Apr 23,2026
Will Bradford
The big 2025 performance tyres tests are out, and they make for interesting reading. Three of the most-read titles, Tyre Reviews, evo magazine and Blackcircles, all ran comparisons on the newest ultra-high-performance summer rubber. Three different tests. Three slightly different winners. And some useful patterns if you know where to look.
Here at Longbridge Tyres, we fit these tyres on cars in Birmingham and Solihull every week, so we read these tests closely. But we also trust what comes off the car after a year of real driving. This is a plain-English look at what the 2025 tests found, plus a quick breakdown of the four names we get asked about most often.
What The Big Performance Tyres Tests Got Right
Tyre Reviews tested seven 225/40 R18s on a dedicated proving ground with Jonathan Benson at the wheel. evo tested nine 235/35 R19s on a BMW M135i xDrive at Bridgestone’s Aprilia facility in Italy. Blackcircles did not run a physical test, their list is based on customer buying patterns. So you are really comparing two track reviews and one sales chart.
The two track tests agreed on one big thing. The newest compounds, especially the Pirelli PZ5 and the Continental SportContact 7, have moved the numbers on. Older favourites like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S are still very good, but you can now see their age in the data. Where the tests disagree is weighting. evo gave the Bridgestone Potenza Sport the overall win because it was untouchable in the wet. Tyre Reviews dropped the same tyre to sixth because its rolling resistance of 10.7 kg/t is roughly 30 per cent thirstier than the best. Both are right. They are just answering different questions.
And that matters locally. If you drive around Birmingham and Solihull, where it rains most weeks and half your miles are stop-start traffic, wet grip and rolling resistance both earn their keep. A track in 35-degree Italian sun is not quite the M42 in November.
The Four Performance Tyres Worth Looking at Right Now
Most of our customers end up choosing between these four performance tyres. Here is how they compare, using the 2025 test data rather than the manufacturer spec sheets.
Pirelli P Zero PZ5. The new-generation P Zero, and on current evidence the best all-round ultra-high-performance tyre you can buy. Winner of the 2025 Tyre Reviews group test. Joint-best wet braking at 22.48 metres from 80 km/h. Quickest dry handling lap at 81.83 seconds. Comfort score of 10 out of 10. It is original equipment on newer BMW M, Porsche and Mercedes-AMG models, which is rarely a coincidence. We fit a lot of these on fast Audis and M cars.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 S. The successor to the much-loved Pilot Sport 4 S. Michelin kept what worked, the Bi-Compound tread and Dynamic Response sidewall, and retuned it for heavier cars, including performance EVs. Independent test data on the 5 S is still a bit thin because it is so new. The 4 S it replaces stayed competitive on rolling resistance and steering linearity right through the 2025 tests. If you have run Michelins before and liked the feel, the 5 S is the natural upgrade and keeps that progressive, linear character most drivers associate with the Pilot Sport range.
Continental SportContact 7. The braking specialist. evo recorded the shortest dry braking of anything on test, at 31.49 metres. Tyre Reviews measured the shortest of its test too, at 33.11 metres. Strong front end that tucks into corners quickly, and genuinely nice steering weight on the motorway. Rolling resistance is mid-pack rather than class-leading. If your car is front-heavy, or you drive the kind of roads where a late brake matters, this is the one.
Bridgestone Potenza Sport. The wet-weather king. evo’s 2025 overall winner. Shortest wet braking on test at 27.56 metres. Fastest wet lap. Confidence in standing water that one tester called “surreal”. There is a catch. Rolling resistance of around 10.7 kg/t is high, EU labelling has grown stricter about that, and fuel economy takes a hit. If you commute on wet motorways and wet grip is non-negotiable, nothing else comes close.
How to Actually Pick Between Them
Most buying guides skip the answer, so here is ours.
Go for the Pirelli PZ5 if you want the best single tyre across most situations. It is also the safest pick if you are matching an OE fitment on a newer car. Pick the Continental if your driving is mostly dry and you want the shortest stopping distance. Pick the Bridgestone if wet grip is non-negotiable, and you can stomach a few extra mpg at the pump. Pick the Michelin PS5 S if you already know you like the Pilot Sport character, and want the newest version of it.
And on price. The gap between the winner and the wooden spoon in evo’s test was only about £30 a tyre, but the wet stopping distances differed by 12 metres. That is a false economy measured in metal. We would rather fit you a known mid-range brand like Falken or Kumho than a no-name budget on a car that weighs two tonnes.
Where Longbridge Comes in
We have been fitting performance tyres in Birmingham for over 20 years. We stock all four of the names above, plus the wider range, and because we are independent we will tell you honestly which one actually suits your car, your miles and your budget. If you are closer to the Solihull side, we also do mobile fitting, the van comes to you.
Give the garage a ring on 0121 457 7582, or drop us a message through our contact page.
