Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 22 + 23 road tests and 1,640 + 6,538 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 5 leads, 86–83 Narrow edge
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Tests 84 · 22 tests Owners 81 · 1,640 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 18 in 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (wet braking)
“On my 2nd set. Got decent mileage from them. 15k miles from the first set of rears and i've 11k on the 2nd set with 4.5mm still left on them.”
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!”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | SportContact 7 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 21 / 23 tests | 100 | 93 |
| Reviews found online | 90 | 90 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 5–0 | 99% | 96% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 | 100% | 99% |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 100% | 80% |
SportContact 7: 60% × 99.9 + 40% × 90.4 = 96
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 93.2 + 40% × 90.2 = 92
| Source | SportContact 7 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / 23 tests | 96 | 94 |
| Reviews found online | 90 | 93 |
| Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 | 83% | 93% |
| Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 1–4 | 97% | 97% |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 100% | 60% |
| Wet Braking (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 3–2 | 96% | 96% |
| Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 100% | 97% |
| Wet Circle (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 | 99% | 99% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 | 97% | 98% |
SportContact 7: 60% × 95.6 + 40% × 89.9 = 93
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 93.3 = 94
| Source | SportContact 7 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 9 tests | 56 | 71 |
| Reviews found online | 75 | 83 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 | 80% | 80% |
SportContact 7: 40% × 55.7 + 60% × 75.4 = 68
Pilot Sport 5: 40% × 70.9 + 60% × 83.4 = 78
| Source | SportContact 7 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 15 tests | 59 | 33 |
| Reviews found online | ≈ 66 (est.) | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Noise (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 | 98% | 96% |
| Noise (tester's mark) (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–0 | 84% | 84% |
SportContact 7: 60% × 59.2 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 62
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.3 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 47
No owner ratings of noise for SportContact 7 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.
| Source | SportContact 7 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests | 72 | 92 |
| Reviews found online | 63 | 78 |
| Abrasion (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 69% | 78% |
| Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 58% | 76% |
SportContact 7: 60% × 72 + 40% × 62.5 = 68
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92 + 40% × 77.9 = 86
| Source | SportContact 7 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 89 | 89 |
| Source | SportContact 7 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 21 / 17 tests | 72 | 63 |
| Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 | 96% | 95% |
| Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 2–2 | 91% | 90% |
| Category | Continental SportContact 7 | Michelin Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 86 |
| Dry | 96 | 92 |
| Wet | 93 | 94 |
| Comfort | 68 | 78 |
| Noise | 62 | 47 |
| Treadwear | 68 | 86 |
| Handling (owners) | 89 | 89 |
| Efficiency | 72 | 63 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
SportContact 7
Pilot Sport 5
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 5 tests that ran both, Continental SportContact 7 finished ahead 4 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 5 1 times.
| Discipline | Category | SportContact 7 | Pilot Sport 5 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Dry | 100% #1/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | 93% #5/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 99% | 96% | +3.0 | 5–0 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% | 99% | +1.0 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 100% | 80% | +20.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 83% | 93% | −10.3 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 97% | 97% | −0.8 | 1–4 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet | Wet | 100% #1/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | 99% #2/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 96% | 96% | −0.3 | 3–2 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | Wet | 100% | 97% | +3.1 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 99% | 99% | −0.1 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% | 98% | −0.9 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 100% | 60% | +40.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 80% | 80% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 98% #4/7 · 2025 Autobild Sportcars Summer Tire Test R20 | 71% #7/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | – | Different tests |
| Interior Noise | Noise | 90% #2/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | 95% #3/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 96% | +2.1 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 84% | 84% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Abrasion | Treadwear | 69% | 78% | −9.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 58% | 76% | −17.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 96% | 95% | +1.8 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 91% | 90% | +0.3 | 2–2 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 67% | 61% | +6.1 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Value | Cost | 33% | 39% | −6.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #1/18 | #3/18 | – | 4–1 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre 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
The community generally regards the SportContact 7 as an excellent ultra-high-performance tire, praised for exceptional dry and wet grip, direct steering, quick warm-up, and good rim protection. Many rank it at or above the Michelin PS4S and ahead of the PS5 and Goodyear Asymmetric 6 for outright performance. The main criticisms are fast tread wear (often about 10–15k miles), low starting tread depth, softer sidewalls, some tramlining and noise, and poor durability on track.
“I can also give my input, I'm running 245 front and 295 rears with 20inch. I have sc7s and honestly am a big fan of the tire. I can only compare them the pzero's and for me they feel more predictable and way better in the wet. The sidewall protection is quite decent although not sure how it compares to the michelins. Same as Gmuend I found the sc7s for 30% less so it was a no brainer.”
“Not a C7 but Continental SportContact 7, similar or better than PilotSport 4S in most aspect but a bit noisier, wears faster too”
“I have Continental Sport Contact 7's on my S550 and the are better than the PS4S in my view (plus they stack up well in independent reviews as well)”
Based on 115 community posts
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.
“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”
“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 :(”
“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.”
Based on 173 community posts
| Attribute | A · Continental SportContact 7 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 123 | 66 |
| Rim diameters | 18″ – 24″ | 16″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 8 - 9/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 240 AA A | 320 - 340 A - B A |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 - 51 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 35 | 35 |
Continental SportContact 7
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Narrow edge: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better treadwear and comfort. Pick the Continental SportContact 7 if noise, efficiency and dry matter most to you.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 86 vs 68 on treadwear.
Continental SportContact 7 scores 62 vs 47 on noise.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 78 vs 68 on comfort.
Continental SportContact 7 scores 72 vs 63 on efficiency.
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Neither, by our numbers: 93 vs 94 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Continental SportContact 7, 96 vs 92 on our dry score.
Continental SportContact 7, 62 vs 47 on our noise score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 78 vs 68 on our comfort score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 86 vs 68 on our treadwear score.
Continental SportContact 7, 72 vs 63 on our efficiency score.
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
