Michelin Pilot Sport 4
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- Michelin Tires
- Max Performance Summer tires
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 is a Max Performance Summer tire designed to be fitted to Passenger Cars.
Tire review data from 327 tire reviews averaging 82% over 3,689,622 miles driven, and 26 tests with an average result of 2nd.
| First On Market | December 2015 |
| Wheel Size | 16 - 20" |
| Width | 195 - 285mm |
| Profile | 30 - 55 |
| Rolling Resistance | B - D |
| Wet Grip | A - B |
| Noise (dB) | 69 - 73 |
| Winter Rating | Not Winter Rated |
The Pilot Sport 4 is ranked 26th of 80 Summer Max Performance tires.
This tire replaced the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 and this tire has been replaced by the Michelin Pilot Sport 5.
In Depth Tire Comparisons
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 VS Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 VS Continental Premium Contact 6
Tests Included
26
Best Result
1st
Worst Result
7th
Average Result
2nd
Latest Tire Test Results
2022 AutoBild 19 Inch Summer UHP Tire Test
4th of 10 tires
- Sports tires with balanced performance potential, dynamic dry handling, optimal aquaplaning reserves, precise steering behavior, low rolling resistance.
- High price.
2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tire Test
2nd of 10 tires
- Very spontaneous, direct, precise and dynamic on dry roads while still being safe in the wet. Fulfills sporting demands.
- Limited in the wet, subjectively quite sensitive to puddles, low self damping.
2022 AutoBild Sports Cars UHP Summer Tire Test
1st of 11 tires
- Premium summer tires with the best dynamic driving characteristics in the dry (direct steering with good feedback), safe wet handling, short wet and dry braking, low rolling resistance.
- High price level.
2022 Tire Tests
- 1st 2022 AutoBild Sports Cars UHP Summer Tire Test (225/45 R18)
- 2nd 2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tire Test (235/35 R19)
- 4th 2022 AutoBild 19 Inch Summer UHP Tire Test (245/40 R19)
- 7th 2022 AMS Performance Summer Tire Test (245/45 R19)
2021 Tire Tests
- 1st 2021 Tire Reviews UHP Summer Tire Test (225/40 R18)
- 2nd 2021 Auto Express Summer Tire Test (225/45 R17)
- 4th 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tire Test (225/40 R18)
- 5th 2021 EVO Summer Tire Test (225/40 R18)
2020 Tire Tests
- 1st 2020 Tire Market Overview Braking Test (245/45 R18)
- 1st 2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer Tire Test (225/40 R18)
- 2nd 2020 AMS 18 Inch Summer Tire Test (225/45 R18)
- 3rd 2020 Auto Bild Summer Tire Test (245/45 R18)
2019 Tire Tests
- 1st 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tire Test (225/45 R17)
- 2nd 2019 Summer 53 Tire Braking Shootout (225/45 R17)
- 2nd 2019 EVO Summer Tire Test (225/40 R18)
- 4th 2019 Auto Bild Sports Car Tire Test (245/45 R18)
2018 Tire Tests
- 1st 2018 AZ Summer AND All Season Tire Test (225/45 R17)
- 1st 2018 Test World Summer Tire Test (225/45 R17)
- 1st 2018 AMS Summer UHP Tire Test (225/45 R17)
- 1st 2018 Auto Review 225/45 R17 Tire Test (225/45 R17)
- 2nd 2018 Auto Express Summer Tire Test (225/45 R17)
2017 Tire Tests
- 1st 2017 AMS Summer UHP Tire Test (245/45 R18)
- 1st 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test (225/40 R18)
- 1st 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tire Test (245/40 R18)
- 1st 2017 EVO Summer Tire Test (225/40 R18)
2016 Tire Tests
- 1st 2016 Auto Express Summer Tire Test (225/40 R18)
Reports
Alternative Tires
| Size | Fuel | Wet | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 inch | |||
| 225/45R17 91 V | D | A | 70 |
Questions and Answers for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Ask a questionI have a Nissan Leaf (electric). The fuel economy is important to me. How does the fuel economy of the Pilot Sport 4 compare with the original factory fitted Bridgestone Ecopia
Are the pilot sport ok for a lotus evora 2009 na?
