Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 32 + 23 road tests and 3,519 + 6,510 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 86–73
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Tests 76 · 32 tests Owners 71 · 3,519 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test (comfort (tester's mark))
“Everybody is right. The tyre is available in both a RF and a non-RF versions - so it will simply depend on what you buy. e.g. the rears for my F31 are not RF”
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!”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Sport Maxx RT2 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 30 / 23 tests | 79 | 93 |
| Reviews found online | 71 | 90 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) · 8 shared tests · wins 0–8 | 94% | 97% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 | 98% | 99% |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 67% | 100% |
Sport Maxx RT2: 60% × 79.2 + 40% × 70.6 = 76
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 93.2 + 40% × 90.2 = 92
| Source | Sport Maxx RT2 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 31 / 23 tests | 84 | 94 |
| Reviews found online | 73 | 93 |
| Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 | 99% | 91% |
| Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 3–1 | 98% | 97% |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 84% | 92% |
| Wet Braking (% of best) · 8 shared tests · wins 0–8 | 89% | 96% |
| Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 90% | 97% |
| Wet Circle (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 | 98% | 99% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 | 97% | 99% |
Sport Maxx RT2: 60% × 83.7 + 40% × 72.7 = 79
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 93.3 = 94
| Source | Sport Maxx RT2 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 9 tests | 70 | 71 |
| Reviews found online | 70 | 83 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–0 | 100% | 96% |
Sport Maxx RT2: 40% × 70.4 + 60% × 70.2 = 70
Pilot Sport 5: 40% × 70.9 + 60% × 83.4 = 78
| Source | Sport Maxx RT2 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 15 tests | 64 | 33 |
| Reviews found online | 73 | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Noise (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 5–0 | 98% | 97% |
Sport Maxx RT2: 60% × 63.5 + 40% × 73.3 = 67
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.3 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 47
No owner ratings of noise for 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.
| Source | Sport Maxx RT2 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 10 / 6 tests | 70 | 92 |
| Reviews found online | 68 | 78 |
| Abrasion (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 | 58% | 81% |
| Wear (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 | 66% | 89% |
Sport Maxx RT2: 60% × 70.1 + 40% × 68.3 = 69
Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92 + 40% × 77.9 = 86
| Source | Sport Maxx RT2 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 70 | 89 |
| Source | Sport Maxx RT2 | Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 17 / 17 tests | 64 | 63 |
| Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 | 95% | 95% |
| Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 1–3 | 85% | 88% |
| Category | Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 | Michelin Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 86 |
| Dry | 76 | 92 |
| Wet | 79 | 94 |
| Comfort | 70 | 78 |
| Noise | 67 | 47 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 86 |
| Handling (owners) | 70 | 89 |
| Efficiency | 64 | 63 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Sport Maxx RT2
Pilot Sport 5
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.
In the overall rankings of 8 tests that ran both, Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 5 8 times.
| Discipline | Category | Sport Maxx RT2 | Pilot Sport 5 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% | 97% | −3.4 | 0–8 in 8 shared tests Newest: 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? · 245/45 R19 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% | 99% | −1.7 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 67% | 100% | −33.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 99% | 91% | +8.1 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 98% | 97% | +0.4 | 3–1 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 89% | 96% | −6.4 | 0–8 in 8 shared tests Newest: 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? · 245/45 R19 |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | Wet | 90% | 97% | −7.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 98% | 99% | −1.5 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% | 99% | −1.5 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 84% | 92% | −8.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 100% | 96% | +4.4 | 1–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 97% | +1.0 | 5–0 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Abrasion | Treadwear | 58% | 81% | −22.6 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 66% | 89% | −22.2 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 95% | 95% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 85% | 88% | −2.8 | 1–3 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 70% | 58% | +12.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test · 225/45 R18 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #17/20 | #13/20 | – | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Value | Cost | 60% | 64% | −3.9 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test · 245/45 R19 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #17/50 | #9/50 | – | 0–8 in 8 shared tests Newest: 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? · 245/45 R19 |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community opinion portrays the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 as a solid, quiet, and good-value performance tire that performs well in all weather conditions. While some drivers note it is an older design compared to newer flagship releases and point out its 'B' wet rating in certain sizes, it is generally considered capable and competitively priced. There is also frequent discussion clarifying the availability of both run-flat and non-run-flat variants across different dimensions.
“Everybody is right. The tyre is available in both a RF and a non-RF versions - so it will simply depend on what you buy. e.g. the rears for my F31 are not RF”
“I have Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2's on my Audi A3 2.0TDI (buckets of torques) and they work incredibly well in all weather conditions. Granted a different proposition with FWD Audi, but for the price it was a no brainer to stick with them when I needed the fronts replacing.”
“For what it's worth, I put a full new set of 18inch Sport Maxx RT2's on my E85 a couple of years ago and found them more than adequate/good when your a looking for a value/capability compromise. Like B21 mentions, if you want a really upto date tyre, you pick a newer release from the manufacturer provided that pushing on a couple of hundred quid extra can be justified. (When you don't need to tell the wife) I just put a set of 19inch Continental Conti Sport 7's on my E89 but wouldn't have had an issue fitting 19inch Sport Maxx RT2's.”
Based on 19 community posts
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.
“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”
“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.”
“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 :(”
Based on 173 community posts
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 56 | 66 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 21″ | 16″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 300 A A | 320 - 340 A - B A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 39 | 39 |
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better handling, treadwear and dry. Pick the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 if noise matters most to you.
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 scores 67 vs 47 on noise.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 89 vs 70 on handling.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 86 vs 69 on treadwear.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 92 vs 76 on dry.
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Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 94 vs 79 on our wet score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 92 vs 76 on our dry score.
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2, 67 vs 47 on our noise score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 78 vs 70 on our comfort score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 86 vs 69 on our treadwear score.
Neither, by our numbers: 64 vs 63 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.
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
