Pirelli P Zero PZ4

Name: Pirelli P Zero PZ4
Brand: Pirelli
Rating: 3.8 (69 reviews)

The Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) is the latest update to the iconic P Zero sports car tire.

Tire review data from 69 tire reviews averaging 75% over 593,575 miles driven, and 26 tests with an average result of 4th.

Dry Grip 88%

Wet Grip 77%

Road Feedback 84%

Handling 82%

Wear 61%

Comfort 71%

Buy again 66%

The Pirelli P Zero PZ4 has been tested by Tire Reviews! Click here to view the in depth tire test>>

The P Zero PZ4 is ranked 47th of 78 Summer Max Performance tires.

This tire replaced the Pirelli P Zero.

In Depth Tire Comparisons

Tests Included

Best Result

1st

Worst Result

11th

Average Result

4th

Latest Tire Test Results

2024 EVO Summer Tire Test

6th of 7 tires

The Pirelli P Zero PZ4 finished sixth in testing, showing better performance than previous versions but still lagging behind the top performers. The tire showed strong wet subjective scores and performed adequately in dry tests. Braking performance was mixed, coming in fifth in wet braking at 2.5m behind the best. In wet tests, the tire was quick but lacked steering feel, though it was sharp and responsive with strong on-the-brakes performance. The tire stood out for refinement, being one of the quietest on test, but lacked some feedback and outright steering feel compared to the leaders.

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2023 ACE / Gute Fahrt UHP Summer Tire Test

2nd of 7 tires

No weakness at all.

Very Good.

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2023 Sport Auto UHP Tire Test

5th of 11 tires

Very easy to control and steer with a balanced, slightly understeering balance in the wet. Very quick steering, high lateral support and sensitive balance when cornering.
Weak wet braking, increased rolling resistance.
Strong when dry. Weaknesses in wet braking for the PZ4.

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Questions and Answers for the Pirelli P Zero PZ4

2019-10-09 - I find there is a lot of information on Continental, Goodyear and Michelin, but not as much on Pirelli. My understanding is that the P Zero PZ4 goes up against the Continental Premium Contact 6, Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 5, and Michelin PS4. Recent tests fare the PZ4 well, although the general opinion on the internet is that Pirellis are to be avoided. However sometimes tests include higher performance variants such as the ExtremeContact, Sport Contact 6, F1 Poleposition or PS4S. At the same time the Premium Contact 6 in smaller sizes goes against Premium Touring tires. I guess I am just confused by the classification. What is Pirelli take on these higher performance tires (PS4S, PSS, Sport Contact 6, ExtremeContact, F1 Poleposition) ? P Zero Corsa? A video inclusive of these tires would be interesting to compare the PZ4. Thanks

The PZ4 is intended to compete with the likes of the PS4S and CSC6. It works very well in OE fitment especially in the larger sizes, but the aftermarket versions were quite soft on the sidewall initially. This might have been updated recently as it's started to test a lot better more recently.

2022-12-27 - Hello! I’m looking to replace the tires on my 2006 E85 Z4M. It’s currently outfitted with Continental SportContact5 in the front and Continental SportContact in the rear. These last ones are pretty old, which is why I want to fit the car with a new set. Question is: which ones? I’m running the OEM 225/45/18 and 255/40/18 on the car. It’s only used as a fun/weekend car and is not driven during winter or in the rain if we can avoid it. in this size, I have the feeling there is not as much choice as for bigger wheels. My shortlist consists of Bridgestone Potenza Sport, Pirelli PZ4 Sports Car and Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport. The car is not used on track, only for roadtrips, fun drives on public roads and cruising. Max mileage per year is 5000 kilometers. From this point of view, what would you recommend for us? Thanks a lot!

All good options! I'm a big fan of the F1 SuperSport but it's perhaps not the most rounded tire as it gives up a bit in the wet. The Bridgestone is a great fun tire but the wear seems to be really high. The PZ4 is very well rounded! As the Z4M is a great chassis I'd probably fit the Goodyear!

2023-01-06 - Hi,

Love the site. I’ve a new UK M5 and I read online that I’ve “lost the tire lottery” by finding I have Pirelli P Zero PZ4’s fitted as opposed to the Michelin PS4.

Both are going to be OE versions - I can’t find a proper review of the two.

