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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Primacy 4+ vs Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 — 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 10 + 0 road tests and 39 + 7 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Primacy 4+ 78, Pilot Sport A/S 3 77.

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Michelin Primacy 4+
Tire AMichelin

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. 78

    Dry

    Primacy 4+ +1
    77
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4+Pilot Sport A/S 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests82≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online7182

    Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.3 + 40% × 70.5 = 78

    Pilot Sport A/S 3: 60% × 74.1 (est.) + 40% × 82.3 = 77

    No road tests of dry for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 79

    Wet

    Pilot Sport A/S 3 +2
    81
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4+Pilot Sport A/S 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / – tests83≈ 78 (est.)
    Reviews found online7484

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

    Pilot Sport A/S 3: 60% × 78.2 (est.) + 40% × 84.2 = 81

    No road tests of wet for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    71
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4+Pilot Sport A/S 3
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online–72

    Pilot Sport A/S 3: 60% × 71.1 (est.) + 40% × 71.5 = 71

    No road tests of snow for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 71

    Comfort

    Level
    71
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4+Pilot Sport A/S 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests73≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online6971

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

    Pilot Sport A/S 3: 40% × 69.5 (est.) + 60% × 71.2 = 71

    No road tests of comfort for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 73

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4+Pilot Sport A/S 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / – tests77–
    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.

  6. 85

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4+ +16
    69
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4+Pilot Sport A/S 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests95≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online6971

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

    Pilot Sport A/S 3: 60% × 68 (est.) + 40% × 71.4 = 69

    No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Sport A/S 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 65

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport A/S 3 +17
    82
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4+Pilot Sport A/S 3
    Reviews found online6582
  8. 78

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4+Pilot Sport A/S 3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / – tests78–
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Primacy 4+Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3
Relative Score 78 77
Dry 78 77
Wet 79 81
Snow – 71
Comfort 71 71
Noise 73 –
Treadwear 85 69
Handling (owners) 65 82
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

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
± 4

Primacy 4+

± 8

Pilot Sport A/S 3

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 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

Tire B Pilot Sport A/S 3

Pros

  • Exceptional grip in both wet and dry weather conditions
  • Outstanding cornering stability and steering responsiveness
  • Stiff sidewalls providing superior handling compared to competitors

Cons

  • Noticeable and bothersome road noise
  • Heavy tire construction
  • Shorter than expected tread life for certain drivers on abrasive surfaces
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport A/S 3 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Primacy 4+ B · Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3
CategorySummerAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available666
Rim diameters16″ – 21″19″ – 20″
Sizes in common00

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Primacy 4+

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3

Too close to call: Michelin Primacy 4+ and Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 are within 2 points overall. Michelin Primacy 4+ is stronger on treadwear. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 is stronger on handling. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 7 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 scores 82 vs 65 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 85 vs 69 on treadwear.

Tire A · Michelin Primacy 4+
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3
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Primacy 4+ or Pilot Sport A/S 3?

Which is better in the wet, Primacy 4+ or Pilot Sport A/S 3?

Neither, by our numbers: 79 vs 81 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Primacy 4+ or Pilot Sport A/S 3?

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

Which is more comfortable, Primacy 4+ or Pilot Sport A/S 3?

Neither, by our numbers: 71 vs 71 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Primacy 4+ or Pilot Sport A/S 3?

Michelin Primacy 4+, 85 vs 69 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