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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 vs Dunlop Sport Maxx RT — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 80–64

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Tire AMichelin

Pilot Sport 4

Summer

Tests 84 · 21 tests Owners 74 · 12,686 reviews

Best test result: #7 of 9 in 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 (overall ranking)

“Reminder: Tires are the key to this car Just replaced my Michelin Pilot Sport 4 AS tires with a new set ahead of the rainy season. Lasted 36K miles. It was the best mod to the car and a fresh set reminded just how good a brand new set is. The car is glued to the road, riding wonderfully smooth and quiet. Spend the money, get the best tires for you. The tune can wait. And it will need it.”

Tire BDunlop

Sport Maxx RT

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 59 · 195 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 44 in 2012 Autobild 50 Tyre Braking Test (overall ranking)

Category by category

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

  1. 85

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 +18
    67
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Sport Maxx RT
    Professional tests (TWG score)88–
    Reviews found online8167
  2. 87

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 +19
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Sport Maxx RT
    Professional tests (TWG score)91–
    Reviews found online8167
  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    54
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Sport Maxx RT
    Reviews found online–44
  4. 78

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 +14
    64
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Sport Maxx RT
    Professional tests (TWG score)83–
    Reviews found online7158
  5. 74

    Noise

    Pilot Sport 4 +10
    64
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Sport Maxx RT
    Professional tests (TWG score)76–
    Reviews found online7261
  6. 70

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 4 +15
    55
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Sport Maxx RT
    Professional tests (TWG score)76–
    Reviews found online6148
  7. 78

    Handling

    Pilot Sport 4 +14
    64
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Sport Maxx RT
    Reviews found online7864
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 4Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
Relative Score 80 64
Dry 85 67
Wet 87 68
Snow – 54
Comfort 78 64
Noise 74 64
Treadwear 70 55
Handling 78 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
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Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost

Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Pilot Sport 4

Sport Maxx RT

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Sport 4Sport Maxx RTΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 33% #7/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 25% #4/44 · 2012 Autobild 50 Tyre Braking Test +8.3 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Pilot Sport 4

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction with outstanding resistance to aquaplaning
  • Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and a reduction in cabin noise compared to standard run-flat tires
  • Progressive and predictable breakaway limits during spirited driving

Cons

  • Faster-than-average treadwear, particularly under aggressive driving or on rear-wheel-drive performance cars
  • Softer sidewalls can lead to a slight lack of initial steering precision and a vague feel at the limit for hardcore enthusiasts
  • Performance drops off significantly in cold, freezing, or snowy winter conditions
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 review

Tire B Sport Maxx RT

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and traction in both dry and wet conditions
  • High level of ride comfort and low road noise
  • Predictable and progressive handling at limits

Cons

  • Fast tread wear leading to short tire lifespan
  • Prone to developing cracks in the tread blocks or sidewalls prematurely
  • Subpar performance in freezing temperatures, snow, or slush
All owner themes in the Sport Maxx RT review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Positive

The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 line as a premium upgrade offering exceptional dry and wet grip, precise handling, and superior ride comfort compared to OEM or run-flat tires. While celebrated for performance, users frequently discuss its high price tag, faster treadwear, and noticeable drop in EV efficiency. Some drivers also note increased road noise and reduced traction when temperatures drop near freezing.

r/BMW ·1 upvote ·2024-09-24

“I basically always ran Michelins on the BMWs I had. Pilot Super Sport on the E91 335d (which unexpectedly did really well wrt longevity with 600nm+ and a heavy foot) and now PS4 ZP (so the runflat type) on my 320hp F31 330d. They are just really really good. Pretty pricey though.”
f30.bimmerpost.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by weston.__ I will be going down the non-rft route, Pilot Sport 4. You're not the only one to say the ride quality with non-rft is a massive improvement and this is the reason why I will change once the time comes. I went from Bridgestone S001 RFT to 'go-flats' and have found the suppleness an obvious difference. Since I put the pressure to the mid point between the low and high load plated pressures I have yet to have any of the heartstopping thumps come through the suspension that the Bridgestone seemed prone to.”
r/TeslaModelS ·1 upvote ·2025-03-27

“I was running pilot sport 4s on my MS. (19” wheels) I was lucky to get 13,000-14,000. I just switched to Kumho Majesty 9’s for about 1/3 the price. Currently have 4,000 miles on them and just to rotated. Fingers crossed I can get 13,000 miles out of them.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Run-flat replacement upgrade#Treadwear and longevity#Cold weather performance#Road noise and comfort#EV range and efficiency#Comparison to Continental tires

Based on 246 community posts

Tire B

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 B · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6227
Rim diameters16″ – 20″16″ – 22″
Tread depth—9/32″
UTQG—240 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better wet, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 87 vs 68 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 85 vs 67 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 70 vs 55 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 78 vs 64 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
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Tire B · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
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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.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

80

Leads

Pilot Sport 4

Amazon