Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 vs Uniroyal RainSport 5 — 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 + 12 road tests and 12,691 + 4,530 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 81–66

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Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Tire AMichelin

Pilot Sport 4

Summer

± 4

Tests 85 · 21 tests Owners 76 · 12,691 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.”

Uniroyal RainSport 5
Tire BUniroyal

RainSport 5

Summer

± 6

Tests 67 · 12 tests Owners 65 · 4,530 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 50 in 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)

“Odlicne. Malo se brze trose ali drže ko lude. Imao 2 seta rainsport 3 i jedan set rainsport 5. Nažalost, na novom autu je dimenzija u kojoj nema rainsporta tako da uopce ne znam sta da kupim”

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 +31
    56
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4RainSport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 20 / 11 tests8955
    Reviews found online8558

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 89.1 + 40% × 84.5 = 87

    RainSport 5: 60% × 54.5 + 40% × 58.4 = 56

  2. 90

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 +7
    83
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4RainSport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 20 / 11 tests9388
    Reviews found online8576

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 93.1 + 40% × 84.7 = 90

    RainSport 5: 60% × 87.6 + 40% × 75.9 = 83

  3. 77

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 +9
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4RainSport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests83≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7268

    Pilot Sport 4: 40% × 83.4 + 60% × 72.4 = 77

    RainSport 5: 40% × 68.9 (est.) + 60% × 67.8 = 68

    No road tests of comfort for RainSport 5. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 71

    Noise

    Level
    71
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4RainSport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 3 tests7374
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    Pilot Sport 4: 60% × 73.4 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 71

    RainSport 5: 60% × 73.8 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 71

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4 or RainSport 5. 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.

  5. 71

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 4 +13
    58
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4RainSport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 5 tests7857
    Reviews found online6061

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

    RainSport 5: 60% × 56.8 + 40% × 60.5 = 58

  6. 81

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 +19
    62
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4RainSport 5
    Reviews found online8162
  7. 76

    Efficiency

    Pilot Sport 4 +20
    56
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4RainSport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 14 / 4 tests7656
Scores at a glance
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 vs Uniroyal RainSport 5: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 4Uniroyal RainSport 5
Relative Score 81 66
Dry 87 56
Wet 90 83
Comfort 77 68
Noise 71 71
Treadwear 71 58
Handling (owners) 81 62
Efficiency 76 56

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.

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Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

Pilot Sport 4

± 6

RainSport 5

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 4RainSport 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 88% #33/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 98% #20/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 80% #5/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 98% #2/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 80% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 98% #2/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 70% #8/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 86% #18/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 70% #4/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 98% #7/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 99% #6/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test 99% #5/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 96% #5/16 · 2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer Tyre Test 61% #10/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 80% #2/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 94% #7/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 66% #7/10 · 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tyre Test 79% #7/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #16/20 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test #7/20 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 59% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 69% #8/20 · 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #7/9 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 #24/50 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

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 RainSport 5

Pros

  • Outstanding wet weather traction and aquaplaning resistance
  • High level of ride comfort and low road noise
  • Good dry grip for everyday, normal driving conditions

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls lead to vague handling and a 'floating' or boat-like feel in corners
  • Faster tread wear reported by some users, especially with enthusiastic driving
  • Lack of steering feedback and precision for spirited or track driving
All owner themes in the RainSport 5 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.

uk-polos.net ·2021-09-20

“So I went through my front two Bridgestones in 8000 mile - my own fault really. Anyway I've had Michelin PS4's fitted on the front since that's what 90% of people say to get. Well... They are sh*t in my opinion. I'm running 38psi in the front, so I'm open to trying different pressures if anyone else runs anything else. Twice under heavy breaking the car has completely lost traction - this NEVER happened with the same amount of speed and breaking on the Bridgestones. Three times when throwing the car into a hard corner the tyres have felt like they were skidding or possibly folding which resulted into a late grip which then whipped the car. Maybe I just need to get used to them but I've not noticed too much of an improvement in a straight line and breaking and cornering on them has been shocking. The cornering just seems awful, I've lost so much confidence driving the car now. I had the Eibach Sportline springs fitted just before I changed the tyres and the handling went through the roof, now all that seems to of gone... Any thoughts? Pressures? Do the tyres just not fit how I drive?”

