Head-to-head Updated

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 vs Pirelli P Zero — 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 + 3 road tests and 1,457 + 3,486 owner reviews. How we score

Firehawk Indy 500 leads, 65–61 Narrow edge

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Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
± 6

Tests – · 1 test Owners 62 · 1,457 reviews

Best test result: #6 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))

“I just put Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's on my NC2 and I like them and would recommend them. I paid about $635 with installation at Costco but you might even be able to find them for less elsewhere.”

Pirelli P Zero
Tire BPirelli

P Zero

Summer

± 8

Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 47 · 3,486 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)

“New rubber for the road wheels Pirelli P-Zero RS TLR 30mm, measuring 33mm on 25mm inner rim width. Rides like a dream, but the center thread is narrow, so I'd not feel confident if I raced anything with tighter cornering.”

Category by category

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

  1. 74

    Dry

    Firehawk Indy 500 +2
    72
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk Indy 500P Zero
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 72 (est.)80
    Reviews found online7761

    Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 77.2 = 74

    P Zero: 60% × 79.6 + 40% × 61.4 = 72

    No road tests of dry for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 66

    Wet

    P Zero +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk Indy 500P Zero
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 67 (est.)81
    Reviews found online6555

    Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 67.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.7 = 66

    P Zero: 60% × 81.1 + 40% × 54.9 = 71

    No road tests of wet for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 45

    Snow

    P Zero +5
    50
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk Indy 500P Zero
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 57 (est.)≈ 60 (est.)
    Reviews found online2736

    Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 56.8 (est.) + 40% × 27.4 = 45

    P Zero: 60% × 59.7 (est.) + 40% × 36.4 = 50

    No road tests of snow for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for P Zero. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 65

    Comfort

    Firehawk Indy 500 +9
    56
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk Indy 500P Zero
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 68 (est.)70
    Reviews found online6446

    Firehawk Indy 500: 40% × 67.6 (est.) + 60% × 63.6 = 65

    P Zero: 40% × 69.8 + 60% × 46.2 = 56

    No road tests of comfort for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 66

    Noise

    Firehawk Indy 500 +8
    58
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk Indy 500P Zero
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 66 (est.)61
    Reviews found online6453

    Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.4 = 66

    P Zero: 60% × 60.7 + 40% × 53.1 = 58

    No road tests of noise for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 66

    Treadwear

    Firehawk Indy 500 +16
    50
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk Indy 500P Zero
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7065
    Reviews found online6128

    Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 60.7 = 66

    P Zero: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 28.1 = 50

  7. 71

    Handling (owners)

    Firehawk Indy 500 +15
    56
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk Indy 500P Zero
    Reviews found online7156
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    59
    Why this score
    SourceFirehawk Indy 500P Zero
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests–59
Scores at a glance
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 vs Pirelli P Zero: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryFirestone Firehawk Indy 500Pirelli P Zero
Relative Score 65 61
Dry 74 72
Wet 66 71
Snow 45 50
Comfort 65 56
Noise 66 58
Treadwear 66 50
Handling (owners) 71 56
Efficiency – 59

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

Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Firehawk Indy 500

± 8

P Zero

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.

DisciplineCategoryFirehawk Indy 500P ZeroΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #9/22 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires #25/49 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Firehawk Indy 500

Pros

  • Exceptional value and affordability compared to premium tier brands like Michelin
  • Outstanding dry grip and confident, responsive cornering capabilities
  • Surprisingly quiet and comfortable ride quality on the highway

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear and shorter overall lifespan
  • Poor performance and loss of traction in cold temperatures (below 40°F)
  • Vulnerability to hydroplaning or reduced traction in heavy standing water
All owner themes in the Firehawk Indy 500 review

Tire B P Zero

Pros

  • Outstanding dry grip and handling performance
  • Precise steering feedback and high-speed stability
  • Good wet-weather braking and cornering when warm

Cons

  • Rapid and uneven tread wear, often requiring replacement much sooner than expected
  • Poor grip and unpredictable traction in cold temperatures (below 7°C/45°F)
  • Prone to tramlining and tracking road imperfections
All owner themes in the P Zero review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

Positive

The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is overwhelmingly praised as an exceptional value and 'bang for your buck' summer performance tire. Drivers consistently highlight strong dry grip, commendable wet traction, comfortable ride quality, and progressive handling breakaway. Minor criticisms center on reduced performance in cold temperatures, softer steering feedback, and grease on hard track sessions.

r/MINI ·20 upvotes ·2025-05-02

“Firehawk Indy 500s As promised, some initial thoughts. These are extremely comfortable. They honestly made it hard to understand how fast I was going because I've come to gauge my speed based on how much I'm being jostled around. I felt almost nothing with these, and there's so much construction on my way to work from the tire place, including a road that hasn't been surfaced properly yet. Perfect testing run for comfort. In terms of performance these bite the road a lot better and it's a lot easier for me to get moving again. Granted, my run flats were almost bald and that's my most recent memory of how they performed, but it's shocking how much I can take a turn or even just accelerate without any risk of sliding or slipping. It feels like a completely different car honestly, and people aren't kidding when they say "just get better tires" on some of these posts asking about mods. It's not as sexy as a new intake, but it makes a much bigger difference. I mean I feel like I was missing out on at least half of my roadster's potential here. So yeah I definitely like them. I don't mean to insult the tire guys' ability to apply tire shine, but I need to redo that disaster when I'm home. I only have detailing spray right now.”

