Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — 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 27 + 23 road tests and 6,614 + 6,449 owner reviews. How we score
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.”
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling (tester's mark))
“Put some 235/45 R17 ps5’s on my 9-5 They fill up the arches quite nice!”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
93
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 S +1
92
Why this score
Source
Pilot Sport 4 S
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 25 / 23 tests
94
93
Reviews found online
92
91
Pilot Sport 4 S:60% × 94.3 + 40% × 92.1 = 93
Pilot Sport 5:60% × 92.9 + 40% × 90.8 = 92
88
Wet
Pilot Sport 5 +6
94
Why this score
Source
Pilot Sport 4 S
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / 23 tests
86
94
Reviews found online
91
94
Pilot Sport 4 S:60% × 86.4 + 40% × 90.7 = 88
Pilot Sport 5:60% × 94.1 + 40% × 93.6 = 94
79
Comfort
Level
79
Why this score
Source
Pilot Sport 4 S
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 9 tests
70
71
Reviews found online
84
85
Pilot Sport 4 S:40% × 70.4 + 60% × 84.2 = 79
Pilot Sport 5:40% × 71 + 60% × 84.8 = 79
69
Noise
Pilot Sport 4 S +22
47
Why this score
Source
Pilot Sport 4 S
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 20 / 15 tests
70
33
Reviews found online
≈ 67 (est.)
≈ 67 (est.)
Pilot Sport 4 S:60% × 70.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69
Pilot Sport 5:60% × 33.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 47
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4 S or Pilot Sport 5. 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.
72
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 5 +15
87
Why this score
Source
Pilot Sport 4 S
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests
70
92
Reviews found online
74
79
Pilot Sport 4 S:60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74.1 = 72
Pilot Sport 5:60% × 91.9 + 40% × 78.9 = 87
90
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 4 S +1
89
Why this score
Source
Pilot Sport 4 S
Pilot Sport 5
Reviews found online
90
89
72
Efficiency
Pilot Sport 4 S +8
64
Why this score
Source
Pilot Sport 4 S
Pilot Sport 5
Professional tests (TWG score) · 23 / 17 tests
72
64
Scores at a glance
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: scores by category (0–100)
Category
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Relative Score
83
87
Dry
93
92
Wet
88
94
Comfort
79
79
Noise
69
47
Treadwear
72
87
Handling (owners)
90
89
Efficiency
72
64
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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
83
/ 100
± 4
Pilot Sport 4 S
87
/ 100
± 4
Pilot Sport 5
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.
Discipline
Category
Pilot Sport 4 S
Pilot Sport 5
Δ
Head-to-head
Dry
Dry
94%#3/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18
93%#5/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18
–
Different tests
Dry Braking
Dry
94%#8/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
95%#10/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking?
–
Different tests
Dry Handling
Dry
100%#2/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
99%#4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark)
Dry
98%#4/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test
100%#1/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning
Wet
96%#4/7 · 2025 Autobild Sportcars Summer Tire Test R20
87%#6/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning
Wet
100%#1/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
94%#6/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers
–
Different tests
Wet
Wet
88%#5/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18
99%#2/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18
–
Different tests
Wet Braking
Wet
90%#7/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
91%#9/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking?
–
Different tests
Wet Circle
Wet
87%#7/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
97%#5/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Wet Handling
Wet
90%#6/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
98%#3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers
–
Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark)
Wet
84%#8/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test
100%#1/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers
–
Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark)
Comfort
84%#6/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
90%#4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Exterior Noise
Noise
99%#2/7 · 2025 Autobild Sportcars Summer Tire Test R20
71%#7/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18
–
Different tests
Interior Noise
Noise
80%#5/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18
95%#3/8 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Noise
Noise
98%#4/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
99%#2/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Noise (tester's mark)
Noise
98%#2/7 · 2024 EVO Summer Tyre Test
87%#8/9 · 2025 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Rolling Resistance
Efficiency
98%#2/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test
92%#3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers
–
Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price
Cost
46%#11/11 · 2023 Sport Auto UHP Tyre Test
56%#13/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test
–
Different tests
Overall Ranking
Overall
#1/102026 ACE Summer Tyre Test
#9/502026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking?
–
Different tests
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
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.
#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
Tire B
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Positive
The community generally views the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 as an exceptional daily-driving tire that bridges the gap between high performance and everyday comfort. Users frequently praise its outstanding wet grip, low road noise, and impressive tread life compared to more track-focused alternatives like the PS4S. However, some enthusiast drivers feel the sidewalls and feedback can feel a bit numb or soft for aggressive track use, noting it is built more for sporty road use than dedicated circuit driving.
#Wet grip and safety#Tread life and durability#Road noise and comfort#Daily driving performance#Soft sidewall feedback#Comparison to PS4S and competitors#Value and pricing
Based on 177 community posts
Specs side by side
Attribute
A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Category
Summer
Summer
Vehicle type
Passenger Car / Crossover
Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available
110
66
Rim diameters
17″ – 22″
16″ – 22″
Sizes in common
35
35
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
87
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Narrow edge: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better treadwear and wet. Pick the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S if noise and efficiency matter most to you.
Pick tire AYou want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 69 vs 47 on noise.
Pick tire BYou want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 87 vs 72 on treadwear.
Pick tire AYou want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 72 vs 64 on efficiency.
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