Choosing the best tires for a family car is not an easy task.
Ideally, you’re looking for a set of tires that provide you safety, good braking performance, firm grip, and predictable handling. All this at a reasonable price.
This review will look at two tires that do all of the above remarkably well, the Michelin Premier A/S and the Primacy MXV4.
Photo credit: shedheads.net
TL;DR: Michelin Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
Ready to find out which tire is best for your car? Let’s first review the pros and cons of each of the contenders.
Michelin Premier A/S
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PROS
- Great value
- Good durability
- Good snow/ice ratings
- Amazing wet performance
CONS
- Slightly shorter tread life than Primacy MXV4
Best For:
Sedans, minivans, and family crossovers used for daily driving requiring a reliable set of tires at a reasonable price.
Michelin Primacy MXV4
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PROS
- Excellent dry performance
- Unsurpassed tire tread life
- Dependable regardless of the road conditions
CONS
- A bit more expensive
- Not the best market coverage
- Not as good as the Premier A/S in wet or snow
Best For:
Sedans, minivans, and family crossovers used for daily driving requiring a reliable set of tires that offer superior durability.
Performance Ratings: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
When it comes to tire ratings, reliability is everything. In that sense, both the Michelin Premier A/S (10M+ miles reported) and the Primacy MXV4 (30M+ miles reported) have enough miles to make us think that their ratings are highly reliable.
That said, it would also be correct to say that the current Michelin Premier A/S rating of 17 out of 57 or the current Primacy MXV4 rating of 19 out of 57 in the Grand Touring All-Season segment shouldn’t change much.
Having clarified the reliability of the ratings, we have prepared the following links for easier navigation through them.
- Dry Performance
- Wet Performance
- Snow / Ice Performance
- Comfort Performance
- Treadwear Performance
- Warranty
- Specs & Options
- Reviews
Dry Performance: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
|
Dry Performance Ratings |
Michelin Premier A/S |
Michelin Primacy MXV4 |
|---|---|---|
|
Dry Overall |
9.0 |
8.7 |
|
Cornering Stability |
9.0 |
8.6 |
|
Dry Traction |
9.2 |
9.0 |
|
Steering Response |
8.9 |
8.6 |
While both tires are aimed at daily-driver family vehicles, it is clear that the latter benefits from Michelin Total Performance technology to emerge victorious in this category. Although by a fairly narrow margin, the Premier A/S shows better cornering stability and steering response.
In other words, although both tires technically provide the same performance, if you are looking to get the most out of your next set of tires, then the Premier A/S is your best alternative.
Wet Performance: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
|
Wet Performance Ratings |
Michelin Premier A/S |
Michelin Primacy MXV4 |
|---|---|---|
|
Wet Overall |
9.1 |
8.4 |
|
Hydroplaning Resistance |
9.0 |
8.4 |
|
Wet Traction |
9.1 |
8.4 |
The entire design of the Premier A/S revolves around improving its wet performance. From its Expanding Rain Grooves to its extreme silica and sunflower oil enhanced tread compound, this tire is built for maximum performance in adverse weather conditions. For this reason, we are not surprised by its clear advantage in this category.
If you are looking for a tire that gives you maximum traction on wet roads and high resistance to hydroplaning, then the Michelin Premier A/S is for you.
Snow / Ice Performance: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
|
Snow /Ice Performance Ratings |
Michelin Premier A/S |
Michelin Primacy MXV4 |
|---|---|---|
|
Snow / Ice Overall |
7.5 |
6.8 |
|
Light Snow Traction |
8.3 |
7.5 |
|
Deep Snow Traction |
7.2 |
6.5 |
|
Ice Traction |
7.0 |
6.4 |
Michelin EverGrip Technology not only helps the Premier A/S achieve excellent wet ratings but also puts it ahead on snowy and icy roads. This has a lot to do with the tread design that allows it to evacuate snow and water more efficiently than the Primacy MXV4.
This is not to say that the Primacy MXV4 performs poorly on snow/ice; however, it is a distant second compared to the Premier A/S. If you live in an area where it snows for much of the year, then this tire should be your first choice.
Comfort Performance: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
|
Comfort Performance Ratings |
Michelin Premier A/S |
Michelin Primacy MXV4 |
|---|---|---|
|
Overall Comfort |
8.7 |
8.7 |
|
Ride Quality |
8.9 |
8.8 |
|
Noise |
8.5 |
8.6 |
Offering an unbeatable driving experience has always been paramount to Michelin. This is fully demonstrated by the excellent ride quality and noise level ratings of both of these tires. Despite their notable design differences, both tires offer exactly the same overall comfort rating, which aligns with Michelin’s goal of always offering the highest possible driver comfort. If ride quality is important to you, you can’t go wrong with these two great tires.
