Tire Rack’s Verdict on Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ on Snow Is…

Tire Rack Inc. has determined Michelin’s newest ultra high performance tire, the Pilot Sport A/S 3+, performs better on snow than its predecessor.

In its latest tests of top tire models, Tire Rack evaluated Michelin’s claim that the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ would deliver better traction in snow than its predecessor without sacrificing its category-leading performance in dry and wet conditions.  Tire Rack put that promise to the test in the first-ever evaluation of the new Pilot Sport A/S 3+ on snow.

Tire Rack has tested Michelin’s previous Pilot Sport models during its annual round-up of ultra high performance all-season tires. While the tests typically occur at Tire Rack’s test track facility in South Bend, Ind., the team headed to Michelin’s proving grounds in wintry Colorado for this latest test, which took place even before the tires hit the market.

The Michelin tires were compared with two other models in the all-season category: the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus and the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06.

“With the new Pilot Sport A/S 3+, Michelin promised to improve snow traction by as much as 28%,” said Woody Rogers, product information specialist for Tire Rack and leader of the company’s testing team. “In the first set of independent snow tests to be done on the tire, Tire Rack largely validated that claim.”

In the snow, Tire Rack evaluated the tires’ ability to accelerate, stop and turn. Data revealed that the Pilot Sport tires yielded the fastest acceleration time and the shortest stopping distance. Subjectively, though, the Continental tires gave Tire Rack’s drivers the most confidence when taking on turns and curves. There, the Michelin tires struggled to do two things at once, such as turn and brake.

In nearby Nevada, Tire Rack evaluated the tires on both wet and dry pavement. The Michelin tires came away the clear winner in each of these tests, delivering better traction and handling throughout the test course, which included several 90-degree turns, 180-degree turns and a slalom.

To be truly successful, all-season tires need to find the right balance between snow traction and handling capabilities in other conditions. A new tread compound seemed to give the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ that balance in initial tests performed by Tire Rack. Tire Rack will look to further evaluate the newest member of the all-season category in future tests at its headquarters in South Bend.

For complete results and video footage from this and other tire tests, visit www.TireRack.com, where you’ll find information on this evaluation, dozens of other comparisons, and thousands of relevant consumer surveys.

For details on the new tire, see “Michelin’s Newest UHP Tire: the Pilot Sport All-Season 3+.”