The 7 Best Tires for the BMW Z4
Searching for the best tires for your BMW Z4? Here are our top three picks.
Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4S are an excellent option for those who aren’t going to track it. These tires offer excellent performance year-round and have decent road manners. Plus, a 30,000-mile treadwear warranty indicates no replacement in the near future.
If you’d rather have sportier tires, look at Continental’s ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus. These tires may not match the PS4S’s braking distances in the wet. But a softer sidewall makes them much easier to drive at the limit. And they wear evenly for summer tires.
Live in an area that gets plenty of snow every year? In that case, replace whatever tire you’re using with Continental’s WinterContact TS 870P. These winter tires perform the impossible, blending excellent traction on snow with a massive drop in rolling resistance.
Read on to learn more about the above and other tire picks.
#1. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
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If your Z4 came with Bridgestone Potenza run-flats from the factory, switching to the PS4S would enhance the car’s ride in more ways than one.
Start with improved performance on wet roads. With the PS4S on your Z4, expect short braking distances, low risk of aquaplaning, and superb traction regardless of road conditions.
Another is high comfort levels. Despite being summer tires, the Pilot Sport 4S are as quiet and comfortable to drive as all-season tires from the same brand. What is more, their road manners stay decent no matter how hard you press the accelerator, a welcome surprise.
Yet another reason why you may want to swap OE tires with the PS4S is that these tires come with a 30,000-mile treadwear warranty. This indicates up to three years of road life, or even more if you drive conservatively and maintain proper air pressure throughout.
To sweeten the deal even further, these tires’ dry handling is on par with more costly track tires. Which is a welcome surprise given that they have 300 tread wear, much higher than those performance-oriented tires its dry performance stands up to.
Pros
- Offer a quiet and comfortable ride
- Excellent traction on wet roads
- Backed with a 30,000-mile treadwear warranty
Cons
- Steering response may leave you wanting for more
#2. Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus
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Although they have been replaced by the ExtremeContact Sport 02, several factors make the DWS06 Plus a better option for Z4 drivers.
The first of which is that they are easier to drive at the limit. A softer sidewall means these tires retain better road grip at maximum speed than the Sport 02, whose (slightly) firm sidewall helps them wear better. But it makes them less stable at the max.
Another is that they can absorb larger bumps with ease. That is especially not the case with the ExtremeContact Sport 02. As noted in our Toyota Supra tire guide, the Sport 02 tends to lose its composure while dealing with major road imperfections.
Rolling resistance is another area where the DWS06 Plus is a winner. Sure, the difference may not be as wide as night and day. But it’s still significant enough to soften the blow at the pump.
On top of all the above qualities, these tires come with a longer treadwear warranty. Continental backs them to last 50,000 miles, compared to 30,000 miles for their previous version.
Pros
- Easier to drive at the limit
- Absorb large bumps effortlessly
- Offer excellent fuel economy
Cons
- May wear quickly if repeatedly pushed to the limits
#3. Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6
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While many Z4 drivers would tell you to opt for the Pilot Sport 5, there are several factors that make Goodyear’s Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 a better pick.
To start with, the ASY 6 performs superbly on dry roads. This tire out brakes the PS5 by 0.6m in dry conditions, a significant margin to make a difference. Its dry handling is also 1.13 seconds higher than the competitor, while its steering response is also much sportier.
Rolling resistance is another area where this tire has an edge. In tests conducted by independent raters, the ASY6 demonstrated 4.6% lower rolling resistance than the PS5. In plain English, this makes it a much more fuel-economical tire (so expect savings at the pump).
To further up the ante, the ASY6 is much quieter than the PS5. Results obtained from track tests indicate that this tire makes 2.9 dB less noise than its counterpart from Michelin.
Want to hear more good news? Despite leading the PS5 on the above fronts, the ASY6 costs less. At the time of writing, this tire’s asking price is 10% less than Michelin’s flagship UHP tire’s. This makes it an incredible option for budget-minded Z4 drivers.
Pros
- Best in class dry performance
- Lower rolling resistance than peers
- Makes significantly less noise than competitors
Cons
- Average wet braking distances
#4. Bridgestone WeatherPeak
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Those of you who drive their BMW Z4 on a daily basis can expect the Bridgestone WeatherPeak tires to be an exceptional choice.
