Michelin Pilot Sport 3
Verified104 reviews
I have been using Michelin tyres for a very long time with all my cars. I have always felt safe and very confident about them. I highly recommend them, particularly for high performance cars. Show details
Best in class for anything smaller then 215mm width – Update as of 1st of December 2024, (review made -/06/2024) I have done 30,000km on them great tyre but they wear too quick. Constant use with no rotations your looking at 25-30,000km for the drive tyres. I have done a rotation and the rears to the front only allow for maybe 15,000km on top of 30,000. Thus you are looking at a full set with a… Read more
lifespan of 40,000km
The original tyres on the front are now fully worn to the wear indicator and need to be replaced. Too expensive for the fast wearing nature of the tyre, needs to be on permanent discount to only cost $700 otherwise your spending more on tyres then oil changes.
Every 5,000km is around 2mm of rubber used, I will be using them again but only because there is nothing else on the market at this level that is available for 185-215 width.
With that in mind value has dropped from a 3 to a 1/10
Wears to quick, normal price is $1100 and rotations Required every 5,000km maximum
Safety can be bumped upto a 9/10 from an 8.
Wet and dry, absolutely fantastic just need to keep the pressures within the correct range, drove through the worst torrential downpour i have ever driven through a couple days ago on the way to work, so much rain I couldn't see and the road was flooded, still held up fine, minimal hydroplaning when using the correct gear, now that the rears are worn i am experiencing hydroplaning but thats to be expected, still very much functional though. ‐---------------------------------------------------------- Again as per the usuial, disclaimer, car is less then 1000kg, so bias exists, i also am using the XL model which has 2 extra layers for more stiffness in the sidewall and tread. 185/55/15 86V XL
First off, baught them and main thing i noticed was the massive jump in fuel consumption, not that its horrible, its back to the specified 6L/100km but when compared to the XM2's (eco tyre) its crazy, the xm2's would give anywhere from 600-800km out of a 36L tank. Now i average around 450-500km per tank, mind you both are done without going below the 1/4 mark so both are great for the specific tasks they fill.
Economy: 5/10
Price, Ouch... i got mine on discount but it still cost $889 AUD (original cost without discount is 1.1k) definitely not worth any more then $750AUD but i'm seriously glad i got them.
Value: 3/10
Performance, Definitely could be better, a very safe tyre rather then a performance tyre, when pressure is too low it rolls the tread to prevent sliding or understeer, when pressure is correct its great but its a very fine line, overpressure it will do exactly what you tell it to do, you want to go around a 45° corner at 60km/h after a hard turn, it will lift and you will ride 2 tyres, but even then, its still doing exactly what you tell it, perfectly balanced no roll, none of that "i'll save you if you mess up" its just you are in control, you better not mess up cause its all on you.
Control: 8/10
Currently doing 300km trips daily, very wet, very slippery and on a highway and damn, they put in the work. No hydroplaning at 40km, slight slip at 60km/h (when no throttle is applied to pull yourself out of it) 80-100km/h not recommended in the wet around corners but if you know your car and the gearing it will have no issues, essentially just pulls itself out of slip, very talkative tyre, will tell you when your on the edge, when its rolling, slipping. Higher pressures seem to have more hydroplaning issues, but thats to be expected given the personality of the tyre. Optimal (roll) pressure is 38-39psi, correct pressure is 40psi -warm (doesn't ever stay there) over pressure is around 42-43psi (general driving adds about 2psi from heat)
Safety: 7/10
From my perspective this should be the minimum standard for ANY tyre because i essentially when from your "normal" tyres that were essentially dangerous in any wet conditions to a tyre that doesn't hydroplane if you slightly think of going around a round-about at 40km is mental. If you own a small car and you're tyres are less then 215mm width get these.
Considering whats on the market these are a hands down no brainer.
Overall score 8/10 but the increase in garenteed saftey with these cannot be overstated enough. Plus they are a sports tyre.
