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Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Owner Reviews

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What owners say summarised from 180 reviews

Drivers describe the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A as a sharp, sporty UHP tyre with strong steering feel and confident dry grip, and many high-scoring reviews also praise its stable handling and braking in the wet when temperatures are moderate. However, a substantial share of owners report a firm/harsh ride and rising road noise as the tyre ages, alongside notable performance drop-offs in cold conditions (and very poor snow/ice ability). Wear rate and value are polarising: some achieve long life with correct pressures/rotation, while many others see rapid wear-especially on driven axles/inner shoulders-making cost a frequent complaint.

What owners mention most counted across 178 reviews

Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.

Owner ratings averaged from 217 ratings

  • Owner score 69%
  • Dry Grip 83%
  • Road Feedback 75%
  • Handling 72%
  • Wet Grip 70%
  • Wear 66%
  • Comfort 59%

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Reviews - Page 5

Score spread across 179 written reviews
76%
Member
Good grip on dry but in wet it doesnt have the grip for a sport driving.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 9
  • Wet Grip 6
  • Road Feedback 7
  • Handling 8
  • Wear 7
  • Comfort 8
  • Buy again 8
Helpful 433
24%
Member
Don't buy this tyre. Noisy, hopeless in snow. The fronts wore out quickly and the rears went out of shape. Very disappointing for a premium brand.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 5
  • Wet Grip 2
  • Road Feedback 4
  • Handling 3
  • Wear 1
  • Comfort 1
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 425
26%
Member
  • BMW 335i
  • 225/45 R17
  • 20,000 miles
  • A Combination of Roads
  • Spirited
Standard fitment runflats on my BMW 335i. A Truly horrible tyre in anything other than perfect conditions. 3 cracked alloy wheels at different times due to the hardness of the tyre, and they don't seem to be wearing. Probably due to the fact they are like a castor rather than a tyre. Downright dangerous in the wet and it's impossible to put any sort of power down without spinning them up.

Avoid like the plague. I'll be moving to Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres soon as I've had them on a previous car. I suggest you do the same!
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 5
  • Wet Grip 1
  • Road Feedback 1
  • Handling 2
  • Wear 7
  • Comfort 1
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 417

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Own the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A?
74%
Member
My car is still running the same 4 original tyres that were fitted to it at the VW factory in December 2006. The car has now done 29,600 miles and the tyres are starting to look like they could do with getting changed (they were rotated front to back three years ago). I sometimes find them a bit noisier than I would like and they don't like rough tarmac very much as they throw up a lot of vibration into the cabin, but as I've never had other tyres on the car I can't compare with other tyres.

Wear has been excellent though thanks to four-wheel drive on the car and a light right foot on my part. Not sure whether to play safe and replace with the same again or maybe go for Michelin PS3's or PSS's. All in all though, a decent tyre despite not being the newest on the market.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 8
  • Wet Grip 7
  • Road Feedback 9
  • Handling 7
  • Wear 10
  • Comfort 5
  • Buy again 6
Helpful 410
67%
Member
This are one of the best tyre for those who drive fast and want the best grip tyre, in dry and wet. But they are so so hard in confort... forget the comfortable because the tires are super stiff...
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 10
  • Wet Grip 10
  • Road Feedback 9
  • Handling 8
  • Wear 6
  • Comfort 3
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 383
91%
Member
  • Mazda MX5
  • 205/45 R17
  • 15,000 miles
  • A Combination of Roads
  • Spirited
These come standard on the MX5 from the dealership. Had the mk2.5, and felt these tyres were too harsh for the chassis and suspension, so I swapped to the Toyo T1R, which on that car was a far superior tyre.

I now have a mk3.5 sportstech, and am hugely impressed with the Bridgestones. The suspension and chassis work alongside the firm sidewalls and excellent levels of grip. I have 2 Toyo T1R tyres on this car and am not impressed - car is too heavy for the softness of this tyre, 3000 miles and half worn already. Definately back to the Bridgestones - with nitrogen in them instead of air.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 10
  • Wet Grip 9
  • Road Feedback 10
  • Handling 10
  • Wear 8
  • Comfort 8
  • Buy again 9
Helpful 421
80%
Member
Had two sets of these in 215/45/R18 on my Spec.B, driven on them hard and driven a lot. They're nearly on par with the PZero Rosso Asimetrico's, however a tiny little bit better in wet and they do tend to squeak a bit on the limit in the dry. Wear out equally fast as aforementioned Pirelli's. Very good performance tyre all in all, I might just get them again.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 9
  • Wet Grip 10
  • Road Feedback 9
  • Handling 10
  • Wear 4
  • Comfort 7
  • Buy again 7
Helpful 380
89%
Member
Recently changed front 2 tyres as car came with these on the fronts. Grip in dry and wet is suberb and makes the car feel glued to the road. Can throw the car into corners with ease knowing you will smile coming out the other side putting your foot back on the accelerator. These tyres really let you feel the road and give the steering wheel that solid feel. Standing water not an issue either. Had different tyres on different cars previously but these are definitely up there with the best. Considering vredestien ultrac vorti's in the future for rears would be good to see someone review these if they have them on their Rocco!
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 9
  • Wet Grip 9
  • Road Feedback 9
  • Handling 8
  • Wear 7
  • Comfort 10
  • Buy again 10
Helpful 417
30%
Member
Don't like them. My first Bridgestone that fail my expectations. Not recommend.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 5
  • Wet Grip 3
  • Road Feedback 3
  • Handling 3
  • Wear 3
  • Comfort 3
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 386
91%
Member
great tyre, not the comfiest out there, but it's not made for that....excellent feedback...holds well until the end
a slight minus that it needs some time to "warm up" before properly working. Would buy again for a sportier car, not a mazda 6 saloon (came fitted a oem)
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 10
  • Wet Grip 10
  • Road Feedback 10
  • Handling 10
  • Wear 8
  • Comfort 6
  • Buy again 10
Helpful 403
86%
Member
I had them 2 or 3 year ago lasted for 3 seasons. They are fantastic for cornering in dry, wet performance also impresive.
The only downside is wear. Great for high speed cruisng car is stable no jumping around, braking more than great.
After I moved to dunlop fast response and they are more comfortable but nowhere close in edge perfomance. RE50A sticks the car to the road.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 10
  • Wet Grip 9
  • Road Feedback 10
  • Handling 9
  • Wear 5
  • Comfort 7
  • Buy again 10
Helpful 427
50%
Member
These where the stock tires on a 2008 Honda Civic Type R - FN2 (Euro). 225/40 r18.

-On the plus side, they gave a very good connection and feel with the road.

-On the negative side, the traction was very bad in the wet. Not even wet, just moist would do, and they would almost every time make wheelspin in first gear from standstill.
In rainy weather I had to start the car in second gear from standstill.

-Dry traction was better, but it seemed as if the tires needed to be warm i order to grip the road, or there was just wheelspin from standstill, and sliding throug quick corners.
Actually after 12500 miles the rear tires still had the colored circles on the tread ware surface that came from the factory.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 6
  • Wet Grip 1
  • Road Feedback 7
  • Handling 6
  • Wear 8
  • Comfort 6
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 386
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