Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Primacy 4 vs Michelin Primacy 5 Energy — Compared

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

Primacy 5 Energy leads, 83–79 Narrow edge

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Tire AMichelin

Primacy 4

Summer

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

“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”

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 5 Energy +4
    85
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Primacy 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)84–
    Reviews found online7593
  2. 79

    Wet

    Primacy 5 Energy +6
    85
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Primacy 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)81–
    Reviews found online7690
  3. 80

    Comfort

    Primacy 4 +2
    78
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Primacy 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)84–
    Reviews found online7486
  4. 71

    Noise

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

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4 +2
    77
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Primacy 5 Energy
    Professional tests (TWG score)84–
    Reviews found online7185
  6. 74

    Handling

    Primacy 5 Energy +18
    92
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Primacy 5 Energy
    Reviews found online7492
Scores at a glance
Michelin Primacy 4 vs Michelin Primacy 5 Energy: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Primacy 4Michelin Primacy 5 Energy
Relative Score 79 83
Dry 81 85
Wet 79 85
Comfort 80 78
Noise 71 –
Treadwear 79 77
Handling 74 92

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

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Recomputed
Headline score

Primacy 4

Primacy 5 Energy

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

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 Primacy 5 Energy

Pros

  • Significantly reduced road noise and quieter cabin experience
  • Noticeable improvements in fuel economy and EV range / efficiency
  • Enhanced grip and vehicle stability in both wet and dry conditions

Cons

  • A few users experienced a firmer or harsher ride over small road imperfections
  • Isolated reports of increased noise or a harder feel during specific motorway driving
  • Lack of self-sealing technology mentioned as a minor inconvenience by some
All owner themes in the Primacy 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 Primacy 5 Energy

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

Specs side by side

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

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Primacy 4

Michelin Primacy 5 Energy

Winner: Michelin Primacy 5 Energy — better handling, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Primacy 5 Energy scores 92 vs 74 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Primacy 5 Energy scores 85 vs 79 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Primacy 5 Energy scores 85 vs 81 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin Primacy 4
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 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.

83

Narrow edge

Primacy 5 Energy

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