Great when new. No good when half worn – Bought a set for my VX S pack commodore in 2018. Now after 30,000 k's they are about half to 23 worn. But I would not buy again. I used to have Good Year, or Dunlops on it and got 70,000+ Last set had 95,000 and I had to replace the set because the front were worn on the inside due to bad alignment. The PS3's I have now are VERY noisy. I mean… Read more
VERY!! at all speeds, mainly on bitumen agregate (most highways). AND unless I run them at 40PSI they use a lot more fuel, like 10% +. You can feel the difference in power and "pick up". And at 40 PSI now they are worn, they are VERY rough, on all surfaces. I think the compound at the outside surface of the tyres is relatively soft so they ride nice and quiet. But as the tyres wear, you get into the harder comound. Hence the noise and harshness. They still grip very well, both wet and dry. It is almost impossible to get them to slide, even hard cornering in the wet. Very confidence inspiring! But because of the noise, harshness and short life, I wont buy them again.
Reviews with attachments
Transformed the car – I have a Renault Clio sport 172 & decided to go up size a rim size from 15"s (Advan AD08r)that are a v-good but "track style" tyre that are compromised in my opinion for general road use. I decided not to get semi slicks & purchased 205/50r16 Mich-ps3 that were on special at the time. Being a road tyre design I find the ride & noise has improved… Read more
greatly,dry handling & braking is solid & predictable when pushed. The wet traction is better & tram lining suffered with the Ad08r especially under brakes is no longer a issue.
In-depth reviews
Michelin is the best – I had a set of these fitted to my Mondeo, 235/45R18 98W. These tyres are fantastic - quiet with very high grip levels in very wet and dry conditions. They were original equipment on a number of luxury cars and I see why! I enjoy the sweeping freeway on- and off-ramps, the car sits very stably even in streaming rain. Hitting deep water on one… Read more
side doesn't cause much pulling of the steering as the water evacuation is excellent. Price wise they are cheaper than a lot of Pirelli, Goodyear and Dunlop products - so for what I believe are the best tyres the price is a bargain!
Two and a half years and about 53,000km later they're approaching the end of their life, with 3-4mm of tread remaining. Only forced to replace as one tyre has a puncture and a slow leak that cannot be repaired. They will be replaced next week with Pilot Sport 4 which I've already experienced on my girlfriend's Fiesta. I'll be taking 245/45R18 100W as they are a more common size therefore a lot cheaper.
I'm looking forward to the next 2-3 years driving with Michelin tyres.
Good performance, terrible tread wear – The grip levels were impressive in both wet and dry. I was also happy with the level of road noise. I was very disappointed with the durability. After reading reviews here with many people saying they had managed 40,000 to 50,000km on a set I was expecting decent life out of these. Mine were down to the tread wear indicator after 17,000km and I… Read more
am replacing them after less than 19,000km. Tyres were rotated and wear was even so I am assuming there were no issues with alignment or camber that contributed to the low durability.
They were always correctly inflated (my car has a tyre pressure warning system) and I am no hoon.
I contacted Michelin customer service and they directed me to a sales rep for the area. Waiting for a response but not really expecting they will do much about it.
Will be replacing with a different brand that I use on my Subaru and get around 35-40,000km out of with very similar performance.
EDIT: I was contacted by a Michelin rep, who contacted the retailer for some extra info. They checked the vehicle and determined that the wheel alignment was out - apparently this is was enough to chew through the tyres so quickly. I will be having the alignment checked every 5000km and hopefully get more life out of the new set.
The best in every way! – I went to Jax in Frankston whom recommended Michelin Pilot Sport 3's for there wet weather grip and also their ability to soak up the road bumps. I drive on 235/40 R18's on my 2002 V8 Commodore Station Wagon. Important to me is wet weather grip and the tyres ability to handle road imperfections given that I have gone from 16" to 18" wheels. … Read more
These are premium fitted tyres fitted to most European cars. At just under $700 fitted with an alignment they are a bargain for what they can do. The result is a car that is glued to the road in the wet. Heavy acceleration in a straight line or around corners is no problem and inspires confidence. Freeway speeds are relaxing especially around sweeping bends. The handling is phenomenal with bumps absorbed and no rattles in the vehicle.
