Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Primacy 4 vs Pirelli Powergy — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Primacy 4 is ahead, 78–67

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Tire AMichelin

Primacy 4

Summer

Tests 82 · 23 tests Owners 74 · 13,367 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 14 in 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test (overall ranking)

“Had a shop install two new Michelin Primacy 4 in the front of my W124 yesterday. On the way back home i checked the pressure and the right one was a little on the low side. Drove the car today and after a few kms of city driving i noticed it was steering itself to the right once i was out of the stop and go traffic. Got out of the car and the tire was almost flat. I put 2.7 bar in it at the first station but noticed the sidewall is now damaged and there's a buldge... How is this possible? It is wet and i can hear the sound of air coming out of the tire but can't identify where it comes from. If the rim is the problem, why did they install the tire without noticing me first? If they don't admit their fault and blame it on the rim, i'm going to have to buy a new tire...”

Tire BPirelli

Powergy

Summer

Tests 76 · 1 test Owners 61 · 1,805 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test (noise)

“Are Pirelli Powergy Winter the right winter tires for the GR? Hey, my parents bought a GR Yaris last week and it’s a great car but I looked at its winter tires and those are Pirelli Powergy Winter. I’m not an expert on tires but as far as I know the P-Zero Winter would be the right choice for a GR. My father didn’t bought them because he thought it was the right tires rather a tire salesman talked him into it. I talked him into Pirelli as those were the factory tires for his Volvo 850R and would be a better choice then his current Conti Premium 5 but somehow my father misunderstood me to that point that Pirelli’s are the greatest tires ever. So he asked the salesmen for the best Pirelli Tires and told the car it’s for but the salesman sold him those Powergy tires and said that not all Pirelli’s are in stock. As my father isn’t an enthusiast but loves likes to drive performance cars he didn’t knew better and now it’s too late. In my eyes a good salesman (not in the way of profit for the company rather costumer experience) would have told him that the P-Zeros winter are out of stock but can be ordered or would show him tires from different companies. Another option is the salesman though he meant the GR Sport Yaris for which P-Zero winters are too much as not many persons in their sixties drive a real GR. So my question are the Powergy enough for the GR or should he get P-Zeros next Winter (in a few weeks we will put on summer tires)”

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 80

    Dry

    Primacy 4 +8
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)8577
    Reviews found online7464
    Dry Braking (% of best)98%94%
  2. 81

    Wet

    Primacy 4 +9
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)8576
    Reviews found online7667
    Wet Braking (% of best)97%96%
    Wet Circle (% of best)92%98%
    Wet Handling (% of best)100%97%
  3. 76

    Comfort

    Primacy 4 +8
    68
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)7674
    Reviews found online7458
  4. 72

    Noise

    Powergy +2
    74
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)7679
  5. 77

    Treadwear

    Primacy 4 +20
    57
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Professional tests (TWG score)82–
    Reviews found online7151
  6. 74

    Handling

    Primacy 4 +11
    63
    Why this score
    SourcePrimacy 4Powergy
    Reviews found online7463
Scores at a glance
Michelin Primacy 4 vs Pirelli Powergy: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Primacy 4Pirelli Powergy
Relative Score 78 67
Dry 80 72
Wet 81 72
Comfort 76 68
Noise 72 74
Treadwear 77 57
Handling 74 63

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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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

Primacy 4

Powergy

The professional test results behind the scores

Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.

DisciplineCategoryPrimacy 4PowergyΔBoth?
Curved Aquaplaning Curved 99% #2/10 · 2022 ViBilagare Eco vs Normal Tyre Test 81% #8/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +17.8 Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 98% #3/10 · 2019 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test 94% #4/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +4.8 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 96% #5/7 · 2019 NAF Summer Tyre Test 81% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +15.3 Different tests
Noise Other 99% #4/20 · 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −1.0 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 100% #1/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 20% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +80.0 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 86% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test 92% #4/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −5.6 Different tests
Subj. Comfort Subj 100% #1/10 · 2020 Teknikens 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test 93% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +7.1 Different tests
Subj. Dry Handling Subj 63% #12/20 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test 93% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −29.4 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 97% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Summer SUV Tyre Test 96% #5/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +1.5 Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 92% #13/21 · 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test 98% #3/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test −6.2 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 100% #4/10 · 2020 New 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test 97% #2/10 · 2026 autozurnal Eco Summer Tyre Test +2.7 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Primacy 4

