Michelin Primacy 4 Reviews - Page 2
Given 74%
while driving a
Hyundai i30
(205/55 R16)
on a combination of roads
for 20,000 average miles
I saw many excited reviews about primacy4 and I thought I 've found the best tire. It is not the best. Sometimes it isn't even good. I felt many times, even though I wasn't driving fast enough, that the tire was loosing road contact. I get the feeling that if I try to test it's handling limits, I will end up on the edge of the road.
Given 83%
while driving a
Mazda 6
(225/50 R18)
on a combination of roads
for 54,000 average miles
Owned this tyre since early 2022 and i clocked 53k km on this tyre. I think it deserve a review from me
I usually drove my car to work, pick up my kid and once a yr i will travel for a roadtrip which is ard 1k km distance
For normal city drive whether is wet or drive, the grip is excellent, no complain and as long is below 110km/h i think this tyre is great.
My only complain is when im travelling high speed during my road trip, my car seems floaty. Not sure is it because or my suspension , it just feel floaty .
I think i must praise abt this tyre, after 3yrs n 53k km mileage, the tread is still alot.
I usually drove my car to work, pick up my kid and once a yr i will travel for a roadtrip which is ard 1k km distance
For normal city drive whether is wet or drive, the grip is excellent, no complain and as long is below 110km/h i think this tyre is great.
My only complain is when im travelling high speed during my road trip, my car seems floaty. Not sure is it because or my suspension , it just feel floaty .
I think i must praise abt this tyre, after 3yrs n 53k km mileage, the tread is still alot.
Check out how the BEST all seasons tyres perform against premium summer and winter tyres!
Given 60%
while driving a
Hyundai i30
(225/45 R17)
on mostly motorways
for 2,500 easy going miles
The dry grip is okay for someone that drives in normal and relaxing style. Havent really properly pushed it in wet driving, but on low speeds it wasnt anything wrong to note. Comfort over bumps is adequate considering the low profile rims. Wear is too early to assess.
The problem for me is the noise they make. On smooth roads it's perfectly fine, but even on little rougher asphalt the resonating noise sometimes can be unbearable. This is of course even more noticeable on highway speeds. I don't know if it's the car making that or not, but to me it sounds really bad. Note that they are factory equipped on a 2024 i30 Facelift model.
The problem for me is the noise they make. On smooth roads it's perfectly fine, but even on little rougher asphalt the resonating noise sometimes can be unbearable. This is of course even more noticeable on highway speeds. I don't know if it's the car making that or not, but to me it sounds really bad. Note that they are factory equipped on a 2024 i30 Facelift model.
Given 74%
while driving a
Toyota Yaris Mk4 Hybrid 1.5 (XP210, M15A FXE)
(185/65 R15)
on a combination of roads
for 4,000 spirited miles
Got 4 of these for a bargain due to ATS Euromaster offer and have had them for a few thousand miles so far.
Far better grip than the Triangle tyres previously on the car. Acceleration, Braking and Cornering grip is superb in the dry, but in the wet, especially cornering grip, is surprisingly sub-par with some unexpected understeer on e.g. roundabouts in the wet and also on dry recently salted roads. Was quite surprised by that as Hankook Ventus and Goodyear Efficientgrip were much better and I expected similar from a top-tier brand like Michelin. Economy and NVH are on par with a premium tyre, good but not mindblowing. Will be interesting to see how they wear over time as either they start off with a slightly lower tread depth than other tyres I've used or they are wearing down quickly!
Far better grip than the Triangle tyres previously on the car. Acceleration, Braking and Cornering grip is superb in the dry, but in the wet, especially cornering grip, is surprisingly sub-par with some unexpected understeer on e.g. roundabouts in the wet and also on dry recently salted roads. Was quite surprised by that as Hankook Ventus and Goodyear Efficientgrip were much better and I expected similar from a top-tier brand like Michelin. Economy and NVH are on par with a premium tyre, good but not mindblowing. Will be interesting to see how they wear over time as either they start off with a slightly lower tread depth than other tyres I've used or they are wearing down quickly!
