Bridgestone tires are better than Pirelli tires in terms of tread life, comfort, traction on winter terrains and product range. On the other hand, Pirelli tires are better than Bridgestone tires in terms of wet and dry grip and customer satisfaction. Both tire manufacturers sell some of the best tires in the world and are highly reputed.
But is that all? Not really. Read this article for more insight to help you pick the tires that are right for you.
Pirelli vs Bridgestone Tires: Quick Comparison
We’ll be covering a lot of details on both Pirelli tires and Bridgestone tires. But let’s take a look at the fundamental differences below:
| Criteria | Pirelli | Bridgestone |
| Tread Life | 65,000 miles | 70,000 miles |
| Comfort(out of 100) | 85 (Pirelli CINTURATO P1) | 94 (Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo) |
| Approximate Price Per Tire | $280 | $284 |
| Traction on Wet Grounds (out of 100) | 95(Pirelli P Zero PZ4) | 88(Bridgestone Potenza Sport) |
| Traction on Dry Grounds (out of 100) | 96(Pirelli P Zero PZ4) | 94(Bridgestone Potenza Sport) |
| Traction on Icy Grounds (out of 100) | 81(Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3) | 90(Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT) |
| Traction on snowy Grounds (out of 100) | 69(Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3) | 100(Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT) |
| Road Noise cancellation technology | Uses noise cancellation sponge. | Uses Resonance Noise Attenuated silencer grooves. |
| Product Range | 5 different families of tires | 8 different families of tires |
| Customer Satisfaction(out of 5) | 4.57 | 4.59 |
| Environmental consideration | Launched Cinturato tires with a stronger focus on the environment. Pirelli aims to make 40% of each tire from renewable sources by 2025. They also manufacture retreaded tires. | Launched Ecopia tires for energy conservation. Uses plant based oils for sustainability. They do significant research on natural rubber. They also manufacture retreaded tires. |
| Resale value | 33.73% | 33.19% |
Still confused about which tire manufacturer is better, Pirelli or Bridgestone? Don’t you worry. Our detailed sections below will have all the answers you’re looking for.
Pirelli vs Bridgestone Tires: In-Depth Comparison
This is the detailed comparison between Pirelli and Bridgestone tires. Why do you need it? To choose what’s the best tire for your car.
Tread Life
Tread life refers to the distance a tire can travel before its treads wear off to unsafe levels. If the tread gets worn off, controlling your car can get very difficult. The minimum tread depth which is considered safe is 2/32 inch.
Moreover, tread life can vary depending on the type of tire you use. For example Ultra high performance Bridgestone tires will last shorter than a touring Pirelli tire. Tread wear also depends on where and how you drive your car.
Pirelli tires in general tend to be a bit softer than Bridgestone tires. This means the treads on your Pirelli tires will wear out slightly quicker than Bridgestone tires. The softness of Pirelli tires may be intentional though. Soft tires have better grip and have improved braking.
Bridgestone tires are considered to have slightly better tread life than Pirelli tires. According to users, Pirelli tires can be expected to last about 65,000 miles on average. Bridgestone tires, however, typically last around 70,000 miles. In essence, Bridgestone tires are considered more durable and long lasting than Pirelli tires.
Winner: Bridgestone tires
Comfort
Here comfort refers to the quietness of a tire and how well it absorbs vibrations and impacts when driving. Comfortable tires provide a less noisy ride and a more pleasant experience to the passengers. Tire comfort depends mostly on the construction material, tread design and aspect ratio of the tire.
Only touring tires are being considered here, as they are designed primarily for passenger comfort.
Pirelli markets their comfortable touring tires under the name Cinturato. Pirelli CINTURATO P1 is the most comfortable tire marketed by Pirelli. Bridgestone, in contrast, sells their touring tires under the name Turanza. Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo is their one of the most comfortable tires.
Bridgestone tires are generally considered to be more comfortable than Pirelli tires. By looking at user reviews we can get an idea. Users of Tyrereviews rate this tire at 85 out of 100. Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo on the other hand is rated at 94 out of 100.
Both Cinturato and Turanza tires provide superb comfort while driving. But according to the user reviews, Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo is particularly more comfortable than Pirelli tires.
Winner: Bridgestone tires
Price
The prices of Pirelli and Bridgestone tires are almost similar. A single Pirelli tire will cost you, on an average, roughly $280. A bridgestone tire, by contrast, could cost you slightly more, about $284.
The cost of a tire depends on a lot of factors. These factors include, tire type(seasonal tire or all season tire), tire size and tire performance. Warranty can also influence the price of a tire. Moreover, the cost of a tire can vary widely from place to place due to government policies, tire availability and logistics.
