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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 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.

Tire A Michelin

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Summer Max Performance tires

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tread pattern
Objective (60%)
94/100
28 professional tests
User signal (40%)
93/100
2,091 owner reviews
Dry
91
Wet
87
Comfort
86
Noise
84
Treadwear
90
Handling
95

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Michelin

Michelin Pilot Super Sport

Summer Max Performance tires

Michelin Pilot Super Sport tread pattern
Objective (60%)
76/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
93/100
2,080 owner reviews
Dry
98
Wet
90
Comfort
93
Noise
92
Treadwear
90
Handling
95

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Michelin Pilot Super Sport — better noise, dry and comfort. 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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Super Sport leads by 7
A — Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
91
B — Michelin Pilot Super Sport
98
Why this score
SourcePilot Sport 4 SPilot Super Sport
Professional tests (TWG score) 87 99
Tire Rack owners 95 95
Tyre Reviews owners 92 94
Dry Braking (% of best) 100% 100%
Dry Handling (% of best) 100% 100%

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Pilot Super Sport leads by 3
A — Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
87
B — Michelin Pilot Super Sport
90
Why this score
SourcePilot Sport 4 SPilot Super Sport
Professional tests (TWG score) 83 88
Tire Rack owners 88 89
Tyre Reviews owners 87 83
Wet Braking (% of best) 99% 94%
Wet Handling (% of best) 92% 97%

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Super Sport leads by 7
A — Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
86
B — Michelin Pilot Super Sport
93
Why this score
SourcePilot Sport 4 SPilot Super Sport
Professional tests (TWG score) 82 –
Tire Rack owners 87 87
Tyre Reviews owners 84 81

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Super Sport leads by 8
A — Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
84
B — Michelin Pilot Super Sport
92
Why this score
SourcePilot Sport 4 SPilot Super Sport
Professional tests (TWG score) 78 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100)
A — Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
90
B — Michelin Pilot Super Sport
90
Why this score
SourcePilot Sport 4 SPilot Super Sport
Tire Rack owners 80 80
Tyre Reviews owners 80 82

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
95
B — Michelin Pilot Super Sport
95
Why this score
SourcePilot Sport 4 SPilot Super Sport
Tyre Reviews owners 86 86
DriverReviews owners 92 88

Scores at a glance

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S vs Michelin Pilot Super Sport: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 4 SMichelin Pilot Super Sport
Relative Score 89 92
Dry 91 98
Wet 87 90
Comfort 86 93
Noise 84 92
Treadwear 90 90
Handling 95 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

Tire A

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.

DisciplineCategoryTire ATire BΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test 100% #1/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? 0 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 100% #3/8 · 2018 Auto Bild 20 inch UHP Tyre Test 100% #2/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? -0.1 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 20% #5/5 · Michelin Pilot Sport 4S vs Cup 2 vs Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar 3 vs 3R vs Toyo R888R 50% #2/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? -30 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 99% #2/6 · 2018 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test 94% #2/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? +4.4 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 92% #5/9 · 2018 Sport Auto 19 inch UHP and Track Day Tyre Test 97% #2/3 · OE vs Aftermarket - Is the tyre your vehicle came with always the best tyre? -5.4 Different tests
From owners

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is widely regarded as a benchmark ultra-high-performance summer tire, consistently praised for its exceptional wet and dry grip, confidence-inspiring handling, and superior ride comfort compared to OEM run-flat alternatives. While most users laud its versatility and safety, some enthusiasts note that its relatively soft sidewalls can result in slightly less steering precision or feedback compared to more track-focused or stiffer-walled competitors.

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction
  • High levels of ride comfort and reduced road noise
  • Predictable handling and stability at high speeds
  • Excellent rim protection design
  • Strong longevity for a high-performance tire

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls can feel vague or sluggish during aggressive steering inputs
  • High price point compared to competitors
  • Performance can degrade significantly as the tread wears down
  • Reports of sidewall cracking or perishing in some climates
  • Not suitable for cold weather or snow

Observations

  • Users transitioning from OEM run-flat tires on luxury and performance vehicles (e.g., BMW, Mercedes, Tesla) report a transformative improvement in ride quality and noise reduction.
  • Drivers of high-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive vehicles frequently highlight the tire's ability to put power down effectively, though some note faster wear on rear axles.
  • Some users with heavy vehicles or specific performance setups noted that the tire's soft sidewall can lead to a 'bouncy' or less precise feel during rapid direction changes.
Tire B Michelin Pilot Super Sport

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

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Positive

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is widely praised by the community as a premier max performance summer tire, offering exceptional dry and wet grip, precise steering feel, and refined road manners for daily driving and spirited street use. While some users note higher pricing and relatively quick wear on heavier vehicles or hot tracks, it remains a benchmark choice that many enthusiasts gladly return to despite alternatives like Continental or Kumho.

r/CarTrackDays ·97 upvotes ·2026-05-04

“Tire condition after 1st track day. PS4s on a GR86 First 2 pics are drivers front, rest pass front. This was at CMP, temps mid 70s, mostly cloudy. Lowered TP to 31psi. Highest I saw on track was 36 psi. The driver side l thought looked good, but passengers side inner looks like they melted. Is this track rubber I picked up or due to mostly turning right on this clockwise circuit?? Also was pleasantly surprised to only have used 1/16 of tread depth after 110 minutes on track. Given what I have read, thought the ps4s would be all used up. Maybe on a hot track surface they would have been eaten up. Read more”

r/TyreReviews ·41 upvotes ·2026-03-17

“Am I the owner of the newer PS4s?😁 Hello everyone, new in the sub and just want to share my love for the Pilot Sport 4s. This is the third set and I love it. To me they are the perfect compromise beetween performance anche tyre wear. Last set last me 43k km, I do lot of highway and some spirited drive when possibile. I also had a set of Sport Contact 7, awesome grip, to me better than the PS4s, almost too much for my stock Golf. They also wear out faster. I saw yesterday the review of Potenza Sport Evo and they promise very week, maybe next time I’ll try!”

r/cars ·4 upvotes ·2018-08-21

“I’ll say this. Going from the Pilot Super Sport to the Pilot Sport 4 S of the same size, I’m disappointed in the soft sidewall of the 4 S. This is an 8.5” wide wheel with 235/40/18 tires. The left-right fast slalom action got a bit mushy like the weight transfer was slowed down when I switched to the 4 S. I think a shorter sidewall 4 S would perform better in this way, or the same tire on a 9” wide wheel too. That said, the dry and wet grip is exceptional. To save money, I’d recommend the Continental ExtremeContact Sport.”

r/ft86 ·2 upvotes ·2023-06-01

“Depending on the size they are absolutely overkill for street use on stock motor. I just installed a set of 245 ps4s on 17x9 rpf1s and its almost impossible to trigger the abs and traction co trol. The car is on absolute rails. That being said, if you have the money, there is not really any negatives from that. I intend to use mine on track days. Felt the cup 2s were overkill for 2 to 3 track days a year.”

Top themes
#Dry and Wet Grip#Tread Life and Wear#Price vs Value#Track Performance Limits#Daily Comfort and Noise#Alternatives Comparison

Based on 104 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Super Sport

Positive

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 · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S B · Michelin Pilot Super Sport
CategorySummer Max Performance tiresSummer Max Performance tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin

Michelin

Winner: Michelin Pilot Super Sport — better noise, dry and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Pilot Super Sport scores 92 vs 84 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Super Sport scores 98 vs 91 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Super Sport scores 93 vs 86 on comfort.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Super Sport scores 90 vs 87 on wet.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Super Sport

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.