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Head-to-head Updated

Hankook Ventus Prime 4 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 14 + 10 road tests and 2,532 + 40 owner reviews. How we score

Primacy 4+ leads, 78–75 Narrow edge

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Hankook Ventus Prime 4
Tire AHankook

Ventus Prime 4

Summer

± 4

Tests 77 · 14 tests Owners 71 · 2,532 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 21 in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (dry handling)

“Simbolul cu mașina și fulgerul de pe Hankook Ventus Prime 4 arată că anvelopa e compatibilă și cu mașini electrice (EV), nu că e destinată exclusiv lor. Poate fi folosită fără probleme și pe mașini cu motor termic.”

Michelin Primacy 4+
Tire BMichelin

Primacy 4+

Summer

± 4

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.

Key facts

  • In 6 tests that measured dry braking for both, Ventus Prime 4 won 4 and Primacy 4+ won 2 (average 97% vs 97% of the best).
  • In 6 tests that measured wet braking for both, Ventus Prime 4 won 2 and Primacy 4+ won 2 (average 93% vs 93% of the best).
  • In 5 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, Ventus Prime 4 won 1 and Primacy 4+ won 4 (average 94% vs 97% of the best).
  • In 4 tests that measured noise for both, Ventus Prime 4 won 1 and Primacy 4+ won 3 (average 99% vs 99% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured dry handling for both, Ventus Prime 4 won 2 and Primacy 4+ won 1 (average 99% vs 99% of the best).
  1. 79

    Dry

    Ventus Prime 4 +1
    78
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 12 / 9 tests8382
    Reviews found online7371
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 6 shared tests · wins 4–297%97%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–199%99%

    Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 82.7 + 40% × 73.1 = 79

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.4 + 40% × 71 = 78

  2. 77

    Wet

    Primacy 4+ +2
    79
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 13 / 9 tests7982
    Reviews found online7575
    Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–286%90%
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 1–494%97%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 6 shared tests · wins 2–293%93%
    Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–191%90%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–397%98%

    Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 78.6 + 40% × 74.5 = 77

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.1 + 40% × 74.5 = 79

  3. 68

    Comfort

    Primacy 4+ +3
    71
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7073
    Reviews found online6769

    Ventus Prime 4: 40% × 70.3 + 60% × 67.2 = 68

    Primacy 4+: 40% × 72.9 + 60% × 69.2 = 71

  4. 61

    Noise

    Primacy 4+ +11
    72
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 7 tests5876
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 1–399%99%

    Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 57.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 61

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.2 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 72

    No owner ratings of noise for Ventus Prime 4 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.

  5. 74

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4+ +11
    85
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 4 tests7995
    Reviews found online6770
    Abrasion (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–267%82%
    Wear (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–363%86%

    Ventus Prime 4: 60% × 78.5 + 40% × 66.9 = 74

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 94.9 + 40% × 69.6 = 85

  6. 72

    Handling (owners)

    Ventus Prime 4 +6
    66
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Primacy 4+
    Reviews found online7266
  7. 84

    Efficiency

    Ventus Prime 4 +6
    78
    Why this score
    SourceVentus Prime 4Primacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 8 tests8478
    Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–097%97%
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–190%89%
Scores at a glance
CategoryHankook Ventus Prime 4Michelin Primacy 4+
Relative Score 75 78
Dry 79 78
Wet 77 79
Comfort 68 71
Noise 61 72
Treadwear 74 85
Handling (owners) 72 66
Efficiency 84 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.

Important
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 4

Ventus Prime 4

± 4

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.

In the overall rankings of 6 tests that ran both, Hankook Ventus Prime 4 finished ahead 2 times and Michelin Primacy 4+ 4 times.

