Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Better than 61% of the summer tires we score.
Owners 66 · 25 reviews analysed Road tests 66 · 6 tests
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Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 has a Relative Score of 66 out of 100 among summer tires. In 8 road tests with an overall ranking it finished first 1 times and in the top three 6 times. Testers rate it best for dry (84) and weakest for comfort (48). 25 owner reviews rate it 66 out of 100. 86% would buy it again.
- Weak point: Wet 52 — 10th of 10 (2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch tire Test), 9th of 10 (2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test)
- Weak point: Comfort 48 — 10th of 10 (2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day tire Test)
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
How scores work
- Relative score
- 0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
- Road tests
- 0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
- Owner reviews
- 0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.
By owner reviews
66/100From 25 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
66/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 25 owner reviews found online.
The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 is widely praised for its exceptional dry grip, precise steering response, and track-day capability, offering a significant upgrade over standard road tires like the PS4S. However, users note that they require significant heat to perform optimally, exhibit rapid tread wear, and demand caution in wet conditions due to risks of aquaplaning.
Pros
- Phenomenal and reliable dry grip, especially when heated
- Exceptional steering response, precision, and road feedback
- Strong track-day performance with durable, stiff sidewalls
- Predictable and civilized handling at the limit
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
- Susceptible to aquaplaning and twitchy behavior in standing water or heavy rain
- High road noise, particularly as the tread wears down
Worth knowing
- Drivers of heavy performance vehicles like the Nissan GT-R note that the tires make the car feel significantly lighter and more agile.
- Users running them on light sports cars (e.g., Mazda MX-5 ND, Mazda RX-8) found them to be transformative on track, though street use made it difficult to generate proper operating temperatures.
- Owners in warmer climates (like Sydney) benefit from consistently higher ambient temperatures that help keep the tires within their optimal operating window on the road.
8 published test appearances (6 in the score)
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
The BEST Track Day tires for 2024 · 335/30 R21
2nd of 6
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 6 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 6 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 6 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 6 | |
| Dry Handling Long Run | 5th of 6 |
Source: Auto Bild Sportscars
2020 UHP, UUHP and Track Day tire Test · 245/35 R19
3rd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 8th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 8th of 10 | |
| Wet Circle | 9th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 10 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 8th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | 1st of 10 | |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | 10th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | 6th of 10 | |
| Noise | 9th of 10 | |
| Tyre Weight | 7th of 10 |
Source: Sport Auto
2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch tire Test · 265/35 R19
3rd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 10 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 10th of 10 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 10 | |
| Price | 10th of 10 |
Source: Auto Bild
2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Summer tire test R19 · 245/35R19
10th of 10
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Auto Bild Sportscars
2018 Sport Auto 19 inch UHP and Track Day tire Test · 245/35 R19
2nd of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 8th of 9 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 9 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 9 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 7th of 9 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 7th of 9 | |
| Noise | 7th of 9 | |
| Price | 9th of 9 |
Source: Sport Auto
2017 Track Day tire Test · 235/35 R19
1st of 5
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 5 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 5 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 5 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 5 | |
| Straight Aquaplaning | 1st of 5 |
2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test · 225/40 R18
6th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 10 |
Source: Sport Auto
2015 Australian Motor 235/35 R19 tire Test · 235/35 R19
2nd of 8
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Motor
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| UTQG | 180 - 240 AA A |
| EU label: wet grip | D in 52% of sizes |
| EU label: energy | D in 87% of sizes |
| EU label: external noise | 70–75 dB |
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Reviews from our readers
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Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 compared
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