Treadwear Performance: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
|
Treadwear Performance Rating |
Michelin Premier A/S |
Michelin Primacy MXV4 |
|---|---|---|
|
Treadwear |
6.8 |
8.1 |
This is a rating that is sure to amaze many readers. The Primacy MXV4 offers a far superior Treadwear rating. In practical terms, both tires provide excellent durability, and as we will see shortly, both come with a 60k miles Treadlife Warranty.
You may ask, what is the reason for this remarkable difference then? Again, it all comes down to the tread design and tread materials. The Primacy MXV4 features Michelin’s Advanced MaxTouch Construction which, among other benefits, maximizes tire life. Simply put, if your main concern is tire durability, then the Primacy MXV4 is for you.
Warranty: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
|
Warranty Type |
Michelin Premier A/S |
Michelin Primacy MXV4 |
|---|---|---|
|
Treadlife Warranty |
6-year warranty or 60,000 miles (whichever occurs first)
This warranty is halved for rear tires when they are different in size from the front tires. |
6-year warranty or 60,000 miles (whichever occurs first)
This warranty is halved for rear tires when they are different in size from the front tires. |
|
Uniformity Warranty |
One year of use or the first 2/32″ of wear |
One year of use or the first 2/32″ of wear |
|
Workmanship / Materials Warranty |
6-year warranty and free tire replacement for the first year, 2/32″ wear, or 25% wear |
6-year warranty and free tire replacement for the first year, 2/32″ wear, or 25% wear |
|
Road Hazard Warranty |
Unfortunately, Michelin does not offer a road hazard warranty on this tire |
Unfortunately, Michelin does not offer a road hazard warranty on this tire |
|
Tire Rack Road Hazard Warranty |
Refunds of up to $40 for repairs per tire per occurrence
Refund of the original purchase price or replacement purchase price (whichever is less) when the tire suffers non-repairable damage (valid within the first 2 years of use). |
Refunds of up to $40 for repairs per tire per occurrence
Refund of the original purchase price or replacement purchase price (whichever is less) when the tire suffers non-repairable damage (valid within the first 2 years of use). |
In terms of warranty, both tires have the same Michelin backing. Both tires come with a 60,000 mile / 6 year warranty, which places them among the best options in its segment. In short, if you are looking for a set of tires for your car with a solid manufacturer’s backing, then you can’t go wrong by choosing either of these great options.
Specs & Options: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
In terms of market coverage, the Premier A/S takes the lead again. This fabulous tire is available in sizes ranging from 15 inches to 19 inches and rim widths from 205 to 245. On the other hand, the Primacy is only available for 17 and 18-inch wheels with rim widths from 215 to 235.
When it comes to the UTQG of each tire, the Premier A/S also shows its superiority with a rating of 640 A A A versus 500 A A A of the Primacy MXV4. To learn more about the UTQG, we suggest you read this article.
All in all, the Premier A/S has a much wider market coverage than its peer.
Reviews: Premier A/S vs Primacy MXV4
After analyzing the comments from drivers of both tires, we can say that we did not get any surprises. The reviews of both tires are largely positive.
Almost unanimously, drivers praise the grip of both tires in dry, wet, and snow. It should be noted that we did not find any complaints about this tire’s performance in the wet or snow. Just the usual comments about how traction can be lost if you don’t drive carefully.
Photo credit: otobemo.com
Another interesting aspect is that 80% of the drivers (of both tires) are using them on family sedans such as the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. In other words, both options provide very similar results in the same type of vehicles.
Finally, we would like to add that both contenders have a representative number of users who indicate that they have driven with these tires for more than 90,000 miles. This certainly clears up any doubts about the service life between the two models.
Based on the reviews, both tires fully meet drivers’ expectations. So we are again inclined to say that either tire is a good choice.
Quick Recap
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|
Michelin Premier A/S |
|
|---|---|
|
Dry |
9.0 |
|
Wet |
9.1 |
|
Snow / Ice |
7.5 |
|
Comfort |
8.7 |
|
Treadwear |
6.8 |
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|
Michelin Primacy MXV4 |
|
|---|---|
|
Dry |
8.7 |
|
Wet |
8.4 |
|
Snow / Ice |
6.8 |
|
Comfort |
8.7 |
|
Treadwear |
8.1 |
End of the Road
This review explored the performance under different road conditions of two of the most popular tires for daily driving family vehicles. Both tires excellent durability, and both come with one of the best warranties on the market.
However, during the course of this article, it has become clear that the Michelin Premier A/S provides better performance on snow, ice, and wet roads. If you add to the above that the Michelin Premier A/S is cheaper than the Primacy MXV4, then you have a combination that is hard to beat.