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Michelin Primacy 4+

The Michelin Primacy 4 Plus is a premium summer touring tyre built around refinement, efficiency and long life rather than outright sportiness. It feels calm and comfortable on the road, with strong dry braking and reassuring day-to-day grip, and many drivers highlight its quiet cruising manners. Independent tests consistently rate it highly overall thanks to excellent wear and low rolling resistance, though they also flag that wet handling and aquaplaning reserves are not class-leading for the price.

8.9
Tyre Reviews Score Based on Professional Tests & User Reviews
High Confidence View Breakdown
Dry Grip
87%
Wet Grip
84%
Road Feedback
76%
Handling
73%
Wear
82%
Comfort
84%
Buy again
77%
34 Reviews
80% Average
257,200 miles driven
12 Tests (avg: 4th)
Michelin Primacy 4 Plus

Michelin Primacy 4 Plus

Summer Premium
BETA
8.9 / 10
Based on Professional Tests & User Reviews · High Confidence · Updated 23 Feb 2026

The Tyre Reviews Score is the most comprehensive tyre scoring system available. It aggregates professional test data from multiple independent publications, user reviews, and consistency analysis using Bayesian statistical methods, weighted normalisation, and recency-adjusted scoring to produce a single, reliable performance rating.

Learn more about our methodology
Comfort
84.6
0.32x / 14 tests
Value
76.8
0.42x / 26 tests
Dry
75.3
1.8x / 21 tests
Wet
72.1
2x / 46 tests

Cross-category scores are derived metrics that combine data from multiple test disciplines to evaluate real-world performance characteristics.

Braking
78.3
24 tests
Handling
68.8
20 tests
Score Components
Professional Tests
Weight: 80%
Tests: 12
Publications: 7
Period: 2022 - 2025
User Reviews
Weight: 15%
Reviews: 34
Avg Rating: 80.4%
Min Required: 5
Consistency
Weight: 5%
Score Std Dev: 0.37
History Points: 10
Methodology & Configuration
Scoring Process
  1. Collect Test Data: Gather results from professional tyre tests across multiple publications. Minimum 1 test(s) required.
  2. Normalize Positions: Convert test positions to percentile scores using exponential weighting (factor: 1.2).
  3. Apply Recency Weighting: More recent tests are weighted higher with a decay rate of 0.95.
  4. Incorporate User Reviews: Factor in user review data (minimum 5 reviews). Weight: 15%.
  5. Bayesian Smoothing: Apply Bayesian prior (score: 7, weight: 1.5) to prevent extreme scores with limited data.
  6. Calculate Final Score: Combine all components using normalization factor of 1.1. Max score with limited data: 9.5.
Component Weights
Test Data
80%
User Reviews
15%
Consistency
5%
All Configuration Parameters
ParameterValueDescription
safety_weight 0.7 Weight multiplier for safety-related metrics
performance_weight 0.55 Weight multiplier for performance metrics
comfort_weight 0.4 Weight multiplier for comfort metrics
value_weight 0.45 Weight multiplier for value-for-money metrics
user_reviews_weight 0.15 How much user reviews contribute to the final score
test_data_weight 0.8 How much professional test data contributes to the final score
consistency_weight 0.05 How much score consistency contributes to the final score
recency_decay_rate 0.95 Rate at which older test results lose influence (higher = slower decay)
min_test_count 1 Minimum number of professional tests required
min_review_count 5 Minimum number of user reviews required
score_version 1.9 Current version of the scoring algorithm
score_normalization_factor 1.1 Factor used to normalize raw scores to the 0-10 scale
confidence_factor_weight 0.2 How much data confidence affects the final score
position_penalty_weight 0.2 Penalty applied for poor test positions
gap_penalty_threshold 12 Score gap (%) that triggers additional penalties
min_metrics_count 2 Minimum number of test metrics needed per test
limited_data_threshold 2 Number of tests below which data is considered limited
single_test_penalty 0.75 Score multiplier when only one test is available
critical_metric_penalty 0.7 Penalty for poor performance on critical safety metrics
critical_metric_threshold 70 Score below which a critical metric penalty applies
position_exponential_factor 1.2 Exponent used to amplify position-based scoring
position_exponential_threshold 0.9 Position percentile below which exponential scoring applies
gap_multiplier_critical 3 Multiplier for critical gap penalties
max_category_weight 2 Maximum weight any single category can have
max_score_limited_data 9.5 Score cap when data is limited
bayesian_prior_weight 1.5 Weight of the Bayesian prior in smoothing
bayesian_prior_score 7 Prior score used for Bayesian smoothing
evidence_test_multiplier 1.9 Multiplier for test evidence in confidence calculation
evidence_metric_divisor 3 Divisor for metric count in evidence calculation
evidence_review_divisor 10 Divisor for review count in evidence calculation
combined_penalty_floor 0.2
Data Sources
TestPublicationDateSizePositionMetrics
2025 EV Tyre Test Auto Bild 2025 215/55 R18 4/8 13 metrics
The Best Touring Tyres for 2025 Tested Tyre Reviews 2025 225/50 R17 5/7 11 metrics
2024 Motorhome Summer Tyre Test Auto Bild 2024 225/55 R17 3/10 8 metrics
2024 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test Auto Motor Und Sport 2024 235/55 R18 8/8 9 metrics
2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test Auto Zeitung 2024 225/45 R17 7/9 8 metrics
2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test Auto Bild 2024 205/55 R16 1/21 12 metrics
2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test ADAC 2024 215/55 R17 2/16 11 metrics
2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview Auto Bild 2024 205/55 R16 5/55 2 metrics
2023 Motor Summer Tyre Test Motor 2023 205/55 R16 2/8 8 metrics
2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test ADAC 2023 205/55 R16 3/50 12 metrics
Tyre Reviews Best Summer Touring Tyres Tyre Reviews 2023 205/55 R16 5/13 13 metrics
2022 Auto Express SUV Tyre Test Auto Express 2022 235/55 R18 5/7 0 metrics

