Review: Hankook iON evo AS vs Pirelli AS+ Elect vs Michelin PS 4S vs Michelin PS AS 4

I tested all these tires back to back on either a Tesla Model 3 or Y. I have both a Model 3 and a Model Y (wife’s).

My goal was to have a great handling tire (makes me happy) that can handle the occasional snow, is quiet, and has good range.

For context, I have the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires on both the 3 and Y. This is by far the best handling tire, really amazing, our benchmark for handling, and is just a joy to drive. I’m in Colorado though and for nov/dec/apr, we can see temps below 40, which is a no-no for driving the PS4S, so I wanted something more cold tolerant during the shoulder seasons. We have winter wheels (Pirelli Sottozero 3, which we love) for ski season.

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4:
I drove this on a Performance Model Y (Tesla test drive). Handling is very good, and I hear it’s also very good in the snow. Negatives is that it’s loud and it’s not great for range, the former being more important to me.

Pirelli All Season Plus Elect:
We bought these for our Model Y. Handling is good if not great. And it’s quiet and comfortable, and of course it’s tuned for EVs and has good range. We really really like these tires. I would give the edge to the PS AS 4 for handling, but it is slight and totally not enough to justify the range hit or how loud they are.

Hankook iON evo AS ih01:
I just bought these for my 3. It was a gamble because I couldn’t find any reviews on them. They are brand new to the market. Overall, I definitively do not like them. The handling is terrible for a car like the model 3 w/ AB. It feels super floaty and squirrelly when cornering. The noise level is not great either surprisingly. Strangely enough, it’s relatively louder at slower speeds, but does seem to be quiet on the highway. The Pirelli’s have way better handling and seem quieter all around. Aside from noise and handling, there is one thing the evos does really well. It feels like a bat out if hell when accelerating in a straight line. You can tell the engineering is optimized for that trait. I do like that a lot, and I’m sure it has great range, and I would accept the noise level too, but the handling is just too awful, I can’t accept it. That said, if you’re not a spirited driver, I think the evos are a great value. They’re just not for me.

Overall, I think the Pirelli AS PE hit all the cords I’m looking for. The Michelin PS AS 4’s are a close second and might also be better in snow, but we’re not optimizing for snow since we have winter tires. And the quiet ride and good range is also very much appreciated.

I hope this review helps others out there!

All these new EV tires are very exciting. I’m a huge Michelin fan, but they need to up their game on EV tires. For now, Pirelli is winning my business.

"File:The tire wheel of TESLA MODEL 3.jpg" by Tokumeigakarinoaoshima is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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[JKarbon]

I've driven on the mentioned Pirellis and the Michelin AS4's. Both become loud once you have in excess of 50-60% tread wear. Both perform well in dry conditions, but the Michelins are grippier when really warmed up. In wet and adverse conditions, the Michelins offer much better traction. High speed stability and control was almost equal, but I'll give the Michelins a slight edge, as I found the Pirellis had a tendency to wander a bit. I saw no tangible range difference with either or. For me, it's the Michelins hands down...

 

[Mjezzi]

I've driven on the mentioned Pirellis and the Michelin AS4's. Both become loud once you have in excess of 50-60% tread wear. Both perform well in dry conditions, but the Michelins are grippier when really warmed up. In wet and adverse conditions, the Michelins offer much better traction. High speed stability and control was almost equal, but I'll give the Michelins a slight edge, as I found the Pirellis had a tendency to wander a bit. I saw no tangible range difference with either or. For me, it's the Michelins hands down...

The Pirelli Elect is fairly new. Are you sure you weren’t driving the none elect version?

 

[sTuKat]

I have been using the Perelli Elects(18) August/September in CT. I lease my model 3 performance and thought it was too high risk using the OEM wheels and tires. This past Winter was very MILD.

I prefer the summer Pirelli's, but apparently not enough to have switched over yet . The semi forged wheels on the Elects just give me much more confidence over the potholes and the general condition of roads where I live. The 18 Elects vs. 20 performance provide a nice ride, relatively quiet (I listen to the music loud most of the time so not a factor for me). What I notice most is some additional body lean on hard cornering. On the rare occasions the I am in chill mode while still having a moderately heavy foot I am getting 225. In the mild Winter I did not have any issues. I have access to an all wheel drive SUV with Winter tires so I would most likely be in that vehicle.

I am pleased with the choice of tires given the road conditions. I should be able to easily get 30K+ miles out of the Perelli tires and then not have any issues with conditions of wheels and tires at lease turn in.

 

[RichXKU]

Good data point! I currently run Pilot Sport 4S year round (except during snow/ice and when the temp is below the 22°F limit stated by Michelin). But I'm looking to replace them with the Pirelli Elect by the end of the year so I don't have to worry about the cold quite as much without taking a hit on range. Before I became aware of the Pirelli, I was leaning towards the PSAS4 as well.

 

[ICE5891]

I have the Michelin PS 4S and really dislike how loud it is. Will try the Pirelli All season plus elect next. The all season also make sense for me to give more flexibility in the shoulder season before changing to winter tires.

