Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Name: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Brand: Michelin
Rating: 4.3 (138 reviews)

The MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 4 S is an ultra-high performance tyre which replaces the MICHELIN Pilot Super Sport in the range of outstanding tyres from the French manufacturer.

Designed for sports cars and high performance saloons, the MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 4 S offers unparalleled driving pleasure thanks to its exceptional steering precision and directional stability. It provides maximum performance and safety on all surfaces due to its optimised tread footprint which grips the road in all situations, even the most extreme.

Tyre review data from 138 tyre reviews averaging 86% over 1,524,685 miles driven, and 22 tests with an average result of 2nd.

Dry Grip 93%

Wet Grip 88%

Road Feedback 86%

Handling 87%

Wear 81%

Comfort 86%

Buy again 83%

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S has been tested by Tyre Reviews! Click here to view the in depth tyre test>>

First On Market	February 2016
Wheel Size	17 - 22"
Width	205 - 355mm
Profile	25 - 50

Rolling Resistance	C - D
Wet Grip	A - D
Noise (dB)	70 - 75
Winter Rating	Not Winter Rated

The Pilot Sport 4 S is ranked 10th of 77 Summer Max Performance tyres.

This tyre replaced the Michelin Pilot Super Sport and this tyre has been replaced by the Michelin Pilot Sport S 5.

In Depth Tyre Comparisons

Tests Included

Best Result

1st

Worst Result

5th

Average Result

2nd

Latest Tyre Test Results

2024 Sports Car Tyre Test

2nd of 7 tyres

Balanced sports tyre that excels on both wet and dry roads, precise steering, good feedback, good balance, short braking distances, quiet rolling noise.
Average aquaplaning safety reserves.

View Full Test >>

2023 Sport Auto UHP Tyre Test

3rd of 11 tyres

Good wet braking, brilliant aquaplaning safety. Strong braking, great precision and very low sensitivity to load changes on a dry track.
Difficult balance in wet handling. Increased values in rolling resistance and tyre noise.
Top aquaplaning protection and strong in the dry for the Pilot Sport 4S, but slight deficits when wet.

View Full Test >>

2022 Tyre Reviews UUHP Summer Tyre Test

2nd of 10 tyres

Excellent grip in the dry and wet, good aquaplaning resistance, low levels of noise, low rolling resistance.
Lack of steering feel and speed during handling tests.
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S continues to be a tyre that does everything well, excelling in every test and having a range of abilities no tyre can rival. The negative of the PS4S is the same as always, it has slightly slower steering and worse feedback than the best on test, but this does bring levels of refinement the sportier tyres can't match.

View Full Test >>

Size	Fuel	Wet	Noise
18 inch
245/40R18 97 Y XL	C	B	71
245/45R18 (100Y) XL	C	B	71

View All Sizes and EU Label Scores for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S >>

Questions and Answers for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

2016-10-06 - What sizes does it come in?

A full list of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S launch sizes can be found here.

2017-04-23 - Which are the differences between Michelin pilot sport 4 and Michelin pilot sport 4S?

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is the larger, more performance orientated version of the Pilot Sport.

2017-10-03 - ust wondering where the directional indicator is on these tyres ? All I can really find is the word "outside" which seems to suggest the tyres can be run on both Left and Right sides of the vehicle.. Is this correct ? I recently had 4 tyres fitted and when I look at the tread pattern from the rear of the vehicle, the outer tread grooves slant up on one side, whilst on the other side they slant downwards.. Just checking to see if this model of Tyre is actually Asymmetrical, and when looking at the tyre pattern from the rear, they should flow in the same direction ? Overall - do Michelin make these tyres in both Left and Right variations ? or only one variation ?

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is an asymmetric tyre, and are mounted based on outside and inside. There are slight variations of tread directions when looking at left and right side tyres mounted, but these have no affect on performance.

2018-02-22 - How have people found the 4 and 4S for driving from cold? I have used Asymmetrics 2s which will need replacing soon and would miss the fact that they seem to have the full complement of grip from the first turn of the wheel ,wet or dry. (Car is a B7 RS4).

