Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 vs Pirelli Powergy — Compared

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

Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 82–67

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Tire AMichelin

Pilot Sport 5

Summer

Tests 84 · 23 tests Owners 82 · 6,414 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test (overall ranking)

“The Tire Rack no longer has the selection with the major name brands it once did. I can order the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 in 225/45R18 from Costco but the Tire Rack doesn't offer it in that size. I can order the Continental Sport Contact 7 at Discount Tire in 225/45R18 but not at the Tire Rack. When my wife and I had a Corolla Hybrid, it took a 195/65R15. Michelin quit offering the CC2 in that size so the next best all-weather tire at the time that fit was the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 750. The Tire Rack never offered that tire but Discount Tire had it in stock locally. None of the tires I mentioned are exclusive tires for certain retailers. I enjoy the Tire Rack website and the testing they do, but they are no longer the go to merchant when buying tires like they once was.”

Tire BPirelli

Powergy

Summer

Tests 76 · 1 test Owners 61 · 1,805 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test (noise)

“Avg 29mpg on a 2015 Mazda 3 Sport Nav 2L 165bhp, any ideas? I've had this car for about 3-4 weeks now, posted it here on this subreddit too. So far, I've done about 800 miles and my average fuel consumtion seems to be around 29mpg - 10.2L/100km. The car doesn't have its original rims, its on **MAM RS3** 18" rims with Pirelli Powergy tires 215/45/R18 (internet says these tires provide good fuel economy). On longer trips the average is about 40mpg-45mpg which still seems a bit high. My work commute is about 2 miles, and I do occasionally drive in a spirited manner. Is this okay? Thank you all!”

Category by category

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

  1. 88

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 5 +16
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)9177
    Reviews found online8464
    Dry Braking (% of best)97%94%
  2. 90

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 5 +18
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)9276
    Reviews found online8767
    Wet Braking (% of best)99%96%
    Wet Circle (% of best)100%98%
    Wet Handling (% of best)98%97%
  3. 75

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 5 +7
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)7174
    Reviews found online8058
  4. 45

    Noise

    Powergy +29
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)3079
  5. 82

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 5 +25
    57
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)87–
    Reviews found online7551
  6. 83

    Handling

    Pilot Sport 5 +20
    63
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5Powergy
    Reviews found online8363
Scores at a glance
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 vs Pirelli Powergy: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 5Pirelli Powergy
Relative Score 82 67
Dry 88 72
Wet 90 72
Comfort 75 68
Noise 45 74
Treadwear 82 57
Handling 83 63

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

Pilot Sport 5

Powergy

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 5PowergyΔBoth?
Curved Aquaplaning Curved 86% #10/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test 81% #8/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +4.8 Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 97% #9/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test 94% #4/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +3.8 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 92% #3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers 81% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +11.2 Different tests
Noise Other 99% #2/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test 100% #1/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −0.8 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 100% #1/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test 20% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +80.0 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 97% #7/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test 92% #4/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +5.2 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 99% #2/7 · 2026 AutoView Sport Tyre Test 93% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +5.7 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 100% #1/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test 93% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +7.2 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 99% #5/20 · 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tyre Test 96% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +3.3 Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 100% #3/6 · 2024 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test 98% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +1.8 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 98% #6/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test 97% #2/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +0.9 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Pilot Sport 5

Pros

  • Outstanding wet and dry traction with high resistance to aquaplaning
  • Superior tread life and longevity compared to competitors and previous generations
  • Noticeable improvements in ride comfort and a quieter cabin over rough road surfaces

Cons

  • Softer sidewalls can lead to initial steering vagueness or understeer during hard cornering
  • Higher price point compared to some tier-one competitors
  • Performance and grip degrade significantly under intense track heat or heavy circuit use
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 5 review

Tire B Powergy

Pros

  • Significantly reduced road noise and quiet highway ride
  • Strong dry and wet grip for daily commuting
  • Comfortable and smooth ride quality compared to run-flats

Cons

  • Faster than average tread wear or shallow initial tread depth
  • Negative impact on fuel economy (MPG) for some users
  • Soft sidewalls leading to muted steering feedback and less precise handling at the limit
All owner themes in the Powergy review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Positive

Community opinion on the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is overwhelmingly positive for daily street driving, praising its exceptional wet grip, tread longevity, and quiet comfort compared to run-flats and older performance tires. However, several enthusiasts note downsides for aggressive or track use, specifically citing softer sidewalls, muted steering feedback, and poor heat resistance leading to delamination under track conditions. Most drivers consider it an outstanding premium all-rounder for sporty street cars rather than a dedicated track or extreme-performance tire.

