Tests 73 · 4 tests Owners 63 · 119 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental Premium Contact 5 vs Michelin Primacy 4+ — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 4 + 10 road tests and 119 + 40 owner reviews. How we score
Primacy 4+ is ahead, 78–69
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Tests 85 · 10 tests Owners 71 · 40 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (abrasion)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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71
Dry
Primacy 4+ +778Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 9 tests 71 82 Reviews found online 71 71 Premium Contact 5: 60% × 71.1 + 40% × 71 = 71
Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.4 + 40% × 71.1 = 78
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77
Wet
Primacy 4+ +279Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 9 tests 79 82 Reviews found online 74 75 Premium Contact 5: 60% × 78.7 + 40% × 73.5 = 77
Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.1 + 40% × 74.6 = 79
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69
Comfort
Primacy 4+ +271Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 74 73 Reviews found online 66 69 Premium Contact 5: 40% × 74.1 + 60% × 65.6 = 69
Primacy 4+: 40% × 72.8 + 60% × 69.3 = 71
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70
Noise
Primacy 4+ +272Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 7 tests 73 76 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Premium Contact 5: 60% × 73.1 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 70
Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.2 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 72
No owner ratings of noise for Premium Contact 5 or Primacy 4+. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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59
Treadwear
Primacy 4+ +2685Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests 69 95 Reviews found online 43 70 Premium Contact 5: 60% × 68.7 + 40% × 43.3 = 59
Primacy 4+: 60% × 94.9 + 40% × 69.6 = 85
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67
Handling (owners)
Level67Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4+ Reviews found online 67 67 -
67
Efficiency
Primacy 4+ +1178Why this score
Source Premium Contact 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 8 tests 67 78
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental Premium Contact 5 | Michelin Primacy 4+ |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 78 |
| Dry | 71 | 78 |
| Wet | 77 | 79 |
| Comfort | 69 | 71 |
| Noise | 70 | 72 |
| Treadwear | 59 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 67 | 67 |
| Efficiency | 67 | 78 |
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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Recomputed
Headline score
69
/ 100
Premium Contact 5
78
/ 100
Primacy 4+
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
| Discipline | Category | Premium Contact 5 | Primacy 4+ | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #6/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 96% #3/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #8/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 78% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 92% #5/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 97% #6/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 82% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 95% #4/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 91% #5/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #5/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 95% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 80% #5/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 88% #2/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test | 88% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% #6/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 96% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 77% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 92% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 93% #6/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 90% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 79% #7/11 · 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 52% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #17/20 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | #5/8 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 60% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 67% #8/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/11 2021 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | #4/8 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | 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
- Strong wet and dry grip and braking confidence, often cited as a big improvement over Bridgestone, Dunlop and Nexen tyres, including on powerful cars and PHEVs that previously spun their tyres
- Comfortable, compliant ride with soft sidewalls that suits softly sprung and family cars
- Low and even tread wear, with several owners reporting little visible wear after 5,000–10,000 miles and one reporting about 60,000 km in hot climates
Cons
- Road noise and drone, especially on rough asphalt, was described as severe by several owners (Skoda Yeti, Lexus), contradicting other reports of quiet running
- Reduced grip and confidence in cold, damp conditions, with two UK owners saying the tyre behaves like a budget tyre
- Premium pricing, with some owners questioning value when life fell short of expectations
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 | 66 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 17″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Sizes in common | 14 | 14 |
Which one should you actually buy?
69
/ 100
Continental Premium Contact 5
78
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 4+
Winner: Michelin Primacy 4+ — better treadwear, efficiency and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 85 vs 59 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 78 vs 67 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 78 vs 71 on dry.
Tire A · Continental Premium Contact 5
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4+
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Premium Contact 5 or Primacy 4+?
Which is better in the wet, Premium Contact 5 or Primacy 4+?
Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 79 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Premium Contact 5 or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 vs 71 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Premium Contact 5 or Primacy 4+?
Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 72 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Premium Contact 5 or Primacy 4+?
Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 71 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Premium Contact 5 or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 85 vs 59 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Premium Contact 5 or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 vs 67 on our efficiency score.
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.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology