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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Sport 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 0 + 10 road tests and 43 + 39 owner reviews. How we score

Primacy 4+ is ahead, 78–73

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Michelin Primacy 4+
Tire BMichelin

Primacy 4+

Summer

± 4

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.

  1. 77

    Dry

    Primacy 4+ +1
    78
    Why this score
    SourcePilot SportPrimacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests≈ 74 (est.)82
    Reviews found online8271

    Pilot Sport: 60% × 73.8 (est.) + 40% × 81.6 = 77

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.3 + 40% × 70.6 = 78

    No road tests of dry for Pilot Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 76

    Wet

    Primacy 4+ +3
    79
    Why this score
    SourcePilot SportPrimacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 9 tests≈ 75 (est.)83
    Reviews found online7874

    Pilot Sport: 60% × 74.8 (est.) + 40% × 78 = 76

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.6 + 40% × 73.8 = 79

    No road tests of wet for Pilot Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 68

    Comfort

    Primacy 4+ +3
    71
    Why this score
    SourcePilot SportPrimacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 69 (est.)73
    Reviews found online6869

    Pilot Sport: 40% × 68.9 (est.) + 60% × 68 = 68

    Primacy 4+: 40% × 73.3 + 60% × 69 = 71

    No road tests of comfort for Pilot Sport. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    73
    Why this score
    SourcePilot SportPrimacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 7 tests–77
    Reviews found online–≈ 67 (est.)

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 73

    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.

  5. 64

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4+ +21
    85
    Why this score
    SourcePilot SportPrimacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 4 tests≈ 65 (est.)95
    Reviews found online6369

    Pilot Sport: 60% × 65.1 (est.) + 40% × 63.2 = 64

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 95.3 + 40% × 68.9 = 85

    No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  6. 76

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport +11
    65
    Why this score
    SourcePilot SportPrimacy 4+
    Reviews found online7665
  7. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    78
    Why this score
    SourcePilot SportPrimacy 4+
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 8 tests–78
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Pilot SportMichelin Primacy 4+
Relative Score 73 78
Dry 77 78
Wet 76 79
Comfort 68 71
Noise – 73
Treadwear 64 85
Handling (owners) 76 65
Efficiency – 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 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
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
± 8

Pilot Sport

± 4

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 Pilot Sport

Pros

  • Outstanding dry grip and handling performance
  • Stiff sidewalls providing sharp steering feedback and turn-in
  • Good wet weather performance and water channeling

Cons

  • Higher price point compared to competitors
  • Increased road noise, particularly on rough or chipped road surfaces
  • Subpar grip and traction when tires are cold
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport review

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
All owner themes in the Primacy 4+ review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Sport B · Michelin Primacy 4+
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available266
Rim diameters18″16″ – 21″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Sport

Michelin Primacy 4+

Winner: Michelin Primacy 4+ — better treadwear, wet and comfort. Pick the Michelin Pilot Sport if handling matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 85 vs 64 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport scores 76 vs 65 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 79 vs 76 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 71 vs 68 on comfort.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Sport
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Tire B · Michelin Primacy 4+
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Pilot Sport or Primacy 4+?

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

Michelin Primacy 4+, 79 vs 76 on our wet score.

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

Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 78 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Pilot Sport or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 71 vs 68 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Pilot Sport or Primacy 4+?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 85 vs 64 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