Tests 78 · 11 tests Owners 67 · 2,127 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 10 in 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test (wet braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 vs Michelin Primacy 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Ventus S1 evo2 leads, 71–70 Narrow edge
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Tests 73 · 2 tests Owners 67 · 195 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 10 in 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test (dry braking)
“By far the biggest determinant in road noise will be the road surface, as you found, and no tire will overcome that basic fact. That is so obvious in my area where there are new sections of highway interspersed with old sections. Having said that, I'm running the older Michelin Primacy 3 ST tires on 17 inch wheels on my 2021 ES300h and they are great, compared to the Turanza I was running on 19 inch wheels on the same car. The Michelin Primacy Tour A/S should be even better in this regard. Not sure, but perhaps the higher profile of the 17 inch tires (215/55R17 vs 235/40R19) also helps reduce road noise.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
74
Dry
Ventus S1 evo2 +272Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 76 74 Reviews found online 70 69 Dry Braking (% of best) 96% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
78
Wet
Ventus S1 evo2 +672Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 82 72 Reviews found online 73 71 Wet Braking (% of best) 93% 90% Wet Handling (% of best) 97% 97% -
69
Comfort
Level69Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 – Reviews found online 64 68 -
72
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 76 – -
62
Treadwear
Primacy 3 +567Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) – 72 Reviews found online 60 59 -
67
Handling
Primacy 3 +168Why this score
Source Ventus S1 evo2 Primacy 3 Reviews found online 67 68
Scores at a glance
| Category | Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 | Michelin Primacy 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 70 |
| Dry | 74 | 72 |
| Wet | 78 | 72 |
| Comfort | 69 | 69 |
| Noise | 72 | – |
| Treadwear | 62 | 67 |
| Handling | 67 | 68 |
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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Less important
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Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
Ventus S1 evo2
70
/ 100
Primacy 3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 | Ventus S1 evo2 | Primacy 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% #5/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test | 100% #3/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test | −3.8 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #9/11 · 2019 Auto Bild Sports Car Tyre Test | 99% #5/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test | −1.0 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 20% #5/9 · 2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test | 11% #9/11 · 2018 Ace 235/45 R18 Summer Tyre Test | +8.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 93% #3/10 · 2020 Auto Bild UHP 19 inch Tyre Test | 90% #14/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | +3.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #6/9 · 2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tyre Test | 97% #17/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | −0.1 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ventus S1 evo2
Pros
- Excellent dry and wet grip performance
- Strong value compared to premium alternatives like Michelin or Continental
- Crisp steering response and confident cornering handling
Cons
- Faster-than-expected tread wear, particularly on heavier or high-performance vehicles
- Increased road noise and harsher ride quality as the tire ages and tread depth lowers
- Occasional reports of structural weaknesses such as sidewall bulges or cracking
Tire B Primacy 3
Pros
- Exceptional ride comfort and low noise levels
- Strong dry grip and confident handling
- Smooth, refined high-speed stability and cruising capability
Cons
- Higher than average purchase price
- Faster-than-expected tread wear reported by many users
- Mixed feedback on wet weather performance, with some noting a lack of grip in standing water or snow
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Primacy 3
Community discussions regarding the Michelin Primacy 3 generally view it as a reliable, cost-effective, and comfortable touring tire option compared to alternatives like Bridgestone Ecopias or Turanzas. Users frequently compare its efficiency and comfort attributes against sportier options like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 or Goodyear Eagle F1, noting its balanced performance.
Top themes
#Cost and value#Ride comfort#Fuel efficiency#Road noise reduction#Comparison with sport tires#Size availability
Based on 7 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 | B · Michelin Primacy 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 61 | 42 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 20″ | 15″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
70
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 3
Too close to call: Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 and Michelin Primacy 3 are within 2 points overall. Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 is stronger on wet. Michelin Primacy 3 is stronger on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 scores 78 vs 72 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Primacy 3 scores 67 vs 62 on treadwear.
Tire A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 3
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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.