The warm up of the 4S is incredibly impressive from cold on my M3. It's mentioned in the latest youtube video here

2018-04-23 - I have a 1-year old AMG C63 which will shortly need new tyres all round. After research I would like to fit Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres all round but they don't come in a size for my rears. My fronts are 255/35 ZR19 and the rears are 285/30 ZR19. Do you think it would be okay to fit Pilot Sport 4S tyres to the fronts and Pilot Super Sport to the rears? Neither tyre comes in both the sizes I need. If it is not a good idea to fit these two types what would you recommend? My car currently has Continental ContiSport Contact 5P all round but these are wearing out so quickly. My annual mileage is about 6 - 7,000 miles of which a number are not done too gently. Thanks for your assistance.

I'd be more inclined to fit the PSS all round (you can get it in your front size) as I find a balanced car key to driving enjoyment. There's sadly no current plans for 285/30 R19 PS4S.

2018-07-22 - what would be the recommended camber angles for Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires 235/45/17 for track day use on a rwd car? I know that exact number depends on car suspension etc, but can you please give me the reference point.

Camber angles are so vehicle and application dependant it's almost impossible to give an accurate starting point. As with any performance tyre, using camber and pressures to ensure the tyre is heated evenly is key. My starting point would likely be a little more negative camber than the OE settings and go from there.

2018-08-27 - Will the PS4S be available in 18" in the near future? I'd like to substitute the Potenza S001 on my 147 GTA by the PS4S but they aren't available and I don't want to spend the money in some PSS and that in a few months the release them. Thank you very much

There's no official date for 17 or 18 inch versions of the PS4S in Europe, but there are rumours it is coming! I wouldn't rely on seeing it before 2019.

2018-08-31 - I am driving a 2018 Mercedes E63s sedan. It came with Pirelli P zero tires. Even in comfort mode the car is extremely harsh for ride quality. I am looking to replace them with a set of tires that would give me the best ride quality over everything else. Is there a better soft riding tire for this car than the Michelin pilot sport 4s. Thank you.

The Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 is regarding as a very comfortable tyre in certain sizes so worth checking out, but the 4S is the best all round tyre available at the moment.

2019-05-06 - Will these PS4s be good for BMW 530d GT F07 for daily use, highway, city traffic? (20" size)

The PS4S is a great option for daily use.

2019-07-02 - Any news on if and when the PS4S will be available in 17" or 18"?

There's rumours a few 18" sizes will be available at some point in the future, but don't expect a lot of key sizes as they have in America. Michelin are happy with the PS4 covering this size range.

2019-08-16 - Hello, I have a Mercedes C63 with the 19” wheels, currently on MPSS which are fabulous although could be a little better for traction in the cold and wet. I don’t track the car just want solid road driving and enhanced wet weather grip. Would you recommend MPS4s or the new GoodYear supersports? Loved your recent film which leads me to believe the Goodyear are even better in the wet?

According to our test, the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport should offer a little more wet traction than the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. More tests will hopefully confirm this next year!

2019-09-27 - Hi Jonathan, first of all thanks for the excellent tyre review videos and this great website! First question: how big is the difference between getting a Michelin Pilot Sport 4S with the BMW star indicator in comparison to a Michelin Pilot Sport 4S without any indicator or even a wrong indicator like MO for a BMW? Would be great to see a video on this with a BMW M2!!! Second question: how do you exactly measure stopping distance? When for example in the video it gives the average stopping distance for 100-0kph at which speed did you hit the brakes? At +6kph? And why don’t you measure 100-5kph as the german stopping distance DIN recommends? And how many brakes do you do to get an average? And do you just read the braking distance from the race logic instrumentation or do you use a different calculation like the MFDD (mean fully developed deceleration) to determine stopping distance? And which Instrumentation with how much Hz do you use? Thanks a lot in advance and keep up the fantastic reviews!

