Performance Analysis
Across eight summer tests, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV consistently excels, averaging 2.3rd overall with five test wins and two runner-up finishes. Its standout trait is wet safety and control: repeated firsts in wet braking, handling, and aquaplaning deliver a broad margin of security, especially in EV-focused and SUV-specific tests. Dry performance is also strong with frequent top-three braking/handling results and several outright wins. Off-road light-surface traction is solid on gravel/grass, though not universal across all terrains.
Trade-offs center on efficiency and cost. Rolling resistance and energy consumption are frequently below average, and pricing is among the highest. Cabin noise/comfort are mid-pack, and performance in sand/mud is mixed in SUV off-road subtests. Overall, it is a benchmark on-road SUV tire prioritizing wet safety and dynamic capability over economy.
Performance Strengths
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Wet Weather Performance
Strong
• 1st wet braking & 1st straight aquaplaning in 2024 Summer SUV Test (49.3 m; 93.3 km/h)
• 1st wet handling and 1st straight aquaplaning in 2023 Best SUV Tires (86.8 km/h; 95.9 km/h)
• 1st wet braking and 1st straight aquaplaning in 2020 AllRad (46.4 m; 89.7 km/h)
• 2nd wet braking (+2.6%) & 1st wet handling in 2025 Vi Bilagare EV (42.7 m; 71.4 s)
• 3rd wet braking (+4%) & 2nd wet handling (+1.2%) with 1st straight aquaplaning in 2024 EV Test
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Aquaplaning Resistance
Strong
• 1st straight and 1st curved aquaplaning in 2024 Summer SUV Test
• 1st straight aquaplaning in 2025 Vi Bilagare EV (91.7 km/h)
• 1st straight aquaplaning in 2023 EV vs UHP (83.8 km/h) and 2nd curved (+2.3%)
• 1st straight aquaplaning in 2023 Best SUV Tires (95.9 km/h)
• 1st straight aquaplaning in 2024 EV Test (95.5 km/h)
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Dry Braking/Handling
Strong
• Top-3 dry braking and competitive dry handling in 2024 Summer SUV (3rd braking +2.4%; 5th handling +1.2%)
• 1st dry handling in 2023 Best SUV Tires; 2nd dry braking (+1.7%)
• 1st dry braking and 2nd dry handling (+0.1%) in 2020 AllRad
• 2nd dry handling (+0.6%) in 2024 EV Test; 1st subjective dry handling (tie) in 2025 Vi Bilagare EV
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Overall Awards/Consistency
Strong
• Overall winner: 2025 Vi Bilagare EV (1/7)
• Overall winner: 2024 EV Test (1/9, Exemplary)
• Overall winner: 2023 Best SUV Tires (1/12)
• Overall winner: 2020 ViBilagare (1/8)
• Overall winner: 2020 AllRad (1/10)
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Light Off-road Traction (Gravel/Grass)
Moderate
• 1st grass traction and top-3 gravel metrics in 2024 Summer SUV (Grass 2438 N 1/11; Gravel handling 3/11)
• 1st gravel handling and 1st grass traction in 2020 AllRad
• 1st gravel traction in 2023 Best SUV Tires
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Noise/Comfort (relative to UHP peers)
Minor
• 2nd/3rd best noise in 2024 EV Test (70 dB, 2/9)
• Mid-pack but acceptable subjective comfort/noise in 2025 Vi Bilagare EV (comfort 5/7; noise 4/7)
Performance Weaknesses
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Rolling Resistance and Energy Efficiency
Strong
• 8th/9 rolling resistance (+44%) and 4th/8 energy consumption (+4.9%) in 2024 EV Test
• 8th/10 rolling resistance (+40.4%) and 8th/10 energy consumption (+15.9%) in 2023 EV vs UHP
• 7th/11 rolling resistance (+14.6%) in 2024 Summer SUV; 8th/12 (+13.7%) in 2023 Best SUV Tires
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Price/Value
Strong
• 10th/10 price (+126%) and poor value (7th/8, +61%) in 2024 EV Test/2023 EV vs UHP
• 11th/12 price (+103.3%) in 2023 Best SUV Tires
• 10th/10 price (+75.4%) in 2020 AllRad
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Noise/Comfort (absolute vs touring tires)
Moderate
• 7th/10 noise (+1.5%) in 2023 EV vs UHP; 8th/10 noise (+3.1%) in 2020 AllRad
• Subjective comfort only mid-pack in 2025 Vi Bilagare EV (5/7, +60% from best); noise 4/7
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Sand/Mud Performance
Moderate
• Sand traction 9th/11 (+21.1%) and mud traction 8th/11 (+9.6%) in 2024 Summer SUV
• Sand traction 10th/12 (+12.9%) in 2023 Best SUV Tires; mud only 3rd/12 (+7.3%)
• Mud traction 3rd/10 (+6.1%) and sand 3rd/10 (+0.9%) in 2020 AllRad (mixed)
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Off-road Gravel Handling (in mixed tests)
Minor
• Gravel handling 9th/10 (+2.9%) in 2025 Autobild on/off-road SUV
• Gravel handling 3rd/11 (+1.6%) in 2024 Summer SUV (variable across tests)