Tests 63 · 2 tests Owners 63 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 6 in The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R vs Yokohama ADVAN A052 — 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 2 + 5 road tests and 4 + 213 owner reviews. How we score
ADVAN A052 is ahead, 72–64
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Tests 76 · 5 tests Owners 68 · 213 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 7 in 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test (dry handling (tester's mark))
“Staggered BBSs Need Tires I have a set of BBS wheels that i have been restoring for my 89 944 NA. I am trying to figure out what tires to get and am running into a bit of trouble. The set of BBSs are 15in staggered. The front are 8in wide and the rear are 9in wide. When i had purchased these wheels they had 215/60R15s all around. Would this be a good fitment? I am hoping the rear will not look stretched. As i was researching staggered tires i ran into problems finding a matching set in the sizes 225 50R15 and 205 55R15. A local shop helped me find these for the front Yokohama ADVAN Fleva V701 (205 55R15) and these for the rear Yokohama ADVAN A052 (225 50R15). Im concerned to get these due to the tread pattern being drastically different. Another shop has Kumho Ecsta 4x KU22 picked out for the front. I would like to have performance summer tires that do not break the bank. If i were to do 215/60R15s all around i was looking at Falken Sincera SN250 A/S (which are not performance) or Vredestein Sprint Classic which i am not sure of. I am a bit at a loss here and would greatly appreciate any advice or help selecting tires as this is not something i am comfortable with given the lack of options at this wheel size.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
77
Dry
ADVAN A052 +380Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ADVAN A052 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 5 tests 79 74 Reviews found online 74 90 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 96% 93% Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 99% 99% Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 60% × 79.3 + 40% × 73.5 = 77
ADVAN A052: 60% × 73.6 + 40% × 89.9 = 80
-
53
Wet
ADVAN A052 +2073Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ADVAN A052 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 4 tests 46 78 Reviews found online 63 67 Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 85% 100% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 93% 100% Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 60% × 45.9 + 40% × 63.2 = 53
ADVAN A052: 60% × 77.8 + 40% × 67 = 73
-
–
Snow
No comparison73Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ADVAN A052 Professional tests (TWG score) – ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online – 74 ADVAN A052: 60% × 71.6 (est.) + 40% × 73.9 = 73
No road tests of snow for ADVAN A052. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
-
70
Comfort
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +367Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ADVAN A052 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 69 (est.) 74 Reviews found online 71 63 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 40% × 69.1 (est.) + 60% × 71 = 70
ADVAN A052: 40% × 74.1 + 60% × 62.6 = 67
No road tests of comfort for Pilot Sport Cup 2 R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
–
Noise
No comparison77Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ADVAN A052 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests – 77 Reviews found online – 77 ADVAN A052: 60% × 76.8 + 40% × 76.5 = 77
-
54
Treadwear
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +450Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ADVAN A052 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 59 (est.) ≈ 57 (est.) Reviews found online 46 40 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R: 60% × 59 (est.) + 40% × 45.6 = 54
ADVAN A052: 60% × 56.8 (est.) + 40% × 39.5 = 50
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport Cup 2 R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for ADVAN A052. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
73
Handling (owners)
ADVAN A052 +1184Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ADVAN A052 Reviews found online 73 84
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | Yokohama ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 72 |
| Dry | 77 | 80 |
| Wet | 53 | 73 |
| Snow | – | 73 |
| Comfort | 70 | 67 |
| Noise | – | 77 |
| Treadwear | 54 | 50 |
| Handling (owners) | 73 | 84 |
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
64
/ 100
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
72
/ 100
ADVAN A052
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.
In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R finished ahead 0 times and Yokohama ADVAN A052 1 times.
| Discipline | Category | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | ADVAN A052 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% | 93% | +3.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% | 99% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Dry Handling Long Run | Dry | 97% #4/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 | 99% #5/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 85% | 100% | −15.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 93% | 100% | −6.7 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/5 | #4/5 | – | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Pros
- Phenomenal dry grip providing a planted and confident feel on the track
- Optimized design specifically for extracting maximum performance during time attacks
- Superior circuit performance compared to the standard Pilot Sport Cup 2
Cons
- Extremely limited performance longevity, with grip dropping off rapidly after just a few laps
- Poor performance and safety risks in damp to wet conditions due to shallow and narrow tread patterns
- Best suited strictly for single-lap time trials rather than extended track sessions
Tire B ADVAN A052
Pros
- Class-leading dry grip and traction, often compared to dedicated racing slicks.