That's a lot of questions, so I'll summarise. Email in if you'd like more details.
1) Sometime very little differences between * and AO etc marked tyres, sometimes a lot. You'd have to test on a case by case basis. 2) We always start braking at a higher speed, usually +5-8, and usually measure down to ~5kph due to ABS systems effecting the last few km/h. Sometimes we calculate down to zero, sometimes we just show the 100-5 distances. 3) We usually do 5-7 good braking runs to average per set. 4) Instrument depends on test location. Usually it's racelogic.

2019-12-05 - Hi I'm looking to buy Michelin ps4s for my TTRS but I've noticed the EU rating of C and E does this make a big difference to the performance of the tyre.

The difference between a C and E grade in wet braking can be very small in the real world (grade D isn't used), but where possible always buy the newest version of the tyre.

2021-07-04 - Recently replaced the pretty worn and aging Pilot Sport PS2 N2’s on my Porsche 997 Carrera S with PS4S. Sizes are 235/35/19 and 305/30/19. For whatever reason, the fronts were only available in a ‘DT1’ version. I was hesitant but went ahead with them. Having driven 200 km on them, so far I absolutely hate them. Turn in is so vague and indirect, simply changing lanes in the dry at normal speeds almost felt scary. I can’t find any good info on that DT1 version. These are my first 4S tyres. Will things improve with mileage, different pressures, is it the DT1 (only front, rear is non-DT1) or is it just I made a mistake and should get PS2’s again? Thanks for any advice!

This is a common complaint about the PS4S. I'd suggest upping the pressures slightly on the front to try and compensate. The tyres will bed in more, however it's unlikely they'll feel like the N specific PS2 sadly.

2021-07-26 - Where can I find the spec when it comes to the Run Flat characteristics of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S?

Sadly I've never seen any runflat tyres tested.

2021-11-13 - I’d appreciate some tyre advice please. Wanting to change my F82 M4 competition tyres from PSS to PS4S, as I have these on my Cayman and they are excellent. Weirdly though, I can only find the 285 30 20 rears in BMW homologation, not the fronts 265 30 20. I’m persuaded by your videos that OEM is better due to the R&D, but combining OEM with non-OEM on a different axle probably defeats the point. Is it better to just put the generic PS4S on both axles or generic front and BMW rear? Thoughts appreciated, thanks.

I'm not sure the F82 ever got the 4S officially, you're finding the rear of the G82. As you've seen in the video, they're quite different tyres so I would probably choose to match all four tyres with non-oe. Or fit a set of G82 wheels and use the 19" front :)

2022-01-30 - Last week I was pricing out a set of Pilot Sport 4S for my Cayman only to learn that Michelin have just announced the Pilot Sport 5. I can hold off for a month or two and was hoping the team at tyrereviews.com could comment on the new tyre. Are you likely to get your hands on the Pilot Sport 5 anytime soon?

The Pilot Sport 5 directly replaces the Pilot Sport 4, not the 4S which is a even-more performance orientated tyre. I will hopefully get on the PS5 in March, but I expect for a Cayman the PS4S or one of the direct rivals such as the Sport Contact 7 will be the better option.

2022-08-01 - Is the PS4S in 295/30-18 an N-rated tire?

If there is an N rated version in 295/30R18 the retailer should display that marking.

2023-07-04 - Dear Jonathan! What would you choose for a heavy RWD sporty grancoupe as a rear tire for long, spirited road travels: -roads are horrible (holes everywhere) -Want to avoid wobbly-sponge rear when cornering PS4 or PS4S? I cannot decide. Noise is the same, and S is much better, but not quite sure if PS4 less rigid sidewall makes it too wobble, and unconfident when cornering hard , or it is manageable, and the win in comfort is big. Or the other way around... So how do they behave? PS4 is just a bit more comfy, and still solid, confident, or the PS4S is not much less comfy, but has a rock solid rear feeling. I would want both... but i have to choose. :D

Personally I would have the PS4S. It's less wobbly than the PS4 but still more comfortable than some of its peers.