Videos

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12
Tests
4th
Average
1st
Best
8th
Worst
Latest Tyre Test Results
Best-in-test comfort scores and second quietest tyre tested. Low rolling resistance.
Wet performance now showing the tyre's age, with longer stopping distances and slower handling times than the newer designs.
The Primacy 4+ demonstrates Michelin's comfort expertise but shows its age in wet performance. While still a safe, capable tyre, newer designs have moved the game on in terms of outright grip and handling. I look forward to testing the Primacy 5 in the near future.

Recommended 2025 Summer Test Michelin Primacy 4+
2025 EV Tyre Test
215/55 R18 • 2025
4th/8
The Michelin Primacy 4+ delivered good all-round performance with short braking distances (43.2m wet, 35.1m dry) and solid handling. It showed low rolling resistance (6.51 kg/t) and delivered 377.2km of range in the test. As the most expensive tyre (€735), it offered strong longevity (44,920km) but suffered from limited aquaplaning resistance, especially in curved conditions. While not explicitly marketed as an EV tyre, it performed well in efficiency metrics.
5th/55
Size Fuel Wet Noise
16 inch
205/60R16 96 W XL B A 70
205/55R16 94 H XL C A 70
205/55R16 94 V XL C A 70
215/60R16 99 V XL B A 70
205/55R16 91 V C A 69
215/60R16 95 H B A 69
205/55R16 91 W C A 69
205/60R16 96 H XL B A 70
215/60R16 99 H XL B A 70
215/70R16 100 H C A 69
215/60R16 95 V B A 69
205/60R16 92 H C A 69
205/55R16 91 H C A 69
205/60R16 92 V C A 69
17 inch
215/55R17 98 W XL B A 70
225/60R17 99 V B A 69
205/50R17 93 H XL C A 70
225/45R17 91 W C A 69
215/45R17 91 W XL C A 70
215/45R17 87 W C A 69
225/45R17 91 Y C A 69
225/50R17 94 V C A 69
215/55R17 94 V C A 69
215/55R17 94 W C A 69
215/45R17 91 V XL C A 70
225/50R17 94 Y C A 69
225/45R17 94 W XL C A 70
225/50R17 98 V XL B A 70
205/50R17 89 V C A 69
205/50R17 93 W XL C A 70
225/45R17 91 V C A 69
205/50R17 93 V XL C A 70
225/45R17 94 V XL C A 70
225/50R17 94 W C A 69
225/50R17 98 Y XL B A 70
225/50R17 98 W XL B A 70
18 inch
245/45R18 100 W XL B A 70
225/40R18 92 Y XL C A 70
20 inch
255/45R20 101 V B A 70
View All Sizes and EU Label Scores for the Michelin Primacy 4 Plus >>