Which is the country origin of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 , 245/45/17 ?
Pilot Sport 4 is made in Germany, France, Spain and Italy (in that order predominantly) but may be the odd ones from other plants.
We never have a definitive list size by size, because our quality structures are the same country to country, plant to plant and in most cases the compounds and carcass materials come from the same plants and are "assembled".
We know from testing we've done, we don't have the big differences with identical tires made in different plants that some manufacturers have.
I am about to change my tires on my merc E220. I have opted for the reviews on the Michelin Pilot sport 4 but cannot find a 225/50/R17 /98W or Y. Is it available and from where?
I have a mazda mx 5 . Is this tire too good for this car . ? Is it quiet and comfortable ?
I am driving 2013 BMW 330D Xdrive with dimensions 225/45/R18 and I cant decide is it better to purchase Michelin Pilot Sport 4 or Continental Premium Contact 6??? It is very hard to find those two tires in comparison in this dimensions! I am looking only for the best tire!
Hi there, I have an e39 M5.. usually use Michelin Super Sports which are priced the same as the PS4.. I have 18" wheels to PS4s isn't available in my size.. Which is a better tire the Super Sport or the standard PS4 (no s)...
BMW 318i with Contipremiumcontact 2, im looking to get some new tires didn't mind how these handled although they had slight under steer in wet if pushed im looking at PS4 and the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance only problem is the PS4 dont come in the current size on the car and the Goodyears do. My question is would there be a benefit coming down from 225/50/16 to 205/55/16 so i can fit these tires are they really that much better in the wet/dry/ect... that the loss of with wont matter
Shouldn't this tire be labeled as "Ultra High Performance" and not "Max Performance" as it is the direct replacement for the Pilot Sport 3? The Pilot Sport 4 S is the "Max Performance" as it is the direct replacement for the Pilot Super Sport.
Hi, for a Honda Civic 1.8 petrol 2010 tires 225/40/R18 Y XL would Michelin PS4 or Pirelli PZero PZ4 give best ride comfort? I know Goodyear Asmm. 3 offer good ride but currently I have Potenza S001 at front PS3 rear so concerned about softer sidewall of Goodyears. Many thanks.
Hello. My Audi A4 Quattro needs only Front Tires at the moment. I would like to fit Pilot Sport 4. Do you think these will behave ok with the standard fit Hankook Ventus S1evo2 that are on the back? Thanks
Hi guys! I am using this tire (Pilot Sport 4) on a Hyundai Genesis Coupe also equipped with B14 Bilstein coilovers... I have 225/40/19 front and 245/40/19 rear... BUT I still haven’t found a proper pressure tire to set, in order to feel a good feedback and feeling from the car... I feel it not coumicative, and on the fast straight I find a little vagueness in the center if I move left/right of few cm on the steering (with pressure at 2.3 bar) What di you recommend??
I really want PS4"S" for my 18inch E46 M3. BUT they are only 19 inch at the moment right? So given I want decent performance on track, do I go Cup2 or would these non "S" PS4's be ok?
https://www.youtube.com/user/tirereviews
Hey there. I own a '06 Mercedes E550. I just bought a set of lighter 18'' rims and next summer, I want to fit new 245/40 tires. I only drive 4000kms in the summer, rarely spirited, so wear is not a concern. Yet I demand a good steering response and light weight to make for a more nimble feel of the car. I think I wanna go with the PS4, yet I think about the Falken 510 also. In the past, I regretted fitting mid range tires. But due to the low miles, and the good test, I feel like giving the 510s a try. Yet I fear that they will be overwhelmed by the weight of the car and the V8 on the front axle. Would you recommend just going with the PS4 or could the 510s be an option?
I going to replace my Jaguer XF3.0 tire, previously I tried Pzero and Pilot Super sport. could you please comment if I change to PS4 (no S), I'm not an aggressive driver, want maintain the sport feeling but a little more comfort and silent...