A brand new, single Pirelli Scorpion 255/55 R19 tire costs about $220 in the USA. Whereas, a new single Bridgestone dueler 255/55R19 will cost you $228. Both Pirelli Scorpion tires and Bridgestone Dueller tires are meant to be used with SUVs, Crossovers and light trucks.
In addition, a new single Bridgestone Potenza S001 225/40R19 tire will cost $340. A single Pirelli P ZERO (PZ4-Luxury) RFT 225/40R19 tire, on the contrary, will cost you $337.
Furthermore, a new Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT 245/35R18 tire is priced at $340. Both P ZERO and Bridgestone Potenza tires are high performance tires, with comparable price.
Result: Tie. Both Pirelli and Bridgestone have almost similarly priced tires.
Traction on Wet Grounds (Summer Tires)
Tires designed for better wet grip have channels on their treads. When rolling on a watery surface, the channels push out the water from underneath the tires. This prevents hydroplaning, improving handling on wet roads.
Pirelli P Zero PZ4 is a ultra high performance tire sold by Pirelli for superior wet performance. Bridgestone, on the other hand, sells Bridgestone Potenza Sport for better wet traction.
Both tires offer great traction on wet grounds. But we can look at the user reviews for different tires of both brands to understand which brand is better. According to the users of both tires, Pirelli tires have a better wet grip than Bridgestone tires. Using user reviews, I rate Pirelli P Zero PZ4 at 95/100, while Bridgestone Potenza Sport is rated at 88/100 for wet grip.
To obtain these ratings, I combined the reviews given by Toptirereview and Tyrereviews for both tires. I took the base wet traction rating of Bridgestone Potenza Sport given by Tyrereviews. Then I took the lap time based wet handling rating of Pirelli P Zero PZ4 to obtain 95/100. Toptirereview used a more scientific approach in getting their results.
Both Pirelli P Zero PZ4 and Bridgestone Potenza Sport are summer ultra high performance tires. While Pirelli offers a much better wet grip, Bridgestone also gives superb traction. Both are very good tires.
Winner: Pirelli tires
Traction on Dry Grounds (Summer Tires)
Tire traction refers to the tire’s ability to grip the road surface and maintain control of the vehicle. Frictional force generated between the tire and the road surface allows the tire to accelerate, brake, and turn the vehicle. Dry traction refers to how well the tire can grip a dry paved road. The more the traction, the better.
In the case of Pirelli, Pirelli P Zero PZ4 gives the best dry performance. Bridgestone Potenza Sport, however, gives you the highest dry traction among Bridgestone tires. Both are ultra high performance summer tires, designed to give maximum traction in dry terrain.
According to the users at Tyrereviews, Bridgestone tires have better dry grip than Pirelli tires. Bridgestone Potenza Sport gets a 94/100, and Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires get 96/100 in terms of dry grip.
Both Pirelli P Zero PZ4 andBridgestone Potenza Sport are very good tires. They both give great traction when driving on dry land. But the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 is slightly better in this regard according to drivers.
Winner: Pirelli tires
Traction on Icy Grounds (Winter Tires)
Icy ground provides less traction as ice has a low friction surface. Winter tires have deeper treads and softer structural material to provide better grip on ice. Some winter tires have metal studs embedded into them to increase traction.
The Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT and Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 are the best studless ice performance tires sold by Bridgestone and Pirelli respectively.
According to users, Bridgestone tires have better grip than Pirelli tires on icy grounds. Users of Tyrereviews rate Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 at 81/100, compared to Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT, at 90/100.
Both Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT and Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 have amazing traction on icy surfaces. But Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT provides better grip than Pirelli tires. Both tires are winter tires and are studless.
Winner: Bridgestone tires
Traction on snowy Grounds (Winter Tires)
Winter tires need to be specially designed, to provide grip on snow covered surfaces. These tires are made with deeper grooves than summer tires. The rubber material used in these tires are formulated to remain pliable even in subzero temperatures. Low traction on snow can make you lose control of your car.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT is the best tire for driving on snow produced by Bridgestone. Pirelli, likewise, manufactures the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 for snowy terrains.
To users, Bridgestone is the clear winner in providing traction on snowy grounds. Tyrereviews rates Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT at 100/100, while they rate Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 at a mere 69/100.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM25 RFT gives almost perfect control in snow. Using this tire when it is snowing outside can give you amazing grip, and ensure your safety.
Winner: Bridgestone tires
Road Noise cancellation technology
Both Bridgestone and Pirelli tires can significantly reduce road noise. Pirelli and Bridgestone tires use their proprietary technology to eliminate noise when driving on the road. Pirelli uses Noise cancellation sponge in their tires, while Bridgestone uses silencer grooves.