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and long-lasting durability
  • Low road noise and a very quiet, comfortable ride
  • Reliable and consistent wet and dry grip

Cons

  • Vague, numb, or floaty steering feel with soft sidewalls under hard cornering
  • High price point compared to competitors
  • Occasional reports of increased road noise or harsher ride as the tread wears down
All owner themes in the Primacy 4 review

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
All owner themes in the Powergy review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Michelin Primacy 4

Positive

Community sentiment towards the Michelin Primacy 4 is generally positive, with drivers frequently praising its quiet ride, comfort, and dependable wet and dry braking performance. Several owners note impressive longevity reaching over 50,000 to 70,000 km, though some EV and SUV drivers report accelerated wear and fragile sidewalls over rough terrain. It is commonly viewed as a premium touring tire that commands high prices compared to competitors.

f30.bimmerpost.com

“I have Primacy 4s on my Volvo wagon. I've been very pleased. Plenty of grip, low road noise and longevity.”

vwvortex.com ·2026-09-12

“I might try to have a look at one today. There are two Uniroyal shops near me. Whether they have one in stock to look at though...? The trouble is they look really nice online but I'd like to see them in the flesh first. The old tyres (above photo) that were on these wheels were that nice square edged profile that I like, much the same as the Michelin Pilot Sports. These are going on my sons Golf EV so I'm also trying to consider if they are A rated for fuel, the best wet grip I can find and the lowest decibel level. The best choice I can find is the Michelin Primacy 4 which are A, A and 68. But on Black Circles it says they were designed for BMW. I'm sure they fit any wheel but do those properties still hold? I've always bought Pilots but B, B and 72, and its this 72 that really bugs me, is whats making me invest so much time into getting the right tyre for Toms EV. I'm getting a Tesla this Tuesday which does in fact come with the Pilots so they must be good on EV's anyway. Who knew buying tyres was so complicated.”

r/AutomobileRO ·2 upvotes ·2025-09-22

“Am avut primacy 4 pe o electrica. Destul de dezamagit de faptul ca dupa ~ 28.000 km s-au tocit rau de au ajuns cam la 3 mm. Placute la condus, silentioase, dar nu cele mai aderente. Pilot sport 4 pe aceiasi electrica cu primacy 4. Huruie de te doare capul. Aderenta nu o simt neaparat wow fata de primacy 4. Nu le mai suport si abia astept sa le trec pe iarna, oricum asta fiind ultima incaltare cu ele. Pe o termica am primacy 5, si sunt cele mai ok din experienta mea. Cele mai silentioase si aderente din cele 3. Dupa 20.000 km uzura a scazut cam cu 1 mm. Recomandarea mea e sa alegi primacy 5 fara ezitare.”

Top themes
#tread life and longevity#cabin noise and comfort#wet and dry grip#comparisons with Pilot Sport#EV tire performance#sidewall damage and punctures#premium pricing

Based on 44 community posts

Tire B

Pirelli Powergy

Mixed

Community discussions around Pirelli Powergy show mixed views, with many users regarding them as an eco or budget-oriented alternative rather than a performance tire. While some drivers appreciate the attractive pricing and consider them decent for daily driving and fuel economy, others report issues such as highway vibrations or express uncertainty about mixing them with premium lines like Cinturato.

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 and eco line#tire mixing and compatibility#ride comfort and vibrations#pricing and promotions#daily winter driving performance#sidewall durability concerns

Based on 17 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Primacy 4 B · Pirelli Powergy
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / Crossover—
Sizes available5787
Rim diameters15″ – 20″15″ – 21″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Primacy 4

Pirelli Powergy

Winner: Michelin Primacy 4 — better treadwear, handling and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 77 vs 57 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 74 vs 63 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 81 vs 72 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Primacy 4 scores 80 vs 72 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin Primacy 4
Tire B · Pirelli Powergy

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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.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

78

Leads

Primacy 4

Amazon