Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 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 (comfort 40/60). Based on 2 + 23 road tests and 57 + 13,422 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Pilot Sport 5 Energy 80, Primacy 4 81.

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Michelin Primacy 4
Tire BMichelin

Primacy 4

Summer

± 4

Tests 84 · 23 tests Owners 77 · 13,422 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.

  1. 81

    Dry

    Primacy 4 +1
    82
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5 EnergyPrimacy 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 21 tests8386
    Reviews found online7975

    Pilot Sport 5 Energy: 60% × 82.7 + 40% × 79.1 = 81

    Primacy 4: 60% × 85.9 + 40% × 75.4 = 82

  2. 81

    Wet

    Primacy 4 +2
    83
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5 EnergyPrimacy 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 22 tests8085
    Reviews found online8180

    Pilot Sport 5 Energy: 60% × 80.3 + 40% × 81.3 = 81

    Primacy 4: 60% × 85.5 + 40% × 79.5 = 83

  3. 72

    Comfort

    Primacy 4 +4
    76
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5 EnergyPrimacy 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 5 tests≈ 70 (est.)75
    Reviews found online7376

    Pilot Sport 5 Energy: 40% × 69.6 (est.) + 60% × 73.3 = 72

    Primacy 4: 40% × 75.4 + 60% × 75.8 = 76

    No road tests of comfort for Pilot Sport 5 Energy. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  4. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    71
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5 EnergyPrimacy 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 15 tests–74
    Reviews found online–≈ 66 (est.)

    Primacy 4: 60% × 73.6 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 71

    No owner ratings of noise for Primacy 4. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  5. 80

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4 +1
    81
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5 EnergyPrimacy 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 3 tests8385
    Reviews found online7575

    Pilot Sport 5 Energy: 60% × 83.2 + 40% × 74.8 = 80

    Primacy 4: 60% × 84.8 + 40% × 75.4 = 81

  6. 77

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 5 Energy +2
    75
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5 EnergyPrimacy 4
    Reviews found online7775
  7. 74

    Efficiency

    Primacy 4 +19
    93
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Sport 5 EnergyPrimacy 4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 15 tests7493
Scores at a glance
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Michelin Primacy 4: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Pilot Sport 5 EnergyMichelin Primacy 4
Relative Score 80 81
Dry 81 82
Wet 81 83
Comfort 72 76
Noise – 71
Treadwear 80 81
Handling (owners) 77 75
Efficiency 74 93

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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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
Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

Pilot Sport 5 Energy

± 4

Primacy 4

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.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Sport 5 EnergyPrimacy 4ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/4 · 2025 TUV and DEKRA Test of Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Tesla-Spec Rivals 99% #3/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 100% #1/4 · 2025 TUV and DEKRA Test of Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Tesla-Spec Rivals 96% #2/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 100% #1/4 · 2025 TUV and DEKRA Test of Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Tesla-Spec Rivals 93% #2/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 100% #1/4 · 2025 TUV and DEKRA Test of Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Tesla-Spec Rivals 87% #2/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 88% #4/4 · 2025 TUV and DEKRA Test of Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Tesla-Spec Rivals 83% #2/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #1/4 2025 TUV and DEKRA Test of Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy vs Tesla-Spec Rivals #4/6 2025 Wybór Kierowców Summer Tire Test R16 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Pilot Sport 5 Energy

Pros

  • Strong grip and confidence in wet conditions, with owners reporting stable, trustworthy handling and better cornering in the rain
  • Good dry handling and high-speed stability, with resistance to aquaplaning reported as better than a set of winter tires
  • Low rolling resistance and improved efficiency, including one EV owner who went from 3.8 to 4.2 miles per kWh and another who reported good consumption for a UHP tire

Cons

  • Road noise is not fully eliminated, and some reviewers still found it loud or noted it increasing slightly toward 10,000 km
  • One reviewer found the ride harsh and firm and not bouncy enough, attributing this to the noise-reducing insulation
  • Long-term durability is still unproven, as most reviews are early impressions and one reviewer is waiting to see how the tires last in Singapore's heat
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 5 Energy review