r/TeslaUK ·3 upvotes ·2026-03-27

“Pilot sport 5? Hi, after replacement tyres for M3. Just touched 30k miles and all 4 need doing. Michelin 235/45 ZR18 (98Y) XL TL PILOT SPORT 5 I was looking at these 154 pounds from Costco. Only they’re not T rated. Was comparing them with the original 235/45 ZR 18 PILOT SPORT 4 XL TO TESLA these are 204 pounds at Costco. Thoughts on whether the PS5 will be ok please? Visited a couple of independent tyre shops yesterday, 1 quoted budget 100 each through to PS4s at 230 each. The second wouldn’t quote on non Tesla approved, so just quoted the PS4 T0s at 203 each. Cheers”

r/CarsAustralia ·8 upvotes ·2025-09-10

“In my experience they are quite long wearing tires and well worth the cost. I used to get around 40k out of most tyres. My first set of ps4’s lasted 55k and now the ps5’s are trending to beat it. I'm a pretty spirited driver around the roundabouts of Canberra too, though I only have a hatch so experiences may vary. As to performance I've driven them on my i30 n-line and other people’s i30N, BRZ, tesla 3, and stinger and the tyres have more grip than I have guts to push them on public roads. In both wet and dry they are very confidence inspiring and a hell of a lot of fun.”

r/ft86 ·2 upvotes ·2026-07-21

“PS5 is a very good allround, comfortable but grippy tire. PS4S has a stiffer sidewall and is way sportier but harsher. There is to date no successor for the PS4S. I switched from PS4S to PS5 on my mustang and its a way better fit for a daily tire. I would remommend to get PS5 for the rear aswell.”

Top themes
#wet grip performance#tread wear longevity#daily driving comfort#track heat delamination#soft sidewall steering feedback#road noise levels#comparison with ps4s

Based on 174 community posts

Tire B

Pirelli Powergy

Mixed

Community discussions around Pirelli Powergy show mixed views, with many users regarding them as an eco or budget-oriented alternative rather than a performance tire. While some drivers appreciate the attractive pricing and consider them decent for daily driving and fuel economy, others report issues such as highway vibrations or express uncertainty about mixing them with premium lines like Cinturato.

r/tires ·1 upvote ·2026-08-31

“Ripples in side wall Just been washing the car and found what I can only describe as ripples in the side wall of my front-right tyre. Had these fitted in June, only just noticed the ripples. The other tyres are perfect. I’ve probably done around 2,000 miles on them. Should I be concerned, and do they look like a manufacturing defect, or as a result of damage? (I’ve not hit any serious potholes that I’m aware of). These tyres are Pirelli Powergy, fitted to a Volvo XC60. Date code is 3325. Any help gratefully received. Read more”

r/GRYaris ·3 upvotes ·2025-03-07

“Are Pirelli Powergy Winter the right winter tires for the GR? Hey, my parents bought a GR Yaris last week and it’s a great car but I looked at its winter tires and those are Pirelli Powergy Winter. I’m not an expert on tires but as far as I know the P-Zero Winter would be the right choice for a GR. My father didn’t bought them because he thought it was the right tires rather a tire salesman talked him into it. I talked him into Pirelli as those were the factory tires for his Volvo 850R and would be a better choice then his current Conti Premium 5 but somehow my father misunderstood me to that point that Pirelli’s are the greatest tires ever. So he asked the salesmen for the best Pirelli Tires and told the car it’s for but the salesman sold him those Powergy tires and said that not all Pirelli’s are in stock. As my father isn’t an enthusiast but loves likes to drive performance cars he didn’t knew better and now it’s too late. In my eyes a good salesman (not in the way of profit for the company rather costumer experience) would have told him that the P-Zeros winter are out of stock but can be ordered or would show him tires from different companies. Another option is the salesman though he meant the GR Sport Yaris for which P-Zero winters are too much as not many persons in their sixties drive a real GR. So my question are the Powergy enough for the GR or should he get P-Zeros next Winter (in a few weeks we will put on summer tires)”

r/tires ·1 upvote ·2025-05-18

“Pirelli cinturato P7 and Pirelli Powergy Hi all 👋🏼 So I had 4 Pirelli Cinturato P7’s on my Ford Focus ST. I got a flat tire (front left) while I was on vacation so I decided to get 2 new tires at the front. I asked the guy at the tire shop to get the same tires (so the Pirelli Cinturato’s). He got me Pirelli Powergy’s instead… He didn’t really speak English and there was not time as I was driving home the next day. So I just accepted it. Now my question is what’s the main difference between these tires? And does it matter I got 2 different tires now? (2 powergy’s at the front and 2 Cinturato’s at the back) Thanks!🙏🏼”

Top themes
#budget and eco line#tire mixing and compatibility#ride comfort and vibrations#pricing and promotions#daily winter driving performance#sidewall durability concerns

Based on 17 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 B · Pirelli Powergy
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / Crossover—
Sizes available6687
Rim diameters16″ – 22″15″ – 21″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Pirelli Powergy

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better treadwear, handling and wet. Pick the Pirelli Powergy if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Pirelli Powergy scores 74 vs 45 on noise.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 82 vs 57 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 83 vs 63 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 90 vs 72 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Tire B · Pirelli Powergy

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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.

82

Leads

Pilot Sport 5

Amazon