Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 19 + 23 road tests and 3,359 + 13,381 owner reviews. How we score
Primacy 4 is ahead, 78–69
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Tests 77 · 19 tests Owners 59 · 3,359 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 45 in 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout (wet braking)
“Tire preferences? My MK8 has a little over 18,000 miles now and the stock tires look like they’ve already gone to sh*t? Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 aren’t as good as they advertise? What do you recommend for tires?”
Tests 83 · 23 tests Owners 74 · 13,381 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test (wet braking)
“Well my answer is none of the above. You choose, they are all a lottery imo. I just bought some Michelin Primacy 4 for mine today. Size 215/55 R18”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 18 / 21 tests | 85 | 85 |
| Reviews found online | 63 | 74 |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 85 + 40% × 62.9 = 76
Primacy 4: 60% × 85.3 + 40% × 73.9 = 81
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 18 / 22 tests | 89 | 85 |
| Reviews found online | 69 | 76 |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 88.8 + 40% × 68.9 = 81
Primacy 4: 60% × 84.9 + 40% × 76.2 = 81
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 5 tests | 65 | 76 |
| Reviews found online | 59 | 74 |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 64.7 + 40% × 58.8 = 62
Primacy 4: 60% × 76.5 + 40% × 74.2 = 76
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 14 / 15 tests | 77 | 74 |
| Reviews found online | ≈ 67 (est.) | ≈ 67 (est.) |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 77.1 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 73
Primacy 4: 60% × 73.6 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 71
No owner ratings of noise for Ventus S1 evo3 or Primacy 4. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 3 tests | 61 | 82 |
| Reviews found online | 45 | 71 |
Ventus S1 evo3: 60% × 60.7 + 40% × 45.4 = 55
Primacy 4: 60% × 81.7 + 40% × 70.6 = 77
| Source | Ventus S1 evo3 | Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 60 | 74 |
| Category | Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 | Michelin Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 69 | 78 |
| Dry | 76 | 81 |
| Wet | 81 | 81 |
| Comfort | 62 | 76 |
| Noise | 73 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 55 | 77 |
| Handling (owners) | 60 | 74 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Ventus S1 evo3
Primacy 4
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 | Ventus S1 evo3 | Primacy 4 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% #7/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | 99% #3/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #7/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | 99% #5/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 60% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | 63% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 87% #6/7 · 2024 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test | 96% #2/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 98% #8/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | 99% #2/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 94% #6/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | 96% #2/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 98% #5/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | 92% #13/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #2/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 80% #3/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | 93% #2/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 100% #2/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | 92% #4/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 100% #1/9 · 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test | 98% #4/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 100% #2/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | 60% #7/8 · 2021 ViBilagare Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 56% #13/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | 87% #2/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 74% #6/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test | 63% #10/10 · 2022 AutoBild SUV 4x4 Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #14/20 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | #3/21 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 58% #15/20 · 2023 AutoBild UHP Summer Tyre Test | 83% #8/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 97% #3/8 · 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | 83% #2/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/8 2025 Die Reifentester UHP Summer Tyre Test | #4/6 2025 Wybór Kierowców Summer Tire Test R16 | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community sentiment toward the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 is mixed, with users frequently praising its strong dry and wet grip, comfort, and competitive pricing. However, notable drawbacks include relatively fast tread wear, reports of increasing road noise over time, and mixed experiences with OEM specs versus premium competitors like Michelin.
“I had Hankook tires on my XKR, and thought they were the noisiest tires I had ever heard on a car, and I had to get rid of them as I couldn't stand it.”
“So, I was conversing on a Canadian EV group on Facebook and someone said their SE arrived with run flats…Hankook Ventus S1 evo3. My Mini also has Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 and I was not aware they are considered run flats. So I looked them up online and it appears that in 205/45R17 XL it says Run Flat…Y on . Was anyone else aware of this? Should it say run flat somewhere on the tire?”
“Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 uneven wear I’ve been using this tyre and have been satisfied with its performance on my BMW G30. Just that I realised that there is an uneven thread wear on the outer side. The main thread has still some thread about 2mm from the thread wear indicator. This is the right front tyre. All other tyres thread wear looks fine. Is this particular tyre still safe to be used for another 10,000km? Or urgently needs to be changed? Anyone has any experience with uneven wear like this? Read more”
Based on 33 community posts
Community sentiment towards the Michelin Primacy 4 is generally positive, with drivers frequently praising its quiet ride, comfort, and dependable wet and dry braking performance. Several owners note impressive longevity reaching over 50,000 to 70,000 km, though some EV and SUV drivers report accelerated wear and fragile sidewalls over rough terrain. It is commonly viewed as a premium touring tire that commands high prices compared to competitors.
“I have used Michelin tires before but recently I already have used Nankang tires. I compared Michelin and Nankang tires after testing. It was quite a pleasant surprise that the Nankang AS1 was nearly on par with the Michelin Primacy 4 in braking distance. Both tires performed exceptionally well, with the Primacy 4 only stopping slightly 3 meters shorter than the AS1.”
“Rapid wear on Michelin Primacy 4, 2017 Forester 2017 Forester in Mexico City, where there are lots of potholes and speed bumps and a LOT of rain. I got a set of Michelin Primacy 4+ tires at Costco three years ago and they've got about 30,000 kms -- 16,000 miles on them. Tread is down to about 3.5/32nds (in the middle, slightly less at the sides). The original Geolandars lasted very far beyond that in the same conditions. I'm getting a bit antsy at the tread depth. Wonder if anybody else has seen such rapid wear.”
“Well my answer is none of the above. You choose, they are all a lottery imo. I just bought some Michelin Primacy 4 for mine today. Size 215/55 R18”
Based on 44 community posts
| Attribute | A · Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 | B · Michelin Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 110 | 57 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 22″ | 15″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 21 | 21 |
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3
Michelin Primacy 4
Winner: Michelin Primacy 4 — better treadwear, comfort and handling. Where the Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 77 vs 55 on treadwear.
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 76 vs 62 on comfort.
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 74 vs 60 on handling.
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 81 vs 76 on dry.
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Neither, by our numbers: 81 vs 81 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Michelin Primacy 4, 81 vs 76 on our dry score.
Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 71 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Michelin Primacy 4, 76 vs 62 on our comfort score.
Michelin Primacy 4, 77 vs 55 on our treadwear score.
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
