Tests 73 · 4 tests Owners 64 · 119 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2017 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental Premium Contact 5 vs Michelin Primacy 4 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Primacy 4 is ahead, 78–69
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Tests 82 · 23 tests Owners 74 · 13,344 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (wear)
“I have experience with both, unfortunately not on the same car. If I have to sum it up, Primacy 4 is a well-balanced tire, while PS4 outperforms it in terms of dry grip, and braking. Can't comment on wet performance (not driven enough on both, but I am not a fan of Michelins in the wet in general). In my experience, PS4 has similar (possibly better) ride quality. According to the data, they should be similar also in terms of life span. My choice out of these two would be definitely PS4, but there might be tires better suited for you from other brands. What tires do you use now?”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
71
Dry
Primacy 4 +980Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 71 85 Reviews found online 70 74 Dry Braking (% of best) 92% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) 99% 100% -
76
Wet
Primacy 4 +581Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 78 85 Reviews found online 73 77 Wet Braking (% of best) 95% 100% Wet Handling (% of best) 98% 100% -
71
Comfort
Primacy 4 +576Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 75 76 Reviews found online 66 74 -
68
Noise
Primacy 4 +371Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 74 -
61
Treadwear
Primacy 4 +1677Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) 69 82 Reviews found online 48 71 -
66
Handling
Primacy 4 +874Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4 Reviews found online 66 74
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental Premium Contact 5 | Michelin Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 78 |
| Dry | 71 | 80 |
| Wet | 76 | 81 |
| Comfort | 71 | 76 |
| Noise | 68 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 61 | 77 |
| Handling | 66 | 74 |
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.
Important
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Less important
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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
69
/ 100
Premium Contact 5
78
/ 100
Primacy 4
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.
| Discipline | Category | Premium Contact 5 | Primacy 4 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% #10/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 98% #5/10 · 2022 AZ SUV Tyre Test | −5.6 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #8/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 100% #5/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | −1.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 93% #6/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 82% #4/10 · 2022 AZ SUV Tyre Test | +10.9 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 99% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 97% #2/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test | +1.3 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 79% #7/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 45% #9/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | +34.1 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 60% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 79% #7/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | −19.5 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 77% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 87% #2/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −10.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/11 · 2017 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test | 90% #2/11 · 2021 Autonavigator Summer Tire Test R16 | +10.0 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 94% #12/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 95% #6/10 · 2022 AZ SUV Tyre Test | −0.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 75% #15/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | +15.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 78% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 63% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | +14.7 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 80% #5/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 80% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 0.0 | Same test |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 0% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 95% #6/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 100% #2/8 · 2021 Camper Van / SUV Tyre Test | −4.7 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #5/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 100% #3/10 · 2021 All Road SUV Summer Tyre Test | −1.7 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Premium Contact 5
Pros
- Exceptional grip in both wet and dry road conditions
- High levels of ride comfort and low cabin noise
- Predictable and safe handling characteristics
Cons
- Rapid and premature tread wear
- Soft sidewalls leading to vague steering feedback and body roll
- Performance degradation as the tread depth decreases
Tire B 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
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Continental Premium Contact 5
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Primacy 4
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/CarsIndia
·2 upvotes ·2026-06-01
“Recently changed to michelin primacy 4 on my mk4 octavia. Ive been using stock tyres until this point, the difference is just wayyy to much, ride is smoother, handling is better, suspension noise is gone (never thought simply changing the tyres would affect so much), cabin noise is gone. Would highly recommend Michelin”
bobistheoilguy.com
·5 upvotes ·2026-03-29
“What do you run on your Accord? I love my 6speed manual 2.0l and just put Pirelli P7C2 Summer tires on it; awesome tire. The Pirelli's are better than the Michelin Primacy 4's that were on it before. Most people fail to realize that everything about the personality of your car or truck comes through the tires; everything. Buy the best tires you can afford. I really like knowing I have more capability for emergencies than anyone else around me, just in case. I've had too many instances where tires saved my *ss and avoided accidents to ignore this!”
r/Anvelope
·1 upvote ·2026-03-10
“Review Michelin Primacy 4 — impresii după 2 sezoane de utilizare Salut comunitate! 👋 Vreau să împărtășesc experiența mea cu anvelopele Michelin Primacy 4, pe care le folosesc de aproximativ 2 ani pe mașina de familie (un VW Golf 7). De ce am ales Michelin Primacy 4: Am citit multe teste comparative și Primacy 4 ieșea constant în top la frânare pe ud Garanția de 4 ani la uzură Pretul era ok pentru ce oferă (le-am luat de pe avemanvelope.ro la vremea aia) Experiența după 2 sezoane: ✅ Ce mi-a plăcut: Frânare excelentă pe ploaie — diferența față de anvelopele chinezești pe care le aveam înainte e uriașă Zgomot redus — nu se aude aproape nimic la viteze de autostradă Uzură uniformă — am 35.000 km pe ele și mai au cam 4-5mm profil Consum combustibil similar cu ce aveam înainte (nu am observat impact) ❌ Ce nu mi-a plăcut: Prețul — sunt cu ~30% mai scumpe decât alte brand-uri premium Pe zăpadă nu sunt extraordinare (dar sunt anvelope de vară, ce să mai) Verdict: Dacă bugetul permite, le recomand cu încredere. Pentru mine, siguranța la frânare pe ud a fost factorul decisiv. Le-aș cumpăra din nou. Pentru cine e interesat, le găsiți aici: Voi ce anvelope folosiți? Ați avut experiențe bune cu Michelin sau preferați alte brand-uri? Read more”
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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental Premium Contact 5 | B · Michelin Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 23 | 57 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 17″ | 15″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Continental Premium Contact 5
78
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 4
Winner: Michelin Primacy 4 — better treadwear, dry and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 77 vs 61 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 80 vs 71 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 74 vs 66 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 81 vs 76 on wet.
Tire A · Continental Premium Contact 5
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4
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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.