Michelin Pilot Sport 5 vs Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
- TR Score
- 9.4/10
- Owners say
- 85% · 135
- TR Score
- 8.4/10
- Owners say
- 70% · 18
In the 9 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 finished ahead 8 times and the N Fera Sport SU2 once. The Pilot Sport 5 lasted 41.4% longer in the wear tests; the N Fera Sport SU2 was 2.3 dB quieter.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 if you prioritize wet safety, crisp steering, and long wear life (the most rounded, confidence-building option). Choose the Nexen N'Fera Sport SU2 if you want a quieter, cheaper summer performance tire with generally solid safety margins and can accept less steering precision and typically shorter tread life.
Where the Pilot Sport 5 is stronger
- Consistently stronger wet safety: typically shorter wet braking and higher wet-handling performance across multiple tests (often 4-10% shorter stopping distances)
- More precise and confidence-inspiring handling: better objective lap/handling metrics and clearly higher subjective steering/feedback scores
- Aquaplaning resilience: usually better curved aquaplaning performance (e.g., +10-20% advantages in several Autobild/Auto Bild Performance results)
Where the N Fera Sport SU2 is stronger
- Lower noise levels: consistently wins noise measurements (commonly ~2-6 dB quieter) for a more refined daily drive
- Stronger up-front value and lower purchase price: typically cheaper and often wins value metrics even when performance trails
- Competitive straight-line braking in some datasets: occasional wins in both dry and wet braking (small but measurable margins)
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 5 vs N Fera Sport SU2 at a glance
| Category | Pilot Sport 5 | Gap | N Fera Sport SU2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won9 shared tests | 8 | 1 | |
| Dry16 measurements | 14 | The Pilot Sport 5 stopped 2.4% shorter in the dry (9 tests) | 2 |
| Wet27 measurements | 22 | The Pilot Sport 5 stopped 5.3% shorter in the wet (9 tests) | 4 |
| Comfort9 measurements | 1 | The N Fera Sport SU2 was 2.3 dB quieter (6 tests) | 6 |
| Value11 measurements | 9 | The Pilot Sport 5 lasted 41.4% longer in the wear tests (4 tests) | 1 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 9.4/10 | The Pilot Sport 5 by 1.0 | 8.4/10 |
| Owner rating135 and 18 reviews | 85% | The Pilot Sport 5 by 15 points | 70% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 83% | The Pilot Sport 5 by 45 points | 38% |
| Pricein the 5 tests that listed prices | +52.8% | The Pilot Sport 5 was dearer in 5 of 5 | Cheaper |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 66 | 52 sizes made in both | 138 |
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, 2023 to 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 | Pilot Sport 5 | Field | N Fera Sport SU2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 AutoView Sport Tire Test | P2 of 7 | P5 of 7 | |
| 2026 Autobild Summer Tire Test | P3 of 20 | P9 of 20 | |
| 2026 Summer Braking Super Tire Test - How do 52 Tires Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | P9 of 50 | P3 of 50 | |
| 2025 Auto Bild Summer Performance Tire Test | P1 of 20 | P14 of 20 | |
| 2025 ADAC Summer Tire Test | P3 of 18 | P10 of 18 | |
| 2025 Summer Tire Test Shootout | P2 of 52 | P16 of 52 | |
| 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tire Test | P2 of 20 | P17 of 20 | |
| 2023 AZ UHP Summer Tire Test | P5 of 10 | P7 of 10 | |
| 2023 Summer Tire Market Overview | P6 of 50 | P14 of 50 |
Performance profile
12 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 5
N Fera Sport SU2
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. 8 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Pilot Sport 5
N Fera Sport SU2
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 5
N Fera Sport SU2
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 5 85% from 135 reviews and the N Fera Sport SU2 70% from 18. 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 5 | Gap | N Fera Sport SU2 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 112 | 2.4% | 115 | 7-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 100.1 | 0.9% | 101 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 70.6 | 3% | 68.5 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| scored | 27.6% | scored | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 44.9 | 0.1% | 44.9 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 110 | 5.3% | 117 | 7-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 116 | 8.3% | 126 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 67.9 | 1.9% | 69.2 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 47.9 | 1.9% | 47.1 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| scored | 9.6% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14.36 | 1.7% | 14.61 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 54.1 | 0.1% | 53.9 | 3-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11.3 | 10.2% | 10.3 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| scored | 1.2% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 69.48 | 2.3 dB | 67.22 | 0-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 34,772 | 41.4% | 24,962 | 4-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8.34 | 2.2% | 8.53 | 3-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.6 | = | 5.6 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 56.1 | 24.9% | 74.7 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1,353 | 21.3% | 1,719 | 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. "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 5 scores 9.4 and the N Fera Sport SU2 8.4 out of 10.
