Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S vs Yokohama ADVAN A052 — 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 + 4 road tests and 6,632 + 213 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 85–72

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Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Tire AMichelin

Pilot Sport 4 S

Summer

± 4

Tests 82 · 27 tests Owners 86 · 6,632 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.”

Yokohama ADVAN A052
Tire BYokohama

ADVAN A052

Summer

± 5

Tests 76 · 4 tests Owners 69 · 213 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 7 in 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test (dry handling (tester's mark))

“Staggered BBSs Need Tires I have a set of BBS wheels that i have been restoring for my 89 944 NA. I am trying to figure out what tires to get and am running into a bit of trouble. The set of BBSs are 15in staggered. The front are 8in wide and the rear are 9in wide. When i had purchased these wheels they had 215/60R15s all around. Would this be a good fitment? I am hoping the rear will not look stretched. As i was researching staggered tires i ran into problems finding a matching set in the sizes 225 50R15 and 205 55R15. A local shop helped me find these for the front Yokohama ADVAN Fleva V701 (205 55R15) and these for the rear Yokohama ADVAN A052 (225 50R15). Im concerned to get these due to the tread pattern being drastically different. Another shop has Kumho Ecsta 4x KU22 picked out for the front. I would like to have performance summer tires that do not break the bank. If i were to do 215/60R15s all around i was looking at Falken Sincera SN250 A/S (which are not performance) or Vredestein Sprint Classic which i am not sure of. I am a bit at a loss here and would greatly appreciate any advice or help selecting tires as this is not something i am comfortable with given the lack of options at this wheel size.”

Category by category

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

  1. 93

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 S +13
    80
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 25 / 4 tests9473
    Reviews found online9290

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

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 73.1 + 40% × 90.4 = 80

  2. 88

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 S +14
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / 4 tests8678
    Reviews found online9167

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 90.6 = 88

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 78 + 40% × 67.4 = 74

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    73
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online–75

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 72.2 (est.) + 40% × 74.6 = 73

    No road tests of snow for ADVAN A052. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 79

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 S +11
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 1 tests7075
    Reviews found online8463

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

    ADVAN A052: 40% × 74.5 + 60% × 63.4 = 68

  5. 69

    Noise

    ADVAN A052 +8
    77
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 20 / 1 tests7077
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)77

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

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 77 + 40% × 76.9 = 77

    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.

  6. 72

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 4 S +22
    50
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests70≈ 57 (est.)
    Reviews found online7439

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74 = 72

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 56.7 (est.) + 40% × 39.3 = 50

    No road tests of treadwear for ADVAN A052. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 90

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 S +5
    85
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052
    Reviews found online9085
  8. 72

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 23 / – tests72–
Scores at a glance
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S vs Yokohama ADVAN A052: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 4 SYokohama ADVAN A052
Relative Score 85 72
Dry 93 80
Wet 88 74
Snow – 73
Comfort 79 68
Noise 69 77
Treadwear 72 50
Handling (owners) 90 85
Efficiency 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 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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

Less 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
± 4

Pilot Sport 4 S

± 5

ADVAN A052

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.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Sport 4 SADVAN A052ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 94% #8/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test 93% #5/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 100% #2/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test 99% #4/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 98% #4/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 90% #7/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 90% #6/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 84% #8/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test 91% #2/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 84% #6/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise (tester's mark) Noise 98% #2/7 · 2024 EVO Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #1/10 2026 ACE Summer Tyre Test #4/5 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – 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
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 S review

Tire B ADVAN A052

Pros

  • Class-leading dry grip and traction, often compared to dedicated racing slicks.
  • Rapid warm-up time, providing peak performance almost immediately.
  • Surprisingly high levels of wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance for a performance tire.

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear, especially when used on heavy vehicles or without aggressive camber settings.
  • Tendency to 'grease up' or lose performance during long, high-intensity track sessions.
  • Soft sidewall construction can lead to vague steering feel or 'sponginess' compared to stiffer competitors.
All owner themes in the ADVAN A052 review

What real owners are saying

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.

