Pirelli P Zero review
The Pirelli P Zero is widely regarded as a high-performance summer tire that excels in dry, warm-weather conditions, offering sharp handling and significant grip. However, user consensus is polarized by its rapid tread wear, inconsistent performance in cold or wet weather, and reports of high road noise, leading many owners to favor competitors like Michelin for daily driving.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
67.9%By road tests
69.9%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 195 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Pirelli P Zero is widely regarded as a high-performance summer tire that excels in dry, warm-weather conditions, offering sharp handling and significant grip. However, user consensus is polarized by its rapid tread wear, inconsistent performance in cold or wet weather, and reports of high road noise, leading many owners to favor competitors like Michelin for daily driving.
Pros
- Exceptional dry weather grip and cornering stability
- Precise steering feedback and handling responsiveness
- Strong rim protection due to robust sidewall design
- Effective performance once the tire reaches optimal operating temperature
Cons
- Rapid and often uneven tread wear
- Poor traction and confidence in cold, wet, or damp conditions
- High levels of road noise, particularly as the tire ages
- Susceptibility to tramlining and vibration issues
Worth knowing
- Users with high-performance EVs and heavy sedans (e.g., Tesla Model Y, Audi S7) frequently report faster-than-expected tread wear.
- Owners of front-wheel-drive hot hatches (e.g., Hyundai i30N, Fiesta ST) note significant wheel spin and traction loss in damp conditions.
- Drivers using larger rim diameters (19-inch+) often report a harsher ride quality and increased sensitivity to road imperfections.
5 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2020 tire Market Overview Braking Test · 245/45 R18
25th of 49
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 28th of 49 | |
| Dry Braking | 17th of 49 |
2019 Auto Bild Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17
8th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 16th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 14th of 20 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 14th of 20 | |
| Noise | 18th of 20 | |
| Value | 20th of 20 | |
| Price | 18th of 20 | |
| Wear | 15th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 17th of 20 |
2019 Summer 53 tire Braking Shootout · 225/45 R17
4th of 45
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 45 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 45 |
2018 Auto Express Summer tire Test · 225/45 R17
6th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2018 Ace 235/45 R18 Summer tire Test · 235/45 R18
7th of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
Pirelli P Zero specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Tread depth | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | 220 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 50 psi |
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What owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of the scores above.
Community opinion on the Pirelli P Zero lineup is sharply divided based on the specific variant. While summer tires and certain OEM specifications face severe criticism for poor wet weather grip, rapid wear, and difficult installation (particularly in cycling applications), the aftermarket All Season Plus 3 and newer high-performance variants receive strong praise for comfort, quietness, and excellent value compared to Michelin and Continental competitors.
From 99 threads and comments.