Tests – · none yet Owners 62 · 32 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — 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 0 + 27 road tests and 32 + 6,614 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 86–64
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Tests 82 · 27 tests Owners 86 · 6,614 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)
“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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63
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 S +3093Why this score
Source Sport Maxx 050+ Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 25 tests ≈ 65 (est.) 94 Reviews found online 61 92 Sport Maxx 050+: 60% × 65 (est.) + 40% × 60.8 = 63
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 94.3 + 40% × 92.1 = 93
No road tests of dry for Sport Maxx 050+. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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64
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 S +2488Why this score
Source Sport Maxx 050+ Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 26 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 86 Reviews found online 62 91 Sport Maxx 050+: 60% × 65.9 (est.) + 40% × 61.9 = 64
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 90.7 = 88
No road tests of wet for Sport Maxx 050+. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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57
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 S +2279Why this score
Source Sport Maxx 050+ Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 70 Reviews found online 51 84 Sport Maxx 050+: 40% × 65.9 (est.) + 60% × 51.3 = 57
Pilot Sport 4 S: 40% × 70.4 + 60% × 84.2 = 79
No road tests of comfort for Sport Maxx 050+. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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–
Noise
No comparison69Why this score
Source Sport Maxx 050+ Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 20 tests – 70 Reviews found online – ≈ 67 (est.) Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4 S. 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.
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67
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 S +572Why this score
Source Sport Maxx 050+ Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 70 Reviews found online 67 74 Sport Maxx 050+: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 67 = 67
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74.1 = 72
No road tests of treadwear for Sport Maxx 050+. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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65
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 4 S +2590Why this score
Source Sport Maxx 050+ Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews found online 65 90 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison72Why this score
Source Sport Maxx 050+ Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 23 tests – 72
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 86 |
| Dry | 63 | 93 |
| Wet | 64 | 88 |
| Comfort | 57 | 79 |
| Noise | – | 69 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 72 |
| Handling (owners) | 65 | 90 |
| Efficiency | – | 72 |
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
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
64
/ 100
Sport Maxx 050+
86
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4 S
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Sport Maxx 050+
Pros
- Reliable and confident dry grip for high-speed cornering and handling
- Impressive tread wear and long-lasting durability over tens of thousands of kilometers
- Good value for money relative to premium European brands
Cons
- Excessive road and cabin noise, particularly at motorway speeds
- Stiff and harsh ride quality over bumps and rough surfaces
- Mediocre to poor wet-weather traction with tendencies to slip or aquaplane
Tire B Pilot Sport 4 S
Pros
- Exceptional grip and predictable handling in both dry and wet conditions
- Noticeable reduction in road noise and improved ride comfort compared to competitors and run-flats
- Sharper steering response and improved cornering stability
Cons
- High initial purchase price
- Rapid tread wear reported by some aggressive drivers and track users
- Soft sidewalls can cause a slightly vague or laggy initial response during rapid steering transitions
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S as a benchmark max-performance summer tire, praising its outstanding dry and wet grip, stability, and daily driving refinement. Common criticisms focus on its premium price, rapid tread wear on high-powered heavy vehicles or hot track sessions, and significantly reduced grip in cold weather. Many enthusiasts consider it an ideal street tire, though some note softer sidewalls compared to predecessors or recommend dedicated track tires for hard circuit driving.
r/CarTalkUK
·4 upvotes ·2025-01-26
“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”
r/cars
·4 upvotes ·2018-08-21
“I’ll say this. Going from the Pilot Super Sport to the Pilot Sport 4 S of the same size, I’m disappointed in the soft sidewall of the 4 S. This is an 8.5” wide wheel with 235/40/18 tires. The left-right fast slalom action got a bit mushy like the weight transfer was slowed down when I switched to the 4 S. I think a shorter sidewall 4 S would perform better in this way, or the same tire on a 9” wide wheel too. That said, the dry and wet grip is exceptional. To save money, I’d recommend the Continental ExtremeContact Sport.”
r/WRXSTi
·149 upvotes ·2025-07-09
“New tires Pilot Sport 4s got some new Pilot Sport 4s in 245/40/18. way different to my yokohama advan AS+. a lot more grip, obviously. very minimal to no sidewall flex. very good tires. i had pilot sport 3's on my 2013 hatchback wrx back in the day. feels good to get back on some good tires again. Read more”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Track day durability#High price vs alternatives#Tread life and wear#Cold weather performance#Sidewall stiffness and comfort
Based on 208 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 110 |
| Rim diameters | — | 17″ – 22″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
86
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — better dry, handling and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 93 vs 63 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 90 vs 65 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 88 vs 64 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 79 vs 57 on comfort.
Tire A · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
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Sport Maxx 050+ or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Which is better in the wet, Sport Maxx 050+ or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 88 vs 64 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Sport Maxx 050+ or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 93 vs 63 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Sport Maxx 050+ or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 79 vs 57 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Sport Maxx 050+ or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 72 vs 67 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