Head-to-head Updated

Falken Azenis FK510 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — 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 31 + 1 road tests and 907 + 308 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Azenis FK510 74, Pilot Sport 3 PS3 75.

Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Falken Azenis FK510
Tire AFalken

Azenis FK510

Summer

± 4

Tests 74 · 31 tests Owners 66 · 907 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2018 Sport Auto 19 inch UHP and Track Day Tyre Test (wet braking)

“I have Fallen FK510s and live where it rains 300 days a year, they perform great and I'm sure the 520 is even better”

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
± 7

Tests 72 · 1 test Owners 78 · 308 reviews

“I used them for my PS3’s last year, got the cash back offer too. Saved a fortune over the other big name tyre suppliers.”

Category by category

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

  1. 74

    Dry

    Azenis FK510 +1
    73
    Why this score
    SourceAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 28 / 1 tests7367
    Reviews found online7583

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 75.4 = 74

    Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 82.6 = 73

  2. 85

    Wet

    Azenis FK510 +5
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 29 / 1 tests8976
    Reviews found online7884

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 89 + 40% × 78.3 = 85

    Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 76.3 + 40% × 84.4 = 80

  3. 55

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 61 (est.)–
    Reviews found online46–

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 61.3 (est.) + 40% × 45.5 = 55

    No road tests of snow for Azenis FK510. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 57

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +17
    74
    Why this score
    SourceAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests42≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online6876

    Azenis FK510: 40% × 41.7 + 60% × 67.6 = 57

    Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 40% × 70.4 (est.) + 60% × 75.8 = 74

    No road tests of comfort for Pilot Sport 3 PS3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 67

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 18 / – tests66–
    Reviews found online67–

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 66 + 40% × 67.3 = 67

  6. 66

    Treadwear

    Level
    66
    Why this score
    SourceAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / – tests73≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online5465

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 73.1 + 40% × 54.2 = 66

    Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 65.8 (est.) + 40% × 65.3 = 66

    No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport 3 PS3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 72

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +9
    81
    Why this score
    SourceAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3
    Reviews found online7281
  8. 51

    Efficiency

    Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +4
    55
    Why this score
    SourceAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 1 tests5155
Scores at a glance
Falken Azenis FK510 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryFalken Azenis FK510Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
Relative Score 74 75
Dry 74 73
Wet 85 80
Snow 55 –
Comfort 57 74
Noise 67 –
Treadwear 66 66
Handling (owners) 72 81
Efficiency 51 55

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

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
Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

Azenis FK510

± 7

Pilot Sport 3 PS3

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryAzenis FK510Pilot Sport 3 PS3ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 94% #7/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 95% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 97% #6/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 97% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 60% #9/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 100% #1/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 98% #2/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 89% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 96% #6/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 97% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 60% #7/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 80% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 100% #1/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test 82% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #7/10 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test #10/16 2016 ADAC Tyre Test - 225/45 R17 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Azenis FK510

Pros

  • Outstanding grip in both wet and dry conditions
  • Exceptional value and lower price point compared to premium brands
  • Smooth and comfortable ride quality that absorbs road imperfections well

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear and shorter overall lifespan
  • Softer sidewalls can result in slightly delayed initial steering response or a feeling of looseness during aggressive high-speed maneuvers
  • Occasional reports of increased tire noise or harshness on specific rough or concrete road surfaces
All owner themes in the Azenis FK510 review

Tire B Pilot Sport 3 PS3

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry grip
  • Outstanding wet-weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
  • Enhanced ride comfort and compliance over road imperfections

Cons

  • Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly with spirited driving
  • Softer sidewalls can result in a slightly spongy or 'squidgy' feel during aggressive cornering
  • Higher initial purchase price compared to some mid-range alternatives
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 3 PS3 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Falken Azenis FK510

Mixed

Community members frequently view the Falken Azenis FK510 as an affordable, budget-friendly alternative to premium tires like Michelin Pilot Sports, offering strong wet weather grip and good everyday road comfort. However, opinions are mixed due to rapid treadwear, with multiple drivers reporting bald tires in 10,000 to 15,000 miles or poor durability during track and autocross sessions. Furthermore, some users note compromises in steering response, road noise, and overall performance compared to top-tier max performance tires.