 

[charlesoris]

Does anyone have first-hand knowledge/experience with Bridgestone Turanza Quiettrack?

 

[m3p-ev]

To tag along, any thoughts on the ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus?

 

[Elektrick]

@Mjezzi , Thanks for the review. I'm running Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 on my 19s and they're great except that they are really loud. I was highly considering the new Hankook iON series next and still am very interested in those. I was curious about the foam lining and how that compared with the stock 20" ubers with the foam lining as well in the Pirellis, for when it comes to road noise? @m3p-ev the continentals are great and in line with the Michelin PS All Season 4s, with the DWS06 being a tad better in snow/ice, quieter and just a tad less with dry handling. Excellent tires.

It's nice to see new EV focused tires coming into the market and as always each brand seems to excel in areas where others may fall a little short.

 

[m3p-ev]

I know I’ve already screwed my tire situation by getting staggered rims… these Enkeis were just too nice…

What are your guys’ thoughts on mixing pilot sport AS in the rears and continentals in the fronts? I should be fine right..

 

[Elektrick]

I know I’ve already screwed my tire situation by getting staggered rims… these Enkeis were just too nice…

What are your guys’ thoughts on mixing pilot sport AS in the rears and continentals in the fronts? I should be fine right..

With a staggered set up, shouldn't be a problem at all, since it can't be rotated anyway. I used to run two different brands on my previous c63, front and rear, for track days. I had just kept the rear sets (spares) on as I went through tires pretty quickly and it was cheaper to replace.

If you don't mind the different looks of the sidewalls, I'd say go for it.

 

[Mjezzi]

@Mjezzi , Thanks for the review. I'm running Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 on my 19s and they're great except that they are really loud. I was highly considering the new Hankook iON series next and still am very interested in those. I was curious about the foam lining and how that compared with the stock 20" ubers with the foam lining as well in the Pirellis, for when it comes to road noise? @m3p-ev the continentals are great and in line with the Michelin PS All Season 4s, with the DWS06 being a tad better in snow/ice, quieter and just a tad less with dry handling. Excellent tires.

It's nice to see new EV focused tires coming into the market and as always each brand seems to excel in areas where others may fall a little short.

The Michelin AS 4 are definitely loud, otherwise I would have gotten them. I found the Pirelli Elects to have a very low tone which is either the quietest of the bunch or that’s how I’m perceiving it because of the low tone. It’s by far the best of all the AS tires. The iON might be quieter on paper, not sure, but the sound was more harsh, less satisfying to me. I’m super happy with the Pirelli Elects. To me, is the best EV tire out there for my needs.

For a summer tire, the PS4S was very quiet too (I had the Tesla spec ones with foam), I love those tires, just can’t deal with summers at the moment because my car sits outside and I can’t let the tires get too cold during the shoulder seasons.

 

[Mjezzi]

To tag along, any thoughts on the ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus?

I once had continentals and I absolutely hated how much body lean those tires had. It’s been a while, but maybe things have changed since then. Anyways, I didn’t consider them since they are not EV specific.

 

[m3p-ev]

The Michelin AS 4 are definitely loud, otherwise I would have gotten them. I found the Pirelli Elects to have a very low tone which is either the quietest of the bunch or that’s how I’m perceiving it because of the low tone. It’s by far the best of all the AS tires. The iON might be quieter on paper, not sure, but the sound was more harsh, less satisfying to me. I’m super happy with the Pirelli Elects. To me, is the best EV tire out there for my needs.

For a summer tire, the PS4S was very quiet too (I had the Tesla spec ones with foam), I love those tires, just can’t deal with summers at the moment because my car sits outside and I can’t let the tires get too cold during the shoulder seasons.

I love my stock Pirellis Elect on the M3p but the uberturbines have to go with our roads. I think I will go back to the Pirellis once I wear out these mixed tires!

 

[Elektrick]

The Michelin AS 4 are definitely loud, otherwise I would have gotten them. I found the Pirelli Elects to have a very low tone which is either the quietest of the bunch or that’s how I’m perceiving it because of the low tone. It’s by far the best of all the AS tires. The iON might be quieter on paper, not sure, but the sound was more harsh, less satisfying to me. I’m super happy with the Pirelli Elects. To me, is the best EV tire out there for my needs.

For a summer tire, the PS4S was very quiet too (I had the Tesla spec ones with foam), I love those tires, just can’t deal with summers at the moment because my car sits outside and I can’t let the tires get too cold during the shoulder seasons.

You've got me looking into Pirelli Elects now. I like everything about the Michelin AS 4s that I have now, except that they are among the loudest tires I've experienced compared to some others. This was the case on my other cars as well. During smooth road surfaces it's fine; however, once on rough pavement, especially on the hwy it so loud and obnoxious at times. My wife always complains how annoying it is, whereas before with the stock 20" Uber Pirellis it was fine.

The iONs really emphasize an extra reinforced side walls (stiff) and having a flat contact patch, which I'd imagine would introduce a sharper tone, kind of like the Michelin's to some degree. Both of them have the same tread wear iirc. I think where the iONs will shine is with its range for sure and it makes sense given the characteristics of its design and purpose.

