Yokohama ADVAN Apex V601 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4S: When you think of a top max performance tire you might recall the Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4S and also Continental’s newly launched Sport Contact 7. These are indeed household names which have been dominating the max performance summer segments. We would like to introduce another competition in the form of Yokohama’s ADVAN Apex V601. It was launched in 2019 with a North America region specific product. Pilot Sport 4S on the other hand was launched in 2017 and has been a top performer in the max performance segment over the last 5 years. Without further ado, let’s pair them head to head to see which tire comes out on top!
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from Tire Rack’s Testing Max Performance Summer Tires Against the Category Benchmark Test. A total of 4 tires were tested this time on Tire Rack’s small but highly efficient test track. The graph below shows the comparison between Yokohama ADVAN Apex V601 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4S based on the relevant performance category. The ADVAN Apex V601 was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark.
Note that for subjective evaluation, we equate 1 point as 5%. Hence for example if tire A is graded 7 while tire B is graded 6, A is better than B by 5%. The tire size of interest is 245/40R18 which is a common tire size for Audi A4 & Jaguar Xe. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a rear wheel drive 2020 BMW F36 430i Gran Coupe with a 17×7.5 rim.
Dry
With both tires serving the max performance segment which is the next best thing you can get hold off in place of a semi slick track day tire. This segment of course has a big requirement to perform its ultimate best on dry performances while balancing its wet trade offs. First blood went to Pilot Sport 4S as it managed to out-brake ADVAN Apex V601 by 4.8 feet (1.5 m). The stopping distance was calculated from braking the car at 50mph down to 0.
The initiative continued with Pilot Sport 4S as it was better in both objective & subjective evaluation in dry handling. With better dry braking capabilities, Pilot Sport 4S managed to be 0.32 seconds quicker than ADVAN Apex V601 around the track. While in subjective dry handling evaluation, Pilot Sport 4S was rated higher at a 8.95/10 rating compared to 8/10 rating of ADVAN Apex V601.
Pilot Sport 4S:
It felt almost as good and was nearly as fast around our track as some much more track-focused tires. The steering was amazingly precise and ideally weighted, allowing the driver to pick a point through a turn and drive directly there. Strong front-end authority was balanced with just the right amount of engagement from the rear axle, so the driver could instinctively use mild rotation to complete a turn
Test driver feedback on Pilot Sport 4S
ADVAN Apex V601:
Using gentle, deliberate inputs, the tire proved balanced and composed, and if the driver remained at its narrow performance peak, it could turn out very fast laps. Bigger inputs at the steering wheel or the pedals, however, could upset the balance. This manifested as understeer on the way into a turn or controllable, but persistent, oversteer from mid-corner to corner exit if the driver was early to the gas
Test driver feedback on ADVAN Apex V601
Overall from the results it is clear that Pilot Sport 4S is clearly the best performing dry tire with strong performances in dry braking & handling.
Pilot Sport 4S:
- +6.1% in dry braking
- +4.7% in dry handling (subj)
- +1.1% in dry handling (lap time)
Wet
The friction of coefficient of the tire/road dramatically decreases in wet roads compared to dry roads. Hence it is more likely to get into a road accident during wet conditions rather than on a sunny day. It was so important that the EU label has wet braking as one of its three criteria. With regards to our comparison, Pilot Sport 4S continues to dominate as it managed to out-brake ADVAN Apex V601 by 13.9 feet (4.2m).
Things were going the same direction in the wet handling category as Pilot Sport 4S was 1.37 seconds faster than ADVAN Apex V601’s lap time. The subjective evaluation also tremendously favors Pilot Sport 4S as it managed a 8.05/10 rating compared to 6.08/10 of ADVAN Apex V601. Below are some of the important feedback from the test drivers on the subjective feeling of both tires :
Pilot Sport 4S:
We knew the Pilot Sport 4S was strong in the wet at the outset of the test, and the tire once again demonstrated it deserves the praise. We were somewhat surprised, though, at the strong tendency toward understeer and the sizable step back from the top spot in objective performance, both of which differed from our past experiences.
Test driver feedback on Pilot Sport 4S
ADVAN Apex V601:
The ADVAN Apex V601 felt edgy in the wet with a fine line separating peak traction and the abrupt drop off that occurred when the limit was exceeded. Overall, the available grip was adequate for our testing and would likely feel good on the road during normal driving, but the behavior at and around the limit left something to be desired.
Test driver feedback on ADVAN Apex V601
Overall in the wet category, Pilot Sport 4S has clearly the upper hand with its superior wet braking & handling capabilities.
Pilot Sport 4S:
- +11.8% in wet braking
- +9.9% in wet handling (subj)
- +4% in wet handling (lap time)
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
Ride comfort, noise & comfort was tested and Pilot Sport 4S was better across all categories. Pilot Sport 4S came out ahead with a 8.25/10 rating compared to the 7.2/10 rating of ADVAN Apex V601.
Pilot Sport 4S:
- +5.3% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality.
UTQG rating
We have previously shown that UTQG tread wear rating can be a good indication of your expected mileage. Below are the UTQG values of both of the tirelines.
| Brand | Tireline | Size | Tread Wear | Traction | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yokohama | ADVAN Apex V601 | All | 280 | AA | A |
| Michelin | Pilot Sport 4S | All | 300 | AA | A |
The mileage warranty for ADVAN Apex V601 is 25,000 miles while Pilot Sport 4S provides 30,000 miles. This was in alignment with the UTQG tread wear rating, as ADVAN Apex V601 has a lower rating (280) compared to Pilot Sport 4S’s 300. Of course it is tempting to say Pilot Sport 4S has a better expected mileage compared to Pilot Sport 4S but as previously mentioned before, it is not wise to compare different brand’s UTQG rating. Hence from our point of view, they seem pretty much the same.
For more in depth information about UTQG, please check out this article here. We even have a free download on the latest UTQG values from the leading tire manufacturers.
Price
Being the undisputed technology leader, we would expect Michelin to command the highest priced tire in the market. This was found to be true as the Pilot Sport 4S will cost 54 dollars more compared to the ADVAN Apex V601.
Tire size: 245/40R18
ADVAN Apex V601: $192
Pilot Sport 4S: $246
Difference: +22% more expensive for Pilot Sport 4S.
Summary
Overall, Pilot Sport 4S showed clear dominance in wet, dry & noise/comfort while only having a deficit in terms of price. From our point of view, Pilot Sport 4S is the clear winner in this duel !