76
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
71/100
69 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT vs Michelin Pilot Sport 3 — 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
Michelin
Michelin Pilot Sport 3
82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
71/100
Owner ratings
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 — better handling, wet and comfort. Pick the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT 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
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 93 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 81 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
SP Sport Maxx TT leads by 18
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 73 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx TT | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | – |
| DriverReviews owners | 82 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT | Michelin Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 82 |
| Dry | 86 | 93 |
| Wet | 75 | 86 |
| Snow | 70 | – |
| Comfort | 69 | 79 |
| Noise | 95 | 77 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 70 |
| Handling | 76 | 92 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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.
Neutral
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
76
/ 100
Tire A
82
/ 100
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.
The Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT is a polarizing performance tire that excels in dry handling and steering feedback but receives significant criticism for its inconsistent tread life and high road noise. While many users praise its stiff sidewall and cornering stability, others report disappointing wet-weather performance and rapid wear, leading to a highly subjective ownership experience.
Pros
- Excellent dry grip and cornering stability
- Precise steering feedback and stiff sidewall construction
- Strong performance in warm, dry conditions
- Good rim protection and aesthetic appeal
Cons
- High levels of road noise reported across various vehicles
- Inconsistent and often rapid tread wear
- Poor wet-weather traction and braking performance for many users
- Significant loss of performance as the tire ages
Observations
- Users with high-torque vehicles (e.g., C63s AMG) report significant traction issues and wheel spin, suggesting the tire may struggle with high-horsepower applications.
- Mazda 3 owners frequently cite the tire as being excessively noisy, though this is often attributed to the vehicle's own cabin insulation.
- Drivers of luxury sedans like the Lexus SC430 appreciate the stiff sidewall for maintaining handling characteristics, whereas others find the same stiffness results in a harsh ride.
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Max Performance tires | — |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Dunlop
82
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 — better handling, wet and comfort. Pick the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT scores 95 vs 77 on noise.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 scores 92 vs 76 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 scores 86 vs 75 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 scores 79 vs 69 on comfort.
Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT also compared with
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 also compared with
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.