Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 vs Toyo R888 R
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 finished ahead 2 times and the R888 R once. The Pilot Sport Cup 2 was stronger in dry and wet.
Performance profile
7 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Pilot Sport Cup 2
R888 R
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where owners rate each higher
Pilot Sport Cup 2
R888 R
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Pilot Sport Cup 2 82% from 24 reviews and the R888 R 74% from 31. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tire did better.
| Measurement | Pilot Sport Cup 2 | Gap | R888 R | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Pilot Sport Cup 2 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 114 | 2% | 112 | 0-1 |
| Dry Handling (s) | 71.14 | 1.5% | 72.25 | 1-0 |
| Dry Handling (mph) | 63.9 | 1.9% | 62.6 | 2-0 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | scored | 12.5% | scored | 1-0 |
| Wet Pilot Sport Cup 2 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 120 | 0.1% | 120 | 1-1 |
| Wet Handling mph | 45.1 | 0.3% | 44.9 | 1-1 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 42.9 | 25.9% | 34.1 | 1-0 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared.
Head to head in 3 tests, 2017 to 2021
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Pilot Sport Cup 2 | Field | R888 R |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelin Pilot Sport 4S vs Cup 2 vs Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar 3 vs 3R vs Toyo R888R | P2 of 5 | P4 of 5 | |
| 2017 Track Day Tire Test | P1 of 5 | P5 of 5 | |
| 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test | P3 of 10 | P2 of 10 |
Pilot Sport Cup 2 vs R888 R: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 or the Toyo R888 R the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 finished ahead 2 times and the R888 R once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Sport Cup 2 scores 8.3 and the R888 R 6.1 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Sport Cup 2 or the R888 R?
The Pilot Sport Cup 2 led 3 of the 5 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The Pilot Sport Cup 2 led 4 of the 6 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it averaged a 1.9% higher speed on the dry handling course across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.4/10 for the Pilot Sport Cup 2 and 6.2/10 for the R888 R.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Sport Cup 2 82% from 24 reviews and the R888 R 74% from 31. 86% of Pilot Sport Cup 2 owners would buy it again, against 71% for the R888 R.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Pilot Sport Cup 2 is made in 22 sizes (15 to 21 inch) and the R888 R in 45 (13 to 20 inch). 7 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Pilot Sport Cup 2 is graded D for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the R888 R D and D.
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.