90
/ 100
Objective (60%)
84/100
6 professional tests
User signal (40%)
94/100
1,988 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R vs Nitto NT05 — Compared (September 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
65
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
68/100
8 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R — better comfort, treadwear and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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Category breakdown
6 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 Cup 2 R leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | NT05 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 92 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 84 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 97 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R leads by 20
Why this score
| Source | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | NT05 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 76 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 45 | 63 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 69 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R leads by 51
Why this score
| Source | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | NT05 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 43 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 92 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | NT05 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 87 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R leads by 31
Why this score
| Source | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | NT05 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 59 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 81 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Pilot Sport Cup 2 R leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | NT05 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 84 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | Nitto NT05 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 90 | 65 |
| Dry | 94 | 84 |
| Wet | 83 | 63 |
| Comfort | 94 | 43 |
| Noise | 92 | – |
| Treadwear | 90 | 59 |
| Handling | 96 | 84 |
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
90
/ 100
Tire A
65
/ 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 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R is a specialized, track-focused tire that offers exceptional dry-weather grip and steering precision for high-performance vehicles. While it excels in competitive driving and track-day environments, users emphasize that it is not suitable for daily driving, particularly due to its rapid tread wear, poor wet-weather performance, and lack of cold-temperature capability.
Pros
- Unrivaled dry-weather traction and cornering grip
- Precise steering response and communicative feedback
- Excellent performance consistency during track sessions
- Superior stability at high speeds
Cons
- Extremely short tread life and rapid wear
- Significant safety risks in wet or cold conditions
- High purchase price and high cost-per-mile
- Increased road noise and harsh ride quality
Observations
- Performance is highly dependent on vehicle-specific alignment settings; improper camber can lead to premature shoulder wear.
- Users note that the tire requires significant heat to reach optimal operating temperatures, making it feel 'sketchy' or stiff during short street trips.
- The tire is frequently cited as a 'one-trick pony' for track-day enthusiasts, with many users recommending the Pilot Sport 4S as a more practical alternative for street-driven vehicles.
The Nitto NT05 is widely regarded as a specialized extreme performance tire that excels in track-day environments and spirited driving scenarios. While users appreciate its predictable handling and progressive feedback, it is frequently criticized for rapid tread wear and significant road noise, making it a polarizing choice for daily commuting.
Pros
- Predictable and balanced handling during track use
- Informative feedback near the limit of adhesion
- Strong cornering confidence and stability
- Aesthetically pleasing sidewall and tread design
Cons
- High levels of road noise during daily driving
- Rapid tread wear, particularly under high-torque applications
- Inconsistent dry grip performance for high-horsepower vehicles
- Not recommended for daily use due to comfort and longevity trade-offs
Observations
- High-horsepower vehicles (e.g., 360rwkw turbo applications) report that the tire struggles to manage power delivery effectively.
- Users with AWD platforms, such as the Audi A4, report satisfactory performance in wet conditions when driven conservatively.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R | B · Nitto NT05 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Trackday and Competition tires | Summer Extreme Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 23 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 7.2/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 200 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
90
/ 100
Michelin
65
/ 100
Nitto
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R — better comfort, treadwear and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 94 vs 43 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 90 vs 59 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 83 vs 63 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R scores 96 vs 84 on handling.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R
Tire B · Nitto NT05
More comparisons
Also compared with
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R also compared with
Nitto NT05 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.