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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT vs Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT — Compared (May 2026)

Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.

VS
Tire B Bridgestone

Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT

Summer Max Performance tires

Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
65/100
79 owner reviews
Dry
76
Wet
63
Snow
50
Comfort
54
Noise
85
Treadwear
74
Handling
66
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Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT — better comfort, handling and wet. Pick the Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT if noise matters most to you.
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Category breakdown

7 categories, side by side

Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.

Dry

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT leads by 16
A
92
B
76
Why this score
SourcePotenza RE050A Pole Position RFTPotenza S001 RFT
Tire Rack owners – 91
Tyre Reviews owners – 73

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT leads by 22
A
85
B
63
Why this score
SourcePotenza RE050A Pole Position RFTPotenza S001 RFT
Tire Rack owners – 85
Tyre Reviews owners – 59

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A
–
B
50

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT leads by 29
A
83
B
54
Why this score
SourcePotenza RE050A Pole Position RFTPotenza S001 RFT
Tire Rack owners – 79
Tyre Reviews owners – 49

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Potenza S001 RFT leads by 3
A
82
B
85

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT leads by 10
A
84
B
74
Why this score
SourcePotenza RE050A Pole Position RFTPotenza S001 RFT
Tire Rack owners – 73
Tyre Reviews owners – 74

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT leads by 25
A
91
B
66
Why this score
SourcePotenza RE050A Pole Position RFTPotenza S001 RFT
Tyre Reviews owners – 66

Scores at a glance

CategoryBridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFTBridgestone Potenza S001 RFT
Relative Score 86 69
Dry 92 76
Wet 85 63
Snow – 50
Comfort 83 54
Noise 82 85
Treadwear 84 74
Handling 91 66

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Neutral
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Tire B Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT

The Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT is a polarizing run-flat tire that excels in longevity and dry-road steering feedback but frequently draws criticism for its harsh ride quality and inconsistent wet-weather performance. While many users appreciate its durability and ability to handle road hazards, a significant portion of owners report high noise levels and a lack of confidence in damp or wet conditions.

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability
  • Precise steering feedback and handling responsiveness
  • Strong dry-road grip
  • Reliable run-flat safety performance

Cons

  • Poor wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance
  • High levels of road noise and cabin vibration
  • Harsh, stiff ride quality over road imperfections
  • Tendency to tramline on uneven surfaces

Observations

  • Users with BMW M-performance models frequently report that the tire's stiff sidewall compromises the vehicle's intended handling balance and comfort.
  • Drivers of 18-inch and 19-inch low-profile setups report the most significant complaints regarding ride harshness and vulnerability to pothole damage.
  • Owners of vehicles with S-Line or M-Sport suspension setups sometimes find the tire's stiffness acceptable, as it aligns with the vehicle's inherently firm factory tuning.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT B · Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT
Category—Summer Max Performance tires
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—14
Rim diameters—17″ – 21″
Tread depth—9/32″
UTQG—280 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone

Bridgestone

Winner: Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT — better comfort, handling and wet. Pick the Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT scores 83 vs 54 on comfort.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT scores 91 vs 66 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT scores 85 vs 63 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT scores 92 vs 76 on dry.

Tire A · Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position RFT
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Tire B · Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT
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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) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.