Bridgestone uses RENOA or Resonance Noise Attenuated Silence Grooves to cut back on noise. Pirelli, on the other hand, uses PNCS, or Pirelli Noise Canceling Technology. PNCS relies on sound absorbing sponge in the tire to cut back on noise.
Tires generate roughly 60% of all road noise produced when driving on the highway. Tire noise can be very unpleasant to the passengers of the car. Using specially designed technology on tires can drastically reduce road noise.
Result: Tie. Both Bridgestone and Pirelly perform great in noise cancellation.
Product Range
Bridgestone sells more families of tires than Pirelli tires. Bridgestone tires sell 8 different families of tires, Pirelli, in contrast, sells 6 families of tires.
Tires families refer to the different types of tires, depending on the driving experience that you need. Some Bridgestone and Pirelli tire families are similar in terms of the functionality and experience they wish to offer.
This table gives a more simplified view:
| Criteria | Pirelli | Bridgestone |
| High Performance | P Zero | Potenza |
| SUV and Crossover | Scorpion | Dueler |
| Winter Performance | P Zero Winter | Blizzak |
| Summer Touring | Cinturato | , Turanza |
| Winter Touring | Sottozero, Ice | Blizzak |
| All season Touring | Cinturato All Season | Ecopia, Alenza, Bridgestone Driveguard |
Bridgestone Driveguard is a class of run flat tires. They have very strong sidewalls, to allow you to go 50 miles after a puncture at 50 mph.
Winner: Bridgestone tires.
Customer Satisfaction
Pirelli offers better customer satisfaction than Bridgestone. This is because Pirelli has had fewer significant lawsuits. However, both Bridgestone tires and Pirelli tires have a large satisfied customer base. Based on 5 Pirelli and 4 Bridgestone tire listings on Amazon, Pirelli on average gets 4.57, while Bridgestone gets 4.59.
The first tire, Pirelli CintuRato P7 All Season Run Flat Radial Tire – 225/45R18 91V, got an average rating of 4.6 stars(379 ratings) on Amazon. Second tire was Pirelli P Zero 285/30ZR19 (98Y). It got a rating of 4.6 stars(371 ratings).
The third tire compared was the Pirelli p-zero (pz4-luxury) P285/45R21 113Y summer tire, coming in at 4.5 stars(52 ratings). Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Season Ultra High Performance Radial Tire – 295/45ZR20 110Y was the fourth tire. It got a 4.4 star rating(67).
The final tire compared for Pirelli was the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season Run Flat Radial Tire – 235/60R18 103H. It got a decent 4.5 star rating out of five from the Amazon buyers(52 ratings). Combining all the ratings gives Pirelli a total of 4.57 stars.
We then compared 4 different Bridgestone tire listings on Amazon. Firstly, we looked at the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Highway Terrain SUV P275/55R20 111 H tire. It got 4.7 stars on Amazon(44 ratings)
Secondly, the Bridgestone Ecopia H/L 422 Plus All-Season Highway Tire 235/60R18 103 H got 4.5 stars(44 ratings). The Bridgestone Dueler H/T 684 II All-Season Radial – 265/70R17 113S Tire too got 4.5stars(135 ratings)
The Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport AS All-Season Radial Tire – 225/65R17 102T got 4.8 stars(61 ratings), highest of the bunch. From combining the Amazon ratings, Bridgestone tires get 4.57 stars, almost the same as Pirelli tires.
We now take a closer look at the first Pirelli and the first Bridgestone tires. Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Highway Terrain SUV Tire P275/55R20 received 5 stars in Longevity. It also got 5 stars in terms of Mileage, and 4.8 stars for value for money.
The Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Run Flat Radial Tire – 225/45R18, on the other hand, received 4.5 stars in Mileage and 4.3 stars in value for money. But they got 5 stars in comfort.
People who have bought and used these tires have referred to them as awesome and excellent products. Customer satisfaction is high for both brands.
However, both brands have their shares of controversies and legal issues.
Notable cases against Bridgestone tires:
- Firestone tire recall(2000): Bridgestone recalled 6.5 million tires. This was their largest recall in history. The tires were found linked to 174 deaths and 7000 injuries.
- Lawsuits over Defective tires(2014): In the year 2014, this tire manufacturer was hit with multiple lawsuits. Bridgestone was allegedly producing and marketing defective tires. These tires were prone to tread separation and allegedly caused multiple accidents.
- Allegations of Price Fixing(2013): This allegation was brought against Bridgestone by the European Union. The EU alleged that the company was conspiring with other tire manufacturers to ‘inflate’ tire prices.