Thank you Jax for telling me how it is and giving me a great deal straight up with no nonsense. Jax also spent extra time on the alignment as the adjustment had seized and they were way out. Their workmanship is of the highest quality. They now have a new loyal customer.
Positive reviews
great tyre for everything but the noise is horrendous – Best tyre i have ever brought good at everything in the wet or dry ,braking, wearing excellent , but I would never buy again because of the noise such a shame. My car is a 2003 MG tf 135 they are tyre sensitive and i would give them a five star rating had they been on another car maybe with better insulation ,I am at the stage of getting rid of… Read more · 1
them its like having 4 worn out wheel bearings at once even after replacing the rear bearings it is still unbearable.
The only choice for HO cars – with 10000 ks on an M140i and spirited driving - constantly losing traction at the rear in the dry, i am suprised the rears have hardly lost any tread,,,maybe 10 %. Any less of a tyre would be dangereous on this car. Show details
great grip, quiet ride, – Changed from Pirelli P0 to Michelin PS3 greatly improved ride and much quieter over all surfaces , also the handling has improved on my BMW X1. big improvement over the original fitted run flats . Show details
Negative reviews
Avoid! The noise levels are unbearable – Just brought a new car and it came with these tyres. On certain roads the noise is so loud its unbearable. It literally hurts my ears. Now I need to change new tyres for something quieter. Show details
Lasted ONLY 20.000KM – I bought convince they were excellent just to find out they don't last at all. When I tried contacting Michelin Customer Service the response was late and not available. After they tried to blame it on driving conditions. Which it is completely unacceptable, as my driving is very easy and when I bought the tyres I got full package to rotate them… Read more
which I did. Also the Michelin service said that I had bought them from a black market. I got them in Kmart. How I was supposed to know that they are black market?
I will not recommend to buy this tyres.
+++ for grip, low noise, excellent response --- durability, cost – i was happy with this tyre but and the performance regarding it but will not buy michellin again due to durability. I bought these in 2014 for my golf gti and they lasted me 28,000KM. poor durability and too costly... Show details
Find out how Michelin Pilot Sport 3 compares to other Passenger Tyres
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Recent reviews
super grip – bought new tyres tires after running and slipping in the wet. for mazda 2 managed to fit some in for a cheap price. much much much better than generics. very happy for michelin brand name.
Lifespan of 235/45 R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyre – 235/45 R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyre fitted to my new KIA Optima GT. Took in for service at 24,000k and had to replace front tyres as tread very worn. Was accused of driving with low inflation however, this vehicle has warning signal icons on dash that show tyre pressures when low so had re-inflated when necessary. Very surprised I only got 24k as usually expect double of that or more. Show details
Average tyre, poor mileage, terrible customer service – Purchased 4 new tyres to replace Continental Cinteratos which achieved 65k on a front wheel drive car. Rear tyres have reached their wear indicators and need replaced after 18k. Front tyres still have good wear left (on front wheel drive car). Contacted Michelin and told 20k is what you can expect mileage wise. After three emails and various phone… Read more
calls asked to replace tyres at own cost and Michelin would inspect. Asked to speak to Qld manager and never heard anything back. I expected a lot better mileage from these tyres, very poor customer service and very patchy quality.
These tyres were very quiet and offered good grip in varying road conditions, but mileage very poor.
