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Last updated 1/16/2025 - Originally published 1/16/2025
Written by SimpleTire
The Milan, Italy-based tire giant Pirelli has a history of making tires for over 150 years and is amongst the top 5 tire manufacturers in the world. It offers all-season, UHP all-season, UHP summer, all-weather, all-terrain, performance, track competition, and mud-terrain tires in the United States. The tire manufacturer aims to fulfill the tire needs of passenger cars, sedans, coupes, CUVs, SUVs, minivans, EVs, light trucks, and commercial vehicles. Coming from Pirelli, the P4 Persist AS Plus is one of the outstanding all-season tires that we have picked for the comparison here.
Cooper Tire also has a long history in making tires and has been in the business since 1914. The tire brand is regarded as one of the most trusted manufacturers in the US and offers tires for use on passenger cars, light trucks, CUVs, SUVs, and commercial vehicles. Cooper’s range of tires includes all-season, all-terrain, winter, mud-terrain, all-weather, rugged-terrain, UHP all-season, UHP summer, highway, and performance types. The second tire we have chosen for the comparison is the Cooper ProControl, which was introduced in May 2023.
Both, the Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus and the Cooper ProControl tires are built and designed for year-round use and avoid the hassle of storing an extra set of tires for use in the changing season. They can be used in dry, wet, and light winter conditions so technically when the winters are milder, you don’t have to pull out another set of tires to get things ready for driving.
If you are looking for reliable tires with great ride comfort and uncompromised performance, you might have shortlisted the P4 Persist AS Plus or the ProControl. So, take a deep dive in our comparative analysis and find out which of the two tires meet your driving style and needs better based on their features and our proprietary tire rating system, SimpleScore, where we will analyze the overall, traction, handling, and longevity performance and rate them on a scale of 0 to 10. Let’s get started with our P4 Persist AS Plus vs ProControl tires comparison now!
Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus tires
The Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus is an excellent all-season tire that has an overall SimpleScore of 9.4 out of 10. Various factors contribute to the outstanding overall score of this Pirelli tire out of which the primary reasons are its exceptional tread life, superior traction performance, and excellent handling. The tire is also optimized for improved fuel efficiency, improved hydroplaning resistance, solid control, enhanced durability, sharp steering response, and better grip in wet and snow conditions. It is suitable for use on coupes, sedans, CUVs, and minivans. Additionally, the P4 Persist AS Plus is also backed by an impressive tread life warranty, details of which will be shared in the longevity section below.
Get Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus tires at the best deals for your vehicle here
Cooper ProControl tires
The Cooper ProControl also has similar year-round performing abilities and scores an overall SimpleScore of 8.7, which is mainly contributed by its excellent tread life, better handling, and enhanced traction. The ProControl is also optimized for crisp handling, confident cornering, solid grip in wet and light snow conditions, and enhanced durability. The tire is suitable for use on passenger cars, coupes, sedans, CUVs, and minivans. Furthermore, there’s also a tread life warranty, like its competitor to make the ownership experience more pleasant.
Get Cooper ProControl tires at the best deals for your vehicle here
Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus vs Cooper ProControl tires on traction
Let’s find out how both of these tires perform in the traction areas as it will help you determine their abilities to maintain grip in dry, wet, and light snow conditions.
Starting with the P4 Persist AS Plus, the tire scores an outstanding 9.5 SimpleScore in traction, which means you don’t have to worry whether the tire would bite the surface enough to get proper motion. It features central longitudinal grooves that improve water channeling for better ride control in wet and snow conditions. Meanwhile, the variable angle grooves on the tread also contribute to increased grip in rain and light snow conditions. Additionally, the rubber compound used on the tread is also optimized to boost performance year-round.
On the contrary, the Cooper ProControl scores a great 8.3 SimpleScore in traction, which is also on the positive side and hints at the tire’s ability to perform year-round. The tire utilizes patented Widening Siping Technology that allows the tire to maintain a grip on wet and light snow roads. There are water evacuation grooves that evacuate water from the tread for increased traction in rain and milder snow environments. The footprint of the tire is also engineered to keep the maximum area of the tire in contact with the surface and maintain optimum traction.
