Performance Overview
This radar chart shows relative performance across all test categories, with 100% representing the best performance in each category. Reference tires may have gaps where data is not available.
Dry Performance Overview
Dry Braking (M)
Dry braking in meters (Lower is better)
Dry Handling (Km/H)
Dry Handling Average Speed (Higher is better)
Wet Performance Overview
Wet Braking (M)
Wet braking in meters (Lower is better)
Wet Handling (Km/H)
Wet Handling Average Speed (Higher is better)
Wet Circle (m/s)
Lateral wet grip in m/s squared (Higher is better)
Straight Aqua (Km/H)
Float Speed in Km/H (Higher is better)
Curved Aquaplaning (m/sec2)
Remaining lateral acceleration (Higher is better)
Comfort Performance Overview
Noise (dB)
External noise in dB (Lower is better)
Value Performance Overview
Price
Price in local currency (Lower is better)
Rolling Resistance (kg / t)
Rolling resistance in kg t (Lower is better)
Overall Findings
Based on the weighted scoring from all tests, here are the overall results:
| Position | Tyre | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Continental SportContact 7 | 0% | |
| 2 | Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 | 0% |
| 3 | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S | 0% |
| 4 | Firestone Firehawk Sport | 0% |
| 5 | Pirelli P Zero PZ4 | 0% |
| 6 | Bridgestone Potenza Sport | 0% |
| 7 | Falken Azenis FK520 | 0% |
| 8 | Kumho Ecsta PS91 | 0% |
| 9 | Maxxis Victra Sport 5 | 0% |
| 10 | Giti GitiSportS2 | 0% |
| 11 | Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 | 0% |
Hey guys, I wanna buy tyres for my crossover (255/45/R20) and have three options:
Nexen nfera Supreme (N5000 Platinum) : $175 each,
Nankang SP-9 Cross-Sport : $115,
Giti Sport S2 SUV :$125
which will provide more comfort on the road since the roads here are so bumpy
Will you recommend SportContact 7 over bmw PS4 S* ? Which one will last longer and have better feedback?
Difficult to say as there's a few versions of the PS4S*. Unless it's a G series car I would probably go for SC7.
It's my second set of SC7 right now, they are great though they become sharper after 50% of wear.. and the wear is really pretty fast** that's why I said maybe PS4S* will last longer and will be sharper right after the fitment no need to wait haha
**3000km/1900miles, no track, some canyon cruising only - results: ~80% wear front and 50% rear. TTS mk2.
Holy smoke that's fast wear. Maybe the PS4S are worth a shot! What size you running?
I wonder if the Potenza Sport has a progressively stiffer sidewall as the rim diameter increases (or profile decreases) compared to the Potenza RE004 or the predecessor Potenza S007A (with the RE004 and S007A being seemingly fairly similar, and similar in construction to the RE003 too)?
205/55 R16
Potenza Sport 8.6kg (-1.1kg)
Potenza RE004 9.7kg
(Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 / Potenza RE003 9.5kg)
225/45 R17
Potenza Sport 9.7kg (-0.7kg)
Potenza S007A 10.4kg
(Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 / Potenza RE003 10.4kg)
225/40 R18
Firestone Firehawk Sport 9.44kg (-1kg)
Potenza Sport 10.3kg (-0.1kg)
(Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 / Potenza RE003 10.4kg)
235/35 R19
Potenza Sport 9.9kg (-0.9kg)
(Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 / Potenza RE003 10.8kg)
[Unfortunately Tirerack no longer list the weights for sizes of the S007A that are now sold out and no longer available, which is most sizes!]
It would be great to get some of these old school Japanese-style Bridgestone Potenzas (i.e., where the road tyres are built almost like a track tyre) into a Tyre Reviews tyre test, though it might not be necessary if the Potenza Sport still uses the stiff construction in the bigger rim diameters. :)
That would explain why the 18" Potenza Sport is excellent, but I'm not too happy with the 17" Potenza Sport -- their immense grip *would be* superb, if only not for the slightly soft sidewalls and slight floatiness/vagueness compared to RE003 and subsequently S007A which I used before (granted nowhere near as bad as something like a 17" Pilot Sport 4 ST) -- so I'll be changing them out for Potenza RE004.
Though judging by the lighter weight nature of the 19" version, maybe that's not the case, so I dunno.
It seems like this European-market Firehawk Sport is a more comfort or rolling resistance biased version of the Potenza Sport? So not really an equivalent to the RE003-based Indy 500 model for hot hatchbacks, small sportscars and the like (I'm assuming there will eventually be a Firehawk Indy 500 Mk2 based on the Potenza RE004).
I'm afraid I can't answer your questions at the moment, but the Bridgestone Potenza S02 was one of the all time great tyres and built like a brick!
I found some new old stock S007A to put back on the car and it feels so much better IMO, so much more keyed in to the road (even if the grip is less). I had the chance to compare the unmounted S007A to unmounted Sports in 17", and there was quite a big difference -- the S007A were pretty much rock-solid whereas the Sports were about the same as the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6s in your 17" tyre test (somewhat firmish but some definite squish too, lol, definitely much more flexible by about 30-40%). :)
The plot thickens -- I saw a Japanese tyre review with 0323-dated S007A tyres, so I went on the Bridgestone Japan website where the locally-made Potenza S007A is still listed a current model (and indeed the Potenza Sport that would be an import, is not listed). So it turns out it still being made in Japan after all, so maybe there will be a S008 or Sport 2 that combines the best of both tyres one day? :)
https://tire.bridgestone.co...
Sadly all modern tyres are taking strength out of the sidewall in order to hit rolling resistance targets. The rock hard tyres are from yesteryear :(
In the video it is stated by auto zeitung that between each wet braking test run they had to drive around the test facility for the next run during which the tires cooled down again. The Potenza Sport and P Zero seem to need some temperature because they were performing much better in the "roundabout track" for wet cornering grip.
This lines up with my and others experiences. In one test the Potenza Sport got shorter in wet braking every time we did it which is very unusual, I noted it in the video. Real world reviews have noted on cold wet days it's very difficult.
And again Goodyear produced the best quality/price tyre. EF1A6 all the way!
Really impressive tyre.
Is it possible that the thread for the Conti was just 5,8 mm?
I need new tyres for A4 on 19”. Considering you tested both of them, which one from Sportcontact 7 and Asymmetric 6 would you choose based on how they isolate the road roughness? It’s a rather important quality for me.
Thanks for your help!
I asked Conti and they said it should be 7.2mm.
I've not compared your two options back to back but I believe the Goodyear should be more comfortable.