Tests – · none yet Owners 59 · 195 reviews
Best test result: #4 of 44 in 2012 Autobild 50 Tyre Braking Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 81–64
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Tests 81 · 27 tests Owners 82 · 6,601 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 7 in 2019 Motor Summer Tire Test 235/35 ZR19 (overall ranking)
“Am I the owner of the newer PS4s?😁 Hello everyone, new in the sub and just want to share my love for the Pilot Sport 4s. This is the third set and I love it. To me they are the perfect compromise beetween performance anche tyre wear. Last set last me 43k km, I do lot of highway and some spirited drive when possibile. I also had a set of Sport Contact 7, awesome grip, to me better than the PS4s, almost too much for my stock Golf. They also wear out faster. I saw yesterday the review of Potenza Sport Evo and they promise very week, maybe next time I’ll try!”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
67
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 S +2491Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 92 Reviews found online 67 89 -
68
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 S +1785Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 85 Reviews found online 67 85 -
54
Snow
No comparison–Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews found online 44 – -
64
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 S +1175Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 70 Reviews found online 58 81 -
64
Noise
Pilot Sport 4 S +569Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 71 Reviews found online 61 – -
55
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 S +1671Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 70 Reviews found online 48 71 -
64
Handling
Pilot Sport 4 S +2286Why this score
Source Sport Maxx RT Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews found online 64 86
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Sport Maxx RT | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 81 |
| Dry | 67 | 91 |
| Wet | 68 | 85 |
| Snow | 54 | – |
| Comfort | 64 | 75 |
| Noise | 64 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 55 | 71 |
| Handling | 64 | 86 |
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.
Important
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Important
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Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
64
/ 100
Sport Maxx RT
81
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4 S
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Sport Maxx RT | Pilot Sport 4 S | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 25% #4/44 · 2012 Autobild 50 Tyre Braking Test | 100% #1/7 · 2019 Motor Summer Tire Test 235/35 ZR19 | −75.0 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Sport Maxx RT
Pros
- Outstanding grip and traction in both dry and wet conditions
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Predictable and progressive handling at limits
Cons
- Fast tread wear leading to short tire lifespan
- Prone to developing cracks in the tread blocks or sidewalls prematurely
- Subpar performance in freezing temperatures, snow, or slush
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 RT
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/TeslaModelS
·1 upvote ·2025-03-27
“I was running pilot sport 4s on my MS. (19” wheels) I was lucky to get 13,000-14,000. I just switched to Kumho Majesty 9’s for about 1/3 the price. Currently have 4,000 miles on them and just to rotated. Fingers crossed I can get 13,000 miles out of them.”
r/Golf_R
·1 upvote ·2021-03-17
“I run the all seasons on my Golf because I drive ~400+ miles per week in all matter of weather. The high tread wear rating and all-weather grip make more sense for me. But, having run the max performance PS4s before, if you’re cool with having two sets, they are basically impossible to beat. Absolute magic tires.”
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 RT | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 27 | 110 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | 17″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 9/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 240 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
81
/ 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 91 vs 67 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 86 vs 64 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 85 vs 68 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 71 vs 55 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
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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.