Michelin Pilot Sport – I had Michelins on my C Class private passenger sedan twice from new, and got 75,000 kms wear both times. Tries Continentals and got half that, so I am back to the Michelins. Some driver, same driving conditions, so will just see if the latest Pilot Sport 4 do as well. I am very pleased with their grip and low road noise (which the Continentals equalled, but effectively are twice the cost). Show details
Quitest smoothest most comfortable and best handling – I was looking for new tyres some time ago and got recommended Michelins for an XR6 Falcon, We brought these form Bob Jane TMarts who have been vey good to deal with they are 235/45/17 tyres.Best tyres I have used they are now superseded by Pilot sport 4 . They have been quite, very comfortable and handle extremely well especially in the wet. Wear… Read more
is very impressive they have done over 33000km I was thinking of buying pilot sport 4 a couple of months ago but a mechanic looked at my tyres and said you are probably going to get close to another year out of these its only a bargain buying something when you actually need it. I would highly recommend these tyres and the price was not much more than the Bob Jane Brand tyres.
They last a lot and I feel safer – Great tyres. Driving correctly they last really very long. I was using a cheaper brand, but I had to replace the tyres often and had problems in roundabout when raining. I decided to try Michelin pilot sport 3 because of the good reviews and I feel I made a perfect choice. They grip very well in wet and dry conditions. Although the price is a bit more expensive than other options, it's really worth it, because they last longer. Show details
Not Safe: Tread Wears Quickly! – NOT DURABLE, Appalling wear to unroadworthy standard. Completely Unsafe. My 4 Michelin Tyres where fitted at Tyre Plus. In 18months the rear tyres are bald, and front wheel drive tyres worn to less than 5mm. Vehicle had done 40,000km long distance lady smooth driving. Michelin Rep' flatly refused to replace, although warranty is 3years from… Read more
purchase, no km rating given in warranty (is usually 50,000 with Goodyear). These Tyres Are Crap! Would Never Ever Purchase Michelin Tyres Again!
Best street tyre with circuit orientated performance – Honestly one of the best tyres i have used. Dual purposed for the street and the odd trackdays. Dry and wet grip is superb. I have no complaints on this tyre, Michelin really hit the nail on this one. I have gone spirited driving on this tyre and grip was consistent. Highly reccommend for your pride and joy Show details
what a difference – I have just replaced my rear tyres to the Michelin Pilot Sport 3. What a difference to the stock Pirelli's P zero. These tyres are much better in the wet. The are quieter too. They feel softer, so not sure what mileage I shall get out of it. But the main reason choosing this tyre was that I needed something with far more grip in the wet; and they certainly deliver. Show details
Find out how Michelin Pilot Sport 3 compares to other Passenger Tyres
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Excellent Tyres! – These were an excellent upgrade on the Outback, but were a pain to find instock within NSW. Not even Michelin could give us a ball park of when they would be back in stock. The guys down at Taleb Tyres were absolute professionals and were able to get me a full set in less than a week. So far put on over 20K+ and loving them, much better than the stock ones that's for sure. Show details
Long wearing front tyres – Long lasting front tyres although I have nitrogen in my tyres. My back tyres however did not last anywhere that long. Regardless, I would recommend. I recently tried to replace one of my rear tyres only to be told that they are no longer produced according to the tyre outlet I use. It would be useful to know if that is true or not. Does anyone know ? Show details
Not bad – Ive had these on my car for 45,000km now. haven't had any major problems, they weren't noisy and wear great. Handle well in wet and dry. I have rotated twice only, as these have been wearing great. Were expensive compared to the Goodyear NCTs i had on before but these PS3's offered superior performance and reasonable longevity. Have just reached… Read more
the tread indicator now and will be replacing with Michelin Primacy as I have been told that the Primacy offers more high mileage ( i only do freeway kms) and the Pilot Sport 3s are for sport/performance handling.