| Pilot Sport 5 | Category | N Fera Sport SU2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | Dry | 78 | ||
| 96 | Wet | 76 | ||
| 22 | Comfort | 91 | ||
| 59 | Value | 29 | ||
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 5 | Category | N Fera Sport SU2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Dry Grip | 8.1 | ||
| 9 | Wet Grip | 7.7 | ||
| 8.1 | Road Feedback | 7.8 | ||
| 8.3 | Handling | 7.7 | ||
| 8 | Wear | 5.6 | ||
| 8.2 | Comfort | 6.4 | ||
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 5 85% from 135 reviews and the N Fera Sport SU2 70% from 18. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
- 85%from 135 reviews
- 83%would buy again
- 1,150,326 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 very highly overall, with most highlighting standout grip in both the dry and wet and plenty of confidence for fast road driving. Comfort and refinement are also frequently praised for a UHP tire, with many finding it quiet and easy-going day to day. Wear is more divisive: many report strong mileage, but around one in ten complain of quicker wear than expected (and a smaller group mention uneven wear). Around one in eight owners also wish for sharper, more precise steering feel compared with sportier rivals.
- Outstanding wet grip and confidence in the rain
- Very strong dry grip with big reserves
- Comfortable, compliant ride for a performance tire
- Refined, relatively quiet motorway manners (especially when new)
- Steering feel can be a bit vague or slower to respond than rivals
- Can wear quicker than expected for some drivers
- Not happy when pushed hard on track; can overheat and lose grip
Summarised by AI from 121 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 135 Pilot Sport 5 reviewsI have driven on PS5 for the first season in my 150HP car (Cupra Leon ST).
The grip both in dry and in the wet is excellent - I tried to push them to the limit many times and have never been able to lose the grip so far.
Although I have to mention that they feel very soft close at the limit - even though the grip always delivers in the end, the tire often „floats” when turning that you may start wondering if the tire will make it out of the corner.
Due to their softness, I find them comfortable as for the summer tire on small bumps.
Summing up - the grip is excellent, very safe and stable, breaking is sharp and… the tire itself looks amazing.
Something worth mentioning is that the rim protector doesn’t exist in this tire - if that’s something you care about, the PS5 is not for you.
Although I can’t find any cons in terms of safety in PS5, as a tire geek, I think about replacing them for the next season for something with more sharp/sporty steering (I would appreciate any recommendations).
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
- 70%from 18 reviews
- 38%would buy again
- 141,160 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers describe the Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 as a strong value-focused performance tire with very good dry and wet grip, confident handling, and stability at speed for the money. However, a large share of users report short tread life (often with heavy/uneven shoulder wear) and many also mention poor refinement as the tire ages, including increased road noise and a harsher ride. Overall sentiment is mixed, with performance praised but longevity and comfort commonly limiting repeat purchases.
- Very good dry grip and handling
- Strong wet grip and confidence in rain
- Good value/price versus premium brands
- Stable and predictable at higher speeds
- Fast wear/short tread life (often uneven shoulder wear)
- High road noise and mediocre comfort/harsh ride
- Weaker performance in cold temperatures
Summarised by AI from 15 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 18 N Fera Sport SU2 reviewsI've driven the tire's about 40 000km on my family diesel wagon.The final result is four summers and they're gone.The protector is about 4mm,the outer side of the tires is melted like slick tire,and pieces of rubber come off.After a little bump one of the tires got a puncture in the side board,which surprised me a little,but for the price everything is OK.The grip is very good in wet and dry,they perform good in dynamic driving...when they new :)
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 66 sizes of the Pilot Sport 5 and 138 of the N Fera Sport SU2, 52 of them made in both.
| Category | Pilot Sport 5 | N Fera Sport SU2 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| Sizes made | 66 sizes, 16 to 22 inch | 138 sizes, 16 to 22 inch |
| Made in both | 52 sizes 205/45 R17215/45 R17215/55 R17225/45 R17225/50 R17225/55 R17205/40 R18215/40 R18215/45 R18225/40 R18225/45 R18235/40 R18and 40 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A89%B11% | A64%B34%C2% |
| EU label rolling resistance | C82%B10%A9% | C36%A26%D25%B13% |
| EU label noise | 70-75 dB B100% | 68-75 dB B80%A20% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 0 of 82 | 2 of 266 |
| On the market since | 2022 | - |
| Replaced | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 (2015) | Nexen N Fera SU1 (2012) |
| Awards | Winner: Best Tires for Hot Hatches (Compact Sports Cars) (DriverReviews, 2026/27) Winner: Best Tires for Hot Hatches (DriverReviews, 2024/25) | - |
| Price in the shared tests | The Pilot Sport 5 was the dearer tire in 5 of the 5 tests that listed prices, by 52.8% on average. Each test priced the tires in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
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 5 and Nexen's N'Fera Sport SU2 sit in the same “road-focused sporty summer” space, but they approach it from opposite ends of the market. The PS5 is a premium max-performance summer tire that aims to be the class reference for balanced grip and control; the SU2 is a value-priced UHP summer that tries to deliver most of the everyday sport-tire feel for noticeably less money.