DisciplineCategoryVentus Prime 4Primacy 4+ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 97% 97% +0.1 4–2 in 6 shared tests Newest: 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16
Dry Handling Dry 99% 99% +0.1 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 86% 90% −4.6 0–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 94% 97% −3.4 1–4 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Wet Braking Wet 93% 93% −0.7 2–2 in 6 shared tests Newest: 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16
Wet Braking (concrete) Wet 91% 90% +0.7 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Wet Handling Wet 97% 98% −1.0 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Noise Noise 99% 99% −0.5 1–3 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Abrasion Treadwear 67% 82% −15.7 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Wear Treadwear 63% 86% −23.3 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Fuel Consumption Efficiency 97% 97% +0.8 1–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 90% 89% +1.5 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 83% 72% +10.1 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #4/20 #9/20 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 AutoBild Summer Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Value Cost 59% 59% +0.3 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test · 215/55 R17
Overall Ranking Overall #4/55 #5/55 – 2–4 in 6 shared tests Newest: 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview · 205/55 R16

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Ventus Prime 4

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry grip providing high confidence
  • Significantly reduced road noise and smooth, quiet ride quality
  • Competitively priced offering great value compared to top-tier premium brands

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear reported by some users, leading to shorter overall tire life
  • Noticeable decrease in wet traction and grip as the tread wears down past the halfway mark
  • Stiffer sidewalls can translate to a firmer ride or reduced comfort on rough surfaces
All owner themes in the Ventus Prime 4 review

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
All owner themes in the Primacy 4+ review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Hankook Ventus Prime 4

Positive

Community opinion on the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 is largely positive, with drivers viewing it as a comfortable, quiet, and capable touring tire. Users frequently praise its strong dry and wet performance alongside its compelling price-to-performance ratio compared to premium alternatives like Michelin. Some uncertainties exist regarding long-term tread wear and slight fuel economy impacts, but owners generally report satisfactory everyday reliability.

r/TyreReviews ·4 upvotes ·2024-03-19

“Are there any Hankook Ventus Prime 4 longevity reviews (perhaps personal experience?) The only info I was able to find is Autobild 2022 and 2024, and ADAC 2024 reviews. In the first one they expect 39k km, in the second 26k and in ADAC - 50k. I'm not sure what to believe. I'm a fairly moderate user and will be replacing stock Primacy 3s which lasted around 45k km. I would like to have something that will last around 4-5 years, which at my current usage would be around 30-35k km. If they consistently fall short of it I would probably pay a premium for a more expensive brand, but reviews give very different figures. If ADAC figures is to be trusted I would surely get them, because I would probably replace the car before I have to put on new tires. But 26k km in the latest Autobild review falls short of my expectations a bit. Are those figures typically less than real life due to more extensive testing and usage? I'm driving a compact SUV with 50/50 city highway driving and no sporty aspirations, very default usage scenario. I could pay more and get goodyear efficientgrip performance 2, but at their longevity they will probably need to be replaced out of age before I wear them down realistically, so that's why I was initially settling in more midrange priced Hankook offering. Would love any help, and appreciate the help I received in my previous post! Read more”
r/kereta ·2 upvotes ·2026-09-24

“Aim for rainy condition. Best are 1.Bridgestone Turanza 005 2.Hankook ventus prime 4.”
r/TireQuestions ·1 upvote ·2026-10-09

“Found a cut on one of my tires, is it 100% cooked? Three month old Hankook Ventus Prime 4 and I found a cut/split. It’s holding air fine but it is cooked?”
Top themes
#value for money#comfort and low noise#wet and dry grip#comparison with premium brands#tread longevity questions#touring versus sports handling

Based on 41 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Primacy 4+

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Hankook Ventus Prime 4 B · Michelin Primacy 4+
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6666
Rim diameters15″ – 20″16″ – 21″
UTQG200 - 420 A A—
Sizes in common4949

Which one should you actually buy?

Hankook Ventus Prime 4

Michelin Primacy 4+

Narrow edge: Michelin Primacy 4+ — better noise, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 if handling and efficiency matter most to you.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 72 vs 61 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 85 vs 74 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Hankook Ventus Prime 4 scores 72 vs 66 on handling.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Hankook Ventus Prime 4 scores 84 vs 78 on efficiency.

Tire A · Hankook Ventus Prime 4
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Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4+
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Ventus Prime 4 or Primacy 4+?

Which is better in the wet, Ventus Prime 4 or Primacy 4+?

Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 79 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Ventus Prime 4 or Primacy 4+?

Neither, by our numbers: 79 vs 78 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, Ventus Prime 4 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 72 vs 61 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Ventus Prime 4 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 71 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Ventus Prime 4 or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 85 vs 74 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Ventus Prime 4 or Primacy 4+?

Hankook Ventus Prime 4, 84 vs 78 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