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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 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 6 + 5 road tests and 25 + 213 owner reviews. How we score

ADVAN A052 is ahead, 72–67

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Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
Tire AMichelin

Pilot Sport Cup 2

Summer

± 6

Tests 66 · 6 tests Owners 66 · 25 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test (dry braking)

Yokohama ADVAN A052
Tire BYokohama

ADVAN A052

Summer

± 5

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))

“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”

Category by category

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

  1. 83

    Dry

    Pilot Sport Cup 2 +3
    80
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 5 tests8474
    Reviews found online8290

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 84.3 + 40% × 82.3 = 83

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 73.6 + 40% × 89.9 = 80

  2. 55

    Wet

    ADVAN A052 +18
    73
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 4 tests5278
    Reviews found online6067

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 52.2 + 40% × 59.9 = 55

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 77.8 + 40% × 67 = 73

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    73
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN 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).

  4. 58

    Comfort

    ADVAN A052 +9
    67
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests4874
    Reviews found online6663

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 40% × 47.6 + 60% × 65.7 = 58

    ADVAN A052: 40% × 74.1 + 60% × 62.7 = 67

  5. 69

    Noise

    ADVAN A052 +7
    76
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests7177
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)76

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 70.9 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 69

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 76.6 + 40% × 76.3 = 76

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport Cup 2. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 57

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport Cup 2 +7
    50
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 61 (est.)≈ 57 (est.)
    Reviews found online5140

    Pilot Sport Cup 2: 60% × 61.1 (est.) + 40% × 51.2 = 57

    ADVAN A052: 60% × 56.9 (est.) + 40% × 39.5 = 50

    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 0.36).

    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).

  7. 81

    Handling (owners)

    ADVAN A052 +3
    84
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN A052
    Reviews found online8184
  8. 58

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN A052
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests58–
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport Cup 2Yokohama ADVAN A052
Relative Score 67 72
Dry 83 80
Wet 55 73
Snow – 73
Comfort 58 67
Noise 69 76
Treadwear 57 50
Handling (owners) 81 84
Efficiency 58 –

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Pilot Sport Cup 2

± 5

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.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Sport Cup 2ADVAN A052ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 87% #6/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 93% #5/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #4/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 99% #4/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 100% #1/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Long Run Dry 97% #5/6 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 99% #5/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #5/5 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 100% #1/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #3/5 · The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 100% #1/5 · 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 70% #6/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test 91% #2/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 60% #10/10 · 2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2025 Tire Rack Extreme Performance Track Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/6 The BEST Track Day Tyres for 2024 #4/5 2026 AutoBild Track Day Tyre Test – 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 and reliable dry grip, especially when heated
  • Exceptional steering response, precision, and road feedback
  • Strong track-day performance with durable, stiff sidewalls

Cons

  • Fast tread wear resulting in short lifespan
  • Poor performance and low grip when cold, making them less ideal for purely street-driven cars
  • High purchase price and negative impact on fuel consumption
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport Cup 2 review

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.
All owner themes in the ADVAN A052 review

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

Yokohama ADVAN A052

Positive

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.

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.”
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/tires ·9 upvotes ·2020-01-18

“Yokohama ADVAN A052 315/30R18 and 265/35R18 - BEEFY!”
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 B · Yokohama ADVAN A052
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1861
Rim diameters18″ – 21″13″ – 20″
Tread depth—7/32″
UTQG180 - 240 AA A200 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Sizes in common1010

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2

Yokohama ADVAN A052

Winner: Yokohama ADVAN A052 — better wet, comfort and noise. Pick the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 if treadwear and dry matter most to you.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Yokohama ADVAN A052 scores 73 vs 55 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Yokohama ADVAN A052 scores 67 vs 58 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 scores 57 vs 50 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Yokohama ADVAN A052 scores 76 vs 69 on noise.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
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Tire B · Yokohama ADVAN A052
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Pilot Sport Cup 2 or ADVAN A052?

Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or ADVAN A052?

Yokohama ADVAN A052, 73 vs 55 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or ADVAN A052?

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, 83 vs 80 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or ADVAN A052?

Yokohama ADVAN A052, 76 vs 69 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or ADVAN A052?

Yokohama ADVAN A052, 67 vs 58 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport Cup 2 or ADVAN A052?

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, 57 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