- Rapid warm-up time, providing peak performance almost immediately.
- Surprisingly high levels of wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance for a performance tire.
Cons
- Rapid tread wear, especially when used on heavy vehicles or without aggressive camber settings.
- Tendency to 'grease up' or lose performance during long, high-intensity track sessions.
- Soft sidewall construction can lead to vague steering feel or 'sponginess' compared to stiffer competitors.
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Yokohama ADVAN A052
The community regards the Yokohama ADVAN A052 as a top-tier, high-performance competition tire that offers exceptional dry grip and competitive edge in autocross and track settings. Users frequently compare them favorably against other extreme performance tires like the Bridgestone RE-71R/RE-71RS, though questions remain regarding their longevity for long-distance road trips.
northamericanmotoring.com
“I went with Yokohama ADVAN A052 225/45/17s for AUTOx They are more expensive but they are definitely lighter than the N2s...20.6#s vs ~25#s from what I found on the internet.”
r/944
·7 upvotes ·2026-07-09
“Staggered BBSs Need Tires I have a set of BBS wheels that i have been restoring for my 89 944 NA. I am trying to figure out what tires to get and am running into a bit of trouble. The set of BBSs are 15in staggered. The front are 8in wide and the rear are 9in wide. When i had purchased these wheels they had 215/60R15s all around. Would this be a good fitment? I am hoping the rear will not look stretched. As i was researching staggered tires i ran into problems finding a matching set in the sizes 225 50R15 and 205 55R15. A local shop helped me find these for the front Yokohama ADVAN Fleva V701 (205 55R15) and these for the rear Yokohama ADVAN A052 (225 50R15). Im concerned to get these due to the tread pattern being drastically different. Another shop has Kumho Ecsta 4x KU22 picked out for the front. I would like to have performance summer tires that do not break the bank. If i were to do 215/60R15s all around i was looking at Falken Sincera SN250 A/S (which are not performance) or Vredestein Sprint Classic which i am not sure of. I am a bit at a loss here and would greatly appreciate any advice or help selecting tires as this is not something i am comfortable with given the lack of options at this wheel size.”
r/tires
·2 upvotes ·2023-07-04
“Long trip with Advans A052? I'm planning a trip to the Nürburgring to attend a trackday this October. The problem is that I live 1300 km away, so the tyres should be able to cope with that, some 20 laps at medium-fast pace at the Nordschleife, and the drive back home. Are the Advan A052 tyres way to soft for such a long trip? Will they last? Wouldn't it be wiser to settle for a more conservative set of Michelins PS4? The car is a 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera, 1210 kg... Read more”
Top themes
#exceptional dry grip#autocross and track performance#tire longevity and wear#comparison with bridgestone#tire sizing and fitment
Based on 12 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | B · Yokohama ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 7 | 61 |
| Rim diameters | 20″ – 21″ | 13″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 7/32″ |
| UTQG | 140 A - B A | 200 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 51 psi |
| Sizes in common | 2 | 2 |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
72
/ 100
Yokohama ADVAN A052
Winner: Yokohama ADVAN A052 — better wet, handling and dry. Pick the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R if treadwear and comfort matter most to you.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Yokohama ADVAN A052 scores 73 vs 53 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Yokohama ADVAN A052 scores 84 vs 73 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 54 vs 50 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 70 vs 67 on comfort.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Tire B · Yokohama ADVAN A052
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Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or ADVAN A052?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or ADVAN A052?
Yokohama ADVAN A052, 73 vs 53 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or ADVAN A052?
Yokohama ADVAN A052, 80 vs 77 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or ADVAN A052?
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, 70 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport Cup 2 R or ADVAN A052?
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, 54 vs 50 on our treadwear 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