Hello! I'm about to replace the Michelin Energy tires on my VW Golf5. I'd like to extract more sportiness and feel out of the car while retaining a solid and safe daily driver with nice comfort and low noise. Aiming for the Pilot Sport 4 or the PremiumContact 6. The Golf is not a sports car but since i dont wear tires too fast, the price premium is not that much considering the relative small 205/55 R16 size, so both fits within my budget. Which one would you think suit me (or the car) better? I heard a few complaints about the PS4-s behaving jelly-like when pushed. Im aware that a road tire in this size, no matter the brand, wont give the kind of feedback as a smaller sidewall variant with a bigger wheel would, so that behaviour might still be the same with a PC6-s in the same size. Whats your take on this? Thank you in advance, and keep up the great content!
I am driving 2008 Audi A5 1.8 TFSI 170 FWD and I can't decide whether to go for Michelin Pilot Sport 4 245/40 ZR18 (93Y) or Michelin Pilot Sport 4 245/40 ZR18 93Y AO. Would there be any differences? May AO tire be "outdated" in 2019? What is your recommendation?
There I have a VW Mk5 GTI (FWD) with coilover suspension and the car is modified around 300hp, I mainly drive on the road and would like to do a bit of track during the year (also we have around 185 days of rain in average per year). Do you think that tire would be suitable for that use? (225/40R18 92Y)
I have a Volvo V60 with 235/40R18 W95 fitted. As the Ixion alloys seem to have a ridiculously wide edge to the rim, is the rim protector on the Pilot Sport 4 a decent size? Also, would up-sizing to a 245 width increase the size of said rim protection? Are there any other recommendations you can make for the largest rim protection you're aware of?
Hi guys, i'm driving a Ford Fiesta MK8 with this Michelin Pilot Sport 4. I'm in italy and here temperatures never go below 0C, or in any case there is never snow and ice but just rain. I've to buy winter tires, or can I go with this Michelin all of the year? I used them for a winter, and seems they went very cool.
I want to replace the standard Bridgestone Potenza's on my MX-5 ND 2.0 with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 but which exact spec is best? Michelin's website recommends 205/45 ZR17 (88Y) DT1, 205/45 ZR17 88W or 205/45 ZR17 (88Y). However, the dealership also mentioned a choice of 205/45 R17 88V G1. Speed index of V should be sufficient for the car (240km/h rated tire should be fine for the car's 214km/h top speed). But what does G1 mean? The G1 model is has a C fuel efficiency label while the others all have E. Should the G1 behave the same as the Y DT1, Y or W tire?
Do you think that jelly sensation that a lat o people talk about when the tire are pushed very hard, is it solved by choosing the ZP (run flat) model (that should have the side wall reinforced)?
I'm looking to replace all 4 Pilot Super sports on my 2015 M135i. I have the option to go for the PS4 or the PSS. What's the main difference between the two? Will I notice the difference in wet/cold grip in regular daily driving? I'm happy to stick with the PSS but if the difference is minimal then I'll save myself £150 and go for the PS4's.
I want my car to have less hydroplane and very good grip in wet. Which one is better between PS4 and PS4S?
Alfa Mito 135 (215/45/R17) looking to replace my P Zero Neros for some Pilot Sports, I do enjoy some spirited driving now and again hence choosing the Pirellis last time. but for a daily driver, would the Pilot Spots be the better all-rounder over the year? looking to improve on the tire noise and economy whilst maintaining high levels of grip in all-weathers.
Please advise on best tire for wet track days Currently I use ps cup 2 for dry & PS4 for wet track days but is there a better option?
What is the approximate mileage one can expect to get from a pair of Pilot Sport 4 tires on the front wheels of an Audi A6 Quartro ?
Can I mix michelin ps4 with other tires?
