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Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 vs Michelin Primacy 4+ — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Primacy 4+ is ahead, 77–68

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Tire AHankook

Ventus S1 evo3

Summer

Tests 75 · 19 tests Owners 60 · 3,333 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test (noise)

“Which tire should I choose? I’m currently looking for new summer tires, but this time I’m finding it surprisingly difficult to choose. My previous set were Bridgestone T005s, which honestly didn’t impress me much. On my earlier car I’ve driven on Michelin PS4S, Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3, and Pirelli (don’t remember the exact model). The Michelins were by far my favorite — excellent grip and overall a fantastic tire. The Hankooks were above average and perfectly fine, but the Pirellis were a big disappointment. This time I’m considering the following three options: • Michelin Pilot Sport 5 • Continental SportContact 7 • Kumho Ecsta Sport S PS72 If I hadn’t done any research, I would have gone for the Michelins without hesitation. However, after digging a bit deeper, I added the Continentals as a strong competitor, and the Kumhos because they’re significantly cheaper while still getting quite positive reviews. I drive a Cupra Formentor 2.0 AWD with around 430 hp. I never take the car to the track, but I do enjoy sporty driving and quick launches at traffic lights. Now I’m finding the final decision harder than expected. Taking both price and performance into account, which of these three would you recommend? Read more”

Tire BMichelin

Primacy 4+

Summer

Tests 83 · 10 tests Owners 72 · 39 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 50 in 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (wear)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 76

    Dry

    Primacy 4+ +3
    79
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score)8582
    Reviews found online6473
    Dry Braking (% of best)96%97%
    Dry Handling (% of best)98%91%
  2. 78

    Wet

    Ventus S1 evo3 +1
    77
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score)8479
    Reviews found online6975
    Longitudinal Aquaplaning (% of best)98%83%
    Transverse Aquaplaning (% of best)87%70%
    Wet Braking (% of best)97%82%
    Wet Circle (% of best)98%94%
    Wet Handling (% of best)99%25%
  3. 64

    Comfort

    Primacy 4+ +8
    72
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score)6772
    Reviews found online6072
  4. 71

    Noise

    Primacy 4+ +1
    72
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score)7375
  5. 55

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4+ +28
    83
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score)6191
    Reviews found online4671
  6. 61

    Handling

    Primacy 4+ +8
    69
    Why this score
    SourceVentus S1 evo3Primacy 4+
    Reviews found online6169
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Ventus S1 evo3Michelin Primacy 4+
Relative Score 68 77
Dry 76 79
Wet 78 77
Comfort 64 72
Noise 71 72
Treadwear 55 83
Handling 61 69

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
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Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

Ventus S1 evo3

Primacy 4+

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryVentus S1 evo3Primacy 4+ΔBoth?
Curved Aquaplaning Curved 86% #9/10 · 2022 AMS Performance Summer Tyre Test 86% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test −0.1 Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 96% #5/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test 97% #3/10 · 2024 Motorhome Summer Tyre Test −1.1 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 98% #7/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test 91% #2/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 +7.5 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 99% #2/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test 76% #6/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 +22.1 Different tests
Noise Other 100% #1/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test 99% #3/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test +1.0 Different tests
Price Other 62% #9/15 · 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test 93% #6/8 · 2023 Motor Summer Tyre Test −30.2 Different tests
Value Other 58% #15/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test 67% #8/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test −9.3 Different tests
Wear Other 76% #7/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 86% #4/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test −9.5 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 100% #1/48 · 2023 Summer Tyre Market Overview 80% #3/11 · 2023 UTAC Summer Tire Test R17 +20.0 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 95% #11/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test 82% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test +12.5 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 67% #13/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 88% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test −20.8 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 60% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test 92% #5/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 −32.3 Different tests
Subj. Wet Handling Subj 67% #8/8 · 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test 88% #2/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 −20.5 Different tests
Total Cost of Ownership Total 0% #11/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 0% #5/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests
Longitudinal Aquaplaning Wet 98% #3/7 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test 83% #5/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 +14.9 Different tests
Transverse Aquaplaning Wet 87% #6/7 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test 70% #3/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 +16.8 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 97% #2/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test 82% #6/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 +14.4 Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 98% #5/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test 94% #9/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test +4.0 Same test
Wet Handling Wet 99% #3/11 · 2022 AutoBild Sports Cars UHP Summer Tyre Test 25% #5/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 +73.5 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Ventus S1 evo3

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and confidence in wet and dry conditions
  • Low road noise and high ride comfort
  • Competitive pricing compared to premium tier-one brands

Cons

  • Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on rear axles or heavy vehicles
  • Soft sidewalls leading to reduced steering feedback and precision
  • Vulnerability to sidewall damage or bubbling from potholes
All owner themes in the Ventus S1 evo3 review

Tire B Primacy 4+

Pros

  • Excellent ride comfort and a smooth, compliant 'limousine-like' feel over bumps
  • Strong and reliable grip in both wet and dry conditions, inspiring confidence
  • Noticeable improvement in quietness and traction compared to predecessor tires or factory options

Cons

  • Loud road noise and a harsh drone on rough or coarse asphalt surfaces
  • Soft sidewalls can reduce steering agility and initial responsiveness compared to dedicated sport tires
  • High premium price point relative to competitors
All owner themes in the Primacy 4+ review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Mixed

The Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 receives mixed reviews from the community, with some users praising its solid performance, great value, and good grip compared to competitors, while others note concerns regarding longevity, stock wear, and variations in ratings across different sizes. Discussions also highlight specific variant differences, such as the K127 standard version versus the K127e Tesla-specific version.

r/Golf_R ·6 upvotes ·2026-04-29

“Tire preferences? My MK8 has a little over 18,000 miles now and the stock tires look like they’ve already gone to sh*t? Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 aren’t as good as they advertise? What do you recommend for tires?”
r/TyreReviews ·2 upvotes ·2026-01-04

“That would tally with what this person found with the 127 variant that preceded it “Hi just for information,I asked Hankook what tread depth when new was on their Ventus S1 Evo 3 K127 tyre, the reply was 6.6 mm””
r/Volkswagen ·1 upvote ·2026-03-15

“F/S Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 235/35 R19 Hi Guys Selling a full set (4) Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 235/35 R19 summer tires, with 9/32 tread depth which is exactly the same depth when these ultra high performance tires are new. No punctures anywhere. Tires came of my 2024 VW GTI with less than 3k miles on the odometer. The production date on the tires is 3324 which means 33rd week of 2024.This translates to late August 2024. $500/obo but no shipping. Local pick up only. I am in Long Island NY. Message if interested. Read more”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Price and value#Tread wear and longevity#OEM stock performance#Size variations and ratings#Comparison with competitors

Based on 12 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Primacy 4+

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 B · Michelin Primacy 4+
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Ventus S1 evo3

Michelin Primacy 4+

Winner: Michelin Primacy 4+ — better treadwear, comfort and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 83 vs 55 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 72 vs 64 on comfort.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 69 vs 61 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 79 vs 76 on dry.

Tire A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
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Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4+
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How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

77

Leads

Primacy 4+

Amazon