2023-07-21 - I have a 2020 BMW 3 series 320d Msport Touring (G21). I currently have 19" run flat tyres and looking to replace them with non run flat tyres. I am looking into purchasing the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 or 4s. However wanted to ask whether the star (*) rating would bare any significant difference as its not a M Performance car and whether to consider the Michelin Pilot Sport 5? Most of my driving is commuting to and from work on the motorway and inner city driving. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

The non-M versions of the tyres are certainly not as tuned as the M versions, however they are still tuned. That said, if you spend a lot of your time commuting you might appreciate the extra comfort, tread life and wet grip of the aftermarket PS5 when compared to the OE fitments.

2023-11-01 - I drive a 2023 BMW 128ti fitted with Bridgestone Potenza S 235/35x19. Car has done 5k miles. I find these tyres unbearably noisy with a harsh ride. I’m looking at replacing with either Michelin PS4 (£184) and Continental Sport 7 (£158). Prices from black circles. According to your tests the Continental is the better tyre but says the Michelin is quiet. Although the results are very close I can’t see anything which says how quiet the Continental is. Comfort and refinement is a priority but there is also some difference in cost which I am willing to pay if you feel there is a marked difference between the 2 tyres. Your comments would be appreciated.

You are asking the question on the Pilot Sport 4 S page but you say PS4, which is the Pilot Sport 4. This will be the most comfortable of the three. Of the PS4S and SC7 it will be very close with the edge probably in favour of the Michelin. If noise and comfort is a priority fitting a touring bias tyre like the Primacy 4 will yield better results.

2024-02-06 - My Michelin PS 5 front tyres only protrude 4 mm outside the alloy rim. Will a PS 4 give me more rubber to protect the rear rims from gentle kerbing? I appreciate nothing will protect the rims from a serious kerbing.

Kerb protection can actually vary based on the pattern AND tyre size (and even OE marking) so while some PS4S tyres might have good rim protection, some might have none. The Bridgestone Potenza Sport seems to nearly always have good rim protection.

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Size	Price Range
225/45 R17	£121.63 - £121.63 (1 Prices)	Compare Prices >>
235/35 R19	£165.68 - £228.32 (12 Prices)	Compare Prices >>
245/35 R19	£210.71 - £289.90 (14 Prices)	Compare Prices >>
255/35 R19	£185.28 - £241.96 (22 Prices)	Compare Prices >>
Available in 100 tyre sizes - View all.

YouTube Review

Top 3 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews

Given 100% while driving a BMW M3 (275/35 R19) on a combination of roads for 1,000 spirited miles

Replaced the Pilot Super Sports on my F80 M3 and it's better in every way. The wet grip is insane, it's like you're driving in the dry. Best tyre on the market.

Helpful 594 - tyre reviewed on March 9, 2017

Given 66% while driving a Volkswagen Golf GTI (225/45 R17) on mostly town for 5,000 spirited miles

Very good but a big problem... Many good things about the PS4S... but the handling is too smooth.Less precision in the beginning of curve. The tire performing very well in high speed but for 99,% of people we need fun under 120km/h...

Helpful 124 - tyre reviewed on April 19, 2023

Given 89% while driving a Audi a6 avant 3.0 tdi s line (255/35 R20) on a combination of roads for 300 average miles

These replaced some Goodyear F1 Supersport tyres. The Goodyears had amazing grip, great steering response and I got almost 30k miles out of them. The problem with them was the harsh ride, really noticed a difference when I had the PS4 S fitted and it wasn’t a case of old v new, I noticed the harsh ride after the Goodyears replaced some Pirelli’s. The Michelins are so much more comfortable, a little quieter but are still responsive to steering input. If you’re an out and out racer choose the Goodyears, if you want 99% of the Goodyear’s steering response but value comfort choose the Michelins, I will in future!

Helpful 141 - tyre reviewed on November 17, 2021

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Latest Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S Reviews

Given 76% while driving a Mercedes Benz A45 S AMG (245/35 R19) on mostly country roads for 2,000 spirited miles

These are a great combination of sporty and capable with compliance for comfort. They are great in the dry and very capable once warmed up. They are ok in the wet but push hard and the feedback can be slow. The wear for a performance tyre is great in my opinion they last me a decent amount of time.

