Tests 85 · 10 tests Owners 71 · 40 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (abrasion)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Primacy 4+ vs Pirelli Powergy — 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 + 1 road tests and 40 + 1,815 owner reviews. How we score
Primacy 4+ is ahead, 77–68
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Tests 76 · 1 test Owners 59 · 1,815 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test (noise)
“Pirelli cinturato P7 and Pirelli Powergy Hi all 👋🏼 So I had 4 Pirelli Cinturato P7’s on my Ford Focus ST. I got a flat tire (front left) while I was on vacation so I decided to get 2 new tires at the front. I asked the guy at the tire shop to get the same tires (so the Pirelli Cinturato’s). He got me Pirelli Powergy’s instead… He didn’t really speak English and there was not time as I was driving home the next day. So I just accepted it. Now my question is what’s the main difference between these tires? And does it matter I got 2 different tires now? (2 powergy’s at the front and 2 Cinturato’s at the back) Thanks!🙏🏼”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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78
Dry
Primacy 4+ +771Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ Powergy Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 1 tests 82 77 Reviews found online 71 62 Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.4 + 40% × 71 = 78
Powergy: 60% × 77.3 + 40% × 62.1 = 71
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79
Wet
Primacy 4+ +871Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ Powergy Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 1 tests 82 76 Reviews found online 75 65 Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.1 + 40% × 74.5 = 79
Powergy: 60% × 75.7 + 40% × 64.9 = 71
-
71
Comfort
Primacy 4+ +863Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ Powergy Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 73 74 Reviews found online 69 56 Primacy 4+: 40% × 72.9 + 60% × 69.2 = 71
Powergy: 40% × 73.5 + 60% × 55.8 = 63
-
72
Noise
Powergy +274Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ Powergy Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 1 tests 76 79 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.2 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 72
Powergy: 60% × 79 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 74
No owner ratings of noise for Primacy 4+ or Powergy. 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.
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85
Treadwear
Primacy 4+ +2758Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ Powergy Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests 95 ≈ 61 (est.) Reviews found online 70 52 Primacy 4+: 60% × 94.9 + 40% × 69.6 = 85
Powergy: 60% × 61.3 (est.) + 40% × 51.9 = 58
No road tests of treadwear for Powergy. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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66
Handling (owners)
Primacy 4+ +462Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ Powergy Reviews found online 66 62 -
78
Efficiency
Primacy 4+ +474Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ Powergy Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 1 tests 78 74
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Primacy 4+ | Pirelli Powergy |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 68 |
| Dry | 78 | 71 |
| Wet | 79 | 71 |
| Comfort | 71 | 63 |
| Noise | 72 | 74 |
| Treadwear | 85 | 58 |
| Handling (owners) | 66 | 62 |
| Efficiency | 78 | 74 |
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
77
/ 100
Primacy 4+
68
/ 100
Powergy
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 | Primacy 4+ | Powergy | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% #3/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 94% #4/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 92% #5/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 | 93% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 86% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 81% #8/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 82% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 92% #4/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% #5/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 96% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% #7/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 98% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 97% #2/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 88% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 93% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 96% #6/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% #2/8 · 2025 EV Tyre Test | 81% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #4/8 2025 EV Tyre Test | #5/10 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Primacy 4+
Pros
- Strong wet and dry grip and braking confidence, often cited as a big improvement over Bridgestone, Dunlop and Nexen tyres, including on powerful cars and PHEVs that previously spun their tyres
- Comfortable, compliant ride with soft sidewalls that suits softly sprung and family cars
- Low and even tread wear, with several owners reporting little visible wear after 5,000–10,000 miles and one reporting about 60,000 km in hot climates
Cons
- Road noise and drone, especially on rough asphalt, was described as severe by several owners (Skoda Yeti, Lexus), contradicting other reports of quiet running
- Reduced grip and confidence in cold, damp conditions, with two UK owners saying the tyre behaves like a budget tyre
- Premium pricing, with some owners questioning value when life fell short of expectations
Tire B Powergy
Pros
- Significantly reduced road noise and quiet highway ride
- Strong dry and wet grip for daily commuting
- Comfortable and smooth ride quality compared to run-flats
Cons
- Faster than average tread wear or shallow initial tread depth
- Negative impact on fuel economy (MPG) for some users
- Soft sidewalls leading to muted steering feedback and less precise handling at the limit
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Michelin Primacy 4+
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Pirelli Powergy
Community opinion on the Pirelli Powergy is largely mixed, with the tire frequently viewed as an eco/budget, mid-tier option suitable for daily driving rather than high-performance use. While some users consider it a cost-effective, fuel-efficient choice from a reputable brand, others report negative experiences including excessive highway vibrations and potential sidewall defects. A significant number of discussions also revolve around general inquiries regarding safety, longevity, and whether it can be mixed with other Pirelli models.
