Tests 85 · 10 tests Owners 70 · 39 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2024 ADAC Summer Tyre Test (abrasion)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Primacy 4+ vs Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61 — 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 + 2 road tests and 39 + 11 owner reviews. How we score
Primacy 4+ is ahead, 78–72
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Tests 66 · 2 tests Owners 80 · 11 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2025 EV Tyre Test (noise)
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+ +276Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ BluEarth XT AE61 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 2 tests 82 70 Reviews found online 71 83 Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 96% 92% Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 98% 98% Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.3 + 40% × 70.5 = 78
BluEarth XT AE61: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 83.4 = 76
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79
Wet
Primacy 4+ +574Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ BluEarth XT AE61 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 2 tests 83 68 Reviews found online 74 83 Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 86% 85% Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 82% 80% Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 91% 88% Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 97% 98% Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 95% 96% Primacy 4+: 60% × 82.6 + 40% × 73.8 = 79
BluEarth XT AE61: 60% × 67.6 + 40% × 83.2 = 74
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71
Comfort
Primacy 4+ +467Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ BluEarth XT AE61 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 2 tests 73 65 Reviews found online 69 69 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 88% 75% Primacy 4+: 40% × 73.3 + 60% × 69 = 71
BluEarth XT AE61: 40% × 64.7 + 60% × 69.2 = 67
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73
Noise
BluEarth XT AE61 +679Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ BluEarth XT AE61 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 2 tests 77 87 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 97% 100% Primacy 4+: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 73
BluEarth XT AE61: 60% × 87.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 79
No owner ratings of noise for Primacy 4+ or BluEarth XT AE61. 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.
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85
Treadwear
Primacy 4+ +2362Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ BluEarth XT AE61 Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 1 tests 95 53 Reviews found online 69 77 Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 92% 62% Primacy 4+: 60% × 95.3 + 40% × 68.9 = 85
BluEarth XT AE61: 60% × 52.8 + 40% × 76.5 = 62
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65
Handling (owners)
BluEarth XT AE61 +1782Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ BluEarth XT AE61 Reviews found online 65 82 -
78
Efficiency
Primacy 4+ +1365Why this score
Source Primacy 4+ BluEarth XT AE61 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 1 tests 78 65 Range (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 92% 91% Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 90% 77%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Primacy 4+ | Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 78 | 72 |
| Dry | 78 | 76 |
| Wet | 79 | 74 |
| Comfort | 71 | 67 |
| Noise | 73 | 79 |
| Treadwear | 85 | 62 |
| Handling (owners) | 65 | 82 |
| Efficiency | 78 | 65 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
78
/ 100
Primacy 4+
72
/ 100
BluEarth XT AE61
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.
In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Michelin Primacy 4+ finished ahead 1 times and Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | Primacy 4+ | BluEarth XT AE61 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 96% | 92% | +3.9 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% | 98% | +0.3 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 86% | 85% | +0.7 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 82% | 80% | +2.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% | 88% | +3.4 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 97% | 98% | −1.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% | 96% | −1.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 88% | 75% | +12.5 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 83% #4/6 · 2024 ACE/ARBÖ/GTÜ Summer Tire Test R17 | 100% #1/8 · 2022 Motor Crossover Summer Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 97% | 100% | −3.5 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 92% | 62% | +29.9 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Range | Efficiency | 92% | 91% | +1.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% | 77% | +12.7 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #5/8 | #8/8 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Value | Cost | 67% | 70% | −3.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #4/8 | #7/8 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 EV Tyre Test · 215/55 R18 |
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
Tire B BluEarth XT AE61
Pros
- Excellent grip and braking performance in both wet and dry conditions
- Responsive and sharp steering handling
- High stability during cornering due to rigid sidewall construction
Cons
- Noticeable cabin noise, particularly on aged or rough road surfaces
- Stiff sidewall construction results in a harsh ride on bumpy or unpaved roads
- Comfort levels are highly dependent on road surface quality
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Primacy 4+ | B · Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 66 | 38 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 21″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 27 | 27 |
Which one should you actually buy?
78
/ 100
Michelin Primacy 4+
72
/ 100
Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61
Winner: Michelin Primacy 4+ — better treadwear, efficiency and wet. Pick the Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61 if handling and noise matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 85 vs 62 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61 scores 82 vs 65 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Michelin Primacy 4+ scores 78 vs 65 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61 scores 79 vs 73 on noise.
Tire A · Michelin Primacy 4+
Tire B · Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61
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Primacy 4+ or BluEarth XT AE61?
Which is better in the wet, Primacy 4+ or BluEarth XT AE61?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 79 vs 74 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Primacy 4+ or BluEarth XT AE61?
Neither, by our numbers: 78 vs 76 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, Primacy 4+ or BluEarth XT AE61?
Yokohama BluEarth XT AE61, 79 vs 73 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Primacy 4+ or BluEarth XT AE61?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 71 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Primacy 4+ or BluEarth XT AE61?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 85 vs 62 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Primacy 4+ or BluEarth XT AE61?
Michelin Primacy 4+, 78 vs 65 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