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Head-to-head Updated

General Altimax One S vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — 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 4 + 27 road tests and 17 + 6,614 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 84–65

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General Altimax One S
Tire AGeneral

Altimax One S

Summer

± 6

Tests 61 · 4 tests Owners 71 · 17 reviews

Best test result: #16 of 50 in 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (wear)

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 4 S

Summer

± 4

Tests 82 · 27 tests Owners 86 · 6,614 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)

“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”

Category by category

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

  1. 59

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 S +34
    93
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax One SPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 25 tests5094
    Reviews found online7292

    Altimax One S: 60% × 50.4 + 40% × 71.7 = 59

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 94.3 + 40% × 92.1 = 93

  2. 64

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 S +24
    88
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax One SPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 26 tests5986
    Reviews found online7291

    Altimax One S: 60% × 59.3 + 40% × 71.8 = 64

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 90.7 = 88

  3. 67

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 S +12
    79
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax One SPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 69 (est.)70
    Reviews found online6684

    Altimax One S: 40% × 68.6 (est.) + 60% × 66.1 = 67

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 40% × 70.4 + 60% × 84.2 = 79

    No road tests of comfort for Altimax One S. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    69
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax One SPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 20 tests–70
    Reviews found online–≈ 67 (est.)

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4 S. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  5. 72

    Treadwear

    Level
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax One SPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7270
    Reviews found online7274

    Altimax One S: 60% × 72 + 40% × 72.2 = 72

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74.1 = 72

  6. 69

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 S +21
    90
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax One SPilot Sport 4 S
    Reviews found online6990
  7. 73

    Efficiency

    Altimax One S +1
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax One SPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 23 tests7372
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral Altimax One SMichelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Relative Score 65 84
Dry 59 93
Wet 64 88
Comfort 67 79
Noise – 69
Treadwear 72 72
Handling (owners) 69 90
Efficiency 73 72

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

Important
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Altimax One S

± 4

Pilot Sport 4 S

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.

DisciplineCategoryAltimax One SPilot Sport 4 SΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 89% #41/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 94% #8/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 90% #42/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 78% #39/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 90% #7/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #28/50 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test #1/10 2026 ACE Summer Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Altimax One S

Pros

  • Exceptional wet-weather grip and high driver confidence in the rain
  • High level of ride comfort and quietness for most daily driving conditions
  • Good tread wear longevity and overall value for money compared to premium brands

Cons

  • Notable tire and road noise reported by multiple users
  • Unresponsive steering feel and lack of sporty handling characteristics
  • Very soft sidewalls that are vulnerable to punctures from minor hazards like thorns
All owner themes in the Altimax One S review

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
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 S review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

General Altimax One S

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

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Positive

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/CarTalkUK ·4 upvotes ·2025-01-26

“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”
r/cars ·4 upvotes ·2018-08-21

“I’ll say this. Going from the Pilot Super Sport to the Pilot Sport 4 S of the same size, I’m disappointed in the soft sidewall of the 4 S. This is an 8.5” wide wheel with 235/40/18 tires. The left-right fast slalom action got a bit mushy like the weight transfer was slowed down when I switched to the 4 S. I think a shorter sidewall 4 S would perform better in this way, or the same tire on a 9” wide wheel too. That said, the dry and wet grip is exceptional. To save money, I’d recommend the Continental ExtremeContact Sport.”
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 · General Altimax One S B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available81110
Rim diameters15″ – 20″17″ – 22″
Sizes in common3636

Which one should you actually buy?

General Altimax One S

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — better dry, wet and handling. Where the General Altimax One S is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 93 vs 59 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 88 vs 64 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 90 vs 69 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 79 vs 67 on comfort.

Tire A · General Altimax One S
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
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Altimax One S or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Which is better in the wet, Altimax One S or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 88 vs 64 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Altimax One S or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 93 vs 59 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Altimax One S or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 79 vs 67 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Altimax One S or Pilot Sport 4 S?

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

Which rolls more easily, Altimax One S or Pilot Sport 4 S?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 72 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