AutoView's 2025 summer sports tire comparison pitched five Ultra High Performance tires against each other on a BMW M3 xDrive (G80) in a square 275/35R19 fitment. The starting point was the M3's OE-developed Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, joined by the established replacement-market benchmark Continental SportContact 7, a higher-profile pick in the Pirelli P Zero, and two new Korean entries - the Hankook Ventus Evo and Kumho's flagship Ecsta Sport S (PS72S).
The OE Michelin took the overall win with 97.5 points on AutoView's scoring, helped by the fastest lap time, the best ride comfort and joint-best subjective handling. The Continental SportContact 7 was the strongest replacement tire and finished second on 93.3 points, with the Kumho Ecsta Sport S third on 92.1, the Hankook Ventus Evo fourth on 88.9 and the Pirelli P Zero last on 79.8. Both Korean tires took the dry and wet braking honours - a notable showing against the European premium set.
Test Publication:
275/35R19
5 tires
3 categories
Images courtesy of AutoView
Test Publication:
A Korean automotive publication that does tire tests
Images courtesy of AutoView
Test Size:
275/35R19
Tires Tested:
5 tires
Testing took place at the Korea International Circuit (short course) using a BMW M3 xDrive (G80). AutoView ran objective measurements for braking, cornering speed, lap time and noise, with subjective scoring for ride comfort and overall handling. Tires were sourced from market stock except where new products were not yet on shelves; AutoView ran a follow-up 1-to-1 comparison against retail samples once production stock landed to verify the manufacturer-supplied tires were representative.
Dry Braking
Dry stopping was measured from 100 km/h to a complete halt. The Kumho Ecsta Sport S was the best at 33.38 m and the Continental SportContact 7 just behind at 33.50 m. The Michelin and Hankook tied at 34.78 m, and the Pirelli P Zero trailed at 37.35 m - almost four metres further than the leader.
- Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72
- Continental SportContact 7
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
- Hankook Ventus Evo
- Pirelli P Zero PZ4
Wet Braking
Wet braking was measured from 80 km/h. The SportContact 7 led at 21.91 m, with the Kumho at 22.64 m and the Hankook at 22.93 m - all three within a metre of each other. The Michelin came in at 24.64 m, with AutoView noting that BMW OE Michelins consistently trade some wet performance for the dry handling balance BMW asks for. The Pirelli was longest again at 26.28 m.
- Continental SportContact 7
- Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72
- Hankook Ventus Evo
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
- Pirelli P Zero PZ4
Dry Handling - Lap Time
Lap times on the Korea International Circuit short course (driven by AutoView's Jeon In-ho) reflected the same hierarchy that dominated the test. The OE Michelin set the pace at 1:25.95, the SC7 followed half a second back at 1:26.46, and the Kumho was a further half second behind at 1:26.98. The Ventus Evo at 1:27.62 was a step adrift in terms of category, and the P Zero at 1:29.23 was further still - close to a high-end all-season tire's pace by AutoView's reckoning.
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
- Continental SportContact 7
- Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72
- Hankook Ventus Evo
- Pirelli P Zero PZ4
Dry Handling - Subjective
The PS4S and SC7 tied at the top of the subjective handling score on 15 points. AutoView highlighted the Michelin's centre feel and predictable yaw build-up, and the Continental's road feedback and post-slide recovery. The Kumho and Hankook tied a step back at 13.5 - high grip but rougher transitions and quicker yaw onset. The P Zero rated 9.6 here: the test team praised its initial steering response but the underlying grip simply was not at the level of the rest.
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
- Continental SportContact 7
- Hankook Ventus Evo
- Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72
- Pirelli P Zero PZ4
Comfort
The OE Michelin was the most comfortable at 6.9 points, with the Kumho second on 6.7 and the Hankook and Continental tied on 6.6. The Pirelli sat last at 6.5, with AutoView noting unresolved damping behaviour after road impacts.
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
- Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72
- Continental SportContact 7
- Hankook Ventus Evo
- Pirelli P Zero PZ4
External Noise
External noise levels were tightly packed. The P Zero was quietest at 61.8 dBA, with the Kumho second at 62.2, the SC7 and Michelin tied at 62.7, and the Hankook at 63.2. AutoView's subjective ranking differed - the Pirelli's cavity-resonance noise dropped it down the perceived order despite the favourable objective reading.
- Pirelli P Zero PZ4
- Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
- Continental SportContact 7
- Hankook Ventus Evo
Results
AutoView's headline conclusions: the OE Michelin remains the right answer on an M3, and the SportContact 7 gets impressively close as a replacement option. The Kumho Ecsta Sport S is the value pick - outright best in dry braking, joint-best in lateral grip, and priced well below the European premiums - with steering refinement and rolling resistance the main areas left to develop. The Hankook Ventus Evo is closer to a mid-tier UHP than a flagship and is awkwardly priced in that bracket. The Pirelli P Zero PZ4 trailed every grip test and AutoView is looking forward to testing the new version in the future.
2025 AutoView Sports Tire TestWatch the full video of this test on YouTube Watch on YouTube
The Pilot Sport 4 S took the overall win, helped by the fastest lap time of 1:25.95, the best subjective ride comfort rating, and joint-top subjective dry handling. The OE tuning for the BMW M3 showed in its balance and the linearity of the steering, and AutoView highlighted how consistent the lap times stayed across runs.
