Tests 66 · 6 tests Owners 65 · 23 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — 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 6 + 27 road tests and 23 + 6,632 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 85–67
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Tests 82 · 27 tests Owners 86 · 6,632 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)
“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
Key facts
- In 3 tests that measured dry braking for both, Pilot Sport Cup 2 won 3 and Pilot Sport 4 S won 0 (average 99% vs 98% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured dry handling for both, Pilot Sport Cup 2 won 3 and Pilot Sport 4 S won 0 (average 100% vs 98% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, Pilot Sport Cup 2 won 0 and Pilot Sport 4 S won 3 (average 89% vs 95% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured wet braking for both, Pilot Sport Cup 2 won 0 and Pilot Sport 4 S won 3 (average 79% vs 96% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured wet handling for both, Pilot Sport Cup 2 won 0 and Pilot Sport 4 S won 3 (average 92% vs 96% of the best).
-
83
Dry
Pilot Sport 4 S +1093Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 25 tests 84 94 Reviews found online 82 92 Dry Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 99% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 100% 98% Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 75% Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 84.1 + 40% × 81.9 = 83
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 94.3 + 40% × 92.1 = 93
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55
Wet
Pilot Sport 4 S +3388Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 26 tests 52 86 Reviews found online 60 91 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 89% 95% Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 70% 80% Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 79% 96% Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 88% 95% Wet Handling (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 92% 96% Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 51.6 + 40% × 60.2 = 55
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 90.6 = 88
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59
Comfort
Pilot Sport 4 S +2079Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests 49 70 Reviews found online 66 84 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 60% 80% Pilot Sport Cup 2: 40% × 48.5 + 60% × 65.7 = 59
Pilot Sport 4 S: 40% × 70.4 + 60% × 84.2 = 79
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69
Noise
Level69Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 20 tests 71 70 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–2 98% 99% Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 71 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Pilot Sport 4 S. 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.
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56
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 4 S +1672Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 60 (est.) 70 Reviews found online 50 74 Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 60.4 (est.) + 40% × 49.8 = 56
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74 = 72
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport Cup 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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80
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 4 S +1090Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews found online 80 90 -
59
Efficiency
Pilot Sport 4 S +1372Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport 4 S Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 23 tests 59 72 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 90% 95%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 85 |
| Dry | 83 | 93 |
| Wet | 55 | 88 |
| Comfort | 59 | 79 |
| Noise | 69 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 56 | 72 |
| Handling (owners) | 80 | 90 |
| Efficiency | 59 | 72 |
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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Pilot Sport Cup 2
85
/ 100
Pilot Sport 4 S
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 4 tests that ran both, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 4 times.
| Discipline | Category | Pilot Sport Cup 2 | Pilot Sport 4 S | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 99% | 98% | +1.3 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test · 265/35 R19 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% | 98% | +2.1 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test · 265/35 R19 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 100% | 75% | +25.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test · 245/35 R19 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 89% | 95% | −6.6 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test · 265/35 R19 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 79% | 96% | −17.4 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test · 265/35 R19 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 88% | 95% | −7.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test · 245/35 R19 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 92% | 96% | −4.1 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test · 265/35 R19 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 70% | 80% | −10.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test · 245/35 R19 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 60% | 80% | −20.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test · 245/35 R19 |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 99% | −1.0 | 0–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test · 265/35 R19 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% | 95% | −4.8 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test · 265/35 R19 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 37% | 43% | −5.7 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test · 265/35 R19 |
| Tyre Weight | Other | 91% | 99% | −8.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test · 245/35 R19 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #10/9 | #2/9 | – | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Summer tire test R19 · 245/35R19 |
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 community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S as a benchmark max-performance summer tire, praising its outstanding dry and wet grip, stability, and daily driving refinement. Common criticisms focus on its premium price, rapid tread wear on high-powered heavy vehicles or hot track sessions, and significantly reduced grip in cold weather. Many enthusiasts consider it an ideal street tire, though some note softer sidewalls compared to predecessors or recommend dedicated track tires for hard circuit driving.
mustang6g.com
·2020-11-15
“I just went 12k on PSS for mixed use weekend and HDPE. 275/35 19x10 front and 305/30 19x11rear stagger. I replaced the PS4s from stock purchased PP1. I immediately noticed the PSS seemed a little louder and the concrete joints were felt and heard. Now after putting on 285/35 and 325/30 MP4S I'm enjoying a better ride. I have a track event this weekend so I'll get to test the 4S in track duty.”
jaguarforums.com
“I had a similar experience with Discount Tire and brand new Michelin PS4S's. I clipped a large lane marker (not a dot, a turtle) with both driver's side tires and pinch-flatted them both. I had driven them less than 10 miles so Discount Tire replaced them for only $50 without me even asking for a discount. I had purchased them for about $450 each and didn't buy a road hazard warranty, so I was very pleased with Discount Tire.”
vwvortex.com
·2025-09-26
“My 2023 20th AE Golf R came with Hankook tires , and I've been very pleased with them. I'm a fairly aggressive driver and frequent the twisty roads in the Santa Monica Mountains. I also have a mildly modded Mk VI Golf R shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4s tires on factory 18" rims, and the Hankooks seem to perform almost as well in the dry, but outshine the PS4s in the wet. I will most likely need new tires next year, but I am undecided between the Hankooks and the Michelin PS4AS tires . As for Continental tires ... I use Continental tubular tires on my road bicycle, but have experienced many problems, including massive chunking with them on my 1974 BMW 2002Tii and my 1979 Scirocco Gti , so I am not going to use them on my cars again.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Track day durability#High price vs alternatives#Tread life and wear#Cold weather performance#Sidewall stiffness and comfort
Based on 208 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″ |
| Sizes in common | 13 | 13 |
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
85
/ 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 88 vs 55 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 79 vs 59 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 72 vs 56 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 72 vs 59 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
Your priority is dry braking
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 won 3 of 3 shared dry braking tests.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
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Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 88 vs 55 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 93 vs 83 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 69 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 79 vs 59 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 72 vs 56 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Pilot Sport 4 S?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 72 vs 59 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