Questions and Answers for the Michelin Primacy 4 Plus

Ask a question
January 22, 2023

Can a Primacy 4 Plus be combined with a Primacy 4 on the same axle

A good question. Ideally you will always keep the same two tyres across an axle so I'm not sure anyone would recommend mixing, however the changes from the Primacy 4 to 4+ were small so of all the mixed axle combinations, this is one of the better ones.
April 19, 2023

I have just bought Primacy 4+ (245/45-18 100W XL) for my 2017 Mercedes E220d (model S213). The tire is very quiet in general, but there is often a strange "resounding" sound. Not extremely loud, but significant and annoying when I drive the car so much every day (approx. 3500 km / month). The sound is intermittent and it is not dependent on the road surface. Is this a "phenomenon" you have encountered? <br> I used to drive Primacy 3, which I have been very happy with, but they are noisier in general and extremely noisy when they are half worn.

Unfortunately I've not come across any noise issues with the Primacy 4+, or seen any references to this in other tests or online.
<br>
If it is intermittent and it is not dependent on the road surface I wonder if it's something from the car systems you weren't able to hear with the older, noisier tyres. If the sound seems like it's coming from one corner of the car you could try moving wheels around to see if it changes.
November 1, 2023

I drive a 2006 Mitsubishi Colt CZT with 220HP, FWD, 1060kg. Currently Michelin Pilot Sport 3 in 205/45R16, however not updated and tire is end of life, practically no new tires in that size except for Michelin Primacy 4+ Question: Rather again buy the now super old Pilot Sport 3 or go with Premacy 4+? or? Thank you, Alexander

If you don't mind losing a small amount of steering feel and dynamic qualities, the Primacy 4+ will be a significantly better tyre.
February 23, 2024

Does the primacy 4+ has a rim guard / rim protector lip just like the michelin pilot sport? Thanks

Rim protection can vary by size, however I don't recall testing a Primacy 4+ with significant rim protection as that is often removed on non-performance tyres for added aero benefit.
March 22, 2024

Hello does the primacy 4+ offers the rim fringe protection? Thx

The sizes I've tested does not have significant rim protection.
February 8, 2025

I have a Genesis GV70 that is fitted with Michelin Pilot SPort SUV. I find the tyres a little hard and noisy for my liking and would prefer a more relaxed feeling tyre. I would prefer to lose some road feedback or sporting qualities in favour of a more comfortable drive. Would the Primacy 4(+/SUV) be a good option to achieve this or would there be another option with another brand?

The Primacy 4+ is the natural choice and would be a good swap. The Primacy 5 does now exist but it might be a while until you get your sizes! Other good options would be the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 or the Vredestein Ultrac.
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Review Summary

Based on 29 user reviews

Most drivers rate the Michelin Primacy 4 Plus highly for quiet, comfortable touring manners with strong wet and dry grip and confident braking, often noting improved stability versus previous tyres. High-scoring reviews frequently praise low noise, comfort, and good wear. A minority report issues: noticeable road noise on rough surfaces, weaker steering precision versus sport tyres, and occasional wet/cold grip criticism. Overall, the Primacy 4 Plus is a well-liked premium touring tyre with comfort and wet safety as standouts.

Strengths
  • Wet grip and braking
  • Dry grip
  • Low noise/quiet on most surfaces
  • Ride comfort
  • Stability/confidence at speed
  • Good wear/longevity
Areas for Improvement
  • Noise on rough surfaces
  • Less precise/soft steering feel vs sport tyres
  • Reduced grip in cold/wet conditions for some users
  • High price

Top 3 Michelin Primacy 4 Plus Reviews

Given 97% while driving a SEAT Ibiza (195/55 R16) on a combination of roads for 7,000 spirited miles
Very good tyres, no issues regarding grip level in wet or dry weather. The handling is great and so is road noise, noticeably quieter than the Nexen on the rear of the car. So far tread level looks nearly identical to new having done around 7000 miles. All in all they are great tyres as you’d expect from Michelin.
July 30, 2025
Given 94% while driving a Toyota Prius (215/45 R17) on mostly motorways for 0 average miles
Very good tyres in : comfort, handling wet and dry,tread life good,aquaplaning good.
Negative is price ,but quality always it will be expensive.
November 4, 2024
Given 90% while driving a Skoda Superb MK3 (2015 Present) (185/50 R18) on mostly town for 3,000 easy going miles
Update on the Michelin Primacy 4+

I turned all the electronic driving aids of on my car and everything improved all round on my Skoda.
The car felt more sure footed and planted on the road and the steering feel was transformed.

