Tests 86 · 23 tests Owners 88 · 6,449 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test (subj. dry handling)
“Put some 235/45 R17 ps5’s on my 9-5 They fill up the arches quite nice!”
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 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 23 + 10 road tests and 6,449 + 39 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 5 is ahead, 87–78
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Tests 85 · 10 tests Owners 70 · 39 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (abrasion)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
92
Dry
Pilot Sport 5 +1478Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 23 / 9 tests 93 82 Reviews found online 91 71 Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 92.9 + 40% × 90.8 = 92
Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.3 + 40% × 70.5 = 78
-
94
Wet
Pilot Sport 5 +1579Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 23 / 9 tests 94 83 Reviews found online 94 74 Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 94.1 + 40% × 93.6 = 94
Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.6 + 40% × 73.8 = 79
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79
Comfort
Pilot Sport 5 +871Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 1 tests 71 73 Reviews found online 85 69 Pilot Sport 5: 40% × 71 + 60% × 84.8 = 79
Primacy 4+: 40% × 73.3 + 60% × 69 = 71
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47
Noise
Primacy 4+ +2673Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 15 / 7 tests 33 77 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 33.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 47
Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 73
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 5 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.
-
87
Treadwear
Pilot Sport 5 +285Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 4 tests 92 95 Reviews found online 79 69 Pilot Sport 5: 60% × 91.9 + 40% × 78.9 = 87
Primacy 4+: 60% × 95.3 + 40% × 68.9 = 85
-
89
Handling (owners)
Pilot Sport 5 +2465Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 5 Primacy 4+ Reviews found online 89 65 -
64
Efficiency
Primacy 4+ +1478Why this score
Source Pilot Sport 5 Primacy 4+ Professional tests (TWG score) · 17 / 8 tests 64 78
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Sport 5 | Michelin Primacy 4+ |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 87 | 78 |
| Dry | 92 | 78 |
| Wet | 94 | 79 |
| Comfort | 79 | 71 |
| Noise | 47 | 73 |
| Treadwear | 87 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 89 | 65 |
| Efficiency | 64 | 78 |
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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Recomputed
Headline score
87
/ 100
Pilot Sport 5
78
/ 100
Primacy 4+
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 | Pilot Sport 5 | Primacy 4+ | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #10/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | 96% #3/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test | 98% #4/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 100% #1/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test | 92% #5/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 87% #6/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 86% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 94% #6/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers | 82% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% #9/50 · 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | 91% #5/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | Wet | 97% #3/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 86% #5/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% #5/7 · 2026 Sport Auto Summer Tyre Test | 97% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers | 95% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 100% #1/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers | 88% #2/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 90% #4/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test | 88% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 71% #7/9 · 2023 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | 83% #4/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% #2/4 · 2026 AutoView Value Sport Tyre Test | 96% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Abrasion | Treadwear | 83% #5/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 100% #1/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 93% #2/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 92% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 95% #8/18 · 2025 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | 98% #6/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 92% #3/7 · Top Tire Review 2026 UHP Tyre Test: Big Brands vs Challengers | 90% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 56% #13/13 · 2023 AutoBild Sports Car Summer Tyre Test | 52% #16/16 · 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #13/20 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | #5/8 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 71% #15/20 · 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test | 67% #8/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #9/50 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | #4/8 2025 EV Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Pilot Sport 5
Pros
- Outstanding wet and dry traction with high resistance to aquaplaning
- Superior tread life and longevity compared to competitors and previous generations
- Noticeable improvements in ride comfort and a quieter cabin over rough road surfaces
Cons
- Softer sidewalls can lead to initial steering vagueness or understeer during hard cornering
- Higher price point compared to some tier-one competitors
- Performance and grip degrade significantly under intense track heat or heavy circuit use
Tire B Primacy 4+
Pros
- Excellent ride comfort and a smooth, compliant 'limousine-like' feel over bumps
- Strong and reliable grip in both wet and dry conditions, inspiring confidence
- Noticeable improvement in quietness and traction compared to predecessor tires or factory options
Cons
- Loud road noise and a harsh drone on rough or coarse asphalt surfaces
- Soft sidewalls can reduce steering agility and initial responsiveness compared to dedicated sport tires
- High premium price point relative to competitors
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Positive
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Community opinion on the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is overwhelmingly positive for daily street driving, praising its exceptional wet grip, tread longevity, and quiet comfort compared to run-flats and older performance tires. However, several enthusiasts note downsides for aggressive or track use, specifically citing softer sidewalls, muted steering feedback, and poor heat resistance leading to delamination under track conditions. Most drivers consider it an outstanding premium all-rounder for sporty street cars rather than a dedicated track or extreme-performance tire.
r/DubaiPetrolHeads
·3 upvotes ·2025-07-15
“Had both on my ST. The 4S is more performance oriented but it wore out much quicker in approximately 35k kms. PS5 is more comfortable and the wear is slower however it does get noisy towards its end of life. After the 2 sets of Michelins, I tried the Falken FK520 for half the cost of the Michelins but found it to more comfortable for daily driving as it is comparatively softer.”
cliosport.net
·5 upvotes ·2024-02-07
“I’ve done 20k on a set of fronts that still have ~2-2.5mm left. They’re wearing very well IMO.”
f30.bimmerpost.com
“I've used the PS4S, potenza s001's & sports contact 7. Currently on Pilot Sport 5's and I think they're the best all road "do it all"road tyre I've had on my RWD . The asymmetric 6 is also supposed to be great but I havent tried that.”
Top themes
#wet grip performance#tread wear longevity#daily driving comfort#track heat delamination#soft sidewall steering feedback#road noise levels#comparison with ps4s
Based on 174 community posts
Tire B
Michelin Primacy 4+
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Sport 5 | B · Michelin Primacy 4+ |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 66 | 66 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | 16″ – 21″ |
| Sizes in common | 25 | 25 |
Which one should you actually buy?
87
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Sport 5
78
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 4+
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 — better handling, wet and dry. Pick the Michelin Primacy 4+ if noise and efficiency matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 73 vs 47 on noise.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 89 vs 65 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 94 vs 79 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Sport 5 scores 92 vs 78 on dry.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport 5
Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4+
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Pilot Sport 5 or Primacy 4+?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Sport 5 or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 94 vs 79 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Sport 5 or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 92 vs 78 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Pilot Sport 5 or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 73 vs 47 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport 5 or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Pilot Sport 5, 79 vs 71 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport 5 or Primacy 4+?
Neither, by our numbers: 87 vs 85 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
Which rolls more easily, Pilot Sport 5 or Primacy 4+?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 vs 64 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