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Michelin Primacy 4 vs Pirelli Powergy — Compared

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

Primacy 4 is ahead, 79–69

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Tire AMichelin

Primacy 4

Summer Premium Touring tires

Tests 83 · 23 tests Owners 75 · 13,311 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2020 Teknikens 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test (dry 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”

Tire BPirelli

Powergy

Summer Premium Touring tires

Tests 77 · 1 test Owners 63 · 1,787 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test (noise)

“Are Pirelli Powergy Winter the right winter tires for the GR? Hey, my parents bought a GR Yaris last week and it’s a great car but I looked at its winter tires and those are Pirelli Powergy Winter. I’m not an expert on tires but as far as I know the P-Zero Winter would be the right choice for a GR. My father didn’t bought them because he thought it was the right tires rather a tire salesman talked him into it. I talked him into Pirelli as those were the factory tires for his Volvo 850R and would be a better choice then his current Conti Premium 5 but somehow my father misunderstood me to that point that Pirelli’s are the greatest tires ever. So he asked the salesmen for the best Pirelli Tires and told the car it’s for but the salesman sold him those Powergy tires and said that not all Pirelli’s are in stock. As my father isn’t an enthusiast but loves likes to drive performance cars he didn’t knew better and now it’s too late. In my eyes a good salesman (not in the way of profit for the company rather costumer experience) would have told him that the P-Zeros winter are out of stock but can be ordered or would show him tires from different companies. Another option is the salesman though he meant the GR Sport Yaris for which P-Zero winters are too much as not many persons in their sixties drive a real GR. So my question are the Powergy enough for the GR or should he get P-Zeros next Winter (in a few weeks we will put on summer tires)”

Category by category

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

  1. 80

    Dry

    Primacy 4 +6
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)8478
    Reviews found online7568
    Dry Braking (% of best)100%94%
  2. 82

    Wet

    Primacy 4 +8
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)8577
    Reviews found online7870
    Wet Braking (% of best)96%96%
    Wet Circle (% of best)92%98%
    Wet Handling (% of best)98%97%
  3. 80

    Comfort

    Primacy 4 +11
    69
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)8473
    Reviews found online7562
  4. 71

    Noise

    Powergy +5
    76
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)7482
  5. 79

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4 +23
    56
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)84–
    Reviews found online7250
  6. 76

    Handling

    Primacy 4 +8
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Reviews found online7668
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Primacy 4Pirelli Powergy
Relative Score 79 69
Dry 80 74
Wet 82 74
Comfort 80 69
Noise 71 76
Treadwear 79 56
Handling 76 68

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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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Primacy 4

Powergy

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 4PowergyΔBoth?
Curved Aquaplaning Curved 75% #8/8 · 2021 Camper Van / SUV Tyre Test 81% #8/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −5.9 Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/10 · 2020 Teknikens 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test 94% #4/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +6.5 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 82% #4/10 · 2022 AZ SUV Tyre Test 81% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +1.5 Different tests
Noise Other 97% #2/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −2.7 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 100% #1/15 · 2019 Autonavigator Summer Tire Test R16 20% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +80.0 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 95% #6/10 · 2022 AZ SUV Tyre Test 92% #4/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +3.1 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 92% #4/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 93% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −0.9 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 100% #3/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test 93% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +7.2 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 96% #4/17 · 2021 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 96% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +0.3 Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 92% #13/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 98% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −6.2 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 98% #6/10 · 2022 ViBilagare Eco vs Normal Tyre Test 97% #2/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +1.4 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 Powergy

Pros

  • Significantly reduced road noise and quiet highway ride
  • Strong dry and wet grip for daily commuting
  • Comfortable and smooth ride quality compared to run-flats

Cons

  • Faster than average tread wear or shallow initial tread depth
  • Negative impact on fuel economy (MPG) for some users
  • Soft sidewalls leading to muted steering feedback and less precise handling at the limit
All owner themes in the Powergy review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Michelin Primacy 4

Positive

Community opinion on the Michelin Primacy 4 is largely positive, praising its exceptional wet braking capabilities, impressive longevity, low cabin noise, and smooth ride quality. While some users note limitations in heavy snow or rougher tarmac surfaces, it is widely recommended as a top-tier touring tire for daily driving compared to sportier alternatives like the Pilot Sport series.

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
#Wet braking and grip#Ride comfort and low noise#Tread wear and longevity#Comparison with Pilot Sport#Performance on EVs and hybrids

Based on 31 community posts

Tire B

Pirelli Powergy

Mixed

Community opinion on the Pirelli Powergy line is mixed, with users noting it serves as Pirelli's budget or eco-oriented offering compared to higher-end models like the Cinturato. While some find them to be a decent, affordable upgrade over older worn tires, others report concerns regarding ride comfort, noise, and potential mixing issues with other tire models.

r/tires ·1 upvote ·2026-08-31

“Ripples in side wall Just been washing the car and found what I can only describe as ripples in the side wall of my front-right tyre. Had these fitted in June, only just noticed the ripples. The other tyres are perfect. I’ve probably done around 2,000 miles on them. Should I be concerned, and do they look like a manufacturing defect, or as a result of damage? (I’ve not hit any serious potholes that I’m aware of). These tyres are Pirelli Powergy, fitted to a Volvo XC60. Date code is 3325. Any help gratefully received. Read more”
r/tires ·1 upvote ·2025-05-18

“Pirelli cinturato P7 and Pirelli Powergy Hi all 👋🏼 So I had 4 Pirelli Cinturato P7’s on my Ford Focus ST. I got a flat tire (front left) while I was on vacation so I decided to get 2 new tires at the front. I asked the guy at the tire shop to get the same tires (so the Pirelli Cinturato’s). He got me Pirelli Powergy’s instead… He didn’t really speak English and there was not time as I was driving home the next day. So I just accepted it. Now my question is what’s the main difference between these tires? And does it matter I got 2 different tires now? (2 powergy’s at the front and 2 Cinturato’s at the back) Thanks!🙏🏼”
Top themes
#Budget eco tire line#Comparison with Cinturato#Mixed ride comfort#Winter and all-season variants#Accidental mixing with other tires

Based on 15 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Primacy 4 B · Pirelli Powergy
CategorySummer Premium Touring tiresSummer Premium Touring tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / Crossover—

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Primacy 4

Pirelli Powergy

Winner: Michelin Primacy 4 — better treadwear, comfort and wet. Pick the Pirelli Powergy if noise matters most to you.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 79 vs 56 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 80 vs 69 on comfort.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 82 vs 74 on wet.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 76 vs 68 on handling.

Tire A · Michelin Primacy 4
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Tire B · Pirelli Powergy
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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

Leads

Primacy 4

Amazon