My current Bmw 120 d m sport has 18 inch tires on front and back with load rating 88Y run flat I have seen front replacement tires with same width radius speed rating but the load is 92Y XL run flat The tires are pilot sport 4 225/40/92Y XL run flats my reg LG63XBJ . Also is it ok to run 92Y on front axle and continue with 88Y on rear axle Thankyou
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| Size | Price Range | |
|---|---|---|
| 225/40 R18 | $295.99 - $295.99 (1 Prices) | Compare Prices >> |
| 225/45 R17 | $234.99 - $254.99 (2 Prices) | Compare Prices >> |
| 225/45 R18 | $252.99 - $362.99 (4 Prices) | Compare Prices >> |
| Available in 44 tire sizes - View all. | ||
YouTube Review
Top 3 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Reviews
Dry handling and grip is never an issue with the PS4. Traction control rarely kicked in. I previously had toyo t1 sport, and traction control kicked in a lot more frequently. Handling is balanced enough, but of course don't compare it to the PS4S which is in a different league.
Wet grip is pretty good for a summer tire. Never had any issue with aquaplaning. Not that I tried driving into a puddle. It can get a little jittery in the corner if you go too fast, but overall pretty good.
Overall great tires. I would easily recommend it to anyone.
I have today (11/01/16) received some of the first available Pilot Sport 4's in the UK. They are to replace my worn out Goodyear Eagle ASY 2's on the rear of my GAD Tuned C250 Cdi.
I will review again in a few weeks when I have had chance to thoroughly try the tire out, however my initial observations are as follows:
Aesthetic appeal: They look good and sit well on the rims, a pleasant development over the PS3, both in tread pattern and sidewall appearance, without being 'over the top'.
Cost: For my size I paid £145 per corner delivered from mytires, however tireloader(?) have them currently at £135. As they are new on the market I expected to pay a premium, and I anticipate as they become more established the price will come down in the coming months.
Other: They have a good size/width kerbing protection ring which is welcome, especially as they did not state they had one in the sellers description. A must for expensive alloys!
Potential downsides are that when measured from new I have gotten a reading of 7.2mm tread depth, as opposed to the 8mm once seen from new on sport tires. This seems to be a growing trend as the Hankooks and Bridgestones I have used on my other cars in recent months have also been supplied with 7mm from new as opposed to the 8mm expected.
I have also noticed that the grooves (in my size at least) seem wider than the PS3's I have used in the past. Whereas I am sure that the performance of this tire on our British roads esp. in the wet will excel, I am concerned about the longevity of this tire and its potential wear rate as simply there is less rubber contacting the road. Lets hope the compound will make up for it! I have found on my other cars that these wider grooves and lesser tread depth is causing my tires to need to be changed much more often than their predecessors (under much the same driving conditions and mileages), so despite the marketing bluff about increased longevity, I am sceptical.
I will re-review when I have had chance to get some miles done on these tires.
To be honest the tires still had tread remaining, and I expect I may have gotten another year and 10k kms out of them till the wear indicators became flush with the tread. The only reason I swapped early is to avoid any insurance liability given the past 2 service recommendations on the car. This is a real shame, as the tires are great at 40k km.
From day 1 they were really smooth and rounded off bumps and edges very smoothly to the cabin. The dry grip was excellent for a heavier 255hp mid torque car. I did feel in the last 10k kms though that sometimes it was giving into barely noticeable slippage on the rears during cornering at highway speeds. But overall the grip was still 9/10 for all intents and purposes till yesterday. Taking off at the lights, it gave me immediate response and always performed it like it was a piece of cake. They never had any hesitation or squealing when I needed sudden bursts of acceleration to overtake all the bumbling rav4s in my neighbourhood.
Wet grip was also amazing till now, it evacuates with a lot of spray out the back and feels planted on the roads at highway speeds. I never felt any aquaplaning on it. I always had immense confidence on these tires and in my car to drive at the speed limit in the cold wet roads of Melbourne. It may be a different story in tropical climes where you get fat raindrops and torrential rain; but in an English temperate wet climate, these have always performed perfectly.
My sole objective for putting on these tires initially were to get the most comfort at the highest safety margins which ruled out touring tires that are comfortable but are not as responsive as these high performance tires. To this end, it excelled. One time in early summer of their first year, we were up in the mountains when temps suddenly dropped to -3’C and a snowstorm hit. These tires still drove safely on the accumulating snow for as long as they could and only gave up on an uphill with black ice. These aren’t designed for those cold temps and those tread patterns, so to me they gave me a whole lot more that one time I asked it off them.
