72
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
67/100
180 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 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 dry. Pick the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 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 13
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 93 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 16
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 69 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 60 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 60 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 81 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 64 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 100 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
SP Sport Maxx leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 80 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 73 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 63 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 80 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport 3 leads by 25
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx | Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport Maxx | Michelin Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 82 |
| Dry | 80 | 93 |
| Wet | 70 | 86 |
| Snow | 70 | – |
| Comfort | 66 | 79 |
| Noise | 95 | 77 |
| Treadwear | 64 | 70 |
| Handling | 67 | 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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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 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 is a polarizing ultra-high-performance tire that excels in dry-weather handling and steering responsiveness but faces significant criticism regarding tread longevity and noise levels. While many users praise its initial grip and stability, a substantial portion of the user base reports inconsistent performance in wet conditions and premature wear, leading to a mixed overall consensus.
Pros
- Strong dry-weather grip and cornering stability
- High level of steering feedback and precision
- Effective rim protection design
- Good aquaplaning resistance in straight lines
Cons
- Rapid and often uneven tread wear
- High levels of road noise, particularly as the tire ages
- Inconsistent or poor wet-weather traction
- Susceptibility to sidewall cracking and bubbling
Observations
- Owners of high-torque, rear-wheel-drive vehicles frequently report excessive wheel spin and poor traction off the line.
- Drivers of heavier luxury sedans and SUVs often note that the tire's stiff sidewall provides good handling but can lead to a harsh ride and increased cabin noise.
- Users with high-performance hatchbacks frequently report 'sawtoothing' wear patterns, resulting in significant humming noises.
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Max Performance tires | — |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Dunlop
82
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 scores 92 vs 67 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx scores 95 vs 77 on noise.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 scores 86 vs 70 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 scores 93 vs 80 on dry.
Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 3
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 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.