The Pilot Sport 4S is Michelin's Max Performance Summer tire developed in cooperation with some of the most demanding vehicle manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche to utilize key technologies engineered during competition in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was designed for serious drivers looking to maximize the performance potential of their sports cars, performance sedans and powerful luxury vehicles. The Pilot Sport 4S excels in warm dry and wet conditions, so like all Max Performance Summer tires, is not intended to be serviced, stored nor driven in near- and below-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.
Select sizes of the Pilot Sport 4S are available with Michelin's Premium Touch sidewall treatment. This velvet-effect checkered sidewall is created using cutting-edge laser technology and is designed to enhance the vehicle's visual presence. These sizes are identified on the "Specs" page and in the search results.
The asymmetric tread pattern of the Pilot Sport 4S features side-by-side, 24 Hours of Le Mans-derived compounds. The low-void outer shoulder utilizes a new dry-focused hybrid tread rubber for improved dry handling and braking over the previous generation tire, while the center ribs and inboard shoulder feature a silica-infused wet compound designed to increase wet braking performance. The computer-modeled Variable Contact Patch 3.0 optimizes pressure distribution across the contact patch through turns, reducing hot spots and improving tire life during aggressive use.
Internal construction of the Pilot Sport 4S features twin steel belts reinforced by a spirally wound hybrid reinforcement. This hybrid Aramid and nylon belt offers a lightweight, high-strength reinforcement above the steel belts to enhance high-speed handling, wear and durability. Specifically tuning the application of the cord filament provides Michelin engineers the ability to balance tension and strength, and a single-ply, polyester cord casing balances trade-offs between ride quality and responsive handling.
Limited sizes of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S are available with Michelin Acoustic Technology, which involves the manufacturer adhering a layer of sound-absorbing foam to the inner liner of the tire to reduce cabin noise in the vehicle. These sizes are identified on the Specs page and in the search results.
Select original equipment sizes of the Pilot Sport 4S utilize the Michelin Connected Tire System in conjunction with Michelin Acoustic Technology and can be identified by the specific Acoustic and Bluetooth logos on the tire's sidewall. These tires contain the sound-absorbing foam as well as a sensor designed to communicate specific data about the tire to the vehicle's built-in systems.
Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.
Flexing of the specialized rubber compounds used in Max Performance Summer tires during cold-weather use can result in irreversible compound cracking. Compound cracking is not a warrantable condition because it occurs as the result of improper use or storage, tires exhibiting compound cracking must be replaced.
*Specific sizes utilizing Michelin Total Performance eco-focused manufacturing methods are identified as such on the Sizes tab, as well as on the tire's Specs tab.
Related Information: Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing | Noise Reducing Tire Technology
When these two wildly popular summer performance categories go head-to-head, it gives us a deeper look into what truly separates them. That helps you find the best tire for what you prioritize, whether that be on-road comfort with sporty handling or if you’ll trade off some manners for even more handling. In a packed field, with new products and first-time tires in our revamped testing platform, there were sure to be some surprises…and there were! And as always starting in 2025, you’ll see last year’s results added into the mix to see where they all stand.
Read the Full Test Report
(3,025)Tire Category: Max Performance Summer
| Best in Category |
| Miles Reported |
| Recommended |
| Treadwear |
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
|
|---|
| 99% |
| 18M |
| 9.1 - Excellent |
| 8.8 - Excellent |
|
|
| 9.5 - Excellent |
|
|
| N/A |
|
|
| 8.7 - Excellent |
|
|
| 8.0 - Good |
Ratings highlight excellence in comfort, with many customers praising the smooth ride (8-10 range common) though some note occasional road noise. Treadwear draws mixed feedback-scores vary widely, with some reporting premature wear (multiple 0-4 ratings). Winter traction earns solid marks for light snow (7-8 typical) but struggles on ice (3-5 common). Wet performance shines with reliable hydroplaning resistance (7-9 typical) and confident handling. Dry traction stands out as a strength, consistently rated 8-10 for responsive cornering and stability. While not a dedicated winter tire, it delivers strong all-season versatility for crossovers/SUVs, particularly impressing in dry/wet conditions. Tread life remains the primary caution point.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
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When these two wildly popular summer performance categories go head-to-head, it gives us a deeper look into what truly separates them. That helps you find the best tire for what you prioritize, whether that be on-road comfort with sporty handling or if you’ll trade off some manners for even more handling. In a packed field, with new products and first-time tires in our revamped testing platform, there were sure to be some surprises…and there were! And as always starting in 2025, you’ll see last year’s results added into the mix to see where they all stand.
Read the Full Test Report
We understand that tire performance categories can be confusing. You want an all-season tire, but there are several all-season categories; how do you know which one is right for you? You want a summer tire, but again, which summer category? In this special demonstration, we took six all-season tires from three all-season categories and three summer tires from two summer categories to lay it out for you. Category-leading tires from the Standard Touring All-Season, Grand Touring All-Season, Ultra High Performance All-Season, Max Performance Summer, and Extreme Performance Summer categories are tested so you can see exactly what each "step up" gets you as a driver and what trade-offs were made along the way.
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EP tires wear two distinct hats. They’re great on sporty and high horsepower vehicles conquering the everyday road and on those same vehicles as they dominate in various races and track days. The nuances here are many as increased traction and performance in one of these arenas can mean a tradeoff elsewhere. This two-part test lays it all bare and reveals just how close, but different, this category can be!
Read the Full Test Report
EP tires wear two distinct hats. They’re great on sporty and high horsepower vehicles conquering the everyday road and on those same vehicles as they dominate in various races and track days. The nuances here are many as increased traction and performance in one of these arenas can mean a tradeoff elsewhere. This two-part test lays it all bare and reveals just how close, but different, this category can be!
Using our new BMW M2 high-performance test vehicle, we ran two Ultra High Performance and four Max Performance summer tires through our litany of tests to find the best performance tire on the market.
The EV tire space has a lot of hype and anticipation, but what’s the substance? What do you get by choosing a tire marketed as an EV product? What do you give up? In this round, we have Touring, Performance, All-Season, and Summer tires – in both EV-focused and non-EV-focused applications – making it our most complete test to date, including our 2024 winter test results!
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is a top-performing tire designed for serious drivers looking to maximize the performance potential of their sports cars, performance sedans, and powerful luxury vehicles.
The Pilot Sport 4S is Michelin’s Max Performance Summer tire designed to deliver the absolute handling and grip drivers want from their vehicles while maintaining reasonable road manners for the daily drive. It serves as a strong benchmark which two newcomers to the category will need to contend with if they hope to be the best.
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The Pilot Sport 4S has been the benchmark for Max Performance Summer since it was launched. Does it still have what it takes to remain a favorite?
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The Pilot Sport 4S is the benchmark for Max Performance Summer tires. We tested two newcomers to see how they compare.
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Serious about maximizing your vehicle's performance potential? Watch to learn how the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tire's tread design and rubber compound make that an attainable goal. Developed in cooperation with some of the most demanding vehicle manufacturers, this tire is ideal for sports cars, performance sedans and powerful luxury vehicles.
Michelin launched its newest creation as a limited edition, with a checkered sidewall, exclusively available at Tire Rack! Exclusively for select vehicles — the Pilot Sport 4 S Limited Edition with patented Premium Touch sidewall finish. More info is here.
When two titans of the tire industry release successors to their top-rated products, drivers need to be ready and armed to choose which one will be right for them. We took a look at the newest in Max Performance Summer to see how they stack up against each other and one of the best existing entrants in the category.
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