Given 57%
while driving a
Toyota Camry
(215/60 R16)
on a combination of roads
for 35,000 average miles
The tire has problems with turns, it tend to skew while taking a turn speed above 80km/h. It wear very quickly, sides and treads. It tend to collect every sharp object in the streets due to its soft nature. Has so many problems with patching and tend to vent regardless of the place or the size of the patch!!
Given 73%
while driving a
Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 16V (2003 2008)
(195/60 R15)
on mostly town
for 13,670 average miles
Coming from BluEarth AE50, Falken ZE914 and Kumho PS31, this Thai made Primacy 4 is the quietest set of tyres I have ever owned. On nicer paved roads, it's really a silent on a Japanese ride. But on roads with poorer condition, it is still noisy for me. Dry braking distance is noticeable longer but still able to stop in time during emergency. On heavy rainy days, I can maintain speed limit confidently on the highway. Aqua planning is great. Can't really feel the steering pulling to one side when driving through puddle. Road feedback is average, but you won't feel like you are losing control at 140km/h on Malaysia highway. However, I feel it is still short on comfort even on stock suspension setup with all newly replaced original parts. Inflate to 2.1 bar, the car is bouncing everywhere like a boat. Inflate to 2.3 bar, the ride is extremely harsh on uneven Singapore roads like I am on coilover. Other than this bumpy/bouncing issue, it is a great set of tyres. Now at 22,000km and 4 years old, noise level and grip are still good. But have to look for other brands as good 15 inch tyres are hard to find these days.
Given 87%
while driving a
Volvo XC40
(235/55 R18)
on mostly country roads
for 47,000 average miles
Primacy 4's have just past 75,000km (47,000 miles) so lasted really well. Just had car serviced they told me they had another 5000 to 8000km in them (see pic). Overall great tyre. The only downside - were very quiet when first got them, but noise levels have gradually increased over time as they've worn.
Given 69%
while driving a
Holden Ute VU SS
(235/45 R17)
on mostly country roads
for 18,641 spirited miles
These Michelins are very predictable and reliable. For reference, my front-heavy Ute produced 220.9rwkw (296.2hp) on a Dyno Dynamics Dyno and is now likely closer to 235rwkw (315hp).
At this power level, they offer amazing grip in the dry. Full-throttle acceleration from a standstill won’t break traction in a straight line. Full throttle from a stop while turning or purposefully kicking the clutch will see them spinning but still accelerating rapidly, quickly requiring a shift into 2nd gear. Under hard braking, ABS is never needed, with the exception of on gravel.
The combination of high torque and little weight over the rear axle isn’t ideal in the wet. As expected, heavy acceleration will cause these Primacy 4’s to lose traction easily in wet conditions.
That said, I do wish they offered slightly more wet traction. However, for everyday driving in the wet, they’re still acceptable and always predictable. There’s enough grip with smooth throttle inputs, and axle tramp/wheel hop gives plenty of warning when traction is about to be lost.
When purposefully sliding the rear of the vehicle in the wet, control is excellent. Simply lifting off the throttle quickly brings the slide to a stop before it goes further than intended.
The tyres have been fitted for approximately 30,000km and are due for replacement. I’m happy with this, considering I paid $700 for all four tyres, regularly engage in spirited driving, and deal with the excessive camber and toe wear that these models are known for.
At this power level, they offer amazing grip in the dry. Full-throttle acceleration from a standstill won’t break traction in a straight line. Full throttle from a stop while turning or purposefully kicking the clutch will see them spinning but still accelerating rapidly, quickly requiring a shift into 2nd gear. Under hard braking, ABS is never needed, with the exception of on gravel.
The combination of high torque and little weight over the rear axle isn’t ideal in the wet. As expected, heavy acceleration will cause these Primacy 4’s to lose traction easily in wet conditions.
That said, I do wish they offered slightly more wet traction. However, for everyday driving in the wet, they’re still acceptable and always predictable. There’s enough grip with smooth throttle inputs, and axle tramp/wheel hop gives plenty of warning when traction is about to be lost.
When purposefully sliding the rear of the vehicle in the wet, control is excellent. Simply lifting off the throttle quickly brings the slide to a stop before it goes further than intended.
