Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 vs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 — 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 21 + 6 road tests and 12,714 + 25 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 82–67

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Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Tire AMichelin

Pilot Sport 4

Summer

± 4

Tests 85 · 21 tests Owners 76 · 12,714 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 45 in 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout (dry braking)

“Those are Pilot sport 4 (all season). If it had s after the 4 it would be the summer high performance version. I put the pilot sport 4 on wife's GTI autobahn 2016. Great handling tire, stiff side walls, not the smoothest ride but best overall.”

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
± 6

Tests 66 · 6 tests Owners 66 · 25 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test (dry braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 87

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 +4
    83
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Pilot Sport Cup 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 20 / 6 tests8984
    Reviews found online8482
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–095%95%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–198%100%

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 89.3 + 40% × 83.9 = 87

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 84.3 + 40% × 82.3 = 83

  2. 89

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 +34
    55
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Pilot Sport Cup 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 20 / 6 tests9252
    Reviews found online8460
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–098%82%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%86%

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 92.5 + 40% × 84.4 = 89

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 52.2 + 40% × 59.9 = 55

  3. 76

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 +17
    59
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Pilot Sport Cup 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 1 tests8248
    Reviews found online7266

    Pilot Sport 4: 40% × 81.6 + 60% × 71.7 = 76

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 40% × 47.7 + 60% × 65.7 = 59

  4. 70

    Noise

    Pilot Sport 4 +1
    69
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Pilot Sport Cup 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 3 tests7371
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 73.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 70

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 70.9 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 69

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4 or Pilot Sport Cup 2. 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.

  5. 71

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 4 +14
    57
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Pilot Sport Cup 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests78≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online6051

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 78.1 + 40% × 59.5 = 71

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 61 (est.) + 40% × 51.2 = 57

    No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport Cup 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  6. 81

    Handling (owners)

    Level
    81
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Pilot Sport Cup 2
    Reviews found online8181
  7. 76

    Efficiency

    Pilot Sport 4 +18
    58
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Pilot Sport Cup 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 14 / 3 tests7658
Scores at a glance
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 vs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 4Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
Relative Score 82 67
Dry 87 83
Wet 89 55
Comfort 76 59
Noise 70 69
Treadwear 71 57
Handling (owners) 81 81
Efficiency 76 58

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

Pilot Sport 4

± 6

Pilot Sport Cup 2

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 1 tests that ran both, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 finished ahead 1 times and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Sport 4Pilot Sport Cup 2ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 95% 95% 0.0 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18
Dry Handling Dry 98% 100% −2.0 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18
Wet Braking Wet 98% 82% +16.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18
Wet Handling Wet 100% 86% +14.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #1/10 #6/10 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18

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 Pilot Sport Cup 2

Pros

  • Phenomenal and reliable dry grip, especially when heated
  • Exceptional steering response, precision, and road feedback
  • Strong track-day performance with durable, stiff sidewalls

Cons

  • Fast tread wear resulting in short lifespan
  • Poor performance and low grip when cold, making them less ideal for purely street-driven cars
  • High purchase price and negative impact on fuel consumption
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport Cup 2 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/JettaGLI ·59 upvotes ·2026-09-27

“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.”

r/BoltEV ·5 upvotes ·2026-04-29

“Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires are noisy (a followup) I have been asked on this sub if the PS4 tires on my wife’s Bolt are noisy, and I wasn’t sure how to answer. Well, we made two 60-mile round trips this past weekend, mostly on highways with 55 and 70 mph speed limits, and I have to say that the tires are kind of noisy. Certainly not as quiet as EV-oriented tires are. The grip is fantastic, so we really like them. If you are sensitive to noise, though, these Max Performance class tires are probably not for you.”

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.”

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

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 B · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6218
Rim diameters16″ – 20″18″ – 21″
UTQG300 - 320 A - AA A180 - 240 AA A
Sizes in common55

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2

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

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 89 vs 55 on wet.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 76 vs 58 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 76 vs 59 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 71 vs 57 on treadwear.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2

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Pilot Sport 4 or Pilot Sport Cup 2?

Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport 4 or Pilot Sport Cup 2?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 89 vs 55 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport 4 or Pilot Sport Cup 2?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 87 vs 83 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Pilot Sport 4 or Pilot Sport Cup 2?

Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 69 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport 4 or Pilot Sport Cup 2?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 76 vs 59 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport 4 or Pilot Sport Cup 2?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 71 vs 57 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Pilot Sport 4 or Pilot Sport Cup 2?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 76 vs 58 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