Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 vs Nexen N Fera SU1 — 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 + 3 road tests and 12,714 + 165 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 81–64

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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.”

Nexen N Fera SU1
Tire BNexen

N Fera SU1

Summer

± 8

Tests 63 · 3 tests Owners 62 · 165 reviews

Best test result: #6 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))

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 +29
    58
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4N Fera SU1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 20 / 2 tests8955
    Reviews found online8464

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

    N Fera SU1: 60% × 54.9 + 40% × 63.7 = 58

  2. 89

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 +25
    64
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4N Fera SU1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 20 / 2 tests9262
    Reviews found online8467

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

    N Fera SU1: 60% × 62.2 + 40% × 67.1 = 64

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    58
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4N Fera SU1
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online–49

    N Fera SU1: 60% × 63.8 (est.) + 40% × 49.3 = 58

    No road tests of snow for N Fera SU1. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 76

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 +11
    65
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4N Fera SU1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 2 tests8266
    Reviews found online7265

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

    N Fera SU1: 40% × 65.7 + 60% × 65 = 65

  5. 70

    Noise

    Pilot Sport 4 +1
    69
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4N Fera SU1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 1 tests7369
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)70

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

    N Fera SU1: 60% × 69.3 + 40% × 69.5 = 69

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4. 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.

  6. 71

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 4 +5
    66
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4N Fera SU1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests7870
    Reviews found online6059

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

    N Fera SU1: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 59.4 = 66

  7. 81

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 +15
    66
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4N Fera SU1
    Reviews found online8166
  8. 76

    Efficiency

    Level
    76
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4N Fera SU1
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 14 / 2 tests7676
Scores at a glance
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 vs Nexen N Fera SU1: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 4Nexen N Fera SU1
Relative Score 81 64
Dry 87 58
Wet 89 64
Snow – 58
Comfort 76 65
Noise 70 69
Treadwear 71 66
Handling (owners) 81 66
Efficiency 76 76

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
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Neutral
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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
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Important
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

Pilot Sport 4

± 8

N Fera SU1

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 4N Fera SU1ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 94% #4/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 95% #4/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 90% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 95% #5/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 80% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 98% #5/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 70% #8/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 94% #5/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 70% #4/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 95% #3/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 78% #7/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 94% #5/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 70% #5/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 97% #4/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 99% #6/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test 99% #3/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 80% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 99% #2/6 · 2023 APAC Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #7/9 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 #5/6 2023 APAC Tyre Test – 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 N Fera SU1

Pros

  • Exceptional value and significantly lower price compared to premium brands
  • Remarkably quiet ride and high overall comfort
  • Strong dry and wet grip for daily commuting and spirited driving

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls can cause vague handling, body roll, or a floating sensation on heavier vehicles
  • Faster than average tread wear or inconsistent durability for some users
  • Reports of rubber cracking or splitting along the sidewalls and tread blocks over time
All owner themes in the N Fera SU1 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

Nexen N Fera SU1

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 B · Nexen N Fera SU1
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6297
Rim diameters16″ – 20″15″ – 24″
Tread depth—9/32″
UTQG300 - 320 A - AA A300 A A
Treadwear warranty—25,000 mi
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Sizes in common5454

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Nexen N Fera SU1

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

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 87 vs 58 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 89 vs 64 on wet.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 81 vs 66 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 76 vs 65 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Tire B · Nexen N Fera SU1

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Pilot Sport 4 or N Fera SU1?

Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport 4 or N Fera SU1?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 89 vs 64 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport 4 or N Fera SU1?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 87 vs 58 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Pilot Sport 4 or N Fera SU1?

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

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport 4 or N Fera SU1?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 76 vs 65 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport 4 or N Fera SU1?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 71 vs 66 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Pilot Sport 4 or N Fera SU1?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 76 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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