r/CarTrackDays ·4 upvotes ·2019-01-27

“Upgrading tires from Falken Azenis FK510, looking for recommendations Hey all, I drive a V6 1LE camaro, i've been doing a lot of open practice sessions at a small track (the driveway in austin, tx), long story short I bought brand new Azenis FK510 two months ago, only about 4k street miles, and after about 3 hours of track time they're pretty much done....mostly from noob mistakes like overcooking the entry and destroying the front shoulders, and having the rear tires way too overinflated so the shoulders are fine but the center are down to the wear bars. Even under ideal conditions and purposely driving slower and smoother I can't see these lasting much more than 4-5 hours of track time, I'm just surprised to see these tires wear down very very quickly under hard driving and overheat somewhat quickly, these are awesome daily driving tires but I'm looking for more track performance. I'm currently debating between pilot sport 4s, bridgestone re-71r, firehawk indy 500. This is more of a philosophical question, I'm looking at a wide variety of treadwear tires, I'm curious how you guys decide on what treadwear tires to run and how you decide between wear, price, and grip. I'm leaning towards the RE-71r right now, I figure if I'm burning through my tires in a few months anyways might as well do it with sticky tires since my falkens didn't last long anyways... Read more”

r/Autocross ·1 upvote ·2023-12-18

“Funny, I just had this conversation in r/ecoboostmustang . I was in this exact boat when I first started out autocrossing. I got on 200 TW for 2020 but continued to HPDE on the daily summer tires. Indy 500 - Spring 2019 to Winter 2020 - These take an INCREDIBLE amount of abuse for the money. 30+ autocrosses, 2 HPDEs, 18,000 miles G-Max RS - Fall 2020 to Summer 2021 - Only bummer is they're directional, you technically shouldn't rotate. 10 HPDEs, 15,000 miles Falken FK510 - Spring 2020 to Summer 2020 - HARD NO from me. I corded a set in 10,000 miles between daily & 6 HPDEs.”

corvetteforum.com

“I've had a set of Falken Azenis FK510's on my car for a couple of months now, and just this past weekend took a trip through the twisties up to Prescott, and pushed the car as hard as I could heading up the mountain. I was a little nervous as I'd never used Falken tires before, but trusted in Tire Rack's reviews of them and pushed the envelope in every turn I hit. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the tires were gripping just as well as the much more expensive Michelin tires they'd replaced, and I even hit a personal best of .95g going around one of the more nasty turns. During this entire drive I never felt once like the tires weren't gripping perfectly, or that I was going to lose control from them breaking loose. Road noise is pretty much non-existent, and they seem to run pretty smooth over every surface I've driven them on so far. All-in-all I don't regret my purchase one bit, and if their longevity is anything like what I got out of my previous set of Michelins I'll definitely be buying another set once this one is done for.”

Top themes
#budget friendly pricing#wet weather traction#fast treadwear#track durability concerns#ride comfort#cabin road noise#daily street driving

Based on 63 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3

Mixed

Community sentiment regarding the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 (PS3) is mixed, with users commending its wet grip, aquaplaning resistance, and daily ride comfort. However, enthusiasts often note soft sidewalls and subdued sportiness compared to the PS2, with many recommending newer iterations like the PS4 and PS4S for sharper handling and reduced road noise.

Top themes
#Wet grip performance#Aquaplaning resistance#Comparison to PS4#Comfortable daily driving#Soft sidewall feel#Road noise issues#Availability and sizing

Based on 37 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Falken Azenis FK510 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available93—
Rim diameters17″ – 22″—
Tread depth10/32″—
UTQG300 A A—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure50 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Falken Azenis FK510

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3

Too close to call: Falken Azenis FK510 and Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 are within 2 points overall. Falken Azenis FK510 is stronger on wet. Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 is stronger on comfort, handling and efficiency.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 74 vs 57 on comfort.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 81 vs 72 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Falken Azenis FK510 scores 85 vs 80 on wet.

Pick tire B You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 55 vs 51 on efficiency.

Tire A · Falken Azenis FK510
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Azenis FK510 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?

Which is better in the wet, Azenis FK510 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?

Falken Azenis FK510, 85 vs 80 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Azenis FK510 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?

Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 73 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Azenis FK510 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 74 vs 57 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Azenis FK510 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?

Neither, by our numbers: 66 vs 66 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, Azenis FK510 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 55 vs 51 on our efficiency 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