Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S vs Pirelli P Zero PZ4
- TR Score
- 9.4/10
- Owners say
- 85% · 179
- TR Score
- 9.0/10
- Owners say
- 74% · 96
In the 9 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S finished ahead 8 times and the P Zero PZ4 once. The Pilot Sport 4 S stopped 6.2% shorter in the wet; the P Zero PZ4 averaged a 1.9% higher speed on the wet handling course.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Pick the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S if you want the most consistently fast max-performance summer tire with reliably short braking-especially in the wet-and strong, confidence-building steering. Choose the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 if your priorities are lower purchase price and quieter cruising and you're comfortable trading some braking security/consistency for wet-handling agility (and you can verify you're buying a strong, current-spec PZ4 rather than a compromised OE-focused variant).
Where the Pilot Sport 4 S is stronger
- Consistently stronger braking performance, especially wet (wins 7/9 wet-braking results; e.g., 30.7 m vs 37.0 m in Sport Auto 2025)
- Top-tier dry performance and repeatability (wins 7/9 dry handling; praised for steering linearity and consistent lap times in AutoView 2025)
- Well-rounded road manners for the category (comfort wins in reported tests; strong subjective dry scores such as 15 vs 9.6 in AutoView 2025)
Where the P Zero PZ4 is stronger
- Often stronger wet handling metrics and subjective wet agility (wins 6 wet-handling comparisons; e.g., higher wet handling speeds in Sports Cars 2025: 82.7 vs 79.7)
- Quieter on average in objective noise readings (wins 5 noise comparisons; e.g., 61.8 vs 62.7 dB in AutoView 2025)
- Typically better value on price where listed (wins 4/4 price comparisons, sometimes by a wide margin, e.g., 111 vs 181 in Sport Auto 2023 dataset)
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
Pilot Sport 4 S vs P Zero PZ4 at a glance
| Category | Pilot Sport 4 S | Gap | P Zero PZ4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won9 shared tests | 8 | 1 | |
| Dry21 measurements | 18 | The Pilot Sport 4 S stopped 1.6% shorter in the dry (9 tests) | 2 |
| Wet34 measurements | 17 | Level between the two. | 17 |
| Comfort11 measurements | 5 | Level between the two. | 5 |
| Value7 measurements | 5 | The Pilot Sport 4 S had 8.6% lower rolling resistance (7 tests) | 1 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 9.4/10 | The Pilot Sport 4 S by 0.4 | 9.0/10 |
| Owner rating179 and 96 reviews | 85% | The Pilot Sport 4 S by 11 points | 74% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 80% | The Pilot Sport 4 S by 25 points | 55% |
| Pricein the 6 tests that listed prices | +19.4% | The Pilot Sport 4 S was dearer in 5 of 6 | Cheaper |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tires; a tick marks the tire ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 9 tests, 2017 to 2025
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 4 S | Field | P Zero PZ4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 AutoView Sports Tire Test | P1 of 5 | P5 of 5 | |
| 2025 Sports Cars Tire Test | P4 of 8 | P3 of 8 | |
| 2025 Sport Auto UUHP Tire Test | P2 of 4 | P4 of 4 | |
| 2024 EVO Summer Tire Test | P2 of 7 | P6 of 7 | |
| 2023 Sport Auto UHP Tire Test | P3 of 11 | P5 of 11 | |
| 2021 Tire Reviews UHP Summer Tire Test | P1 of 14 | P4 of 14 | |
| 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tire Test | P1 of 15 | P4 of 15 | |
| 2020 EVO UHP Summer Tire Test | P1 of 7 | P3 of 7 | |
| 2017 Car and Driver UHP Tire Test | P1 of 5 | P3 of 5 |
Performance profile
13 measurements from the 9 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Pilot Sport 4 S
P Zero PZ4
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. 3 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Pilot Sport 4 S
P Zero PZ4
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
Pilot Sport 4 S
P Zero PZ4
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 4 S 85% from 179 reviews and the P Zero PZ4 74% from 96. 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. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | Pilot Sport 4 S | Gap | P Zero PZ4 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | 1.6% | 110 | 8-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 72.65 | 1.2% | 73.56 | 4-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 71 | 0.1% | 71 | 3-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 23.7% | scored | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 107 | 6.2% | 113 | 7-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 53.35 | 0.1% | 53.1 | 1-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 49.4 | 1.9% | 50.4 | 1-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 7.3% | scored | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 18.9 | 1.3% | 19.2 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12.39 | 0.2% | 12.42 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 47.5 | 1.4% | 46.9 | 4-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 43.1 | 3.1% | 44.3 | 3-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 5.8% | scored | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 2.1% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 70.96 | 0.7 dB | 70.26 | 2-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 7.77 | 8.6% | 8.46 | 5-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Sport 4 S scores 9.4 and the P Zero PZ4 9 out of 10.