Across 9 shared professional tests in multiple sizes (18-19”), the pattern is consistent: the Michelin more often leads on the core dynamic and wet-safety metrics (braking, wet handling, aquaplaning and steering precision), while the Nexen repeatedly stands out for cabin/pass-by noise and purchase-price/value appeal. There are a couple of braking-focused results where the SU2 edges the Michelin in outright stopping distance, but the broader set of tests still favors the PS5 for overall performance and longevity.
Conclusion
Looking across the shared tests, the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is the more complete, higher-confidence tire-especially when the road is wet and when you care about steering accuracy at the limit. It wins the majority of head-to-head categories (8 overall wins vs 1 for Nexen in your summary), frequently braking shorter (e.g., AutoView wet braking 25.45 m vs 27.55 m; Auto Bild Performance wet braking 43.2 m vs 48.3 m) and delivering clearer handling advantages (often ~1-5% in objective handling speed, and much larger gaps in subjective scores-e.g., Autobild 2026 subjective dry handling 10 vs 6.7). It also consistently projects substantially longer mileage (e.g., 59,670 km vs 47,810 km in Autobild 2026; 55,600 km vs 34,400 km in Autobild 2023), which meaningfully changes the real cost of ownership.
The Nexen N'Fera Sport SU2 makes its strongest case if you're price-sensitive and want a quiet, non-nervous upgrade into a sportier summer tire without paying premium-brand money. It repeatedly measures quieter (often by ~2-6 dB in these tests), can be competitively efficient in some datasets, and in a couple of braking datasets it even posts slightly shorter stops than the Michelin (e.g., 33.9 m vs 34.4 m dry in Autobild 2026 / Braking Super Test; 27.1 m vs 27.7 m wet in the Braking Super Test). The trade-off is that it more often gives up steering immediacy/precision (noted delayed turn-in) and typically loses on overall wet/dry performance consistency and wear.
Practical takeaway: if you want the “buy once, trust it everywhere in summer” option with strong wet safety margins and long life, the Pilot Sport 5 justifies its premium-though note the AutoView report of unusually poor rolling efficiency and a one-off observation of shoulder block damage under repeated limit running. If your priorities are a quieter ride and a lower entry price while still keeping decent safety margins, the SU2 is a sensible value pick, but it's not the same benchmark for crispness or all-round capability.
Pilot Sport 5 vs N Fera Sport SU2: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 or the Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 the better tire?
In the 9 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 finished ahead 8 times and the N Fera Sport SU2 once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Sport 5 scores 9.4 and the N Fera Sport SU2 8.4 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Sport 5 or the N Fera Sport SU2?
The Pilot Sport 5 led 22 of the 27 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 5.3% shorter in the wet across 9 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Pilot Sport 5 led 14 of the 16 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.4% shorter in the dry across 9 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Pilot Sport 5 lasted 41.4% longer in the wear tests (4 tests) and had 2.2% lower rolling resistance (4 tests). Owners rate wear 8/10 for the Pilot Sport 5 and 5.6/10 for the N Fera Sport SU2.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The N Fera Sport SU2 was 2.3 dB quieter (6 tests). Owners rate comfort 8.2/10 for the Pilot Sport 5 and 6.4/10 for the N Fera Sport SU2.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 5 85% from 135 reviews and the N Fera Sport SU2 70% from 18. 83% of Pilot Sport 5 owners would buy it again, against 38% for the N Fera Sport SU2.
Which is more expensive?
In the 5 tests that listed prices, the Pilot Sport 5 was the dearer tire in 5 of them, by 52.8% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Pilot Sport 5 is made in 66 sizes (16 to 22 inch) and the N Fera Sport SU2 in 138 (16 to 22 inch). 52 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Pilot Sport 5 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the N Fera Sport SU2 A and C.
More comparisons with these tires
vs
Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
8-5 in 16 shared tests
vs
Continental SportContact 7 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
4-1 in 5 shared tests
vs
Continental PremiumContact 7 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
7-4 in 11 shared tests
vs
Hankook Ventus Evo vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
3-4 in 7 shared tests
vs
Bridgestone Potenza Sport vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
7-4 in 11 shared tests
vs 
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 vs Pirelli P Zero PZ4
4-2 in 7 shared tests
vs
Bridgestone Potenza Sport Evo vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
1-2 in 3 shared tests
vs
Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
1-6 in 7 shared tests
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.
Discussion