Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Primacy 4 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy — Compared

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

Primacy 4 leads, 79–75 Narrow edge

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Tire AMichelin

Primacy 4

Summer

Tests 82 · 23 tests Owners 74 · 13,344 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 8 in 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 (wet braking)

“Review: Michelin Primacy 4 ST I own a 2023 N8 DCT and recently changed all four tyres from the stock CEATs after one of the tyres’ sidewall was punctured on hitting a rather deep pothole at high speed. Cost: INR 9,750 per tyre Existing tyre buyback: INR 1,000 per tyre (~15k kms) Review: I’ve been using the new tyres for a few weeks now and I’m happy with the upgrade. The difference is noticeable, but only if you pay attention. I’d say a non-savvy person won’t notice anything different unless you ask them to pay attention. At low speeds, the road noise is reduced and the vehicle is noticeably silent (almost dead silent if the roads are smooth and the engine is at low revs) and smoother. At high speeds, the noise level difference is not very noticeable due to the engine and wind noise, but the smoothness and grip is noticeably better. That said, I wouldn’t say the stock tyres are bad (in terms of both - noise and grip) as a lot of reviewers like to point out; definitely not a night and day difference for me. Lastly, I believe the fuel efficiency has improved due to the lower rolling resistance, but I don’t have enough data to claim this confidently. My verdict is to only upgrade if your current tyres are worn out. Personally, I don’t think spending close to 40k is worth it for the budget conscious. But if you have the money to spare, you will definitely be happy with the upgrade. Read more”

Tests 79 · 1 test Owners 71 · 44 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 2 in Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Pilot Sport 5: How Much Do You Really Give Up? (dry braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 81

    Dry

    Primacy 4 +3
    78
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Pilot Sport 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)8482
    Reviews found online7571
    Dry Braking (% of best)99%100%
  2. 79

    Wet

    Primacy 4 +7
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Pilot Sport 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)8173
    Reviews found online7672
    Wet Braking (% of best)96%92%
  3. 80

    Comfort

    Primacy 4 +12
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Pilot Sport 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)84–
    Reviews found online7467
  4. 71

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Pilot Sport 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)74–
  5. 79

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4 +1
    78
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Pilot Sport 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)8482
    Reviews found online71–
  6. 74

    Handling

    Primacy 4 +4
    70
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Pilot Sport 5 Energy
    Reviews found online7470
Scores at a glance
Michelin Primacy 4 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Primacy 4Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy
Relative Score 79 75
Dry 81 78
Wet 79 72
Comfort 80 68
Noise 71 –
Treadwear 79 78
Handling 74 70

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.

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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Primacy 4

Pilot Sport 5 Energy

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryPrimacy 4Pilot Sport 5 EnergyΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 99% #3/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 100% #1/2 · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Pilot Sport 5: How Much Do You Really Give Up? −1.3 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 82% #4/10 · 2022 AZ SUV Tyre Test 100% #1/2 · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Pilot Sport 5: How Much Do You Really Give Up? −17.9 Different tests
Subj. Wet Handling Subj 80% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test 90% #2/2 · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Pilot Sport 5: How Much Do You Really Give Up? −9.7 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 96% #2/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 92% #2/2 · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Pilot Sport 5: How Much Do You Really Give Up? +4.2 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Primacy 4

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and long-lasting durability
  • Low road noise and a very quiet, comfortable ride
  • Reliable and consistent wet and dry grip

Cons

  • Vague, numb, or floaty steering feel with soft sidewalls under hard cornering
  • High price point compared to competitors
  • Occasional reports of increased road noise or harsher ride as the tread wears down
All owner themes in the Primacy 4 review

Tire B Pilot Sport 5 Energy

Pros

  • Improved energy efficiency and increased miles per kWh for electric vehicles
  • Enhanced wet weather traction and cornering confidence
  • Noticeable reduction in road noise compared to predecessor and stock tires

Cons

  • Some users report a harsh and stiff ride quality due to internal insulation
  • Road noise may still be noticeable depending on vehicle and road surfaces
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 5 Energy review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Michelin Primacy 4

Positive

Community feedback for the Michelin Primacy 4 is largely positive, highlighting its excellent balance of low road noise, high comfort, dependable wet and dry grip, and strong longevity for daily driving. While some users note concerns over rapid wear on specific heavy or EV applications, and poor snow performance due to its summer tire nature, most drivers find it a superior touring tire compared to factory options.

r/AutomobileRO ·2 upvotes ·2025-09-22

“Am avut primacy 4 pe o electrica. Destul de dezamagit de faptul ca dupa ~ 28.000 km s-au tocit rau de au ajuns cam la 3 mm. Placute la condus, silentioase, dar nu cele mai aderente. Pilot sport 4 pe aceiasi electrica cu primacy 4. Huruie de te doare capul. Aderenta nu o simt neaparat wow fata de primacy 4. Nu le mai suport si abia astept sa le trec pe iarna, oricum asta fiind ultima incaltare cu ele. Pe o termica am primacy 5, si sunt cele mai ok din experienta mea. Cele mai silentioase si aderente din cele 3. Dupa 20.000 km uzura a scazut cam cu 1 mm. Recomandarea mea e sa alegi primacy 5 fara ezitare.”

r/nzev ·1 upvote ·2026-02-11

“Both our Polestar2 (new) and 2016 Leaf (Jap import) arrived with Primacy 4s on them. The FWD Polestar needed fronts replaced at ~35k km and being 245/45 R19s Primacy were too pricey so went with Kumho Ecsta PS71 equivalents for a lot cheaper and negligible difference in performance. The rears on the Polestar are still going strong at 45k km and look like at least 60k km will be likely. We also fitted Kumhos on our previous Leaf and were very satisfied with performance and life.”

r/nzev ·1 upvote ·2026-02-11

“When I bought my freshly imported 2014 Nissan Leaf in Sept 2020 it had 27,xxx km on the odometer and a full set of Michelin Primacy 4 that were sidewall dated from very late 2018, so likely only very low mileage on them. I put another 47,000km on them before replacing with a full set of Toyo Proxes C100 Plus in April 2024 which have also been great. The Michelin fronts were certainly very worn particularly the shoulders. I really rate Toyos so would encourage you to have a look. I’ve since put 21,000km on the Toyos and even after 12,500km, in May 2025 at their most recent WOF, the fronts still measured at 7mm and rears 8mm. P.S I paid $900 total for the 4 x Toyos inc. fitting, disposal etc.”

Top themes
#Ride Comfort and Smoothness#Low Road Noise#Wet and Dry Grip#Tread Life and Longevity#Comparison with Pilot Sport 4#Winter and Snow Limitations

Based on 32 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Primacy 4 B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Primacy 4

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy

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

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 80 vs 68 on comfort.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 79 vs 72 on wet.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 74 vs 70 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 81 vs 78 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin Primacy 4
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy

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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.

79

Narrow edge

Primacy 4

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