If you have time I’d really appreciate your thoughts - should I stick with the Pirelli’s or is the difference that much that I should stomach the cost of swapping out for Michelins? Do you have thoughts on the key differences?

The car won’t be tracked, wear isn’t that important but I do enjoy the performance of the car and want to be secure on the knowledge that I won’t find out the hard way that I have the wrong tire.

Thank you,

Greg

There are tests with the PZ4 and PS4S in on the site, such as here. In aftermarket there is generally a small difference where the PS4S has the advantage, but it's nothing worth getting upset about. As far as I'm aware, no one has actually back to back tested the OE versions of the PZ4 and PS4S however if BMW signed them both off the OE program, they should have similar levels of performance.

Michelin certainly make some of the best tires in the world, but the internet seems to put them on a pedestal. If I was in your position, I would run the PZ4 until they're worn out, change to the PS4S and see how you feel about them. Just remember there will be difference in performances between a worn tire and new.

2023-10-15 - Hi, I need to change my summer tires on my 2019 C class and on my shortlist are these PZ4 and the Goodyear f1 asymmetric 6, the only thing is that the PZ4 are OEM - MO while goodyears are not what would you think is the better option ? would the pz4 oem be better than the retail goodyears 6 ?

It really depends what Mercedes tuned for, usually the OE versions have lower rolling resistance at the expense of wet grip which makes the aftermarket versions a more rounded product, however the OE version will likely be slightly better tuned for the C classes weight and power balance.

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YouTube Review

Top 3 Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Reviews

SEAT (225/40 R18 W) on for 0 miles

Really good !
Replace very very good Yokohama V105 one year old.
To try them out.
First-class comfort (top) + rolling silence
A little above the Yoko on the dry,
In the rain, they are incredible ! Well above all that I have tried :
Dunlop RT, PS3, Yoko V105, Hankook V12 K110.
No idea about wear again ... The +:
- Braking (this is a big highlight)
- Motricity
- Handling
They are equipped with protections of the rims although the option is not specified (in France).
The sides are stiffer than the PS3 for example. The precision is much better.
In short, conquered...
Remains to be seen at mid-wear behavior ... exotic productions are often very disappointing after 40/50% wear ...
Although cheaper than Michelin Super Sport for overall performance not so far away ... Probably in terms of PS4 performance for lower price...

Helpful 295 - tire reviewed on June 27, 2017

Given 53% while driving a Alfa Romeo Giulietta (225/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 12,427 average miles

Was offered these in comparison to my initial choice of 2nd set of PS4 which these supposedly handles just as well and have lower noise.
1.5yrs with 20k KM (12427.424 miles) milage and they are worn and due for a change.

Helpful 158 - tire reviewed on October 18, 2018

Given 90% while driving a Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI (8PA) (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 3,000 spirited miles

I have been a happy Michelin user for more than 400k km but, after a bad experience with a set of PS4 (high vibration), decided to try some other tire. I was looking for a sport tire with an OE spec and found a good price for the PZ4. It is important to note that, to the best of my knowledge, the specs of this tire may vary significantly from size to size. My thoughts are only applicable to 225/45/17 94Y(*). Dry performance is flawless, high level of grip and very good feedback and handling. In this regard, I would put them over the PS4 and a little bit under the PS2(N3). Surprisingly, the PZ4 is really silent and comfy, which is also a plus for motorway and long trips. I have not driven in heavy rain conditions yet, but no complaint so far on light rain. The tires look as new after 5000 km. However, I am not expecting them to last as long as the PS4.

Helpful 60 - tire reviewed on November 12, 2022

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Latest Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Reviews

Given 38% while driving a Audi S3 (235/35 R19) on mostly town for 15,000 average miles

I bought 4 brand new Pzero and put them on my 2017 S3, I can assure you that those tires are dangerous, I felt it from day one. Specially when cold.
Traction is poor on both wet and dry. I don't recommend those tires and sure will not buy again.

