Tests 65 · 6 tests Owners 66 · 23 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test (dry handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 vs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R leads, 67–66 Narrow edge
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Tests 62 · 2 tests Owners 68 · 4 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 6 in The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 (dry braking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
82
Dry
Pilot Sport Cup 2 +379Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Professional tests (TWG score) 83 78 Reviews found online 81 81 Dry Braking (% of best) 95% 99% Dry Handling (% of best) 100% 99% Dry Handling Long Run (% of best) 97% 97% -
54
Wet
Pilot Sport Cup 2 +549Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Professional tests (TWG score) 51 45 Reviews found online 59 55 Wet Braking (% of best) 78% 95% Wet Handling (% of best) 93% 93% -
55
Comfort
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +1873Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Professional tests (TWG score) 49 – Reviews found online 66 77 -
65
Noise
Level65Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Professional tests (TWG score) 64 – Reviews found online 67 62 -
58
Treadwear
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +563Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Reviews found online 53 61 -
78
Handling
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R +179Why this score
Source Pilot Sport Cup 2 Pilot Sport Cup 2 R Reviews found online 78 79
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 | Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 67 |
| Dry | 82 | 79 |
| Wet | 54 | 49 |
| Comfort | 55 | 73 |
| Noise | 65 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 58 | 63 |
| Handling | 78 | 79 |
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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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
66
/ 100
Pilot Sport Cup 2
67
/ 100
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
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 Cup 2 R | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #3/10 · 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test | 99% #2/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 | −3.5 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #1/10 · 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test | 99% #3/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test | +1.0 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling Long Run | Dry | 97% #5/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 | 97% #4/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 | −0.2 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 33% #3/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 20% #5/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test | +13.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 78% #8/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test | 95% #4/5 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 | −16.6 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 93% #9/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 93% #4/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test | 0.0 | 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 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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 18 | 7 |
| Rim diameters | 18″ – 21″ | 20″ – 21″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
67
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Too close to call: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R are within 2 points overall. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 is stronger on wet and dry. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R is stronger on comfort and treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 73 vs 55 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 scores 54 vs 49 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 63 vs 58 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 scores 82 vs 79 on dry.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
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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.