Dry braking from 100 km/h at 34.78 m was joint third, behind both Korean tires on test. Wet braking from 80 km/h at 24.64 m was the longest of the four tires AutoView reported a value for, which AutoView notes is a recognised trade-off in BMW OE tuning.
The Pilot Sport 4 S finished first in the test with 97.5 points. Strongest on lap time, ride comfort and subjective dry handling, with the longer wet stop and third-place dry braking holding it back.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
3rd |
34.78 M |
33.38 M |
+1.4 M |
95.97% |
| Dry Handling |
1st |
85.95 s |
|
|
100% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
1st |
15 Points |
|
|
100% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
4th |
24.64 M |
21.91 M |
+2.73 M |
88.92% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
1st |
6.9 Points |
|
|
100% |
| Noise |
3rd |
62.7 dB |
61.8 dB |
+0.9 dB |
98.56% |
The SportContact 7 took the best wet braking distance at 21.91 m and the highest dry cornering speed at 76.97 km/h. Subjective dry handling was rated joint top with the Michelin, and the lap time of 1:26.46 was second only to the M3 OE tire.
Ride comfort sat mid-pack at 6.6 points and AutoView noted that road noise can come through on some surfaces. Rolling resistance was on the high side as well, which costs efficiency on longer runs.
The SportContact 7 finished second with 93.3 points and was the strongest replacement tire on test, nearly matching the M3 OE Michelin despite not being purpose-developed for the car.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
2nd |
33.5 M |
33.38 M |
+0.12 M |
99.64% |
| Dry Handling |
2nd |
86.46 s |
85.95 s |
+0.51 s |
99.41% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
1st |
15 Points |
|
|
100% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
1st |
21.91 M |
|
|
100% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
3rd |
6.6 Points |
6.9 Points |
-0.3 Points |
95.65% |
| Noise |
3rd |
62.7 dB |
61.8 dB |
+0.9 dB |
98.56% |
The Ecsta Sport S took the shortest dry braking distance at 33.38 m and was joint-best on dry cornering speed at 76.91 km/h. Wet braking at 22.64 m was the second-shortest in the test, and the asking price is well below the European premium tires.
Subjective dry handling rated 13.5 points, half a category behind the SC7 and PS4S, with AutoView noting that the steer response moves too quickly after the limit and that vertical movement at high speed is higher than the rivals. Rolling resistance was the worst on test.
The Ecsta Sport S finished third with 92.1 points. Best in dry braking and joint-best in lateral grip, with steering feel and rolling resistance the two main areas AutoView would like to see refined. Strong value for the performance on offer.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
1st |
33.38 M |
|
|
100% |
| Dry Handling |
3rd |
86.98 s |
85.95 s |
+1.03 s |
98.82% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
3rd |
13.5 Points |
15 Points |
-1.5 Points |
90% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
2nd |
22.64 M |
21.91 M |
+0.73 M |
96.78% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
2nd |
6.7 Points |
6.9 Points |
-0.2 Points |
97.1% |
| Noise |
2nd |
62.2 dB |
61.8 dB |
+0.4 dB |
99.36% |
The Ventus Evo posted a competitive wet braking distance of 22.93 m, and ride comfort tracked closely with the SC7 at 6.6 points. Rolling resistance was the second-best on test and AutoView rated the steering linearity better than the Kumho.
Lap time at 1:27.62 and dry cornering speed at 74.12 km/h both put the Ventus Evo a class below the premium UHP tires on test, and AutoView places it closer to mid-tier products like the Michelin PS5 or Continental MC7. Dry braking at 34.78 m matched the Michelin but trailed the SC7 and the Kumho.
The Ventus Evo finished fourth with 88.9 points. AutoView judges it a strong mid-tier UHP rather than a true flagship, and the asking price is high for that bracket.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
3rd |
34.78 M |
33.38 M |
+1.4 M |
95.97% |
| Dry Handling |
4th |
87.62 s |
85.95 s |
+1.67 s |
98.09% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
3rd |
13.5 Points |
15 Points |
-1.5 Points |
90% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
3rd |
22.93 M |
21.91 M |
+1.02 M |
95.55% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
3rd |
6.6 Points |
6.9 Points |
-0.3 Points |
95.65% |
| Noise |
5th |
63.2 dB |
61.8 dB |
+1.4 dB |
97.78% |
The P Zero was the lightest tire on test at 11.51 kg, the quietest objectively at 61.8 dBA, and easily the most efficient in rolling resistance, extending coast distance well beyond the rivals.
Every grip test put the P Zero last. Dry braking at 37.35 m, dry cornering at 72.21 km/h, lap time at 1:29.23 and wet braking at 26.28 m all trailed the field, with AutoView comparing the grip level to a high-performance all-season tire.
The P Zero finished fifth with 79.8 points. AutoView attributes this to a noticeable drop in Pirelli's recent production quality and notes that the new PZ5 generation is expected to arrive in Korea over the next year.
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Dry Braking |
5th |
37.35 M |
33.38 M |
+3.97 M |
89.37% |
| Dry Handling |
5th |
89.23 s |
85.95 s |
+3.28 s |
96.32% |
| Subj. Dry Handling |
5th |
9.6 Points |
15 Points |
-5.4 Points |
64% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Wet Braking |
5th |
26.28 M |
21.91 M |
+4.37 M |
83.37% |
| Test |
# |
Result |
Best |
Diff |
% |
| Subj. Comfort |
5th |
6.5 Points |
6.9 Points |
-0.4 Points |
94.2% |
| Noise |
1st |
61.8 dB |
|
|
100% |
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