Tests – · none yet Owners 74 · 211 reviews
“I had the DW's on my Porsche 911 last year and really liked them. I liked them so much, I just installed a set on my C6 base. I waiting for the 3' of snow to melt before I try them out.”
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Ventus R-S4 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 0 + 1 road tests and 211 + 308 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 leads, 75–72 Narrow edge
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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.
-
76
Dry
Ventus R-S4 +373Why this score
Source Ventus R-S4 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 73 (est.) 67 Reviews found online 80 83 Ventus R-S4: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 80.1 = 76
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 82.6 = 73
No road tests of dry for Ventus R-S4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
-
67
Wet
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +1380Why this score
Source Ventus R-S4 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 68 (est.) 76 Reviews found online 66 84 Ventus R-S4: 60% × 68 (est.) + 40% × 65.8 = 67
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 76.3 + 40% × 84.4 = 80
No road tests of wet for Ventus R-S4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
59
Comfort
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +1574Why this score
Source Ventus R-S4 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 55 76 Ventus R-S4: 40% × 66.5 (est.) + 60% × 54.7 = 59
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 40% × 70.4 (est.) + 60% × 75.8 = 74
No road tests of comfort for Ventus R-S4 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
73
Treadwear
Ventus R-S4 +766Why this score
Source Ventus R-S4 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 78 65 Ventus R-S4: 60% × 70.3 (est.) + 40% × 78.1 = 73
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 65.8 (est.) + 40% × 65.3 = 66
No road tests of treadwear for Ventus R-S4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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).
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82
Handling (owners)
Ventus R-S4 +181Why this score
Source Ventus R-S4 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Reviews found online 82 81 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison55Why this score
Source Ventus R-S4 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests – 55
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Ventus R-S4 | Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 75 |
| Dry | 76 | 73 |
| Wet | 67 | 80 |
| Comfort | 59 | 74 |
| Treadwear | 73 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 82 | 81 |
| Efficiency | – | 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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
Ventus R-S4
75
/ 100
Pilot Sport 3 PS3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ventus R-S4
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and wear resistance ("wears like iron")
- Highly consistent performance and resistance to overheating or getting greasy during long sessions
- Stiff sidewalls providing precise steering response and excellent feedback
Cons
- Slow to come up to optimal operating temperature, especially in cooler weather or for autocross
- Slightly lower ultimate dry grip compared to top-tier rivals like the Bridgestone RE-71R/RE-71RS
- High road noise and a harsh ride due to stiff sidewalls
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
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Positive
Hankook Ventus R-S4
The community holds a very positive view of the Hankook Ventus R-S4, praising its exceptional grip, excellent treadwear, and durability on the track. Users also note that it provides a surprisingly smooth and quiet ride for street use, though some mention it requires heat cycling management as it ages.
r/CarTrackDays
·11 upvotes ·2026-09-15
“Super happy w Hankook Ventus R-S4s. Follow-up question. I'm 10 track days into owning my first set of Hankook Ventus R-S4s. Thanks for the recommendation. I rotate them after every 2 days on my ND miata. I'm noticing the forewarned heat cycling now. TBH - I like them more now. Car moves around more and i have to modulate brakes myself. When they were new I couldn't get the abs engaged - there was just too much grip for the stock equipment. Anyway, my question is - my research says that with this Tire the grip can drop off quickly. Is that accurate? now that I'm getting into this gray area where they are definitely starting to heat cycle out am I going to leave an event Sunday with 80% new level grip and show up to my next track day two Weeks later at 30%? Edit. I’m working with some assumptions here that might not be valid. I’m assuming I’m getting heat cycling performance drop because I was warned I would heat cycle them out before I wore them down to chords. I am definitely experiencing a noticeable drop in mechanical grip during breaking. I am much more capable of getting into the ABS now than I was on the first days on these tires. My last track weekend was also on a set of pads that are near life end so I think that variable is accounted for. That same weekend was cooler than normal and I noticed the performance drop the entire day not, for example, on cold tires or late in a heavy session.”
corvetteforum.com
“I had the DW's on my Porsche 911 last year and really liked them. I liked them so much, I just installed a set on my C6 base. I waiting for the 3' of snow to melt before I try them out.”
Top themes
#exceptional track grip#long treadwear life#heat cycling behavior#smooth and quiet ride#hpde and track day use
Based on 10 community posts
Tire B
Mixed
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
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.
r/tires
·1 upvote ·2026-04-09
“Is the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 a good choice for a daily driver? I've been considering changing my tires to Michelin Primacy 4 for my Mazda 2. I've been quoted with Michelin Pilot Sport 3 ones with manufacturing date of mid 2024 for 25% less, that the garage wants to clear from their warehouse. Is this an overkill? Edit: Thank you all for your help. I went with the PS3 and it seems that it was a good choice. Read more”
mx5nutz.com
·2025-11-11
“PS3 or rainsports do pretty well for daily use with the odd track day too.”
cliosport.net
·1 upvote ·2024-02-15
“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.”
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 · Hankook Ventus R-S4 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Hankook Ventus R-S4
75
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
Narrow edge: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — better comfort and wet. Pick the Hankook Ventus R-S4 if treadwear and dry matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 74 vs 59 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 80 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Hankook Ventus R-S4 scores 73 vs 66 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Ventus R-S4 scores 76 vs 73 on dry.
Tire A · Hankook Ventus R-S4
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
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Ventus R-S4 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Which is better in the wet, Ventus R-S4 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 80 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ventus R-S4 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Hankook Ventus R-S4, 76 vs 73 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Ventus R-S4 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 74 vs 59 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ventus R-S4 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Hankook Ventus R-S4, 73 vs 66 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