Comfort wise, my wife noticed that these PS4 tires were marginally more floaty and smooth riding compared to my 1 day old PS5 tires on the highway yesterday. On the other hand, I notice that the PS4s had slightly more noticeable tire noise coming into the excellently insulated w213 cabin, in comparison to the new PS5 tires. And I also noticed that tire noise on these PS4’s had gotten louder in the last 10k km of ownership.
So all in all, the tires were ageing, but it did everything I needed from them very, very well. That’s probably why I have no regrets swapping them out 10k kms prematurely. They would easily have gone another 10k kms to reach their tread wear indicator, with some accompanying minor performance degradation otherwise, I feel.
Overall I am very happy with the product. It fit my needs and my driving style perfectly.
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Compared to the A2's I had before the PS4 is a revelation in the wet, the grip in the wet was absolutely staggering (above 7C, below which any summer tire will increasingly struggle), it felt like it almost matched the A2s grip in the dry! Truly amazing grip in the wet!
Grip in the dry seemed good too, although I never pushed them cornering.
A big downside though was the rate they wore at, I nearly got caught out hitting the legal wear limit (1.6mm), I usually change tires at 2.5mm.
Although this was partly due to my mileage shooting up that year (due to a job change), it was also down to how quickly the tires were wearing, from new to ~1.6mm (for the NSR, OSR was ~2.7mm) in about 13.2 k miles. Whereas the last set of GY A2s lasted ~18.6k (rears again).
Their is the mitigating circumstance that I found the rear tracking was out shortly after replacing them, by how much I don't know because the garage's printer wasn't working and they didn't bother to take a photo of it either! That said, it was tracking straight and the outer and inner edges and groves had worn similarly, although the rear was tramlining somewhat (which reduced quite a bit after having it tracked).
Also it seems that the factory pressures are too high for the rears making them wear more in the middle, see their final tread depths below (for each main groove) and make your own mind up. But certainly the A2s pumped up to the same pressures and likely the rear tracking had been a bit out for years as the rear tramlining issue (mainly on the concrete bit of the south part of the M25!) had also been around for years!
NSR 3.2, 2.4, 1.6, 2.7
OSR 3.5, 2.7, 2.7, 3.5
Since then I've fitted Goodyear Asymmetric 6s (I had to downsize slightly to 245/40 17 to get them), and actually their not faring much better :(, they've covered 12.6k miles and are down to 3mm in the ctr grooves already (I can't recall what the outer's were, but theirs a smaller difference than the PS4s, which is at least partly down to the slightly lower pressure I use now, 2.5 Bar vs 2.7, not to mention the tracking being done at the beginning of their life).
Have been using it in the rough Indian roads for the past 6 months. Fitted on 16th July 2024 with a ODO reading of 54,673 Kms (34,000 Miles approx.) and today clocked 87,002 Kms (54,060 Miles approx.) About 85% of the tire life is over and nearing the wear indicator.
Have been doing regular trips throughout South India as the car is being used for Marketing purpose. Have been driving in all kind of terrains and since this is a proper Road tire, the performance offered in cornering are soo good. Especially in Indian roads we've to have a very good braking response from tire as we've surprises from animals, two wheelers and pedestrians crossing in the Highway.
Have got in a pothole once and got a side bulge recently.
Punctures over 10 times.
Still running strong....
Excellent levels of grip in the dry combined with amazing handling made the car unstoppable at cornering. Road feedback was very good and responsive. Wet grip was good, but traction in the wet was again suboptimal - cold tire wet handling was also slightly suboptimal. Once it got going and everything warmed up the tires were resistant to aquaplanning and gripped well.
The comfort was pretty good for a sporty tire. Wear wise I'd consider it normal. Overall a very good and safe tire for sporty driving, but there are now newer versions available.
The backs lasted 25000 miles
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