Tests 71 · 1 test Owners 69 · 137 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test (wear)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Energy Saver vs Michelin Primacy 3 — 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 1 + 2 road tests and 137 + 195 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Energy Saver and Primacy 3 are level at 70.
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Tests 73 · 2 tests Owners 67 · 195 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (wear)
“I have just put a new set of Michelin Primacy 3 T0 Acoustics on and they have been faultless. Lots of grip, very quiet etc. They were also good last year in the snow and were from blackcircles for about £240 a tyre.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
69
Dry
Primacy 3 +473Why this score
Source Energy Saver Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 2 tests 71 74 Reviews found online 68 70 Energy Saver: 60% × 70.6 + 40% × 67.6 = 69
Primacy 3: 60% × 74.2 + 40% × 70 = 73
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68
Wet
Primacy 3 +472Why this score
Source Energy Saver Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 2 tests 69 72 Reviews found online 67 72 Energy Saver: 60% × 69.1 + 40% × 66.6 = 68
Primacy 3: 60% × 71.9 + 40% × 71.9 = 72
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68
Comfort
Level68Why this score
Source Energy Saver Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 69 (est.) ≈ 69 (est.) Reviews found online 68 68 Energy Saver: 40% × 68.9 (est.) + 60% × 67.8 = 68
Primacy 3: 40% × 68.9 (est.) + 60% × 67.8 = 68
No road tests of comfort for Energy Saver or Primacy 3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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70
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Energy Saver Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 72 – Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) – Energy Saver: 60% × 72.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 70
No owner ratings of noise for Energy Saver. 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.
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74
Treadwear
Energy Saver +767Why this score
Source Energy Saver Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 74 73 Reviews found online 74 57 Energy Saver: 60% × 74.4 + 40% × 74.2 = 74
Primacy 3: 60% × 73.1 + 40% × 56.9 = 67
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64
Handling (owners)
Primacy 3 +468Why this score
Source Energy Saver Primacy 3 Reviews found online 64 68 -
75
Efficiency
No comparison–Why this score
Source Energy Saver Primacy 3 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 75 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Energy Saver | Michelin Primacy 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 70 |
| Dry | 69 | 73 |
| Wet | 68 | 72 |
| Comfort | 68 | 68 |
| Noise | 70 | – |
| Treadwear | 74 | 67 |
| Handling (owners) | 64 | 68 |
| Efficiency | 75 | – |
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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Less important
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Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
Energy Saver
70
/ 100
Primacy 3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 | Energy Saver | Primacy 3 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% #13/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 100% #3/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 99% #5/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 89% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 95% #5/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #16/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 97% #6/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 95% #2/20 · 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | 83% #3/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/20 2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tyre Test | #1/16 2018 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 205/55 R16 | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Energy Saver
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and long-lasting durability
- Noticeable improvements in fuel economy and low rolling resistance
- Low road noise and high levels of driving comfort
Cons
- Subpar wet-weather grip and traction, especially as the tires age
- Prone to dry rotting, cracking, and hardening after a few years
- Poor performance and sliding in cold or winter conditions
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
Michelin Energy Saver
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Michelin Primacy 3
Community members generally view the Michelin Primacy 3 as a quiet, smooth, and capable grand touring tire, with several users highlighting the run-flat (ZP) version as superior in comfort to competing run-flats. However, some drivers report fast tread wear, a harsh ride compared to standard non-run-flat alternatives, and note that the model is older and increasingly replaced by newer generations like the Primacy 4.
r/LexusES
·2 upvotes ·2026-09-28
“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.”
mbworld.org
“Currently riding on Michelin Primacy 3 ZP run flats that originally came with the car. Have approximately 15k miles on it and Mercedes are already recommending I purchase new rear tires. What other options would you recommend as replacements? I would like all season tires that last much longer but also don't want to compromise the comfort and ride. Front tire: 245/40 R19 Rear tire: 275/35 R19”
teslamotorsclub.com
·2021-04-26
“I've got a similar issue with my rear-left having nearly 0.9 mm less central tread than the others, all at same pressure from cold. Suspect it's just due to the way sunlight falls on the car where I park it, warming up that corner over time just enough to raise its pressure before every trip. Either that or a quality issue with the manufacturer custom-made T0 from Michelin (Primacy 3 in my case).”
Top themes
#Run-flat ride quality#Tread wear and longevity#Touring comfort and low noise#Model obsolescence and replacements#OE fitment and regional availability#Price and size compatibility
Based on 23 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Energy Saver | B · Michelin Primacy 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 4 | 42 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 16″ | 15″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 3 | 3 |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Michelin Energy Saver
70
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 3
Too close to call: Michelin Energy Saver and Michelin Primacy 3 are within 2 points overall. Michelin Energy Saver is stronger on treadwear. Michelin Primacy 3 is stronger on dry and wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Energy Saver scores 74 vs 67 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Primacy 3 scores 73 vs 69 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Primacy 3 scores 72 vs 68 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin Energy Saver
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 3
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Energy Saver or Primacy 3?
Which is better in the wet, Energy Saver or Primacy 3?
Michelin Primacy 3, 72 vs 68 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Energy Saver or Primacy 3?
Michelin Primacy 3, 73 vs 69 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Energy Saver or Primacy 3?
Neither, by our numbers: 68 vs 68 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Energy Saver or Primacy 3?
Michelin Energy Saver, 74 vs 67 on our treadwear 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