Last updated on July 22nd, 2024 at 01:47 pm
Quick highlights
| Tire type | Touring All-Season Tire |
| Price range | $149-$378 |
| Run-flat | No |
| Vehicles type | Sedans, Crossovers, SUVs, and Coupes |
| Driving conditions | Dry, Wet, and Snow |
Michelin Primacy All-season is a standard touring all-season tire for SUVs, sedans, and Crossovers. It is not a newer tire; it was launched in 2017. Surprisingly, it’s still selling in the market, and drivers are still satisfied with it.
This Michelin OE tire has been the first choice of Honda, Luxus, and Toyota manufacturers as the standard tire with new cars. Due to its comfortable and smoother rides and eco-friendly functions makes this tire a superior option.
After many years, a tire competes with the new tires that were recently launched in 2024. Is it still a good tire, or are some drivers afraid of moving on?
Let’s find that and more, but first, let’s start with a deep dive at the tire performance on roads and see if this is a proper all-season tire or just like any other old all-season tire that performs badly on some all-season conditions.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
Tread, Compound, and Internal Structure
The tire features a symmetrical pattern and is solidly built to handle all-season conditions. Michelin’s helio+ technology is embedded in this tire’s compound, which features sunflower oil, which helps in getting proper grip and traction in slippery, wet, and wintery conditions.
With that, Michelin’s EverGrip Technology improves tire wear. It maintains equal tire wear, stabilizing performance even after the tread wears off. The four groove channels and semi-open shoulders are helpful in achieving proper grip in wet conditions.
Another important feature of Michelin Primacy All-Season is its computer-optimized footprint, which reduces cabin noise and provides a comfortable ride year-round.
Wet Road Performance
Hydroplaning Resistance
Wet conditions are important in which all-season tires should perform, and this tire is not the best for wet conditions.
Although the Michelin PRimacy All-Season features four solid circumferential grooves, but due to closed shoulders, the water does not pass through properly. And when in contact with deep water at a faster pace, the tire also hydroplanes. However, it is not the same at a slow pace; you won’t get hydroplaning at a slower pace with this tire.
Rain Traction and Grip
Similarly, in the rain, the traction and grip are fine, but when driving at a faster pace or the water is too deep, the grip sometimes fails. So make sure to drop your speed when you drive with this tire in wet and rainy conditions to achieve a safe and smoother drive.
Brakes and Drive
The overall drive in wet conditions is good, but when the conditions get tougher, the tire gets weaker. Otherwise, the tire is a great option for wet driving as well. The brakes and handing control are also fine; it takes a short time to stop, but still, it is recommended to drive slowly in wet conditions.
Response on highways
The handling response of this Primacy All-Season is better than other touring tires. This tire is more focused toward luxurious ride and a responsive handling. That is why the tire is peacefull to drive with enjoyable steering control in all season conditions.
Dry Road Performance
Fast Track Cornerings
When it comes to dry road codnitions, the tire is excellent in theses situations. Even the dry roads is the best place to drive this tire. The tire features symmetrical pattern with continuous ribs, that helps in smoother drive in straight roads. Due to edgy shoulders the tire also corners perfectly on fast tracks.
Highway Traction and Grip
The same performance you can expect on highways, due to continuous ribs and sipes, the tire stick to the ground while delivering smoother and comfortable rides. The grip is achievable throught edgy shoulders and deep tread channels, which makes it a proper tire to drine on fast highways.
Response and brakes
The response of this tire is excellent, especially in dry conditions. Due to optimized footprints, and optimized shoulders the steering control is perfect. The tire moves quickly anyway you want it to go. Also the brakes are perfect as well, it takes shorter time to stop compared to other top touring tires.
Winter Terrain Performance
Light snow drive
The Micehlin Primacy All-Season is not the top performer in snow and wintery codnitons. Although it is an all season tire, it does not perform as good in winter conditions as it does in dry roads.
So when it comes to light snow conditions, the tire drive smoothly if the pace is slow, once you go above 30MPH the tire will slip even in light snow ocnditions. Which is why the major problem with this tire is its performnce in winter terrains.