Electronic driving aids have a use but it's up to each driver to judge the benefit of not.
March 20, 2025

How would you rate the Michelin Primacy 4 Plus?

Click a star to start your review

Latest Michelin Primacy 4 Plus Reviews

Given 49% while driving a Renault Austral Full hybrid (235/45 R20) on mostly town for 7,000 average miles
These tyres are frightening on damp cold roads. Came new with my car and I can’t wait to replace them. They’re good in warm conditions but nothing special, but as soon as it gets cold they behave like budget tyres. I’ve had a lot of summer tyres in my time and none have suffered in the colder British weather like these do.
October 15, 2025
Given 84% while driving a Mazda 3 Sport 2.2 Diesel 185 BHP (215/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 10,000 spirited miles
From frequently doing long 1200km+ drives across Australian highways, the Primacys have been very comfortable and safe, especially in the wet. Tuned manual turbo diesel & very happy with dry grip on twisty roads. Having to emergency brake for wildlife (kangaroos) multiple times, braking is fantastic dry/wet. Wear seems reasonable, they still look new and look great on the car. Would definitely get these again.
May 1, 2025
Check out how the BEST all seasons tyres perform against premium summer and winter tyres!
Given 59% while driving a Ford Focus 1.5tdci (2016) (215/55 R16) on mostly motorways for 6,500 average miles
Changed over Michelin P4, almost 80k before sliding started. The NEW P4+ is softer hushed maybe rain tire but already slippery on dry!? Had MOT and depth lost is significant for highway drive.
September 15, 2024
Given 86% while driving a Skoda Superb MK3 (2015 Present) (225/45 R18) on mostly town for 3,000 average miles
I have a Superb Skoda 1.5 Tsi SEL executive auto.Whilst the car is no fireball it is certainly not slow.My car came with Pirelli tyres and in all honesty I did have not issues with them.I fancied a change of tyre and after careful consideration I chose the Michelin Primacy 4+ with it's compliant side wall and a limousine type ride on the car.I did not want to spoil the potential combinations and it did not.My previous car was a 2+2 Mercedes C207E400 that came from the factory fitted with Continental tyres , no issues with them but tyre wear could have been better , changed to Goodyear Asy 5 , again a great tyre but changed the car but no wear in 6000 miles.

The handing is good for a large car with little body driven in a sensibly manor with good grip both in dry and wet conditions.I find that the car is set up with a neutral bias and is very easy to drive.I have only had to use the brakes in anger once in the wet and the car just stopped.