Notable cases against Pirelli tires:
- Pirelli Recalls Desert Dogs and LT245/75R16 Tires(2001): It began when a Brooklyn father of two was killed due to losing control after a blowout. The treads of his pirelli tires had separated suddenly while driving on the road.
- Pirelli Recalls Load Range E Tires(2008): Pirelli recalled 8,000 tires after allegations that they were suffering from tread separation at high temperatures. No injury was caused.
- Pirelli Recalls P Zero Corsa Tires(2009): Pirelli recalled these tires due to issues related to tread separation. The tires suffered from an adhesion problem.
Both Pirelli and Bridgestone have had a significant number of tire recalls. But Bridgestone has had many more recalls and much worse allegations. So Pirelli is the clear winner in terms of customer satisfaction.
Winner: Pirelli Tires.
Environmental Factor
Both Pirelli and Bridgestone are alike in terms of their environmental considerations. Pirelli markets their Cinturato tires as a more environmentally conscious choice. Likewise, Bridgestone offers their Ecopia tires for the environmentally conscious among us.
Pirelli tires wants to add more sustainable materials to their tires. They have set the goal of incorporating 40% renewable materials, 3% recycled materials and less than 40% fossil fuel derivatives into their tires. Bridgestone has not disclosed any clear environmental goal, but are heavily researching natural rubber, especially rubber derived from Guayule.
Both Pirelli and Bridgestone have a nationwide network in the USA that offers tire retreading facilities.
Result: Tie. Both Pirelli and Bridgestone show a similar level of environmental awareness.
Resale Value
Both Pirelli and Bridgestone tires retain similar resale value after use. Pirelli and Bridgestone tires, on an average, retained 34% of their value after usage.
To determine the resale value after use, I considered 2 Pirelli and 2 Bridgestone tires. The Pirelli tires were: Pirelli P ZERO (PZ4-Luxury) RFT 225/40R19 and Pirelli Scorpion 255/55 R19. The two Bridgestone tires were Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT 245/35R18 and Bridgestone dueler 265/70/18.
The Pirelli P ZERO tire has a tread depth of 6 mm, while the Pirelli Scorpion has a 7 mm tread depth. The Bridgestone dueler 265/70/18 has a tread depth of 7mm, whereas the Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT has a tread depth of 6 mm. The treads of the used tires are consistent in depth and can be directly compared.
The cost of a pair of brand new Pirelli P ZERO (PZ4-Luxury) RFT 225/40R19 is around $675 in Walmart. A new pair of Pirelli Scorpion 255/55 R19 will cost you nearly $440. You can find these same tires on Ebay for $286 and $180 respectively. This means these tires lost 66% of their value.
On the other hand, the cost of a pair of brand new Bridgestone Potenza S001 RFT is $600. The cost of a new pair of Bridgestone dueler 265/70/18 is around $560. These exact same tires can be purchased from Ebay for about $95 and $108. So Bridgestone tires also lose roughly 65% of their value after use.
Result: Tie
Which is better: Pirelli or Bridgestone tires?
Bridgestone tires are better than Pirelli tires in tread life, comfort, product range, and traction on winter tires. But Pirelli Tires are better than Bridgestone tires in dry and wet traction and overall customer satisfaction. They also have had fewer recalls and have fewer lawsuits compared to Bridgestone.
So, Bridgestone tires are the winner if reputaion is less important and you are not in the market for performance summer tires. However, if you want to purchase performance summer tires and want a more reputable brand, you should purchase Pirelli tires. Both Pirelli tires and Bridgestone tires will offer you a pleasant experience.
FAQs
Which is the best tire brand to buy?
Michelin Tires is the best tire brand to buy. Brandirectory, Automoblog, Cartalk and Cartreatments have ranked these tires as the best tires to buy. Michelin is considered an exceptional tire brand due to their tread life, performance and customer satisfaction. They have a proven track record of longevity and quality.
Is Bridgestone cheaper than Goodyear?
Yes, bridgestone tires are slightly cheaper than Goodyear. But some tire types marketed by Bridgestone are more expensive than particular tire types sold by Goodyear. For instance, Bridgestone Potenza tires are more expensive than some summer tires by Goodyear. But both tire brands make very good tires.
Is Pirelli cheaper than Michelin?
Yes, Pirelli tires are slightly cheaper than Michelin tires. But Pirelli also sells tires that are more expensive than some Michelin branded tires. For example, you will find Pirelli P Zero tires are more expensive than normal touring Michelin tires. Both tire manufacturers are highly reputed and produce very good quality tires.
Conclusion
Now you know about Pirelli vs Bridgestone tires. Hopefully this helped you determine which tire brand is right for you. There are some key differences between the tires made by the two brands. But Both manufacturers sell some of the best tires in the world.
That is it for today. All the best and goodbye!