Deep snow reliability
When it comes to deep snow and heavy snowfalls, the tire will totally fail in these conditions. It does not matter if you drive slow or fast, in both cases this Primacy All season will not perform and lose control al the time, which makes it unreliable tire to drive in winter terrains.
Brakes and response
The brakes and response in moderate winter terrains is fair, you will get average results in normal snowfall. However if there is a heavy snowfall, you can not expect this tire to stop in few seconds as it will slide over snow all the time. Similarly, the response is not so good in deep snow, you will be dancing on snow, once the situation is escalated.
Overall traction and grip
The traction and grip is also not something you can rely on. The tire will loose traction and never grip on deep snow. That is why it is recommended that if there is a heavy snowfall in your area, prefer buying a separate winter terrain tire, as this tire will not be helpful in these conditions.
Comfort and Noise
This is where this tire shines. The road noise and comfort of this tire is the best features of this tire. The tire is made with computer optimized design allowing it to achieve luxurious ride in all season codnitions.
The cabin noise and comfort is exceptional of this tire. Which is why this tire is the number one choice of luxurious car manufacturers like Lexus, BMW, and Toyota. If you are after luxurious and smother rides, then this Michelin Primacy All Season will be a great choice.
The durability of the Tire
The tire comes with 55K miles treadwear warranty, making it similar to new grand touring tires durability, as they also come with this warranty. With durability, the tire performance stay intact for until more than half of the tread is worn.
Unlike other tire that loses their performance after little tread is worn, that is not the case with this tire, the reason of that is its EverGrip technology, that make sure the tire wear off evenly and performance stays the same for many miles.
Michelin Primacy All-Season V.S.
Michelin CrossCliamte 2
As the Michelin Primacy All-Season is an older tire, comparing it with new tire wont be justified, but for the sake of better buying decision, it has to be done.
The Michelin CrossClimate 2 is a grand touring tire launched in 2022. Since its inception the tire has been one of the best tire all around the world, due to its overlal all season performance.
In comparison with Michelin Primacy All-Season, the CrossClimate 2 is better in dry, wet, winter, and off road performance. It is better in providing more comfortbale and smoother rides with more durable tread as well. With all that, the price of both of these tires is almost similar.
The only thing in which Michelin Primacy All-Season is better in its handling and responsive drive. So if you want more responsive high performance alike drive, then go with Primacy All-season, otherwise, the CrossClimate 2 will be a better choice from everyother aspect.
Michelin Defender 2
When it comes to comparison with Michelin Defender 2, the case is quite similar as michelin CrossClimate 2.
The Michelin Defender 2 is better in almost every conditions drive, with double treadwear warranty to Michelin Primacy All-Season. With better performance, comfort, and durbale rides. The Defender 2 also come in a cheaper price than the Michelin Primacy All Season.
However if you want to enjoy fast track drive in dry conditions, then Michelin Primacy All-Season will deliver better results. So if you want more enjoyable track drive, then Primacy All-Season will still be a great option.
Michelin Primacy Tour All Season
The Michelin Primacy Tour All-season is also an OE tire which comes under all season grand touring category. Both of these tires have same treadweare warranty and similarly durable. However the Primacy Tour All-Season is lot more expensive as it comes under grand touring tire, compare to standard touring tire Michelin Primacy All-Season.
When it comes to performance, the Primacy Tour All season is better in every aspect, whether it is performance in different conditions, comfort, response, and smoother drive. Which is why it is expensive.
However the performance of Michelin Primacy Tour All season drops after a tread worn or near to half, which is not the case with Primacy All-Season. So if you want to save some money, and get performance for longer time, then the Michelin Primacy All-Season will be a good option .
Final Feedback
Compared with new tires, the Michelin Primacy All-Season is a good option in some aspects of driving, especially if you are looking for an affordable tire, with more durable performance, and a comfortable and responsive drive. So if you are looking for these features, then still in 2024, the Primacy All-Season won’t be a bad option.