Tests 79 · 11 tests Owners 67 · 2,130 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2018 Test World Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 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 11 + 1 road tests and 2,130 + 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.
-
74
Dry
Ventus S1 evo2 +173Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 1 tests 77 67 Reviews found online 70 83 Ventus S1 evo2: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 70 = 74
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 82.7 = 73
-
79
Wet
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +180Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 11 / 1 tests 83 76 Reviews found online 73 85 Ventus S1 evo2: 60% × 83.3 + 40% × 73.4 = 79
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 76.3 + 40% × 84.5 = 80
-
66
Comfort
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +874Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 72 ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 63 76 Ventus S1 evo2: 40% × 71.7 + 60% × 62.8 = 66
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 40% × 70.4 (est.) + 60% × 75.9 = 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.
-
72
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests 76 – Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) – Ventus S1 evo2: 60% × 75.9 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 72
No owner ratings of noise for Ventus S1 evo2. 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.
-
61
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +566Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 57 65 Ventus S1 evo2: 60% × 63 (est.) + 40% × 57.1 = 61
Pilot Sport 3 PS3: 60% × 65.8 (est.) + 40% × 65.2 = 66
No road tests of treadwear for Ventus S1 evo2. 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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68
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 3 PS3 +1381Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Reviews found online 68 81 -
72
Efficiency
Ventus S1 evo2 +1755Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Pilot Sport 3 PS3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 1 tests 72 55
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 | Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 75 |
| Dry | 74 | 73 |
| Wet | 79 | 80 |
| Comfort | 66 | 74 |
| Noise | 72 | – |
| Treadwear | 61 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 68 | 81 |
| Efficiency | 72 | 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
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
72
/ 100
Ventus S1 evo2
75
/ 100
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.
In the overall rankings of 9 tests that ran both, Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 finished ahead 3 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 6 times.
| Discipline | Category | Ventus S1 evo2 | Pilot Sport 3 PS3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #6/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 95% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 97% #7/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 97% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 95% #2/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 100% #1/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 93% #3/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 89% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #6/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 97% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 80% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 65% #4/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 82% #3/3 · Michelin Pilot Sport VS EV Specific Performance Tyres | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/16 | #10/16 | – | 3–6 in 9 shared tests Newest: 2016 ADAC Tyre Test - 225/45 R17 · 225/45 R17 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ventus S1 evo2
Pros
- Excellent dry and wet grip performance
- Strong value compared to premium alternatives like Michelin or Continental
- Crisp steering response and confident cornering handling
Cons
- Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on heavier or high-performance vehicles
- Increased road noise and harsher ride quality as the tire ages and tread depth lowers
- Occasional reports of structural weaknesses such as sidewall bulges or cracking
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
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
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.
cadillacforums.com
·2010-03-08
“Has anyone been able to find PS3's in our size for the rear tires (285, 35, 19)? I have had no luck in Southern California?”
zerotohundred.com
·2016-03-14
“My Pilot Sport 3s are due for replacement. This is my second set of them. So far I'm really satisfied, they're very good in cornering feel, traction and ride comfort except for the soft sidewalls, which makes the car rolls a bit more than usual in corners. The RE003 is relatively new and there are not many reviews yet. But from what I've read they're just as good except for the lower wet traction. Plus, the sidewall is slightly stiffer, which is good. I could not decide whether to stick to PS3 or change to the slightly cheaper RE003. So, any of you are using RE003? How does it perform/feel?”
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”
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 S1 evo2 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 61 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 20″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
75
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
Narrow edge: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. Pick the Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 if efficiency matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 scores 72 vs 55 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 81 vs 68 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 74 vs 66 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 scores 66 vs 61 on treadwear.
Tire A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
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Ventus S1 evo2 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Which is better in the wet, Ventus S1 evo2 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Neither, by our numbers: 79 vs 80 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Ventus S1 evo2 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 73 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Ventus S1 evo2 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 74 vs 66 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Ventus S1 evo2 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3, 66 vs 61 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Ventus S1 evo2 or Pilot Sport 3 PS3?
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2, 72 vs 55 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