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/tires ·1 upvote ·2026-08-03

“I tried conti’s and took them off the car after 2 days and went back to ps4s. Obviously on a closed course they feel very floaty around 130 and I’ve had the Michelin’s up to 165-170 and they stay planted. Depends if you drive those speeds, but like Watkins glen you’ll legally notice the difference. It was shocking at first.”

uk-polos.net ·2021-09-21

“If you can burn through a set of rock hard Bridgestones in 8k miles then you must be driving like a nutter. Most will see 20k miles on the fronts. You also talk about "throwing" the car around. If you're flinging the car around, I think you'd find the car a lot more predictable on 4 tyres of the same type rather than those on the front axle being a lot gripper than those on the rear axle. I'd recommend 35psi fronts and 33psi backs, if you were running 4 x PS4s. Back end stability is a little way off the likes of a Golf GTI when you start flinging it around - rear axle grip for both wheels on a bend would be far better with multilink rear suspension (which the Polo doesn't have). I've momentarily lost the back end once when I had all Bridgestones on. My 2018 Polo GTI went tail happy doing some moderate acceleration out of a large roundabout (so large it was almost straight) when I had 4000.miles on - bone dry road on a warm day. In the outside lane, a Golf GTD gunned it at twice my rate of acceleration, with no drama. That was the incident that made me decide to ditch the Bridgestones for PS4s.”

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

Tire B

Yokohama ADVAN A052

Positive

Community members widely view the Yokohama ADVAN A052 as a top-tier, high-grip competition tire suited for autocross and track driving. While praised for its light weight and superior all-out performance compared to standard street and summer tires, users frequently discuss its high cost, soft compound, potential lack of tread longevity on long road trips, and tendency to fling rocks.

r/tires ·9 upvotes ·2020-01-18

“Yokohama ADVAN A052 315/30R18 and 265/35R18 - BEEFY!”

r/944 ·7 upvotes ·2026-07-09

“Staggered BBSs Need Tires I have a set of BBS wheels that i have been restoring for my 89 944 NA. I am trying to figure out what tires to get and am running into a bit of trouble. The set of BBSs are 15in staggered. The front are 8in wide and the rear are 9in wide. When i had purchased these wheels they had 215/60R15s all around. Would this be a good fitment? I am hoping the rear will not look stretched. As i was researching staggered tires i ran into problems finding a matching set in the sizes 225 50R15 and 205 55R15. A local shop helped me find these for the front Yokohama ADVAN Fleva V701 (205 55R15) and these for the rear Yokohama ADVAN A052 (225 50R15). Im concerned to get these due to the tread pattern being drastically different. Another shop has Kumho Ecsta 4x KU22 picked out for the front. I would like to have performance summer tires that do not break the bank. If i were to do 215/60R15s all around i was looking at Falken Sincera SN250 A/S (which are not performance) or Vredestein Sprint Classic which i am not sure of. I am a bit at a loss here and would greatly appreciate any advice or help selecting tires as this is not something i am comfortable with given the lack of options at this wheel size.”

r/tires ·2 upvotes ·2023-07-04

“Long trip with Advans A052? I'm planning a trip to the Nürburgring to attend a trackday this October. The problem is that I live 1300 km away, so the tyres should be able to cope with that, some 20 laps at medium-fast pace at the Nordschleife, and the drive back home. Are the Advan A052 tyres way to soft for such a long trip? Will they last? Wouldn't it be wiser to settle for a more conservative set of Michelins PS4? The car is a 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera, 1210 kg... Read more”

Top themes
#competition and autocross performance#tire weight comparison#track day durability#soft compound longevity#200 treadwear grip#fitment and sizing

Based on 11 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S B · Yokohama ADVAN A052
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available11061
Rim diameters17″ – 22″13″ – 20″
Tread depth—7/32″
UTQG—200 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Sizes in common2828

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Yokohama ADVAN A052

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — better treadwear, wet and dry. Pick the Yokohama ADVAN A052 if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 72 vs 50 on treadwear.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 88 vs 74 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 93 vs 80 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 79 vs 68 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Tire B · Yokohama ADVAN A052

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Pilot Sport 4 S or ADVAN A052?

Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport 4 S or ADVAN A052?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 88 vs 74 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport 4 S or ADVAN A052?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 93 vs 80 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Pilot Sport 4 S or ADVAN A052?

Yokohama ADVAN A052, 77 vs 69 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport 4 S or ADVAN A052?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 79 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport 4 S or ADVAN A052?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 72 vs 50 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