bimmerfest.com ·2024-10-19

“Wow! You burn rubber. I totally appreciate what you’ve said and on my old e60 I ran both contis D06 and Michelins ps4 for 3 sets each. Both different feel and wear. Contis lasted longer but didn’t feel as nice as PS4. Now I’m in another BMW and cannot rotate the same way with a staggered wheel size. I’m in NC, when I drove PS4, in cold weather, they wore out quickly. They are a summer tire for sure, but I will use a slightly higher pressure to lengthen service life. That camber is rough on the inner tire shoulder / tread and the all season contains held up better there.”

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

Uniroyal RainSport 5

Positive

Community sentiment towards the Uniroyal RainSport 5 is largely positive, with frequent praise for its outstanding wet grip, comfortable ride, and solid value as a mid-range tire. While many drivers consider it an ideal option for wet climates and light hot hatches, several users note that it wears out relatively quickly compared to premium alternatives.

r/tires ·2 upvotes ·2025-05-09

“Advice on tires Hey r/tires ! The all-season tired I have on my car atm are nearing the end of their life. And I wanna use this opportunity to switch to summer and winter tires. Went to a local tireshop and had them give me an offer. These are the tires they suggested: Uniroyal Rainsport 5 (pretty good in wet conditions but just okay in everything else) Barum Polaris 6 (overall okay but not so good in wet conditions) Are these okay or do you guys have any better suggestions? Not looking to bust the bank, but also don't wanna cheap out. Location: Germany Tiresize: 205/55 R16 Car: Opel Astra Sportstourer K+ (Facelift) Thank for any replies in advance! Read more”

r/GolfGTI ·2 upvotes ·2023-10-12

“Michelin PS4/PS5 Vs Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 vs Uniroyal Rainsport 5? Thanks again for you oil related answers! Looks like my front cheap dealership tyres need to be changed and I have decided to go for a much better performance oriented tyre. I have limited my options down to these 3 as per recommendations among other owners and reviews I've read. Although they all seem to be very evenly matched to one another. I noticed the price is where they differ. The Uniroyals, although well sued and recommended among the community (including the tyre saleswoman who has a wrx), are €90 a tyre which isn't so bad. The goodyears are €97 per tyre and finally the Michelins are the most expensive at an impressive €122 for PS4's and €130 for PS5s. Is the price hike worth it? or would it better to settle for the more affordable but still capable goodyears and Uniroyals? my GTI is my daily and fun car so something capable of both would be great thanks!”

r/ItalyMotori ·1 upvote ·2025-06-16

“Uniroyal rainsport 5 Ciao a tutti, Ho un dubbio: sto montando i pneumatici indicati sul titolo ma, pur non avendo un disegno speculare tra interno ed esterno non indicano il verso di rotazione. E’indicato solo interno ed esterno. Allego foto pneumatico anteriore dx. È indifferente se questo pneumatico l’avessi montato sulla parte anteriore sx ? Read more”

Top themes
#wet weather grip#value and pricing#tread wear and longevity#UK climate suitability#mid-range versus premium#road noise and comfort

Based on 21 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 B · Uniroyal RainSport 5
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available62104
Rim diameters16″ – 20″15″ – 21″
Sizes in common5252

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Uniroyal RainSport 5

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better dry, efficiency 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 56 on dry.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 76 vs 56 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 81 vs 62 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 71 vs 58 on treadwear.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Tire B · Uniroyal RainSport 5

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Pilot Sport 4 or RainSport 5?

Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport 4 or RainSport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 90 vs 83 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport 4 or RainSport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 87 vs 56 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Pilot Sport 4 or RainSport 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 71 vs 71 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport 4 or RainSport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 77 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport 4 or RainSport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 71 vs 58 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Pilot Sport 4 or RainSport 5?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 76 vs 56 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