| Pilot Sport 4 S | Category | P Zero PZ4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | Dry | 93 | ||
| 89 | Wet | 91 | ||
| 44 | Comfort | 49 | ||
| 32 | Value | 7 | ||
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.
What owners say
| Pilot Sport 4 S | Category | P Zero PZ4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.2 | Dry Grip | 8.7 | ||
| 8.7 | Wet Grip | 7.5 | ||
| 8.4 | Road Feedback | 8.2 | ||
| 8.6 | Handling | 8.1 | ||
| 8 | Wear | 5.9 | ||
| 8.4 | Comfort | 6.8 | ||
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 4 S 85% from 179 reviews and the P Zero PZ4 74% from 96. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
- 85%from 179 reviews
- 80%would buy again
- 2,104,714 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners broadly agree the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S delivers standout dry and wet grip, with over half mentioning strong dry traction and nearly half praising its wet confidence. Comfort is also a common plus for a max-performance tire, though noise is more mixed, with a noticeable minority finding it loud. Longevity gets a more divided reception: many report solid tread life, but around one in eight complain about faster wear or uneven wear, and a smaller group say performance drops off as it wears. A further recurring criticism is a soft sidewall feel, with around one in ten owners reporting less support or precision than expected.
- Excellent dry grip and traction
- Very strong wet grip and confidence in the rain
- Comfortable ride for a performance tire
- Stable, confidence-inspiring dry handling
- Noticeable road noise at certain speeds or on coarse surfaces
- Soft sidewalls can feel less supportive or precise
- Tread life can be shorter than expected for some drivers
Summarised by AI from 154 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 179 Pilot Sport 4 S reviewsThe wet and dry grip has been exceptional with low road noise and moderate harshness. Handling precision and responsiveness have been good, not exceptional. The tires have held inflation pressure very well with minimal leakage. This is my second set and unless Michelin comes out with a better max performance summer tire, I'll buy them again.
Pirelli P Zero PZ4
- 74%from 96 reviews
- 55%would buy again
- 952,792 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners tend to rate the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 as a strong dry-road performance tire, with clear majorities praising dry grip and crisp steering response. Comfort and road noise are also more often seen as positives than negatives, making it a surprisingly civilised option for a UUHP fitment. The main sticking point is durability: around two in five owners mention tread life and most of them report fast wear, while a smaller but notable group (around one in eight) highlight aquaplaning concerns, especially as the tread gets lower or in standing water.