The tyres have been fitted for approximately 30,000km and are due for replacement. I’m happy with this, considering I paid $700 for all four tyres, regularly engage in spirited driving, and deal with the excessive camber and toe wear that these models are known for.
Given 54%
while driving a
Volkswagen Passat 1.4 tsi B7 122 BHP
(215/55 R16)
on a combination of roads
for 20,000 spirited miles
I fitted the Primacy 4 after using the Bridgestone ER300. It lasted for around 3 years before I replaced the primacy 4 with the Kumho HS52.
The reason I chose this Michelin is because of all the good reviews online.
The Primacy 4 from the moment I drove from the tire shop, they felt slippery and floaty which is not really what you want from a new tire. These tires always slipped under hard acceleration and they never stopped slipping. My car is only a 1.4 TSI with 122BHP so nothing really powerful, yet the primacy 4 is just that bad in dry grip.
On the highway, It was comfortable and quiet (quieter than the ER300 I had before) but on worn highways where there are some dips in the surface, the car would just feel floaty and does not make me feel confident.
In the wet they were good, However, I live in a hot and dry climate and I rarely care about wet performance for a tire.
If you notice, all online reviews focus on wet performance and very little on dry performance. This turns out to be the reason why the primacy 4 are well regarded online.
For comfort however, these are quite comfortable and make speed humps seem smoother than other tires. But at what cost? I would choose dry grip over comfort any day.
For braking, dry braking was about average, not impressive for a new over priced Michelin. Wet braking was good.
For Wear, the tires lasted for just over 3 years and have done about 33,000 km, The thing is, I have never replaced tires because they are worn to the limit. Where I live, all tires dry rot way before ever wearing down. So all the good wear performance mean nothing for me when choosing a new tire, unless they start testing new tires for dry rot maybe!
So in conclusion, for my use and the climate here, Wear performance mean nothing, wet performance mean very little (If it is pouring down, I would just choose not to drive anyway). Comfort was good. Road feedback was average but the Passat B7 does not provide that much feedback either. Dry grip was just not good at all, always slipping under high acceleration and dry braking was above average.
I have replaced the primacy 4 with the Kumho HS52. In comparison, the HS52 has much better dry grip, they actually feel like new tires, they are less comfortable that the primacy 4 but I would choose dry grip over comfort. For wet grip, I haven't tested it but I live in hot dry weather anyway, so rarely do we have rain so don't care that much.
To describe the primacy 4 in short sentences:
Does not grip well in the dry at all. feels slippery
Feels floaty and does not induce confidence.
Very good in the wet.
Comfortable and quiet.
Would not buy again, even if they were cheap.
The reason I chose this Michelin is because of all the good reviews online.
The Primacy 4 from the moment I drove from the tire shop, they felt slippery and floaty which is not really what you want from a new tire. These tires always slipped under hard acceleration and they never stopped slipping. My car is only a 1.4 TSI with 122BHP so nothing really powerful, yet the primacy 4 is just that bad in dry grip.
On the highway, It was comfortable and quiet (quieter than the ER300 I had before) but on worn highways where there are some dips in the surface, the car would just feel floaty and does not make me feel confident.
In the wet they were good, However, I live in a hot and dry climate and I rarely care about wet performance for a tire.
If you notice, all online reviews focus on wet performance and very little on dry performance. This turns out to be the reason why the primacy 4 are well regarded online.
For comfort however, these are quite comfortable and make speed humps seem smoother than other tires. But at what cost? I would choose dry grip over comfort any day.
For braking, dry braking was about average, not impressive for a new over priced Michelin. Wet braking was good.
For Wear, the tires lasted for just over 3 years and have done about 33,000 km, The thing is, I have never replaced tires because they are worn to the limit. Where I live, all tires dry rot way before ever wearing down. So all the good wear performance mean nothing for me when choosing a new tire, unless they start testing new tires for dry rot maybe!
