Tests 80 · 9 tests Owners 79 · 1,377 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 12 in 2023 Best SUV Tyres Tested (wet braking)
“Loving my new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires and Enkei Raijin wheels”
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV vs Avon ZX7 — 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 9 + 1 road tests and 1,377 + 45 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 4 SUV is ahead, 83–63
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
86
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 SUV +2264Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 4 SUV ZX7 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 1 tests 86 64 Reviews found online 86 64 Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 60% × 86.1 + 40% × 85.8 = 86
ZX7: 60% × 63.9 + 40% × 64.4 = 64
-
91
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 SUV +2269Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 4 SUV ZX7 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 1 tests 93 69 Reviews found online 86 69 Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 60% × 93.3 + 40% × 86.4 = 91
ZX7: 60% × 68.8 + 40% × 69.3 = 69
-
64
Comfort
Level64Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 4 SUV ZX7 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests 54 ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 71 61 Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 40% × 54 + 60% × 70.5 = 64
ZX7: 40% × 67.2 (est.) + 60% × 61.3 = 64
No road tests of comfort for ZX7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
58
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 4 SUV ZX7 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests 53 – Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) – Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 60% × 52.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 58
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4 SUV. 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.
-
72
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 SUV +2250Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 4 SUV ZX7 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 77 ≈ 57 (est.) Reviews found online 65 39 Pilot Sport 4 SUV: 60% × 77 + 40% × 65.3 = 72
ZX7: 60% × 56.7 (est.) + 40% × 39.3 = 50
No road tests of treadwear for ZX7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
83
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 4 SUV +2162Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 4 SUV ZX7 Reviews found online 83 62 -
64
Efficiency
No comparison–Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 4 SUV ZX7 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests 64 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV | Avon ZX7 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 63 |
| Dry | 86 | 64 |
| Wet | 91 | 69 |
| Comfort | 64 | 64 |
| Noise | 58 | – |
| Treadwear | 72 | 50 |
| Handling (owners) | 83 | 62 |
| Efficiency | 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 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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
83
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4 SUV
63
/ 100
ZX7
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.
| Discipline | Category | Pilot Sport 4 SUV | ZX7 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #6/9 · 2026 Summer SUV Tyre Test | 89% #30/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 95% #5/9 · 2026 Summer SUV Tyre Test | 81% #31/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/9 2026 Summer SUV Tyre Test | #30/50 2026 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 SUV
Pros
- Outstanding grip and safety in both wet and dry conditions
- Precise steering response and enhanced cornering stability for heavy SUVs
- Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and overall handling
Cons
- Higher-than-average purchase price
- Increased road noise reported by some users as the tread wears down
- Faster tread wear and shorter mileage lifespan under aggressive driving or heavy vehicle loads
Tire B ZX7
Pros
- Excellent grip and handling in both dry and wet conditions
- High levels of ride comfort and steering precision
- Competitive pricing compared to premium-tier alternatives
Cons
- Significantly shorter tread life compared to OE and premium competitors
- Frequent reports of premature sidewall or tread cracking/perishing
- Poor performance in snow, slush, and off-road conditions
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
Community members generally praise the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV for its strong grip, handling performance, and SUV-specific design. Users frequently consider it an upgrade over OEM options like the Latitude Sport 3, though some discuss its premium price, summer temperature limitations, and expected tread longevity.
bobistheoilguy.com
·2022-02-01
“From 3 model you mention, only Alenza is designed for heavy vehicle/SUV, so longevity is better than other 2 for your Envoy even though the traction may not be the best. If you can find Pilot Sport 4 SUV, then it may be the best to replace Latitude Sport 3. I like Latitude Sport 3, the best in wet weather and great in dry, but it is true it is only 25000 miles lifetime.”
r/PorscheMacan
·1 upvote ·2026-04-04
“I'm leaning towards the Pilot Sport 4 SUV over the LS3. I'd really like to see how much better these tires grip. Although it sounds like I'll be sacrificing a little comfort, but with air suspension I'm not too worried.”
r/Howsmytire
·1 upvote ·2026-07-15
“Used Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV I am looking to buy these used Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tires. They have 7+ mm thread left, DOT 0923. I am wondering why the two tires on the right are so rough / full of small holes, while the ones on the left are so smooth. Probably the right ones were on the front, but still what could this condition be indicating? I still haven't been to the shop to see them and feel how is the rubber, wanted to hear an advice first.”
Top themes
#grip and handling#SUV-specific performance#tread life longevity#Latitude Sport 3 comparison#summer tire limitations#premium pricing
Based on 25 community posts
Tire B
Avon ZX7
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV | B · Avon ZX7 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 65 | — |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 23″ | — |
| UTQG | 220 - 320 A - AA A | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
63
/ 100
Avon ZX7
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV — better dry, wet and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV scores 86 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV scores 91 vs 69 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV scores 72 vs 50 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV scores 83 vs 62 on handling.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
Tire B · Avon ZX7
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Pilot Sport 4 SUV or ZX7?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport 4 SUV or ZX7?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV, 91 vs 69 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport 4 SUV or ZX7?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV, 86 vs 64 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport 4 SUV or ZX7?
Neither, by our numbers: 64 vs 64 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport 4 SUV or ZX7?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV, 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