The other day I was searching for iONs and out of all places Walmart had them for $200 a pop, which is insanely cheap for EV focused tires. (Note: DiscountTire has them way over priced compared to what the iONs could purchase for ~$200.)

While I still have the tabs up in my browser here are some specs: (w/ my tire size of 235/40R19 )

​

From a quick glance and taking into account the experiences shared, along with some of mine....

Quietest Tire: Pirellis Elects (has foam lining). Just don't go fast* as its speed rating is pretty low. It also has the lowest tread grade. Makes sense.

Best Performance Overall: Michelin Pilot Sport AS 4. Excels in pretty much every category except noise, but does everything performance wise well.

Best Rolling Resistance for efficiency: Hankook iONs (lightest too at only 23lbs) and you can get these for only ~$800, which is an insane value. Same tread wear as the Michelin's and higher speed rating than the Pirelli's.

* 149MPH is plenty for most people so it's not even an issue, it's just that for those that track their cars without a dedicated set of extra wheels/tires, perhaps the Michelin's would be your best bet for the best all around(er) tires.

 

[Elektrick]

I love my stock Pirellis Elect on the M3p but the uberturbines have to go with our roads. I think I will go back to the Pirellis once I wear out these mixed tires!

Oh man those 20" Ubers were/are so heavy. I love the looks of them, but the rubber bands on those in areas with bad roads just don't mix well. I remember driving back from the SC after picking up my M3P and hitting a pot hole. You know that feeling when it feels like you've just popped your tire, hitting metal to road and getting that jarring feeling.

Once I switched to the 19s it was night and day, as expected.

Aside to that I'm still baffled that Tesla ships the cars with summer tires for Northern regions. 2+2 must equal 3.14159 to whoever thought this was a bright idea.

 

[Mjezzi]

The iONs really emphasize an extra reinforced side walls (stiff) and having a flat contact patch, which I'd imagine would introduce a sharper tone, kind of like the Michelin's to some degree. Both of them have the same tread wear iirc. I think where the iONs will shine is with its range for sure and it makes sense given the characteristics of its design and purpose.

The other day I was searching for iONs and out of all places Walmart had them for $200 a pop, which is insanely cheap for EV focused tires. (Note: DiscountTire has them way over priced compared to what the iONs could purchase for ~$200.)

One thing the iON felt great at was a straight line acceleration. Felt like a bat out of hell, I can see how the stiff sidewall would give it that characteristic. Maybe the stiff sidewall is also the reason the steering response is so poor? I don't know if that makes sense. It felt like it was sliding around, I absolutely hated it. Granted I'm coming from PS4S, so my expectations are unfairly high, but the other AS tires did not have this issue.

I like everything about the Michelin AS 4s that I have now, except that they are among the loudest tires I've experienced compared to some others. This was the case on my other cars as well. During smooth road surfaces it's fine; however, once on rough pavement, especially on the hwy it so loud and obnoxious at times. My wife always complains how annoying it is, whereas before with the stock 20" Uber Pirellis it was fine.

Best Performance Overall: Michelin Pilot Sport AS 4. Excels in pretty much every category except noise, but does everything performance wise well.

If Michelin made a EV version of the AS 4s with foam and good range, I'd be all over that.

 

[DrChaos]

One thing the iON felt great at was a straight line acceleration. Felt like a bat out of hell, I can see how the stiff sidewall would give it that characteristic. Maybe the stiff sidewall is also the reason the steering response is so poor? I don't know if that makes sense. It felt like it was sliding around, I absolutely hated it. Granted I'm coming from PS4S, so my expectations are unfairly high, but the other AS tires did not have this issue.


If Michelin made a EV version of the AS 4s with foam and good range, I'd be all over that.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/michelin-pilot-sport-ev

It's a summer tire though and only in limited sizes.

Shop Pilot Sport EV - Exceptional Performance | Michelin

Drive to the full potential of your electric vehicle with Pilot Sport EV tires from Michelin. Enjoy exceptional handling and a quiet, comfortable ride today!

www.michelinman.com

And multiple people complain about the foam coming loose. Might not be ready for production yet.

The Pirelli Elects, which have both AS and summer versions, might be the most mature in the market. They are OEM standard on a few high end EVs, I think BMW and Porsche and some Tesla models. Unfortunately the 18" is not available in summer in the US---perfect tire for me and millions of others in SoCal.

Interestingly there is now a Pirelli "SottoZero" winter tire with "Elect" and apparently Tesla tagged in 235/45R18

 

[SteelClouds]

Love the 19 inch P's EV tires. A bit squished in the corners vs my Contis.. but good enough.. quiet and very good in the rain.

 

[AltimaBoi]

I bought the PS4AS and they were so much better than the stock MXM4s, I pretty much fell in love with them immediately. Very quiet, cornered well, just an overall great tire. However, they ate so much range that it was a dealbreaker.

Ended up returning them to Discount Tire and swapping them for Hankook Ion Evos instead. Not a bad tire at all and the efficiency is great.