So in conclusion, for my use and the climate here, Wear performance mean nothing, wet performance mean very little (If it is pouring down, I would just choose not to drive anyway). Comfort was good. Road feedback was average but the Passat B7 does not provide that much feedback either. Dry grip was just not good at all, always slipping under high acceleration and dry braking was above average.
I have replaced the primacy 4 with the Kumho HS52. In comparison, the HS52 has much better dry grip, they actually feel like new tires, they are less comfortable that the primacy 4 but I would choose dry grip over comfort. For wet grip, I haven't tested it but I live in hot dry weather anyway, so rarely do we have rain so don't care that much.
To describe the primacy 4 in short sentences:
Does not grip well in the dry at all. feels slippery
Feels floaty and does not induce confidence.
Very good in the wet.
Comfortable and quiet.
Would not buy again, even if they were cheap.
Given 58%
while driving a
Hyundai Ioniq 5
(235/55 R19)
on mostly town
for 15,000 spirited miles
Like in all subjective scores, these are relative to the other tires I used on the same car. These were cheap Winter tires (for one Winter) and UHC All-Season Hankook Kinergy 4S. Please also note that my Michelin Primergy 4 are OEM tires for an EV, so they might be different from the retail version of the same model.
Michelin Primergy 4 loses in every category to Hankook Kinergy 4S:
Wet roads: Michelin start to skid unpredictably with quite sudden and nasty understeer and the tire doesn't react to weight transfer when you slow down a bit to load front tires for more grip - the car just keeps sliding until the speed reduces enough. Hankooks feel way more safe in same situations and way more manageable and react to corrections just nicely.
Dry roads: Michelins start to slide quite early (earlier than Hankooks) on a heavy Hyundai IONIQ 5, but are very predictable and forgiving and once they start squealing they are still driveable and react to the steering.
Hot dry roads: I'd expect a Summer tire not to overheat on a hot sunny day, but hey... It is normal when all-season Hankooks start sliding more and become mushy at temperatures around 25-27 C and by 30 C they drop quite noticeably. But Michelins start to slide more at above 30 C, which is surprising. I'd expect a Summer tire to hold to at least 35 C. Of course, the road is way hotter under the Summer Sun. however my next Summer tire will definitely be something that can stand the heat better.
Michelin Primergy 4 loses in every category to Hankook Kinergy 4S:
Wet roads: Michelin start to skid unpredictably with quite sudden and nasty understeer and the tire doesn't react to weight transfer when you slow down a bit to load front tires for more grip - the car just keeps sliding until the speed reduces enough. Hankooks feel way more safe in same situations and way more manageable and react to corrections just nicely.
Dry roads: Michelins start to slide quite early (earlier than Hankooks) on a heavy Hyundai IONIQ 5, but are very predictable and forgiving and once they start squealing they are still driveable and react to the steering.
Hot dry roads: I'd expect a Summer tire not to overheat on a hot sunny day, but hey... It is normal when all-season Hankooks start sliding more and become mushy at temperatures around 25-27 C and by 30 C they drop quite noticeably. But Michelins start to slide more at above 30 C, which is surprising. I'd expect a Summer tire to hold to at least 35 C. Of course, the road is way hotter under the Summer Sun. however my next Summer tire will definitely be something that can stand the heat better.
Given 33%
while driving a
Hyundai Ioniq 5
(235/55 R19)
on mostly motorways
for 0 miles
The vehicle skids very badly.
Given 81%
while driving a
Volkswagen Passat 2.0 140 TDI Sport Estate
(205/55 R16)
on mostly country roads
for 45,000 spirited miles
At 16 inch, difference between budget and premium is around 20 Euro. Why risk your safety and comfort and not buy Michelin or Conti? For me Primacy 4 was a reliable, silent partner that I would for sure buy again.
I am now going for a 19 Inch and feel like the 100 eur difference between medium and premium or 200 eur between budget and premium manufacturer makes the choice a lot harder.
Oh and I couldn't select Skoda Superb 2012 and I chose equivalent.
I am now going for a 19 Inch and feel like the 100 eur difference between medium and premium or 200 eur between budget and premium manufacturer makes the choice a lot harder.
Oh and I couldn't select Skoda Superb 2012 and I chose equivalent.