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
All owner themes in the Primacy 4 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Michelin Primacy 4

Positive

The Michelin Primacy 4 is generally praised for its comfortable ride, low road noise, and strong braking and safety in both dry and wet conditions. While many users report excellent tread longevity across tens of thousands of kilometers, some note faster wear on heavier electric vehicles or rough surfaces. It is viewed as a premium touring tire that is unsuitable for winter conditions, prompting some drivers to weigh its high price against newer models like the Primacy 5 or cheaper alternatives.

r/ItalyMotori ·1 upvote ·2026-03-26

“Gomme alternative a Primacy 4 Buongiorno, ho una Peugeot 208 del 2020 con delle Michelin Primacy 4 205/45 R 17 88 V, le ho da 4 anni, circa 20000km all’anno tranne quest’anno che non le ho sostituite con le invernali e che quindi dovrei portarle ad usura completa con il prossimo “giro” delle gomme per altri 20000km. In totale arriverò a quasi 100000km, quindi super ammortizzate e le consiglierei sempre anche per la tenuta. Visto che entro fine estate pensavo di sostituirle tutte e quattro, vorrei capire se ci fossero delle alternative un più economiche ma altrettanto valide (un cambio gomme al momento mi costa circa €650-700). Read more”

vwvortex.com ·2026-09-12

“I might try to have a look at one today. There are two Uniroyal shops near me. Whether they have one in stock to look at though...? The trouble is they look really nice online but I'd like to see them in the flesh first. The old tyres (above photo) that were on these wheels were that nice square edged profile that I like, much the same as the Michelin Pilot Sports. These are going on my sons Golf EV so I'm also trying to consider if they are A rated for fuel, the best wet grip I can find and the lowest decibel level. The best choice I can find is the Michelin Primacy 4 which are A, A and 68. But on Black Circles it says they were designed for BMW. I'm sure they fit any wheel but do those properties still hold? I've always bought Pilots but B, B and 72, and its this 72 that really bugs me, is whats making me invest so much time into getting the right tyre for Toms EV. I'm getting a Tesla this Tuesday which does in fact come with the Pilots so they must be good on EV's anyway. Who knew buying tyres was so complicated.”

r/carIndia ·7 upvotes ·2026-03-26

“Michelin Primacy 4 or Conti UC6 - Virtus GT Hey, i recently got a Virtus GT with stock Apollo alnac 4g tyres - looking to upgrade them. As per ChatGPT my options are Michelin Primacy 4 and Continental UC6 - budget is not really a problem. Overall i want good grip, handling, comfort and low cabin noise. Not going for Pilot Sport 4, because don't want to compromise on comfort for performance when i am not going to push my car too much, hence PS4 is a no no. But read it somewhere that with Primacy 4, there is a noticeable difference in mileage not sure if it means going up or down. Need recommendations on what i should get! Thanks in advance”

Top themes
#ride comfort and low noise#tread life and durability#wet and dry grip#EV tire compatibility#Primacy 4 vs Primacy 5#poor winter and snow performance#premium pricing and alternatives

Based on 43 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy B · Michelin Primacy 4
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available3257
Rim diameters18″ – 23″15″ – 20″
UTQG—340 A A
Sizes in common22

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy

Michelin Primacy 4

Too close to call: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy and Michelin Primacy 4 are within 2 points overall. Michelin Primacy 4 is stronger on efficiency and comfort.

Pick tire B You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 93 vs 74 on efficiency.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 76 vs 72 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 Energy
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4

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Pilot Sport 5 Energy or Primacy 4?

Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport 5 Energy or Primacy 4?

Neither, by our numbers: 81 vs 83 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport 5 Energy or Primacy 4?

Neither, by our numbers: 81 vs 82 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport 5 Energy or Primacy 4?

Michelin Primacy 4, 76 vs 72 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport 5 Energy or Primacy 4?

Neither, by our numbers: 80 vs 81 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, Pilot Sport 5 Energy or Primacy 4?

Michelin Primacy 4, 93 vs 74 on our efficiency 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