Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV 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 1 + 23 road tests and 119 + 6,510 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 86–68

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Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV
± 7

Tests 74 · 1 test Owners 62 · 119 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 10 in 2020 SUV 4x4 Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)

Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 5

Summer

± 4

Tests 86 · 23 tests Owners 87 · 6,510 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. 71

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 5 +21
    92
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT 2 SUVPilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 23 tests7493
    Reviews found online6890

    Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV: 60% × 73.8 + 40% × 67.5 = 71

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

  2. 72

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 5 +22
    94
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT 2 SUVPilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 23 tests7594
    Reviews found online6793

    Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV: 60% × 75.2 + 40% × 66.6 = 72

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

  3. 66

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 5 +12
    78
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT 2 SUVPilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests≈ 68 (est.)71
    Reviews found online6583

    Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV: 40% × 67.9 (est.) + 60% × 64.9 = 66

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

    No road tests of comfort for Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 68

    Noise

    Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV +21
    47
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT 2 SUVPilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 15 tests7033
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV: 60% × 69.7 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 68

    Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.3 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 47

    No owner ratings of noise for Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV 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. 55

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 5 +31
    86
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT 2 SUVPilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 60 (est.)92
    Reviews found online4778

    Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV: 60% × 59.6 (est.) + 40% × 47.3 = 55

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

    No road tests of treadwear for Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  6. 69

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 5 +20
    89
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT 2 SUVPilot Sport 5
    Reviews found online6989
  7. 61

    Efficiency

    Pilot Sport 5 +2
    63
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RT 2 SUVPilot Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 17 tests6163
Scores at a glance
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUVMichelin Pilot Sport 5
Relative Score 68 86
Dry 71 92
Wet 72 94
Comfort 66 78
Noise 68 47
Treadwear 55 86
Handling (owners) 69 89
Efficiency 61 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
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Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV

± 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 Maxx RT 2 SUVPilot Sport 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 98% #2/10 · 2020 SUV 4x4 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 99% #5/10 · 2020 SUV 4x4 Summer Tyre Test 99% #4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 96% #8/10 · 2020 SUV 4x4 Summer Tyre Test 94% #6/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 96% #2/10 · 2020 SUV 4x4 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 Handling Wet 98% #2/10 · 2020 SUV 4x4 Summer Tyre Test 98% #3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers – Different tests
Noise Noise 98% #6/10 · 2020 SUV 4x4 Summer Tyre Test 99% #2/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 80% #10/10 · 2020 SUV 4x4 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)
Price Cost 65% #9/10 · 2020 SUV 4x4 Summer Tyre Test 56% #13/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #2/9 2020 Auto Bild Allrad SUV Summer Tire Test R18 #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 Maxx RT 2 SUV

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and confidence-inspiring handling in both wet and dry conditions
  • Significantly lower road noise and quieter ride compared to predecessor or competing brands
  • Good tread wear longevity and durability, offering strong value for money

Cons

  • Potential for tire deformation and subsequent vibrations after periods of non-use or normal driving
  • Stiff or taut ride quality reported by some users
  • Limited effectiveness on ice and snow compared to dedicated all-season tyres
All owner themes in the Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV 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

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV

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

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/i20n ·17 upvotes ·2025-07-21

“Tyres: Ps5’s initial impression Tyres seem to be a common question across a few forums so I thought ide share. So after 12 months (27,000kms) with my i20n, I was (over) due to replace my tyres. While I loved the p-zeros, I wasn’t keen on the short life, so went with the pilot sport 5. My impressions as follows: Initial impression: a lot less road noise than the p-zero City drive: no noticeable difference (apart from the reduced noise) Highway drive: handling is not noticeably changed, but the reduced noise is really appreciated here! Twisty’s: the difference here is notable, ps5’s don’t provide quite the same aggressive limitless grip feel as the p-zeros. Still holds the line perfectly but noted a bit of slip on the inside front wheel under heavy throttle. I do approx 100km on back roads commuting to and from work every day, so I’ll update this thread if I find anything worth reporting Read more”

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.”

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 :(”

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 · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available2566
Rim diameters17″ – 21″16″ – 22″
UTQG—320 - 340 A - B A
Sizes in common66

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better treadwear, wet and dry. Pick the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 86 vs 55 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 94 vs 72 on wet.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV scores 68 vs 47 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 92 vs 71 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5

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Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV or Pilot Sport 5?

Which is better in the wet, Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 94 vs 72 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 92 vs 71 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV or Pilot Sport 5?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV, 68 vs 47 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 78 vs 66 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV or Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 86 vs 55 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV or Pilot Sport 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 61 vs 63 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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