Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 vs Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo finished ahead 2 times and the SportMaxx RT 2 not once. The SportMaxx RT 2 was stronger in comfort, the Potenza Sport Evo in dry, wet and value.
Performance profile
14 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
SportMaxx RT 2
Potenza Sport Evo
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 90%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
SportMaxx RT 2
Potenza Sport Evo
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
SportMaxx RT 2
Potenza Sport Evo
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the SportMaxx RT 2 77% from 94 reviews and the Potenza Sport Evo 85% from 16. 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 | SportMaxx RT 2 | Gap | Potenza Sport Evo | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Potenza Sport Evo ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 116 | 2.3% | 113 | 0-2 |
| Dry Handling mph | 62 | 0.1% | 62 | 0-1 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Wet Potenza Sport Evo ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 122 | 3.1% | 119 | 0-2 |
| Wet Handling mph | 51.1 | 0.2% | 51.2 | 0-1 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | scored | 9.6% | scored | 0-1 |
| Wet Circle s | 14.97 | 1.6% | 14.73 | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 57.9 | 2.3% | 56.6 | 1-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 11.4 | 1.7% | 11.6 | 0-1 |
| Comfort SportMaxx RT 2 ahead | ||||
| Subj. Comfort pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Noise dB | 72.4 | 1.4 dB | 73.8 | 1-0 |
| Value Potenza Sport Evo ahead | ||||
| Wear miles | 27,850 | 15.7% | 32,224 | 0-1 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.74 | = | 8.74 | 0-0 |
| Abrasion g | 1,656 | 7.4% | 1,533 | 0-1 |
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 2 tests in 2026
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 | SportMaxx RT 2 | Field | Potenza Sport Evo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Autobild Summer Tire Test | P13 of 20 | P11 of 20 | |
| 2026 Summer Braking Super Tire Test - How do 52 Tires Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | P17 of 50 | P11 of 50 |
SportMaxx RT 2 vs Potenza Sport Evo: your questions
Is the Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 or the Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo the better tire?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo finished ahead 2 times and the SportMaxx RT 2 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the SportMaxx RT 2 scores 8.4 and the Potenza Sport Evo 9.5 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the SportMaxx RT 2 or the Potenza Sport Evo?
The Potenza Sport Evo led 6 of the 7 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.1% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Potenza Sport Evo led 3 of the 4 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.3% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.9/10 for the SportMaxx RT 2 and 7.7/10 for the Potenza Sport Evo.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the SportMaxx RT 2 77% from 94 reviews and the Potenza Sport Evo 85% from 16. 63% of SportMaxx RT 2 owners would buy it again, against 86% for the Potenza Sport Evo.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The SportMaxx RT 2 is made in 61 sizes (17 to 21 inch) and the Potenza Sport Evo in 115 (16 to 22 inch). 50 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the SportMaxx RT 2 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Potenza Sport Evo A and C.
Which is the newer tire?
The Potenza Sport Evo is the newer design: it reached the market in 2025, the SportMaxx RT 2 in 2021. The SportMaxx RT 2 replaced the Dunlop SportMaxx RT. The Potenza Sport Evo replaced the Bridgestone Potenza Sport.
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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.