Helpful 0 - tire reviewed on December 19, 2024

Given 73% while driving a Hyundai i20N (215/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 10 spirited miles

No problem at all with dry grip/handling/braking... whatever involves dry tarmac you will be more than happy with it. You do of course have to be careful on tire pressure as it really changes the steering fell and ultimate grip of the car. I kept a cold pressure of around 2.0 front 1.9 rear (bar) and once they are nice and hot rising to 2.3/2.2 you really feel confident also on higher speeds. You do have to check wear, once you have worn tires the car starts to behave a bit unpredictable at times and it's not very pleasant. In the wet having a 200hp fwd car (with quite worn tires) you don't have assured grip until 4th gear if the street is not in good condition but I guess it's normal. Speaking about straight and curved aquaplaning I haven't had any real issue. I didn't really push the car too much on wet tarmac so I will not express other feedback. The tires lasted a bit more than a year used only in hot weather (from mid april to mid november) and around 15,000 km (never tracked the car). Having a relatively small shoulder (as the size of the tire is 215/40 r18) as well as definitely not doing much to preserve their life of course destroyed them sooner, yet I still think other similar tires would worn less. As for comfort again the car itself is pretty stiff so I can't really tell. To sum up, nothing to say about overall dry performance and it's definitely a tire which can give you satisfaction. That said I will likely want to try sport contact 7 as next tire to compare it

Helpful 0 - tire reviewed on December 19, 2024

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Given 69% while driving a Hyundai i20N (215/40 R18) on mostly country roads for 12,000 spirited miles

Very good dry grip. When you heat them they perform very well. Steering was very precise and feedback was very good. In wet conditions when hot perform very well but under heavy rain I had some incidents of aquaplaning. Wear rate unfortunately is very high. Front tires lasted about 6000km when I replaced them with the same for 6000km. Rear tires until 12000km when I replaced all wheels still had 8000km for sure. I changed to the same tire but at 225/40 r18. Lateral and acceleration grip increased in a very good level but I noticed worse steering response and more body roll. Also felt comfier than 215's. Wear seems to be better than 215's so far. I need more wet km to see difference in dimensions change to have proper feedback.

Helpful 9 - tire reviewed on November 5, 2024

Given 93% while driving a Audi A6 Avant 3.0 TDI Quattro (245/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 18 average miles

One of the best tires I've fitted to my car. No problem handling my 2 ton A6 C6 3.0tdi quattro in dry or wet. Very progressive near the limits, in wet and dry.
First noticable aquaplaning started occuring when the tread depth got down to wear limit (1.6mm) and even so, the aquaplaning was progressive and very controllable, unlike the kind that cheap tires have that tend to suddenly lose all grip.
Was expecting a lot more than 28 000 km out of these tires althought they are the first premium tires I've bought new and driven to the absolute end of life so maybe my expectations are too high.

Helpful 9 - tire reviewed on November 1, 2024

Given 79% while driving a Ford Focus ST250 (235/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 15,000 average miles

Quite complete tires. For having a treadwear of 300 they behave like the goodgear F1 super sport and asymmetric 2 of treadwear 240. Good grip in dry and wet conditions, but with some scares if you struggle with damp or wet conditions. Best of all, its durability rating, even on the front axle: 8000 miles, +/- 1500 miles more than the goodyear F1.

Helpful 8 - tire reviewed on October 23, 2024

Given 67% while driving a Hyundai i20N (215/40 R18) on mostly country roads for 10,000 spirited miles

Good performance when pushed warm, but there are better compromises on the market

Helpful 11 - tire reviewed on October 14, 2024

Given 64% while driving a Hyundai i20N (215/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 7,700 spirited miles

The Pirelli P Zero PZ4s came with the car from the factory and I have driven over 12,000 km on them within 6 months.
Given the type of my car – a small lively hot hatch - I did not spare the tires and enjoyed frequent sporty driving style, be it on the highways or on the twisty B roads.
The grip and handling in dry conditions were very satisfactory and even in sharp turns the tires held their own perfectly.
They are not the best in the wet conditions though and you have to be careful with the wet braking.
I always said jokingly that PZ4s are great for figure skating with your car on the wet/slippery surface.
The tires wear quickly, after 12k kilometers I am on ~3 mm at the front and ~5 mm at the back, so they lasted exactly one summer season.
Around 10k kilometers the tires started occasionally slipping on wet surfaces when turning in very low speeds (e.g. when pulling out of a parking lot).
For the 2025 summer season I will buy either Michelin Pilot Sport 5 or Continental Sportcontact 7 and I will expect better longevity and wet handling.

To summarize the PZ4s are a solid sporty tire for the dry conditions where they perform excellently and you will have a lot of fun with them, however bear in mind that they provide questionable safety on the wet surfaces, and if you like to drive sportingly, they will go after one season.

