Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position Performance
Overall Rank
The Potenza S-04 Pole Position by Bridgestone is a summer tire with an overall rating of 4.3 / 5. This places it in spot #10 among the 53 summer tires we’ve reviewed.
Dry Performance
Dry Performance Rank
The Potenza S-04 Pole Position received a Dry Performance rating of 4.6 / 5. This ranks it #11 among the 53 summer tires we’ve reviewed.
This is an ‘okay’ rating, buyers are typically pleased with its performance on dry roads.
Wet Performance
Wet Performance Rank
The Potenza S-04 Pole Position received a Wet Performance rating of 4.4 / 5. This ranks it #7 among the 53 summer tires we’ve reviewed.
This is a decent rating, buyers are typically pleased with its performance on wet roads and hydroplane resistance.
Comfort Performance
Comfort Performance Rank
“Comfort” performance relates to the tire’s quietness, and smoothness. Better ratings will keep tire ‘roar’ or road-noise to a minimum. Great for luxury cars, or anybody looking for a quieter cabin.
With a Comfort Performance rating of 4.2 / 5, the Potenza S-04 Pole Position is ranked #9 among the 53 summer tires we’ve reviewed.
This is an okay rating, this tire tends not to surprise buyers with too much road noise or feedback in the cabin. However, it’s not the best, so we advise you expect ‘some’ noise from these.
Treadwear Performance
Treadwear Performance Rank
Treadwear performance is a measure of how well the tire matched up to customers’ expectations of how many miles they will last. Keep in mind, this rating can be influenced significantly by users giving it 1-star or 5-stars because expectations were too extreme. Maybe their last set of tires lasted 100,000 miles and they now think all tires will last that long (that’s extremely rare). Or perhaps their alignment was really off, causing them to wear out in only a few thousand miles.
The Potenza S-04 Pole Position received a Treadwear Performance rating of 3.6 / 5. This ranks it #20 among the 53 summer tires we’ve reviewed.
This rating is ‘middle-of-the-road’, this tire tends to last relatively as long as other summer tires. Without knowing one’s specific expectations, it’s likely that a typical buyer will be happy with the mileage, but not super impressed either.
UTQG Rating: What does 280 AA A Mean?
The UTQG Specification is also relevant to discuss here. This is a specification provided by the manufacturer after testing. The rating for this tire is 280 AA A. There are three parts to this specification: treadwear grade, traction grade, and temperature grade (in that order).
Treadwear Grade
The treadwear grade for this tire is 280. This score implies the tire is relatively soft, and will wear pretty quickly. Usually a trade-off for excellent dry-road traction.
Traction Grade
The traction grade for this tire is ‘AA’. This is a great rating, and implies the tire can handle high g-forces before starting to skid.
Temperature Grade
The temperature grade for this tire is ‘A’. This rating refers to how well the tire dissipates heat at high speeds. If the tire gets too hot at high speeds, it may come apart. Keep in mind, these speeds are very high, and any tire manufactured these days is capable of maintaining highway speeds up to 80mph.
This is the highest temperature grade rating. An A rating here suggests the tire is temperature-stable at speeds over 115mph. Slow down!
Snow & Ice Performance
Snow/Ice Performance Rank
Snow and Ice performance is tested on a specifically designed track to simulate these environments. These ratings represent how confident drivers in these conditions felt on these tires.
The Potenza S-04 Pole Position is not rated for winter conditions, we do not recommend attempting to drive with this tire in the snow.
Off-Road Performance
Off-Road Performance Rank
The off-road ratings represent how satisfied other drivers were in these conditions. These conditions could include anything from dirt/gravel roads to extreme offroading/bouldering. If you intend to use these in more extreme conditions, we always recommend checking individual reviews on TireRack.com for specific examples.
The Potenza S-04 Pole Position is not rated for off-road conditions, we do not recommend attempting anything beyond casual dirt roads on this tire.
Treadlife Warranty
Unfortunately, Bridgestone does not offer a warranty on this tire for treadlife. However, TireRack.com usually offers their own road-hazard warranty that should take care of any unexpected potholes, screws, or other debris that causes tire damage.