Helpful 10 - tyre reviewed on September 19, 2024

Given 86% while driving a Ford Puma (225/40 R19) on mostly country roads for 25,000 spirited miles

An excellent all round tyre. I have these on both my Ford Puma ST and my Toyota GR Yaris.
I'm surprised by the longevity of the PS4S tyre. I've done 25,000 miles in the Puma and the treads are down to 3.8mm (F) and 4.8mm (R), so still plenty of life left.

Helpful 11 - tyre reviewed on September 17, 2024

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Given 57% while driving a Audi RS3 8V (255/30 R19) on a combination of roads for 7,600 spirited miles

I used to run these on 310bhp cars and were perfect, even got 28k miles out of a set. On my RS3 after less than 8k they are dead, cooked and uneven wear even though suspension was good. The compound they put in newer tyres might be at fault here. Between these and Super Sports, PS4's only win in the cold and last longer generally.

Helpful 12 - tyre reviewed on August 15, 2024

Given 100% while driving a BMW 330D Touring (225/40 R19) on a combination of roads for 100 spirited miles

After watching a review on YouTube comparing 3 premium tyres I went for the pilot 4s. Instantly transformed the ride quality and reduced road noise I had from mid range run flats. Fantastic feedback turning into corners. Sticks to the road like sh*t to a blanket. Really happy with my purchase. Haven't yet tried them in the wet as they are only on the car a few days but for my driving style they are superb.

Helpful 15 - tyre reviewed on June 20, 2024

Given 59% while driving a Mercedes Benz GLE 350de (325/35 R22) on mostly motorways for 800 average miles

Have been mainly Pirelli or Continental tyres over the past 35 years of doing around 30,000 miles a year. Had Michelin Pilot Sport fitted to a 4x4 car (so supposed to be ideal for rough ground) and in less than 800 miles there appeared a small side wall bulge. Fitter thought probably faulty tyre as no other sign of damage to wheel but waste of time contacting Michelin as they would for sure just say road damage. Never had side wall damage in the past so lesson learnt, will stick to brands that never let me down in the past. These are £450 tyres and looking at the other reviews, side walls seem to be Michelins downfall. How hard can it be to make a decent tyre, I’ve had birthday candles that have lasted longer.

Helpful 19 - tyre reviewed on May 24, 2024

Given 97% while driving a Hyundai Elantra N (245/35 R19) on a combination of roads for 20,000 spirited miles

Extremely good tire. I have full confidence in them even in pouring rain. Now to be fair, I have 245 width which helps but my Elantra N is fairly light so there isn't all that much weight to keep the tires planted. Yet these tires have never steered (

Helpful 24 - tyre reviewed on May 2, 2024

Given 81% while driving a Nissan 370Z (305/30 R19) on a combination of roads for 10,000 spirited miles

I used the Michelin PS4S as a general street use tire on my 370Z for a little more than 2 years. I will add the disclaimer that my alignment used was more track biased with extra negative camber dialed in, but these have never seen the track. Overall, these are a great tire to use on the road. Peak grip is excellent and the ride quality is also noticeably improved over competitors. When the tread was adequate (above the wear bars), the wet traction was pretty good as well. However, I did not enjoy the steering feedback from the vehicle. Compared to the same sizes of my previous Continental Extreme Contact Sport, turn-in felt vague and not as responsive. The overall treadwear of the tires is excellent. My front tires are still good but being a rear-wheel drive car, it's expected for those to wear out faster.

I am moving onto the Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires (mainly due to a closeout pricing) because the Michelins are just far too expensive for what they offer on the road. For the track, I recommend just getting a good set of 200TW tires.

Helpful 26 - tyre reviewed on April 2, 2024

Tyre Reviews Replies

The PS4S does fine on track, for it's category it's rather good, but you're right that there's nothing like a 200tw tyre for steering response and feedback.

You should notice an improvement in handling with the Potenza Sport, but they will not wear as well, and if you do track them careful not to get them too hot.

