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Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx vs Bridgestone Potenza RE050A — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Potenza RE050A leads, 59–58 Narrow edge

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Tire BBridgestone

Potenza RE050A

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 53 · 2,182 reviews

“I've gone through two sets of RE050As, and I've got 75k on my car. The second set is in dire need of replacement. HTH.”

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 61

    Dry

    Potenza RE050A +2
    63
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxPotenza RE050A
    Reviews found online5861
  2. 61

    Wet

    SP Sport Maxx +1
    60
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxPotenza RE050A
    Reviews found online5857
  3. 54

    Snow

    Potenza RE050A +3
    57
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxPotenza RE050A
    Reviews found online4449
  4. 60

    Comfort

    SP Sport Maxx +3
    57
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxPotenza RE050A
    Reviews found online5244
  5. 62

    Noise

    Level
    62
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxPotenza RE050A
    Reviews found online5656
  6. 56

    Treadwear

    SP Sport Maxx +2
    54
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxPotenza RE050A
    Reviews found online4946
  7. 55

    Handling

    Potenza RE050A +2
    57
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxPotenza RE050A
    Reviews found online5557
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop SP Sport MaxxBridgestone Potenza RE050A
Relative Score 58 59
Dry 61 63
Wet 61 60
Snow 54 57
Comfort 60 57
Noise 62 62
Treadwear 56 54
Handling 55 57

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

SP Sport Maxx

Potenza RE050A

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A SP Sport Maxx

Pros

  • Strong dry and wet grip when brand new
  • Responsive handling and sharp cornering precision
  • Low initial road noise and good ride comfort on smooth surfaces

Cons

  • Rapid and uneven tread wear (often wearing out in under 10,000–15,000 miles)
  • High road noise and 'sawtoothing' issues as the tires age
  • Noticeable drop in wet-weather traction and sudden loss of grip near the end of their lifespan
All owner themes in the SP Sport Maxx review

Tire B Potenza RE050A

Pros

  • Phenomenal dry grip and cornering stability
  • Precise steering response and sharp turn-in feedback
  • Stiff sidewalls that enhance sporty handling and provide rim protection

Cons

  • Harsh ride quality and stiff impact absorption, especially over rough roads and potholes
  • Noticeable and escalating road noise as the tires wear
  • Mediocre performance and reduced traction in cold temperatures or wintry conditions
All owner themes in the Potenza RE050A review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A

Mixed

The Bridgestone Potenza RE050A is recognized as an older high-performance summer tire design that still delivers strong dry grip, handling, and cornering capabilities. While some users appreciate their longevity with proper maintenance, others note reduced wet and cold weather traction and point out that newer alternatives are available.

r/NZcarfix ·4 upvotes ·2025-10-19

“Tyre pressure Was wondering whats the correct tyre pressure for Bridgestone Potenza RE050A — 195/45R17 81W The car said 33 psi, but Toyota put 40, so I’m just wondering whats the maximum psi it can take? Google doesn’t really say anything. Thanks.”
r/cars ·2 upvotes ·2017-11-18

“My FiST came with the Potenza RE050A and i am pleasantly surprised with how well they handle. Excellent grip from acceleration and cornering as well as excellent stopping power. The only problem is when it gets cold out and if it's wet the tires don't grip as well as I'd like but other than that no complaints.”
r/Miata ·1 upvote ·2014-10-30

“Replacements for Bridgestone Potenza RE050A sticky Summer tires Went to for an NC (2008) Miata and they are trying to sell their house brand tires for around $350 (205/45R17, all season generic, I believe the treadware is 400, official rating is 30,000 miles but will realistically be more like 20,000). They mentioned their model is the "Sofero s1000" if I heard it correctly. Can't find any product reviews online, has anyone used them? How do they compare to name brands (have been using Bridgestone Potenza RE050A sticky summer tires, treadware 140, traction A, temperature A, ). The issue here is that you can't "try on" their house brand tires to see if it's to your liking. One you buy them, you're stuck. And I really like the feeling of the tires I have now, but they are very expensive to replace! Edit: going for the Continental ExtremeContact DW (around $400, best bang for the buck it would seem). Now just need to find a quality tire shop in San Diego!”
Top themes
#Dry grip and handling#Wet and cold performance#Tread life and mileage#Run-flat options#Aging tire design#Pricing and value

Based on 13 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx B · Bridgestone Potenza RE050A
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available111
Rim diameters20″18″ – 20″
Tread depth10/32″10/32″
UTQG—140 A A
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure—50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A

Too close to call: Dunlop SP Sport Maxx and Bridgestone Potenza RE050A are within 2 points overall. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx is stronger on comfort. Bridgestone Potenza RE050A is stronger on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx scores 60 vs 57 on comfort.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A scores 57 vs 54 on snow.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx
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Tire B · Bridgestone Potenza RE050A
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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.

59

Narrow edge

Potenza RE050A

Amazon