Michelin Primacy 4+ vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: The 7 year wait for the next generation Pilot Sport did not disappoint as the Pilot Sport 5 bagged its first win of the 2022 season by earning top honors in Tyre Reviews 17 Inch Summer Tyre Test. In the same year 2022, Michelin also launched its successor to its highly popular Primacy 4 called Primacy 4+ after 5 years. The new product is a compound upgrade while staying on the same pattern as Primacy 4.
As we have done in one of our most popular article with Primacy 4 vs Pilot Sport 4, we will like to update this match up with the newest product in for form of Michelin Primacy 4+ vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5. Some word of caution as we are comparing 2 different segments, it’s important to know that the target conflict Michelin is trying to solve differs in the 2 products. Hence only a comparison with the same segment product will highlight its true competitive nature. Nonetheless as there is some sizes which are offered in Primacy 4+ & Pilot Sport 5, it will be a nice comparison for the few lucky size owners 🙂
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from Tyre Reviews “Michelin Pilot Sport 5 vs Pilot Sport 4S vs Primacy 4+! The Differences Tested and Explained!” Test. A total of 3 tires were tested on Michelin’s track in France. The graph below shows the comparison between Michelin Primacy 4+ vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 based on the relevant performance category. The Michelin Primacy 4+ was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark.
The tire size of interest is 245/40R18 which is a common tire size for Audi A4 & Jaguar Xe. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle of choice is the highly sporty Volkswagen Golf GTI.
Wet
Safety has always been the main theme when it comes to the need for wet performances. In objective wet braking, the Pilot Sport 5 being in the ultra high performance segment took the initiative by out braking Primacy 4+ by 1.7m. With the advantage gained in wet braking, Pilot Sport 5 continued to dominate in wet handling by being 5.3 seconds faster than Primacy 4+. In its own touring segment, Primacy 4 was a well known wet performer but with the latest compound upgrade, it still could not handle the better performing Pilot Sport 5.
Pilot Sport 5:
- +4.9% in wet braking
- +5.5% in wet handling (lap time)
Dry
One of the most important performances when it comes to the ultra high performance segment is to have a very strong dry showing. In dry braking, Pilot Sport 5 managed to out brake Primacy 4+ by 1.5m. While in dry handling it was much closer as Pilot Sport 5 was only 0.84 seconds faster than Primacy 4+. Overall, Pilot Sport 5 dominated the dry category which is not surprising giving its ultra high performance segment.
Pilot Sport 5:
- +4.1% in dry braking
- +1.1% in dry handling (lap time)
Noise/comfort
In noise/comfort, the touring tire of Primacy 4+ was clearly better than the Pilot Sport 5. However as mentioned by the test driver, these tires are outright the comfort leaders in their respective segments.
- Ranking: Primacy 4+ >Pilot Sport 5
Rolling Resistance
When it comes to extreme sporty tires, rolling resistance is definitely not something the user has in mind when purchasing the tire. However with the sustainability topic being more prevalent, it is good to know where they stand. Pilot Sport 5 has a rolling resistance coefficient of 8.13 N/kN while Primacy 4+ has a lower coefficient of 8 N/kN
Pilot Sport 5:
- -1.6% in rolling resistance
Price
Being the undisputed technology leader, we would expect Michelin to command the highest priced tire in the market for these 2 segments. The tire price for both tires are as below:
Tire size: 225/45 R17
Pilot Sport 5: ₤95.89
Primacy 4+: ₤83.9
Difference: +13% more expensive for Pilot Sport 5.
Summary
Overall, Pilot Sport 5 showed great strengths in wet & dry performances as it should being a ultra high performance segment tire. Primacy 4+ on the other hand being in the touring segment was not far behind in wet & dry while it excels in comfort, rolling resistance & is also slightly cheaper. As mentioned earlier, as we are comparing 2 different segments there is no clear winner. It boils down to what are your main requirements and the value proposition that is offered. Enjoy !