Mainly because the WeatherPeaks are one of the best all-weather tires on the market. This means you can expect great things from these tires on wet roads, including short braking distances, high hydroplaning resistance, and exceptional handling in the rain.
These tires perform equally well in harsh, wintry conditions. Need proof? Check out the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol on their tread. The 3PMSF symbol is only awarded to tires that have met the rater’s criteria for severe snow performance.
Also, unlike many tires in this category, the WeatherPeaks don’t sacrifice longevity to offer superb wet and snow performance. Instead, as indicated by their 70,000-mile treadwear warranty, they offer both, giving their fellow all-season tires a run for their money.
Bear in mind, though, that these tires aren’t designed for sporty driving. Push them to the max on a regular basis, and high noise levels and uneven tread wear may punish you.
Pros
- Highly durable on wet roads
- Can easily navigate harsh wintry conditions
- Come with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
Cons
- Not for sporty driving
#5. Bridgestone DriveGuard
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Unhappy with the stock Potenzas but don’t want to abandon run-flat tires entirely? Bridgestone’s DriveGuard tires might offer a worthwhile alternative.
Unlike the tires they’d replace, the DriveGuard Plus are quiet for run-flats, though they are nowhere near as quiet as standard all-season tires.
Which is surprising considering they deliver ample feedback to the steering, thanks mainly to the reinforced sidewall. The sidewall performs another key function – it helps the tire maintain its shape even as you’re running it at zero air pressure.
Also, like your standard all-season tire, the DriveGuard has circumferential and lateral grooves. Both form what we call as the tire’s ‘water evacuation system’ – they channel water away from the tread to boost traction on wet roads.
Another thing you may like about these tires is that they are snow-capable. A soft tread compound and multiple biting edges mean they can tackle mild to moderate wintry conditions pretty easily.
Pros
- Offer outstanding dry grip
- Deliver ample feedback to the steering
- Quiet for run-flat tires
Cons
- May wear pretty quickly if pushed to the limits
#6. BFGoodrich g-Force Comp-2 AS
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The BFGoodrich g-Force Comp-2 AS offers everything you may expect from premium high-performance all-season tires. These include superb high-speed stability, impeccable straight-line tracking, and high amounts of steering feedback.
You may also find it good to note that this tire lasts longer for an HP AS tire. Want to know why? Thanks to BFG’s proprietary ‘Equal Tension Containment’ System. The ETEC improves the tire’s longevity by ensuring equal distribution of pressure forces.
To deliver ample feedback to the steering, ‘g-Hooks’ and ‘g-Control’ sidewalls come to the fore. Aside from that, they improve the tire’s cornering grip, letting you attack bends at speed.
Also, as the ‘all-season’ in its name implies, this tire’s tread compound is much more flexible than that of standard UHP summer tires. Why should that concern you? The g-Force Comp-2 can handle wet roads seamlessly because of the compound’s flexibility.
Pros
- Last long for an HP all-season tire
- Offer decent traction on wet roads
- Low profile adds to their appeal
Cons
- Not for driving on ice
#7. Continental WinterContact TS870 P
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Since the Z4 is a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) car, it offers poorer traction on snow and ice than front-wheel-drive (FWD) cars. Yet, with a proper set of winter tires and lots of careful driving, this convertible could safely carry you about in snowy conditions.
Enter the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P. Designed for performance-oriented cars like the Z4, this premium snow tire has taken over Europe, finishing firsts in tests conducted by the top automobile magazines of Austria, Germany, and the UK.
The main reason for that is its superb snow and ice traction, earning it an ‘Exemplary’ rating in Auto Bild’s 2022 Sports Cars winter tire tests. The year 2023 was no different for this tire, as the same magazine rated it as one of the best performance winter tires.
Another good news is that this tire is less noisy than standard winter tires. That is mainly due to its tread pattern. To strike a balance between cold and dry weather (the TS 870 P is useful on dry roads), it’s less aggressive vis-à-vis standard winter tires.
The result? While this tire does produce road noise, it’s noticeably quieter than traditional winter tires. Which explains why it is loved by the EV-driving crowd, known for being sticklers about a tire’s road noise since EVs have no engine to mask it.
Pros
- Superb traction on snow and ice
- Quieter than most winter tires
- Can be used on dry roads
Cons
- May not be the best for driving on thick snow