I understand that not everyone likes Michelin tyres but I can only say as I previously stated on the Skoda Superb / Michelin tyres the combination works.
September 8, 2024
Given 57% while driving a SEAT Altea (225/55 R17) on a combination of roads for 2,000 average miles
For the first time in a decade I decided to use Michelin tyres again. I splurged on a set of 4 Primacy 4+. The performance of the tyre doesn't let me down it is what I expected. Fells very safe on any road. However these tyres make a very loud and dreadful drone on my Skoda Yeti. So annoying. I have to exceed 70 MPH in order to find a sweet spot that the noise id lessened. I guess I am stuck with these for a few years now. I will go back to Hankook when I buy tyres again.
July 30, 2024
Given 67% while driving a Skoda (235/45 R18) on mostly country roads for 5,000 average miles
I used tyre reviews as a bench mark against other tyre premium tyres suitable for my car.My current car is a 5 door Skoda hatch back that is a family car and not a fast high performance vehicle. To date Johnathan recommendation have never let me down
in tyre choice to match tyre to car type.I have always purchased premium brands and to-date have always been reasonably pleased with my choice.I would suggest that most European premium brand tyre should be capable of providing good results on british roads keeping to national speed limits and driving with road conditions in mind.
May 3, 2024
Given 70% while driving a Lexus IS250 RWD (225/45 R17) on mostly country roads for 500 average miles
Super disappointed from these tyres.I wanted premium touring tyre for my Lexus and purchased the latest Michelins.
Grip dry and wet - good.They have soft sidewalls and bend in the corner but that's to be expected.I prefer the comfort over the bumps which they provide.
The big disappointment is the NOISE.On rough road its dissaster.With 80kmh you cant here the passenger talking.On smooth asphalt they are okay.On rough surface they are MUCH worse than my previous Bridgestone , Kleber , Kumho.
Never again Michelins first and last try.Expensive mistake
April 6, 2024
Given 100% while driving a BMW 530D (235/45 R17) on mostly motorways for 500 average miles
Excellent tyre very very comfortable no road noise the car drives like on clouds!
December 13, 2023
Given 90% while driving a Volkswagen Golf (205/55 R16) on mostly country roads for 10,000 spirited miles
My car is old and do not have any esp/asr systems, but have a lot of torque(450nm+) for a small car. I try few mid class tyres, but all was the same-very low grip, wheels spin and burnouts, dry and wet. So I buy michelin primacy 4+ and is all good. after 10k miles, I dint notice any wear or problems. Great tyres!
November 17, 2023
Given 78% while driving a Subaru Outback (225/60 R18) on a combination of roads for 1,500 average miles
My tyres are Primacy+ SUV which I believe is equivalent to Primacy 4+ in Australia for this size of tyre. It's early days, but initial impressions are very positive. Grip in all conditions seems to be excellent, as does braking performance. I have not specifically rated wear (too soon) or handling (not tried anything beyond routine suburban and highway driving). The Subaru Outback is fairly softly sprung and the tyre certainly complements that, giving an excellent ride. At first I thought the steering seemed a bit light and slightly flighty but then I discovered that the fitting centre had managed to get a 6lb difference between the pressures across the axle (in fact every one of the tyres was at a different pressure, none of which were per the placard!). Having set the pressures correctly all round the slight lightness compared with the OE Bridgestone Dueler Sports remained, but the flightiness was gone. The steering is very linear and progressive and the car tracks true even in cross-winds. Note these are touring, not sports, tyres and their characteristics (especially with a 60-profile side wall) reflect that. If you want precision, get Pilot Sports or Pirelli PZ4s which is what I have on my other cars. Initially the tyres were not as quiet as I had expected, but they seem to be improving as they wear in a little. In any event they are a definite improvement on the Duelers in that respect. I have an impression that the rolling resistance is better, leading to slightly improved fuel consumption, which will be tested when we do our first long trip on these tyres in a few weeks' time. Overall, I'm very positive, as I would have expected given previous/current experience on different cars with Michelin's Primacy ST, Primacy 3, Primacy 4 and Pilot Sport 2 & 4.
September 20, 2023
Given 91% while driving a Kia Motors Carnival 2.2 Diesel (235/65 R17) on a combination of roads for 10,000 average miles
Absolutely brilliant. I drive a kia carnival and have the primacy 4 plus suv variant. I bought the car 2nd hand and it was wearing bridgestone supercats. I only realised how bad the bridgestones were after i swapped them for the Michelins. The difference is huge. They have much better grip in both the dry and wet. My carnival used to spin the tyres too easily on wet roads at the traffic lights with not even firm acceleration, that stopped after changing to Michellins. Better still is how more comfortable and quiet the tyres are. I have had them for over 14,000km now and they are wearing very well. I highly recommend these tyres
September 3, 2023
Mercedes Benz E Class Estate (245/45 R18) on a combination of roads for 2,000 average miles
When I put the tyres on I was actually a bit disappointed. I got a strange "resounding" sound that I couldn't identify, as it didn't always have anything to do with the road surface. But after 2-3000 km the resounding sound disappeared and today I am really very happy with the tyres. I'm not into "sports tyres" anymore (used to be) and don't drive hard in the car etc. so for me the tyre is absolutely perfect. It is extremely quiet compared to the Primacy 3, Primacy 4 that I have been driving on before the Primacy 4+. It is admittedly a somewhat softer tyre which gives a little less feedback in sharp curves, but it is really comfortable as potholes etc. are heard and felt much less. So I am very happy with the Pimacy4+
May 12, 2023
Rate the Michelin Primacy 4 Plus