Tests – · none yet Owners 60 · 300 reviews
“In Hong Kong, if your style is aggresive, sport maxx is not enough, i am using AD08 and RE11 is not bad”
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT 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. Based on 0 + 23 road tests and 300 + 6,449 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 86–64
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Tests 84 · 23 tests Owners 82 · 6,449 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test (subj. dry handling)
“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.
-
66
Dry
Pilot Sport 5 +2389Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx TT Pilot Sport 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 23 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 92 Reviews found online 65 84 SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 64.6 = 66
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92.2 + 40% × 83.8 = 89
No road tests of dry for SP Sport Maxx TT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
-
66
Wet
Pilot Sport 5 +2490Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx TT Pilot Sport 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 23 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 92 Reviews found online 64 87 SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 64 = 66
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92.4 + 40% × 86.7 = 90
No road tests of wet for SP Sport Maxx TT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
-
61
Comfort
Pilot Sport 5 +1475Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx TT Pilot Sport 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 71 Reviews found online 53 81 SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 53.3 = 61
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 71 + 40% × 80.6 = 75
No road tests of comfort for SP Sport Maxx TT. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
–
Noise
No comparison47Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx TT Pilot Sport 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 15 tests – 33 Reviews found online – ≈ 67 (est.) Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.2 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 47
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 5. 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.
-
58
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 5 +2482Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx TT Pilot Sport 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 62 (est.) 87 Reviews found online 53 75 SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 61.8 (est.) + 40% × 53.2 = 58
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 87.2 + 40% × 74.7 = 82
No road tests of treadwear for SP Sport Maxx TT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
-
61
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 5 +2283Why this score
Source SP Sport Maxx TT Pilot Sport 5 Reviews found online 61 83
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT | Michelin Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 86 |
| Dry | 66 | 89 |
| Wet | 66 | 90 |
| Comfort | 61 | 75 |
| Noise | – | 47 |
| Treadwear | 58 | 82 |
| Handling (owners) | 61 | 83 |
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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
64
/ 100
SP Sport Maxx TT
86
/ 100
Pilot Sport 5
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 | SP Sport Maxx TT | Pilot Sport 5 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #3/14 2011 Auto Zeitung Max Performance 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 SP Sport Maxx TT
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip and precise cornering stability
- Stiff sidewalls providing sharp steering feedback and confidence
- Better-than-average tread life and mileage for many everyday drivers
Cons
- High levels of road noise and cabin hum at speeds above 50 mph
- Stiff, harsh ride quality, particularly with run-flat variants
- Inconsistent or poor grip in wet, damp, or cold weather conditions
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
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Positive
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Community members generally praise the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT for its quiet road manners, respectable dry and wet grip, and solid track and cold-weather road performance compared to stock competition-oriented tires. Some drivers note relatively soft sidewalls during aggressive slalom events on heavier vehicles or limited grip before coming up to temperature. Overall, drivers find it to be a capable, comfortable summer tire that balances performance and daily drivability.
corvetteforum.com
“We have these tires on my 18 Grand Sport and my wife’s 17 Z51 Convertible driving in Ohio. Very pleased with these tires! Probably should be OEM for these cars. Handle very well. Doesn’t throw gravel up on the cars like stock tires. Cold weather grip is very good! Stock MPSS are scary below 50 degrees. We have had good success with Discount Tire for purchase and install.”
alfaowner.com
·2011-01-04
“In Hong Kong, if your style is aggresive, sport maxx is not enough, i am using AD08 and RE11 is not bad”
acurazine.com
“After 3 sessions of autoslalom, I can say that the sidewall is too soft for this heavy car. I have the front tires set at 39 psi cool. I may try higher pressure next time to see if it can reduce the tire roll and maintain traction. In term of day to day driving, this is a great quiet summer tire. It performs well in wet too.”
Top themes
#quiet ride quality#track and slalom handling#wet and dry traction#cold weather performance#sidewall stiffness concerns#replacement for OEM tires
Based on 19 community posts
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Community opinion on the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is overwhelmingly positive for daily street driving, praising its exceptional wet grip, tread longevity, and quiet comfort compared to run-flats and older performance tires. However, several enthusiasts note downsides for aggressive or track use, specifically citing softer sidewalls, muted steering feedback, and poor heat resistance leading to delamination under track conditions. Most drivers consider it an outstanding premium all-rounder for sporty street cars rather than a dedicated track or extreme-performance tire.
r/DubaiPetrolHeads
·3 upvotes ·2025-07-15
“Had both on my ST. The 4S is more performance oriented but it wore out much quicker in approximately 35k kms. PS5 is more comfortable and the wear is slower however it does get noisy towards its end of life. After the 2 sets of Michelins, I tried the Falken FK520 for half the cost of the Michelins but found it to more comfortable for daily driving as it is comparatively softer.”
cliosport.net
·5 upvotes ·2024-02-07
“I’ve done 20k on a set of fronts that still have ~2-2.5mm left. They’re wearing very well IMO.”
f30.bimmerpost.com
“I've used the PS4S, potenza s001's & sports contact 7. Currently on Pilot Sport 5's and I think they're the best all road "do it all"road tyre I've had on my RWD . The asymmetric 6 is also supposed to be great but I havent tried that.”
Top themes
#wet grip performance#tread wear longevity#daily driving comfort#track heat delamination#soft sidewall steering feedback#road noise levels#comparison with ps4s
Based on 174 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 5 | 66 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 18″ | 16″ – 22″ |
| Sizes in common | 2 | 2 |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
86
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better wet, treadwear and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 90 vs 66 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 82 vs 58 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 89 vs 66 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 83 vs 61 on handling.
Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
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SP Sport Maxx TT or Pilot Sport 5?
Which is better in the wet, SP Sport Maxx TT or Pilot Sport 5?
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 90 vs 66 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, SP Sport Maxx TT or Pilot Sport 5?
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 89 vs 66 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, SP Sport Maxx TT or Pilot Sport 5?
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 75 vs 61 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, SP Sport Maxx TT or Pilot Sport 5?
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 82 vs 58 on our treadwear 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