69
/ 100
Objective (60%)
65/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
72/100
45 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Avon ZX7 vs Michelin Pilot Super Sport — 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
92
/ 100
Objective (60%)
76/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
93/100
2,080 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin Pilot Super Sport — better treadwear, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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 Super Sport leads by 25
Why this score
| Source | ZX7 | Pilot Super Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 66 | 99 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 95 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 94 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 89% | 100% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 98% | 100% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Pilot Super Sport leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | ZX7 | Pilot Super Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 59 | 88 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 89 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 81 | 83 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 81% | 94% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 96% | 97% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Pilot Super Sport leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | ZX7 | Pilot Super Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 67 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 81 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Pilot Super Sport leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | ZX7 | Pilot Super Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 87 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Pilot Super Sport leads by 35
Why this score
| Source | ZX7 | Pilot Super Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 80 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 55 | 82 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Pilot Super Sport leads by 21
Why this score
| Source | ZX7 | Pilot Super Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 74 | 86 |
| DriverReviews owners | – | 88 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Avon ZX7 | Michelin Pilot Super Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 92 |
| Dry | 73 | 98 |
| Wet | 68 | 90 |
| Comfort | 71 | 93 |
| Noise | 87 | 92 |
| Treadwear | 55 | 90 |
| Handling | 74 | 95 |
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
69
/ 100
Tire A
92
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 89% #30/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | 100% #1/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? | -11.1 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #1/9 · 2021 Tyre Reviews SUV Tyre Test | 100% #2/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? | -1.7 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 13% #8/9 · 2021 Tyre Reviews SUV Tyre Test | 50% #2/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? | -37.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 81% #31/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | 94% #2/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? | -13.6 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #4/9 · 2021 Tyre Reviews SUV Tyre Test | 97% #2/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? | -1.2 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Avon ZX7 is widely regarded as a high-performing, cost-effective tire that excels in dry and wet road handling, steering precision, and cabin comfort. However, the consensus is heavily polarized by significant concerns regarding premature tread wear and reports of premature rubber perishing or cracking, which often leads to MOT failures.
Pros
- Excellent grip and handling in both dry and wet conditions
- High levels of ride comfort and steering precision
- Competitive pricing compared to premium-tier alternatives
- Noticeable reduction in road noise for many users
Cons
- Significantly shorter tread life compared to OE and premium competitors
- Frequent reports of premature sidewall or tread cracking/perishing
- Poor performance in snow, slush, and off-road conditions
- Inconsistent durability, with some users reporting punctures or rapid wear
Observations
- Users with heavy SUVs (e.g., BMW X5, Audi Q5, Mercedes ML) frequently report the fastest tread wear, often requiring replacement in under 10,000 miles.
- Drivers of mid-sized SUVs like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 report improved steering feedback and reduced road noise compared to OE tires, though they remain dissatisfied with longevity.
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport is widely regarded as a benchmark ultra-high-performance summer tire, praised for its exceptional dry grip, steering precision, and confidence-inspiring handling. While it excels in warm, spirited driving conditions, users note that its performance diminishes significantly in cold temperatures or heavy standing water, and some report increased road noise compared to touring-oriented tires.
Pros
- Exceptional dry traction and cornering grip
- High level of steering feedback and responsiveness
- Strong wet weather performance for a summer-focused tire
- Impressive tread life relative to its performance category
- Significant ride quality improvement over OEM run-flat tires
Cons
- Noticeable loss of grip in cold temperatures (below 10-15°C)
- Increased road noise reported by some users
- Higher price point compared to competitors
- Reduced performance in standing water as tread depth decreases
Observations
- Users transitioning from factory run-flat tires on BMW and other luxury vehicles report a transformative improvement in ride comfort and steering feel.
- High-horsepower vehicle owners note that while the tire offers excellent grip, it can still struggle to put power down in cold or damp conditions.
- Some users on 18-inch and smaller setups report that the stiff sidewalls can lead to a harsher ride on uneven or broken road surfaces.
Community buzz
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Avon ZX7
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Pilot Super Sport
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport is widely praised by the automotive community for its exceptional dry and wet grip, precise handling, and overall performance as a high-performance summer tire. While some users note limitations in cold or snowy weather and occasional concerns regarding tread life or aging cracks, most enthusiasts consider them a benchmark daily driver and street performance tire.
r/cars
·40 upvotes ·2017-07-04
“They weren't kidding about Michelin Pilot Super Sports. They're way grippier than the Continental ExtremeContact DW tires that were rated #2 after the Super Sports on tirerack.com. I had a 2009 GTI with 225 width ExtremeContacts and now I have a 2016 with 235 width Super Sports. The difference is not subtle. Now, both have been gently upgraded to the Pilot Sport 4 S, and the ExtremeContact Sport. The only two max performance summer tires with a tread life warranty. 30k miles on square stance cars where you rotate them properly, and 15k on staggered.”
r/GolfGTI
·3 upvotes ·2018-03-23
“12k on two consecutive sets of PSS. Stage 2 MK6 (285whp/325wtq), drive fairly aggressively, an odd track day or two here and there, full suspension but run aggressive alignment settings. No abnormaly quick wear in any one spot, they just look like racing slicks when I’m done. If you can afford it, they are well worth the $$. Other tires may come close in performance, but for daily use, can’t beat the comfort of the PSS”
r/ft86
·2 upvotes ·2016-04-18
“As someone who lapped the car until I destroyed the OEM tires, and then lapped a set of PSS until I destroyed those too. The PSS are stickier than stock for sure, but they arent really sticky when it comes to tires for the track. They overheat and get greasy if you drive them hard, and they will slip at just slightly higher speeds. TL;DR: they are better than stock, but they arent a track sticky tire by any means so tail happy is still a thing.”
r/Cartalk
·2 upvotes ·2025-05-25
“Had this on my E90, as well. Alignment was good, wheel balance on road force machine was good. Turned out i had over 0.250" of runout on both rear wheels. Took me two sets of 255/35/18 PSS's and me watching them balance the tires to figure it out... bought new wheels, never went to a Tirediscounters since.”
Top themes
#exceptional dry and wet grip#handling and cornering performance#tread life and longevity#comparison to ps4s#cold weather and snow limitations#road noise and ride comfort
Based on 60 community posts
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Avon ZX7 | B · Michelin Pilot Super Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | Summer Max Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Avon
92
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Pilot Super Sport — better treadwear, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Super Sport scores 90 vs 55 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Super Sport scores 98 vs 73 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Super Sport scores 90 vs 68 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Super Sport scores 93 vs 71 on comfort.
Tire A · Avon ZX7
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Super Sport
More comparisons
Also compared with
Avon ZX7 also compared with
Michelin Pilot Super Sport 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.