- Strong dry grip
- Sharp steering response and good feedback
- Confident, sporty dry handling
- Low road noise for the category
- Fast wear / short tread life
- Aquaplaning in standing water, especially at speed
- Poor cold-weather grip and needs heat to work properly
Summarised by AI from 85 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 96 P Zero PZ4 reviewsGood grip all arround, especially in the dry where they really shine. Used them as front tires on high power rwd car. They maintain good grip under heavy braking, and are very progressive at the limit. The only downside i found is that the got oval shaped and the car started vibrating at high speeds, wich cannot be resolved by balancing since they were not perfectly round.aybe the car being rarely used, it sits in the garage over winter, and only moved around a bit every few weeks, but maybe that was not enough, even though the rear ones, a different brand did not suffer the same problems.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
| Category | Pilot Sport 4 S | P Zero PZ4 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| On the market since | 2016 | - |
| Replaced | Michelin Pilot Super Sport (2010) | Pirelli P Zero |
| Replaced by | Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 | Pirelli P Zero PZ5 |
| Awards | Winner: Best Tires for High Performance Cars (DriverReviews, 2026/27) Winner: Best Tires for High Performance Cars (DriverReviews, 2024/25) | Recommended: Best Tires for High Performance Cars (DriverReviews, 2026/27) Highly Recommended: Best Tires for High Performance Cars (DriverReviews, 2024/25) Winner: Performance Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2024) Winner: Performance Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2022) |
| Price in the shared tests | The Pilot Sport 4 S was the dearer tire in 5 of the 6 tests that listed prices, by 19.4% on average. Each test priced the tires in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Michelin's Pilot Sport 4 S and Pirelli's P Zero PZ4 sit in the same “max-performance summer” lane, but across nine shared professional tests they don't behave like equals. The Pilot Sport 4 S shows up as the more consistently fast, confidence-inspiring option-especially when you care about repeatable lap pace, braking security, and steering linearity on powerful performance cars.
The P Zero PZ4's story is more nuanced: in several group tests it can look genuinely competitive (particularly in wet handling feel and agility), and it often brings a quieter, cheaper ownership proposition. But results also show bigger swings depending on spec/production (including OE-marked variants), with at least one modern test calling out a meaningful grip deficit versus today's front-runners-an important consideration if you're buying for outright performance rather than refinement or price.
Conclusion
On the evidence of the shared tests, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is the safer “default” pick for drivers prioritizing outright performance and consistency. It dominates overall outcomes (8 test wins vs 1 for the PZ4) and repeatedly wins the most safety-critical metrics: dry braking (8/9 wins) and wet braking (7/9 wins). Some gaps are not small-Sport Auto 2025 shows a 30.7 m wet stop for the Michelin versus 37.0 m for the Pirelli (about 17% / 6.3 m), and AutoView 2025 reports the Michelin ahead in both dry braking (34.78 m vs 37.35 m) and dry handling/lap pace (85.95 s vs 89.23 s), with notably stronger subjective dry ratings.
The Pirelli P Zero PZ4 makes its best case if you value a more “wet-agile” feel and day-to-day refinement, and if price matters. It wins wet handling more often (6/8 recorded wet-handling comparisons) and is frequently quieter (5/7 noise wins), and it's commonly cheaper in the tests that report price. However, its braking performance-especially in the wet-can be a deal-breaker depending on version and batch, and several reports mention weaker feedback or indirect steering versus the leaders. Practical takeaway: choose the Pilot Sport 4 S if you want the most dependable high-grip, high-confidence performance envelope; consider the PZ4 mainly when you're optimizing for cost/refinement and you're confident you're buying a strong, current-spec fitment (and you don't need the very shortest wet stops).
Pilot Sport 4 S vs P Zero PZ4: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S or the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 the better tire?
In the 9 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S finished ahead 8 times and the P Zero PZ4 once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Sport 4 S scores 9.4 and the P Zero PZ4 9 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Sport 4 S or the P Zero PZ4?
Across the shared tests the wet measurements are split 17-17 between the Pilot Sport 4 S and the P Zero PZ4.
Which is better in the dry?
The Pilot Sport 4 S led 18 of the 21 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.6% shorter in the dry across 9 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Pilot Sport 4 S had 8.6% lower rolling resistance (7 tests). Owners rate wear 8/10 for the Pilot Sport 4 S and 5.9/10 for the P Zero PZ4.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The P Zero PZ4 was 0.7 dB quieter (7 tests). Owners rate comfort 8.4/10 for the Pilot Sport 4 S and 6.8/10 for the P Zero PZ4.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 4 S 85% from 179 reviews and the P Zero PZ4 74% from 96. 80% of Pilot Sport 4 S owners would buy it again, against 55% for the P Zero PZ4.
Which is more expensive?
In the 6 tests that listed prices, the Pilot Sport 4 S was the dearer tire in 5 of them, by 19.4% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
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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.
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