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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 vs Michelin Primacy 3 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Pilot Sport 4 is ahead, 80–70

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Tire AMichelin

Pilot Sport 4

Summer

Tests 84 · 21 tests Owners 74 · 12,686 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (overall ranking)

“Have you checked to see if your wheels would accommodate a 215 tyre? Might be worth investigating. Other than that, Goodyear Eagle f1 asymmetric I would say have just as good dry performance as a PS4. They're minutely less grippy in the wet, but not noticeably so. They're also a lot quieter and a lot cheaper. I've run both PS4 and the Eagles on track, and now the Eagles are my go-to.”

Tire BMichelin

Primacy 3

Summer

Tests 73 · 2 tests Owners 67 · 195 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 20 in 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test (wear)

“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.

  1. 85

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 +13
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Primacy 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)8774
    Reviews found online8169
    Dry Braking (% of best)80%99%
    Dry Handling (% of best)100%98%
  2. 86

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 +14
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Primacy 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)9072
    Reviews found online8171
    Wet Braking (% of best)70%95%
    Wet Handling (% of best)97%97%
  3. 78

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 +9
    69
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Primacy 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)83–
    Reviews found online7168
  4. 74

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Primacy 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)76–
    Reviews found online72–
  5. 70

    Treadwear

    Pilot Sport 4 +3
    67
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Primacy 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)7672
    Reviews found online6159
  6. 78

    Handling

    Pilot Sport 4 +10
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 4Primacy 3
    Reviews found online7868
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 4Michelin Primacy 3
Relative Score 80 70
Dry 85 72
Wet 86 72
Comfort 78 69
Noise 74 –
Treadwear 70 67
Handling 78 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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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Pilot Sport 4

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.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Sport 4Primacy 3ΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 99% #4/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test −18.6 Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 100% #2/10 · 2021 Auto Zeitung Summer UHP Tyre Test 98% #16/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test +1.4 Different tests
Wear Other 96% #5/16 · 2020 ADAC 18 Inch Summer Tyre Test 83% #3/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test +13.4 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 100% #1/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 10% #10/43 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Shootout +90.0 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 70% #8/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 95% #5/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test −24.7 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #6/9 · 2021 EVO Summer Tyre Test 97% #6/10 · 2017 Auto Bild Summer SUV Tyre Test +0.1 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Pilot Sport 4

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction with outstanding resistance to aquaplaning
  • Noticeable improvement in ride comfort and a reduction in cabin noise compared to standard run-flat tires
  • Progressive and predictable breakaway limits during spirited driving

Cons

  • Faster-than-average treadwear, particularly under aggressive driving or on rear-wheel-drive performance cars
  • Softer sidewalls can lead to a slight lack of initial steering precision and a vague feel at the limit for hardcore enthusiasts
  • Performance drops off significantly in cold, freezing, or snowy winter conditions
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 review

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
All owner themes in the Primacy 3 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Positive

Community opinion on the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 (and PS4S/AS variants) is overwhelmingly positive, with users frequently praising the massive upgrades in grip, wet weather performance, and steering feel compared to stock run-flats or budget tires. While some note trade-offs in tread life, cost, and colder temperature performance, they are widely regarded as a top-tier choice for daily driving and spirited handling.

r/MachE ·2 upvotes ·2025-08-31

“Just to kind of back up for claims, the same tires are offered on the Model 3 and I basically cycled through those tires and experienced the same results. PS4s were by far the best handling, sportiest tires but I saw as much a 30% drop in range. The EVOs had the best range but the worst handling. The CCs were just average all the way around.”
r/ft86 ·3 upvotes ·2022-01-09

“I just installed A/S PS4 from Michelin on my BRZ recently & man they are so nice. How quiet it is, is wow, night and day. They handle quite nice except when it's still cold (sub 40F) on highway, traction control triggers but it may bc I'm lowered and yet to do my alignment. I don't know compared to stock, I was on Falken prior. I am using different tire set-up then stock however. I have 245/35 at the front and 265/35 in rear. My only regret is not going up to 40 on the sidewall for more meat. This is on 18" wheels.”
r/TyreReviews ·3 upvotes ·2024-08-26

“Punctured tire after fresh 4-Michelin PS4 tire change what to do? In December, I bought a fresh set of 4 tires Michelin PS4, manufactured in 2020, and the next day, one of them was punctured by a nail. I drove for a month with the nail inside before noticing and when I did, I took it to a tire shop who said it needs replacing. It was not easy for me financially to change one of them again. So I asked him to “repair” it and he did so, but recommended changing it ASAP. I have been driving on that punctured tire for 8 months now, refilling it every 2 weeks. And I am starting to worry a blowout will happen as refills are needed more frequently lately. The PS4 is not available anymore where I live, all shops have the PS5, for almost the same price. I am now ready to change it. Should I change one PS4 to PS5? Or two, or all four? Read more”
Top themes
#Exceptional Grip and Handling#Wet Weather Performance#Ride Quality and Noise#Tread Life and Wear#Run-Flat Replacement#Summer vs All-Season Comparison

Based on 131 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Primacy 3

Positive

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.

r/BMWi3 ·7 upvotes ·2022-04-22

“So I have decided there is no way I am paying for the Bridgestone Ecopias at over £200 a tyre, and as such, I have come across the Michelin Primacy 3 on Costco, which I can get fitted for approx £93 a tyre (I only need two on the rear) They seem to have good reviews. My actual tyre size for my i3S should be 195/50 R20, but getting 195/55 R20 instead should only add up to another inch or so in height, so I'm reckoning I should be okay. What are people's thoughts?”
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 · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 B · Michelin Primacy 3
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6242
Rim diameters16″ – 20″15″ – 20″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Michelin Primacy 3

Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 — better wet, dry and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 86 vs 72 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 85 vs 72 on dry.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 78 vs 68 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 scores 78 vs 69 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 4
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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.

80

Leads

Pilot Sport 4

Amazon