Tests 65 · 6 tests Owners 66 · 23 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 5 in 2017 Track Day Tyre Test (straight aqua)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 81–66
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Tests 80 · 27 tests Owners 82 · 6,570 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 (dry braking)
“I switched to ps4s. Sidewall is a little softer so they have a more comfortable ride at the expense of a little numbness during normal driving. Grip limits seem pretty similar. Ps4s should last longer. We'll see. Would buy again over stock dunlops.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
81
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 S +990Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) 81 91 Reviews found online 81 89 Dry Braking (% of best) 87% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
55
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 S +3085Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) 53 85 Reviews found online 59 85 Wet Braking (% of best) 78% 95% Wet Circle (% of best) 88% 60% Wet Handling (% of best) 97% 94% -
55
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 S +2075Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) 49 70 Reviews found online 66 81 -
65
Noise
Pilot Sport 4 S +368Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) 64 69 Reviews found online 67 – -
58
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 S +1371Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) – 70 Reviews found online 53 72 -
78
Handling
Pilot Sport 4 S +886Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews found online 78 86
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 81 |
| Dry | 81 | 90 |
| Wet | 55 | 85 |
| Comfort | 55 | 75 |
| Noise | 65 | 68 |
| Treadwear | 58 | 71 |
| Handling | 78 | 86 |
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
66
/ 100
Pilot Sport Cup 2
81
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4 S
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.
| Discipline | Category | Pilot Sport Cup 2 | Pilot Sport 4 S | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 87% #6/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 | 100% #1/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | −13.3 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #4/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 | 99% #3/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | −0.5 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 89% #8/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 93% #2/6 · 2018 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test | −4.1 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 97% #9/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 98% #8/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test | −1.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 39% #10/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 41% #8/9 · 2018 Sport Auto 19 inch UHP and Track Day Tyre Test | −2.3 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 0% #10/9 · 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Summer tire test R19 | 100% #1/7 · 2020 EVO UHP Summer Tyre Test | −100.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/5 · 2017 Track Day Tyre Test | 93% #6/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test | +7.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 60% #10/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 84% #6/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test | −23.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 100% #1/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · 2025 AutoView Sports Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 70% #6/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 84% #8/10 · 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test | −13.8 | Different tests |
| Tyre Weight | Tyre | 91% #7/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 99% #2/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | −8.0 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 78% #8/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 95% #2/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | −17.0 | Same test |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 88% #9/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 60% #8/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | +28.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #3/5 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 | 94% #5/8 · 2025 Sports Cars Tyre Test | +2.6 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Pilot Sport Cup 2
Pros
- Phenomenal grip and stability in dry conditions
- Exceptional steering precision and driver feedback
- Strong, robust sidewalls providing great agility and balance
Cons
- Rapid tread wear and short lifespan
- High purchase price
- Requires significant heat to achieve optimal grip, making them less ideal for cold or short road trips
Tire B Pilot Sport 4 S
Pros
- Exceptional grip and predictable handling in both dry and wet conditions
- Noticeable reduction in road noise and improved ride comfort compared to competitors and run-flats
- Sharper steering response and improved cornering stability
Cons
- High initial purchase price
- Rapid tread wear reported by some aggressive drivers and track users
- Soft sidewalls can cause a slightly vague or laggy initial response during rapid steering transitions
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is widely praised by the community as a premier max performance summer tire, offering exceptional dry and wet grip, precise steering feel, and refined road manners for daily driving and spirited street use. While some users note higher pricing and relatively quick wear on heavier vehicles or hot tracks, it remains a benchmark choice that many enthusiasts gladly return to despite alternatives like Continental or Kumho.
r/Porsche_Cayman
·2 upvotes ·2026-04-17
“I only run ps4s in my gt4 and gt4rs for the street and rainy track days. They are not the grippiest tires and they can't really take the heat of a hot track day. For track days, I run other tires. I don't drive the track cars on the street routinely. All that said, ps4s is a great tire for street and wet. I would also not run them in freezing weather.”
r/WRX
·1 upvote ·2025-10-15
“Running new ps4s on my is350 awd. Its my family daily driver. Drove it to nyc on a road trip full load with kids in car. Drove nice and smooth. These tires are great for daily and for some spirited driving. They grip well too on turns and feel stable on the freeway.”
r/E46M3
·3 upvotes ·2026-05-08
“I've had the Kumhos and the PS4s on my M3. The PS4 are absolutely silk-slipper grade wonderful tires. probably the best tires for this car. But, the Kumhos are 9/10 as good, and way less expensive.”
Top themes
#Dry and Wet Grip#Tread Life and Wear#Price vs Value#Track Performance Limits#Daily Comfort and Noise#Alternatives Comparison
Based on 104 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 18 | 110 |
| Rim diameters | 18″ – 21″ | 17″ – 22″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
81
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — better wet, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 85 vs 55 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 75 vs 55 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 71 vs 58 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 90 vs 81 on dry.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
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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.