Helpful 10 - tire reviewed on October 2, 2024

Given 82% while driving a Mercedes Benz A35 AMG 4MATIC (235/35 R19) on mostly motorways for 500 spirited miles

I was experiencing a lot of road noise with existing tires, as close to legal Limit and recently purchased the car.

My previous car was a ford ST2 got nearly 30k miles out of Pirelli and 124k out of car. Got me through uni and traveling length nd London driving.

I purchased Pirelli P zero PZ4 and those developed with Mercedes.

I was a bit sceptical that the Mercedes tires were a bit more expensive, just because they were Mercedes and no real difference to other same tire by Pirrelli? The tires fitter assured me they were different and explained the a MO on tires wall for Mercedes, AO for Audi etc.

The reviews on tires on all forums can be a bit confusing and a few decibels different in tires, I didn't think would make much difference bearing in mind weight of car. Plus trying to put all that weight and power of the car on onto a thin strip of rubber and Britains abysmal roads would make much difference.

Wow! As soon as they were fitted road noise was greatly improved and much better feel to the car.

Helpful 11 - tire reviewed on September 30, 2024

Given 53% while driving a BMW 335d (225/40 R19) on mostly country roads for 5,000 spirited miles

I came from a set of Michelin PS4S in a staggered 225/40/19 and 255/35/19 setup on a 2015 F31 335d which met their untimely demise on a pothole. I replaced the full set with these through BMW as it was convenient at the time (council was paying). I'm running a 300bhp diesel estate which got about 10k from the rear PS4S's (down to about 1mm) with the fronts still at 4.5mm, with 50/50 trunk and twisty country roads with a little weight in the back. Even with uprated pads in the 370mm brakes I still run out of brakes so I do drive hard, but while some complain that the X drive chassis understeers I never found it with the Michelins. However, with the Pirellis, like all other Pirelli's performance tires I've used over the years across a number of cars, they don't turn in with any precision. On dry roads they do turn in but are woolly, and on wet roads they actually glide quite readily on turn in to the point where I'm a gear down on normal and turning in 2-3m earlier at 60mph just to get the front to bite where you want to - on Michelins this just isn't the case. And of course because you're having to be more aggressive at the front this then swings the back around more aggressively too. Understeer on corner entry leads to oversteer on exit if you're using the power to get the car turned through the corner effectively. The upshot of this is that in the wet the car feels unstable on these tires, and braking performance is reduced too with very heavy braking triggering the ABS way more than I have been used to on this car in the last 60k miles. If all of this was only at 10/10ths driving then they could be forgiven but they're not. They're unimpressive, uninspiring and lacking in confidence across the breadth of metrics. They don't even wear well (unlike the also underwhelming OEM Bridgestone S001's which at least lasted to 30k miles on my car), as at 5k miles the rear tires are down below 4mm. Very poor tires and I suspect will be replaced after the winter (I use separate winters) rather than put back on until they're worn out. Another fail for damp and greasy British roads from Pirelli.

Helpful 10 - tire reviewed on September 26, 2024

Given 54% while driving a BMW M240i (255/35 R19) on mostly town for 6,500 spirited miles

These were the tires that came on my 2024 BMW M240i xDrive. While they do alright they leave a lot to be desired. I just cant seem to trust them. They always handle the job with no drama when loaded up, but it takes a big of G to really get there. They just feel like they’re asleep until a threshold of high grip. On hard launch they dont chirp or bother they just go, hard stops the same. They are serious under pressure but almost always napping off the line. They are eh okay.

Helpful 9 - tire reviewed on September 23, 2024

Given 76% while driving a Hyundai i20N (215/40 R18) on mostly town for 3,500 easy going miles

I have an I20N Performance. It’s done 3200 light miles. Never tracked or driven hard.
These tires wear fast!
Don’t know if that’s the lsd or just the type of tire. Always loved Pirelli tires and will buy again just in a wider size.

Helpful 10 - tire reviewed on June 24, 2024

Given 86% while driving a Toyota GR86 (215/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 3,000 spirited miles

Great on dry roads or track, with great resistance to heat on track for a road tire.
Excellent feed-back on steering!
They are a bit sketchy on wet cold roads.
I did a pretty long track day with them and around 5'000km on the road, they have around 5'000km left.