r/tires
·1 upvote ·2025-05-18
“Pirelli cinturato P7 and Pirelli Powergy Hi all 👋🏼 So I had 4 Pirelli Cinturato P7’s on my Ford Focus ST. I got a flat tire (front left) while I was on vacation so I decided to get 2 new tires at the front. I asked the guy at the tire shop to get the same tires (so the Pirelli Cinturato’s). He got me Pirelli Powergy’s instead… He didn’t really speak English and there was not time as I was driving home the next day. So I just accepted it. Now my question is what’s the main difference between these tires? And does it matter I got 2 different tires now? (2 powergy’s at the front and 2 Cinturato’s at the back) Thanks!🙏🏼”
r/mazda3
·1 upvote ·2026-10-05
“Avg 29mpg on a 2015 Mazda 3 Sport Nav 2L 165bhp, any ideas? I've had this car for about 3-4 weeks now, posted it here on this subreddit too. So far, I've done about 800 miles and my average fuel consumtion seems to be around 29mpg - 10.2L/100km. The car doesn't have its original rims, its on **MAM RS3** 18" rims with Pirelli Powergy tires 215/45/R18 (internet says these tires provide good fuel economy). On longer trips the average is about 40mpg-45mpg which still seems a bit high. My work commute is about 2 miles, and I do occasionally drive in a spirited manner. Is this okay? Thank you all!”
r/tires
·1 upvote ·2026-08-31
“Ripples in side wall Just been washing the car and found what I can only describe as ripples in the side wall of my front-right tyre. Had these fitted in June, only just noticed the ripples. The other tyres are perfect. I’ve probably done around 2,000 miles on them. Should I be concerned, and do they look like a manufacturing defect, or as a result of damage? (I’ve not hit any serious potholes that I’m aware of). These tyres are Pirelli Powergy, fitted to a Volvo XC60. Date code is 3325. Any help gratefully received. Read more”
Top themes
#budget eco tire line#highway vibrations and comfort#sidewall damage and defects#mixing with other tires#daily driver suitability#fuel economy and mileage
Based on 15 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Primacy 4+ | B · Pirelli Powergy |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Sizes available | 66 | 87 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 21″ | 15″ – 21″ |
| Sizes in common | 45 | 45 |
Which one should you actually buy?
77
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 4+
68
/ 100
Pirelli Powergy
Winner: Michelin Primacy 4+ — better treadwear, wet and comfort. Where the Pirelli Powergy is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 85 vs 58 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 79 vs 71 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 71 vs 63 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 78 vs 71 on dry.
Tire A · Michelin Primacy 4+
Tire B · Pirelli Powergy
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Primacy 4+ or Powergy?
Which is better in the wet, Primacy 4+ or Powergy?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 79 vs 71 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Primacy 4+ or Powergy?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 vs 71 on our dry score.
Which is quieter, Primacy 4+ or Powergy?
Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 74 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Primacy 4+ or Powergy?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 71 vs 63 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Primacy 4+ or Powergy?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 85 vs 58 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Primacy 4+ or Powergy?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 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