#heavy vehicle suitability

Based on 14 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Positive

Community sentiment towards the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is largely positive, with drivers frequently praising its outstanding wet grip, daily driving comfort, and impressive tread life. While widely recommended as a dependable, premium all-round performance tire, some enthusiasts criticize it for having a slightly numb steering feel, softer sidewalls, and poor heat resistance during track use compared to more aggressive alternatives.

r/TeslaUK ·3 upvotes ·2026-03-27

“Pilot sport 5? Hi, after replacement tyres for M3. Just touched 30k miles and all 4 need doing. Michelin 235/45 ZR18 (98Y) XL TL PILOT SPORT 5 I was looking at these 154 pounds from Costco. Only they’re not T rated. Was comparing them with the original 235/45 ZR 18 PILOT SPORT 4 XL TO TESLA these are 204 pounds at Costco. Thoughts on whether the PS5 will be ok please? Visited a couple of independent tyre shops yesterday, 1 quoted budget 100 each through to PS4s at 230 each. The second wouldn’t quote on non Tesla approved, so just quoted the PS4 T0s at 203 each. Cheers”

r/Miata ·2 upvotes ·2026-05-13

“Anyone else greatly disappointed with their Michelin Pilot sport 5? My 10th anniversary recently got a set of 16 inch ND wheels (due to better tires being available on 16s) and a set of brand new PS5s. It’s on the original bilstein suspension with H&R sway bars and poly bushings all around. After having driven the PS5s for around 4k km i have to say i really don’t like them most of the time. Pros: They’re numb, which is amazing for highway driving. You really can’t feel anything from the tires and they’re super quiet. Cons: They’re numb. I literally can’t feel what they’re doing, they just don’t give any useable feedback from the road and the main thing i do is spirited driving. They also overheat extremely fast? I take five to six quicker turns and on the next turn in the entire car is just sliding around doing whatever the fuck it wants all while there still being no feedback whatsoever.. I’m frustrated af because i thought i’d treat myself to a good nice quality set of tires for once and thats the result.. I have driven on Kumho PS71s for i think a thousand km’s last year and they were waaay grippier and gave very good feedback. The car just isn’t as fun to drive now and it sucks hard. Rant over, thanks for listening. Tldr: Tyre bad :(”

r/ft86 ·2 upvotes ·2026-07-21

“PS5 is a very good allround, comfortable but grippy tire. PS4S has a stiffer sidewall and is way sportier but harsher. There is to date no successor for the PS4S. I switched from PS4S to PS5 on my mustang and its a way better fit for a daily tire. I would remommend to get PS5 for the rear aswell.”

Top themes
#wet grip performance#tread life longevity#daily driving comfort#track heat delamination#premium pricing comparisons#road noise levels#steering feel feedback

Based on 173 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental Sport Contact 5 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available8466
Rim diameters17″ – 22″16″ – 22″
UTQG280 - 420 A - AA A320 - 340 A - B A
Sizes in common3939

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental Sport Contact 5

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better treadwear, handling and wet. Pick the Continental Sport Contact 5 if noise and efficiency matter most to you.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 86 vs 47 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 89 vs 66 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 94 vs 74 on wet.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental Sport Contact 5 scores 66 vs 47 on noise.

Tire A · Continental Sport Contact 5
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5

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Sport Contact 5 or Pilot Sport 5?

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

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 94 vs 74 on our wet score.

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

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 92 vs 74 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Sport Contact 5 or Pilot Sport 5?

Continental Sport Contact 5, 66 vs 47 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Sport Contact 5 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 78 vs 61 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Sport Contact 5 or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 86 vs 47 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Sport Contact 5 or Pilot Sport 5?

Continental Sport Contact 5, 74 vs 63 on our efficiency 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