Tests – · none yet Owners 57 · 42 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Energy vs Michelin Primacy 4 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 0 + 23 road tests and 42 + 13,381 owner reviews. How we score
Primacy 4 is ahead, 79–60
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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”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
55
Dry
Primacy 4 +2681Why this score
Source Energy Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 21 tests ≈ 60 (est.) 85 Reviews found online 48 74 Energy: 60% × 60 (est.) + 40% × 48.4 = 55
Primacy 4: 60% × 85.3 + 40% × 73.9 = 81
No road tests of dry for Energy. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
-
61
Wet
Primacy 4 +2081Why this score
Source Energy Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 22 tests ≈ 63 (est.) 85 Reviews found online 57 76 Energy: 60% × 62.9 (est.) + 40% × 57.4 = 61
Primacy 4: 60% × 84.9 + 40% × 76.2 = 81
No road tests of wet for Energy. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
-
65
Comfort
Primacy 4 +1176Why this score
Source Energy Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 5 tests ≈ 68 (est.) 76 Reviews found online 60 74 Energy: 60% × 67.6 (est.) + 40% × 60.2 = 65
Primacy 4: 60% × 76.5 + 40% × 74.2 = 76
No road tests of comfort for Energy. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
–
Noise
No comparison71Why this score
Source Energy Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 15 tests – 74 Reviews found online – ≈ 67 (est.) Primacy 4: 60% × 73.6 + 40% × 67.3 (est.) = 71
No owner ratings of noise for 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.
-
67
Treadwear
Primacy 4 +1077Why this score
Source Energy Primacy 4 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 82 Reviews found online 67 71 Energy: 60% × 66.1 (est.) + 40% × 67.3 = 67
Primacy 4: 60% × 81.7 + 40% × 70.6 = 77
No road tests of treadwear for Energy. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
-
51
Handling (owners)
Primacy 4 +2374Why this score
Source Energy Primacy 4 Reviews found online 51 74
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Energy | Michelin Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 60 | 79 |
| Dry | 55 | 81 |
| Wet | 61 | 81 |
| Comfort | 65 | 76 |
| Noise | – | 71 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 77 |
| Handling (owners) | 51 | 74 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
60
/ 100
Energy
79
/ 100
Primacy 4
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Energy
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and durability
- Noticeable improvements in fuel economy
- Low road noise and comfortable ride quality
Cons
- Lack of steering feedback and road feel
- Inconsistent or poor grip in wet conditions
- High price point relative to competitors
Tire B Primacy 4
Pros
- Exceptional tread life and long-lasting durability
- Low road noise and a very quiet, comfortable ride
- Reliable and consistent wet and dry grip
Cons
- Vague, numb, or floaty steering feel with soft sidewalls under hard cornering
- High price point compared to competitors
- Occasional reports of increased road noise or harsher ride as the tread wears down
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Michelin Energy
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Michelin Primacy 4
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.
mustang6g.com
·2022-12-14
“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.”
r/SubaruForester
·2026-09-11
“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.”
qashqaiforums.co.uk
·2022-06-03
“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”
Top themes
#tread life and longevity#cabin noise and comfort#wet and dry grip#comparisons with Pilot Sport#EV tire performance#sidewall damage and punctures#premium pricing
Based on 44 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Energy | B · Michelin Primacy 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 57 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
60
/ 100
Michelin Energy
79
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 4
Winner: Michelin Primacy 4 — better dry, handling and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 81 vs 55 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 74 vs 51 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 81 vs 61 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Primacy 4 scores 76 vs 65 on comfort.
Tire A · Michelin Energy
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4
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Energy or Primacy 4?
Which is better in the wet, Energy or Primacy 4?
Michelin Primacy 4, 81 vs 61 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Energy or Primacy 4?
Michelin Primacy 4, 81 vs 55 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Energy or Primacy 4?
Michelin Primacy 4, 76 vs 65 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Energy or Primacy 4?
Michelin Primacy 4, 77 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