s2ki.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by AUaviator I'm having trouble finding these tires in stock. Rears are back ordered and only 1 front available and it's on tire rack. 22545/17 255/40/17. www.simpletire.com looks to have them instock with free shipping and a 60 dollar rebate. A little hard to find but search for them individually by size.”

grassrootsmotorsports.com

“I need a 224/45/15 I run these on my S2000 wheelset for driving around town and they are great. I also have used them for plenty of track days. They get a little greasy towards the end of sessions but have never let me down.”

Top themes
#value for money#dry grip performance#wet road traction#ride comfort#cold temperature limitations#track and autocross use#sidewall and steering response

Based on 141 community posts

Tire B

Pirelli P Zero

Mixed

Community sentiment regarding Pirelli P Zero tires is polarized across its automotive and bicycle product lines. While users praise the tire lineup for sharp steering responsiveness, comfortable ride quality, and strong dry grip—especially on newer models like the AS Plus 3 and PZ5—many drivers report fast tread wear, wet grip issues on certain summer variants, and vulnerability to sidewall bubbles. Additionally, cyclists frequently note that the tubeless road variants offer impressive rolling speed but can be exceptionally difficult to mount.

z4-forum.com ·2018-01-21

“I switched my Z4C from Pirelli P Zero's to Asymmetric 3's, as I was fed up with the noise from the Pirelli's. I find the Asymmetric 3's much quieter, more comfortable and more predictable. The Pirelli's felt like they have more grip in ideal conditions, but got more easily caught out by damp, poor surfaces etc.”

f30.bimmerpost.com

“So I had ditched the horrible pirelli pzero run flats a few months ago for my 335 and got non run flat michelin pilot sports 4s on my 19 in wheels though they were hard to source and loved them. Xmas day driving at 40mph hit a pothole and immediately the low tyre pressure warning came on and the pressure was .2 bar! The air pump and goo thing did nothing for me ie despite switching it on the tyre pressure would go up to 1.2 and as soon and would deflate within a minute when pump was stopped back to .2 bar. I had family over and absolutely needed the car which was stranded away from home so an emergency tyre firm came and installed a accelera phi R tyre(the opnly tyre they could source in all of the city) callout fee in total £200! Incidentally I notice no change in the cars charecteristics if anything the accelera phi R seems softer and quieter? Should I get another michelin PS4 now and ditch the new accelera? I'm also quietly wondering if I made an error by ditching run flats thought he ride and handling are so much better they wouldn't have left me stranded perhaps?”

mbworld.org

“Quote: Originally Posted by ruined_c55 Since I've had mine, I've had Pirelli PZeros with stock wheels, Purely fronts/Accelera PHI R rears with my old wheels and now Lionhart LH Fives. Pirellis lasted 12ish K in the rear, Acceleras about 8K, and the Lionharts are too new to give lifespan feedback on. They did surprisingly well up in the canyons in the rain though. I'm not brave enough to run cheap Chinese tires on my dirtbike, let alone my daily driver pushing almost 400hp. I get between 15-20k out of much more expensive Michelins but the longer life and tons better grip more than make up for it.”

Top themes
#rapid tread wear#wet weather grip#difficult tubeless mounting#sharp steering response#ride comfort and quietness#sidewall bubble issues#AS Plus 3 performance

Based on 277 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 B · Pirelli P Zero
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available47194
Rim diameters16″ – 20″17″ – 24″
Tread depth9 - 10/32″10/32″
UTQG340 A A220 A A
SidewallBlack Side WallBlackwall
Max pressure50 - 51 psi50 psi
Sizes in common3737

Which one should you actually buy?

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

Pirelli P Zero

Narrow edge: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 — better treadwear, handling and comfort. Pick the Pirelli P Zero if wet and snow matter most to you.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 scores 66 vs 50 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 scores 71 vs 56 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 scores 65 vs 56 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 scores 66 vs 58 on noise.

Tire A · Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
Tire B · Pirelli P Zero

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Firehawk Indy 500 or P Zero?

Which is better in the wet, Firehawk Indy 500 or P Zero?

Pirelli P Zero, 71 vs 66 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Firehawk Indy 500 or P Zero?

Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 72 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, Firehawk Indy 500 or P Zero?

Pirelli P Zero, 50 vs 45 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Firehawk Indy 500 or P Zero?

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 66 vs 58 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Firehawk Indy 500 or P Zero?

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 65 vs 56 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Firehawk Indy 500 or P Zero?

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, 66 vs 50 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