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Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — 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 14 + 21 road tests and 126 + 12,714 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 81–76

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Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125
Tire AHankook

Ventus Prime 3 K125

Summer

± 6

Tests 77 · 14 tests Owners 75 · 126 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 53 in 2021 53 Summer Tyre Braking Test (dry braking)

Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 4

Summer

± 4

Tests 85 · 21 tests Owners 76 · 12,714 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 45 in 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout (dry braking)

“Those are Pilot sport 4 (all season). If it had s after the 4 it would be the summer high performance version. I put the pilot sport 4 on wife's GTI autobahn 2016. Great handling tire, stiff side walls, not the smoothest ride but best overall.”

Category by category

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

  1. 85

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 +2
    87
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 3 K125Pilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 20 tests8989
    Reviews found online7984
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–197%100%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–199%100%

    Ventus Prime 3 K125: 60% × 88.6 + 40% × 78.8 = 85

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 89.3 + 40% × 83.9 = 87

  2. 80

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 +9
    89
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 3 K125Pilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 20 tests8192
    Reviews found online7784
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–194%100%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–188%99%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–194%100%

    Ventus Prime 3 K125: 60% × 81.4 + 40% × 77 = 80

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 92.5 + 40% × 84.4 = 89

  3. 73

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 +3
    76
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 3 K125Pilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests7582
    Reviews found online7272

    Ventus Prime 3 K125: 40% × 75.1 + 60% × 71.9 = 73

    Pilot Sport 4: 40% × 81.6 + 60% × 71.7 = 76

  4. 74

    Noise

    Ventus Prime 3 K125 +4
    70
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 3 K125Pilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 13 tests8073
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%99%

    Ventus Prime 3 K125: 60% × 79.8 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 74

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 70

    No owner ratings of noise for Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Pilot Sport 4. 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.

  5. 65

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 4 +6
    71
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 3 K125Pilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 3 tests6178
    Reviews found online7260

    Ventus Prime 3 K125: 60% × 61 + 40% × 71.8 = 65

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 78.1 + 40% × 59.5 = 71

  6. 75

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 +6
    81
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 3 K125Pilot Sport 4
    Reviews found online7581
  7. 66

    Efficiency

    Pilot Sport 4 +10
    76
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 3 K125Pilot Sport 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 14 tests6676
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–091%83%
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Ventus Prime 3 K125Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Relative Score 76 81
Dry 85 87
Wet 80 89
Comfort 73 76
Noise 74 70
Treadwear 65 71
Handling (owners) 75 81
Efficiency 66 76

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.

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Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Ventus Prime 3 K125

± 4

Pilot Sport 4

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.

In the overall rankings of 2 tests that ran both, Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 2 times.

DisciplineCategoryVentus Prime 3 K125Pilot Sport 4ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 97% 100% −3.5 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17
Dry Handling Dry 99% 100% −0.6 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 94% 100% −6.1 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17
Wet Braking Wet 88% 99% −11.9 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17
Wet Handling Wet 94% 100% −5.6 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17
Noise Noise 100% 99% +1.4 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 91% 83% +8.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 94% 64% +29.2 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17
Overall Ranking Overall #8/9 #1/9 – 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tyre Test · 225/45 R17

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Ventus Prime 3 K125

Pros

  • Excellent dry road grip and braking performance
  • High value-for-money ratio compared to premium competitors
  • Comfortable ride quality with effective vibration absorption

Cons

  • Increased risk of hydroplaning as tread depth decreases
  • Accelerated tread wear on heavier vehicles or under high-torque conditions
  • Noise levels can increase noticeably after several thousand miles
All owner themes in the Ventus Prime 3 K125 review

Tire B Pilot Sport 4

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction with outstanding resistance to aquaplaning
  • Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and a reduction in cabin noise compared to standard run-flat tires
  • Progressive and predictable breakaway limits during spirited driving

Cons

  • Faster-than-average treadwear, particularly under aggressive driving or on rear-wheel-drive performance cars
  • Softer sidewalls can lead to a slight lack of initial steering precision and a vague feel at the limit for hardcore enthusiasts
  • Performance drops off significantly in cold, freezing, or snowy winter conditions
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125

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

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Positive

The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 line as a premium upgrade offering exceptional dry and wet grip, precise handling, and superior ride comfort compared to OEM or run-flat tires. While celebrated for performance, users frequently discuss its high price tag, faster treadwear, and noticeable drop in EV efficiency. Some drivers also note increased road noise and reduced traction when temperatures drop near freezing.

r/JettaGLI ·59 upvotes ·2026-09-27

“Reminder: Tires are the key to this car Just replaced my Michelin Pilot Sport 4 AS tires with a new set ahead of the rainy season. Lasted 36K miles. It was the best mod to the car and a fresh set reminded just how good a brand new set is. The car is glued to the road, riding wonderfully smooth and quiet. Spend the money, get the best tires for you. The tune can wait. And it will need it.”
r/BoltEV ·5 upvotes ·2026-04-29

“Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires are noisy (a followup) I have been asked on this sub if the PS4 tires on my wife’s Bolt are noisy, and I wasn’t sure how to answer. Well, we made two 60-mile round trips this past weekend, mostly on highways with 55 and 70 mph speed limits, and I have to say that the tires are kind of noisy. Certainly not as quiet as EV-oriented tires are. The grip is fantastic, so we really like them. If you are sensitive to noise, though, these Max Performance class tires are probably not for you.”
f30.bimmerpost.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by weston.__ I will be going down the non-rft route, Pilot Sport 4. You're not the only one to say the ride quality with non-rft is a massive improvement and this is the reason why I will change once the time comes. I went from Bridgestone S001 RFT to 'go-flats' and have found the suppleness an obvious difference. Since I put the pressure to the mid point between the low and high load plated pressures I have yet to have any of the heartstopping thumps come through the suspension that the Bridgestone seemed prone to.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Run-flat replacement upgrade#Treadwear and longevity#Cold weather performance#Road noise and comfort#EV range and efficiency#Comparison to Continental tires

Based on 246 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6062
Rim diameters15″ – 20″16″ – 20″
UTQG240 - 500 A - AA A - B300 - 320 A - AA A
Sizes in common2222

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better efficiency, wet and treadwear. Pick the Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 76 vs 66 on efficiency.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 89 vs 80 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 71 vs 65 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 81 vs 75 on handling.

Tire A · Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
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Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Pilot Sport 4?

Which is better in the wet, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Pilot Sport 4?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 89 vs 80 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Pilot Sport 4?

Neither, by our numbers: 85 vs 87 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Pilot Sport 4?

Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125, 74 vs 70 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Pilot Sport 4?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 76 vs 73 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Pilot Sport 4?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 71 vs 65 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Ventus Prime 3 K125 or Pilot Sport 4?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 76 vs 66 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