Michelin Pilot Sport 5 vs Pirelli Cinturato C3
Ahead in each discipline
The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 and the Pirelli Cinturato C3 have met in 2 independent tests and the record is level at 1-1. The Pilot Sport 5 was stronger in comfort, the Cinturato C3 in wet and value.
Performance profile
14 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Pilot Sport 5
Cinturato C3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 90%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Pilot Sport 5
Cinturato C3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Pilot Sport 5
Not ahead in any category
Cinturato C3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 5 85% from 137 reviews and the Cinturato C3 91% from 20. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.
| Measurement | Pilot Sport 5 | Gap | Cinturato C3 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 34.4 | 0.3% | 34.3 | 0-2 |
| Dry Handling km/h | 101.3 | 1.3% | 100 | 1-0 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | scored | 37% | scored | 1-0 |
| Wet Cinturato C3 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 35.5 | 0.5% | 35.3 | 0-2 |
| Wet Handling km/h | 82.7 | 0.8% | 83.4 | 0-1 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | scored | 8.7% | scored | 0-1 |
| Wet Circle s | 14.74 | 0.7% | 14.64 | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 92 | 1% | 92.9 | 0-1 |
| Curved Aquaplaning m/sec2 | 3.72 | 7.5% | 3.46 | 1-0 |
| Comfort Pilot Sport 5 ahead | ||||
| Subj. Comfort pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Noise dB | 74.3 | 0.9 dB | 75.2 | 1-0 |
| Value Cinturato C3 ahead | ||||
| Wear km | 59,670 | 18.5% | 50,350 | 1-0 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 7.97 | 3.4% | 7.7 | 0-1 |
| Abrasion g | 1,353 | 2.4% | 1,320 | 0-1 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.
Head to head in 2 tests in 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Pilot Sport 5 | Field | Cinturato C3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | P3 of 20 | P4 of 20 | |
| 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | P9 of 50 | P7 of 50 |
Pilot Sport 5 vs Cinturato C3: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 or the Pirelli Cinturato C3 the better tyre?
The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 and the Pirelli Cinturato C3 have met in 2 independent tests and the record is level at 1-1. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Sport 5 scores 9.4 and the Cinturato C3 9.4 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Sport 5 or the Cinturato C3?
The Cinturato C3 led 6 of the 7 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 0.5% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 2-2 between the Pilot Sport 5 and the Cinturato C3.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.2/10 for the Pilot Sport 5 and 8.4/10 for the Cinturato C3.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Sport 5 85% from 137 reviews and the Cinturato C3 91% from 20. 83% of Pilot Sport 5 owners would buy it again, against 80% for the Cinturato C3.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Pilot Sport 5 is made in 66 sizes (16 to 22 inch) and the Cinturato C3 in 35 (16 to 20 inch). 14 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Pilot Sport 5 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Cinturato C3 A and B.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Cinturato C3 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2024, the Pilot Sport 5 in 2022. The Pilot Sport 5 replaced the Michelin Pilot Sport 4. The Cinturato C3 replaced the Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2.
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Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.