Awesome Tyres – With these tyres I feel i need firmer suspension because there is so much grip, it really exaggerates the car's body roll. Haven't had them on there long so can't comment on wear, but they feel great, smooth, comfortable and the grip is fantastic. Worth a few extra bucks for the improved control including braking. I can stand on the brake pedal and no lock up (ABS). Show details
Perfect example of the best tyre available – Working in the motor trade I had the choice of any tyre, but I picked the best and have being extremely happy with there performance. Fitted to a Mercedes Benz E class only wanted the best. Wet or dry the tyres never let you down, and super quiet. They will wear slightly more than cheaper ‘harder’ tyres but with their great reassuring grip it’s a small price to pay. Highly recommended Show details
Can trust, feel stable, get comfortable and better quality – I bought this tyre April 2014. I thought this tyre was a little bit expensive than what I have used ever usually. I have experienced many kinds of tyres for a standard sedan from low to a high version for 25 years. This tyre is not cheap but not very expensive, I mean, I have expected this tyre's performance is not quite better than a luxury tyre.… Read more
After new four tyres were changed for my car when I drove my car I was very surprised because I had felt very stable and comfortable than I expected. Especially, when I went a curve road big difference occurred. I could feel better road holding and drive much confident than usual. After 10,000 Km used, I switched tyre's positions. I have been using these tyres for 3.5 years over 40,000 Km and still good condition. I would like to recommend this tyre and buy again.
Excellent value for money – I have been using Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres for a year, they are fantastic tyres! Good in the dry, awesome in the wet, decent thread wear, excellent value for money. The Pilot Sport 4 has replaced these tyres but you can still buy the Pilot Sport 3 at certain tyre shops. NSW residents will be pleased to know Tempe Tyres still carry them for low prices! Show details
It's hard to go past Michelin – I recently traded my Mitsubishi 380 VRX. In 2015 I put 4 Pilot Sport 3 on the vehicle. At the time of trade in I had done just over 30,000 klms on them and would have estimated at least another 25,000k left if the wear indicators were any guide. Quiet, durable and a great performance tyre. They handled all conditions well but were particularly… Read more
good in the wet. Prior to the Michelins I had Pirelli P7's on the vehicle and they too were very good but the Pilot Sport 3's just that little bit better. Highly recommended.
Awesome tyre! – I've had these fitted almost 12 months ago on a Subaru WRX 2007, They have been the best tyre I've had fitted to date and reasonably priced! They have phenomenal grip in the wet and dry, even under hard acceleration they have never slipped (only squealed). Tyre wear so far has shown great durability for a performance tyre although care was… Read more
taken to regularly rotate them.
Road noise was on par with my previous Goodyear F1 Directional tyres but that's possibly more to do with owning a Subaru itself.
The confidence it inspires is more then enough for the street and would definitely buy again or the new PS4s.
Great grip and low road noise – Had these fitted to my BMW 130i for the last 8 months and I've been impressed how well the have handled my abuse of them powering out of corners, great tyre for wet weather as well although i'm a bit dubious to switch off the traction control to really test how grippy the are! Road noise is no different from my previous Goodyear Eagles so I would certainly recommend them. Show details
Great tyres, great wear and performance – I put Michelin Pilot Sport 3 on my R36 Wagon when the factory Contis Sport Contact Self seal type were gone. These Michelin Pilot Sport 3 are so better that the Contis Sport Contact, the handling of the car was much improved the the wear is better. Will stick to Michelin Pilot Sport and I will get Michelin Pilot Sport 4 when I need new tyres. Show details
Now updated to PS 4s – Check out www. Tyrereviews.co.uk. FANTASTIC tyre review site. A wealth of reviewed info under one umbrella! Bob Janes always seems to give me good rapid service. Discounts for regulars too.... Smart b/c we all need tyres sooner or later! Haven't had any significant wear probs yet on PS3s. True- the new PS3 tread is Not esp deep. Don't forget to… Read more
put Nitrogen in your tyres ( I like 38psi) expected free c your nxt new set!
Enjoy your driving- Safely!
Perfect tyres but poor durability – Great handling on wet and dry. Very sporty feel. Comfort level 4/5. Not noisy. Overall i am very happy this tyre. Biggest problem is they lasted only for 20k.so not durable. I had to replace with pilot sport 4 and hoping that will last longer. I highly recommenc this tyre if you dont care about replacing early. Show details
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