Coming to the traction scores, the P4 Persist AS Plus scores an excellent 9.5 SimpleScore rating, which is much higher compared to ProControl’s 8.3 SimpleScore rating.
ADVANTAGE: Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus
Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus vs Cooper ProControl tires on handling
To determine how both tires perform when it comes to stability, steering response, cornering, lane changes, and braking, let’s analyze their handling performance.
The P4 Persist AS Plus scores an exceptional 9.2 SimpleScore, which means you get to enjoy Pirelli’s standard top-notch handling performance with a set of these tires installed. The reinforced shoulders of the tire provide stability and longitudinal grooves also contribute to enhanced ride control. There is a continuous central rib on the tread that also improves overall handling performance. For improved steering response in wet and light snow conditions, the P4 Persist AS Plus features variable angle grooves.
On the other hand, the Cooper ProControl scores an 8.6 SimpleScore rating, and its Armor Belt Technology provides strength and stiffness to offer a crisp steering response. For a commanding control on wet and light snow surfaces, there are wider sipes on the ProControl’s tread and the three ribs at the center facilitate quicker lane changes. The sipe details on the tread and optimized rubber compound ensure in-time braking.
In handling too, the P4 Persist AS Plus tires score more and surpass the ProControl tires.
ADVANTAGE: Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus
Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus vs Cooper ProControl tires on longevity
No one wants a tire that wears faster, and you would, too. Let’s see how the P4 Persist AS Plus and the ProControl fare in longevity.
Commencing with the P4 Persist AS Plus, the tire scores a whopping 9.7 out of 10 SimpleScore rating confirming its excellent ability to wear slowly and last longer. The tire is also backed by the best-in-class 85,000 miles limited manufacturer tread life warranty and gets reinforced shoulders that promote increased mileage and even wear. The tire is built and designed for increased durability to withstand driving pressures and wear at a slow rate.
Contrarily, the Cooper ProControl achieves an outstanding 9.5 SimpleScore rating, which is also good enough to prove that this tire is optimized for longer wear. The Cooper all-season tire is also covered by a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty to ensure worry-free rides. The solid build and construction of the ProControl, patented Armor Belt Technology, and Wear Extending Technology provide increased strength for longer tread life. Additionally, the Even Wear Arc Technology evenly distributes driving pressures across the tread for an even wear.
In the longevity battle, both tires have proved that they can serve for a good number of miles but ultimately it was the Pirelli tire that won the battle.
ADVANTAGE: Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus
When to use each
Both the P4 Persist AS Plus and the ProControl fall in the all-season category and are good for use in wet, dry, and light snow conditions. That being said, since neither of these tires is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, they shouldn’t be considered for use in severe winter conditions. Likewise, these tires are only made for driving on paved roads and should be a choice if you want something to drive off-road as well.
As far as the rim sizes are concerned, the P4 Persist AS Plus is available in 15- to 18-inch options, while the ProControl is offered in 16- to 22-inch choices. So basically, the Cooper tire has the advantage of being compatible with a wider set of vehicles on the market, compared to the P4 Persist AS Plus tires.
Which one should you choose?
Looking at the scores, the P4 Persist AS Plus has a higher overall score of 9.4 compared to the ProControl’s 8.7 SimpleScore and is a better choice. However, both tires have their advantages and you must consider them before making a purchase.
When it comes to pricing, the P4 Persist AS Plus is available at a starting price of at least $98 per tire, while the ProControl is offered at a starting price of at least $130 per tire. This means a set of four P4 Persist tires will cost you at least $392, while a set of four ProControl tires will cost you at least $520.
Based on SimpleScore, you should consider the P4 Persist AS Plus if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Sonata, or Ford Fusion
- Want an overall better tire
- Want an affordable tire
- Want better traction (9.5 vs 8.3) and handling (9.2 vs 8.6)
- Want a long-lasting tire (9.7 vs 9.5)
- Need a tire that’s backed by a longer tread life warranty (85,000 vs 70,000 miles)
On the contrary, you should pick the ProControl if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Kia Optima, Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Sentra, or the Porsche 911
- Need a tire that’s compatible with more vehicles on the market and is available in 16- to 22-inch rim sizes
- Want a tire that doesn’t disappoint on the longevity front
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help, and our agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.