Given 87% while driving a Mercedes Benz A45 (225/45 R17) on mostly motorways for 24,000 spirited miles

i'm using it for both my A45 and FK8.
Driving during wet condition is good for me unless there are big water pots.
During driving up hills at high speed the tyre are able to coupe with the extream cornering at high speed and short corner.
Road feedback is a bit noisy at a old pavement and not a good road. On a new pavement normally it is good.
Comfort wise it is good but still can be better with the soft side wall.
compare to sport contact 6 it is better with no sticky stone at the tyre.

Helpful 28 - tyre reviewed on February 21, 2024

Given 84% while driving a BMW M4 Competition (285/30 R20) on mostly country roads for 4,000 average miles

My BMW M3 Competition xDrive had Pirelli's from the factory. They were ok... but after having read some reviews of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S * (the M3/M4 version of it), I opted for these ones after 27.000 km (around 17.000 miles) on the Pirelli's.
The Michelin are even better on dry roads, even better than Michelin Supersport (more relaxed as far as temperature is concerned).
In the wet, I would say that I feel the PS 4S* a little bit better than the Pirelli's. Not really for 'surprise' slides, but for basic wet grip. Anyway. With tyres like these ones, when your car is feeling 'happy', it means you are driving like a maniac.
I did not notice a difference in road noise and in comfort.
I did notice a difference in control and feedback. It seems like you get more information from the road and the car and, therefore. A better control.
I have not yet tested the Michelin on Spa-Francorchamps or the Nürbürgring, so I cannot comment the trackday part of the joy.
Drive safely ;)

Helpful 53 - tyre reviewed on November 10, 2023

Given 79% while driving a Ford Focus ST (235/35 R19) on a combination of roads for 14,000 spirited miles

From a strictly performance based review, tyres have been exemplary.
A almost perfect combination of grip in the dry and wet, ride comfort and low noise.
Tyre wear has been, OK. Front tyres have reached the end of their life however the rears are still on around 5mm tread.
Bigger concern is the visible perishing and cracking around the shoulder of all 4 tyres. This is visible on the edge and between the outside tread blocks.
In heavy rain, the tyres seemed a little susceptible to straight line aquaplaning. However in 'normal' wet conditions the grip is good and braking confidence inspiring.
Would I buy these again? The perishing / cracking around the outsides has put me off. My wife's car has Michelin Primacy 4 tyres and they too have perished quite noticeably.
The PS4S on my car are about to be replaced with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6's.

Helpful 68 - tyre reviewed on August 24, 2023

Given 90% while driving a Porsche Boxster 2.5 (235/35 R20) on mostly country roads for 100 spirited miles

Just replaced Pirelli P zeroes, front and rear on Boxster 718 GTS, with Michelin PS4S . What a difference, it has transformed the ride without affecting the handling. Couldn’t be happier !!!

Helpful 71 - tyre reviewed on May 12, 2023

Given 91% while driving a Volkswagen (225/40 R18) on mostly country roads for 300 spirited miles

FINALLY! I just fitted a new set of 225/40 R18 Michelin PS4S to my GTI Performance and I had them on the car for roughly 450 km currently. Remember I placed this order on March 30 in 2022. Yeah, 2022! After some endless wait until October 8th delivered to dealer, and I use to fit winters in October, no summer tyres. On a sidenote: DOT 2222, so these American produced tyres were made two months after my order . . . . Somewhat facetiously, isn't it?
These PS4S replaced my former PSS in HN spec (Hyundai i30N). So, what do they look? Much wider, with a way better rim protection compared to the PSS HN. The sidewalls are almost straight on VW 7.5" wheels. Very pleased to lay my eyes on. My former PSS HN looked like a 205. How do they feel? Stiff. I didn't exactly expect them to be harsher compared to the PSS, but they really are. With ~3.5 mm my former PSS felt more forgiving if not just softer. These PS4S ride like 19" instead of 18" and I didn't expect that. What I much longed for was wet grip. The PSS HN isn't an adept for wet performance. We had some coolish rainy days (slightly below +10°C). In a nutshell, this PS4S delivered! Just what you'd expect from a contemporary 'higher performance' tyre.