Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is a grand touring all-season tire. This tire is a good fit for sedans, crossovers, coupes, and SUV owners who are highly obsessed with comfort. Even though it can’t provide year-round traction like its brother Michelin Crossclimate 2, though, its only deficiency is severe snow performance.
| Michelin Primacy Tour A/S | |
|---|---|
| Best for | 3 season driving (light-snow included), cozy and quiet highway driving, longevity |
| Test Report | vs Turanza QuietTract & PureContact LS & Quatrac Pro (July 12, 2019) |
| Category | Grand Touring All-Season |
| Vehicle | Crossover, sedans, coupes and SUVs |
| Weight | 25 – 37 lbs |
| Made In | USA |
| Warranty | 55,000 Miles (H- & V-Speed Rated) 45,000 Miles (W-Speed Rated) |
| Available Sizes (Rim) | 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 21”, 22” |
| Labels | M+S |
As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is a trustworthy all-round tire. It has a highly satisfying dry and wet performance. Moreover, it’s a perfect choice for aggressive drivers even on squishy days. Due to its lightweight, it’s a fuel-efficient tire. Most importantly, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is one of the smoothest and quietest tires in its segment. However, its winter performance is limited to light snow. Furthermore, its tread lasts slightly shorter than its competitors.
Table of Contents
Dry Performance
Dry performance can be examined in two different categories. Dry traction and handling. These are the metrics against which all-season touring tires are strongest.
Dry Traction
Dry traction is where Michelin Primacy Tour A/S’s area of expertise starts. Due to its wide shoulder blocks and optimized contact patch, Primacy Tour A/S provides tons of traction on dry grounds.
However, in that case, I would like to remind you something. If you have a crossover or SUV, you should pay attention to the load and speed index. Otherwise, spinning on the slopes will be inevitable.
Handling
Like most grand touring tires, handling isn’t an issue for Primacy Tour A/S. Due to its wide and robust shoulder blocks, it stays still while cornering at high velocity. Moreover, its two steel belt internal structure stabilizes the tread. That means tires’ internal structure is durable enough to keep tires in shape even at the sharpest corners.
Regarding responsiveness, it’s also exceedingly successful tires. Due to its symmetrical tread design and minimized void area, this tire has a rock bottom response time.
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S provides unique handling.
Wet Performance
Wet performance should be evaluated in two different conditions. While wet traction is what you need to start, accelerate and stop; hydroplaning resistance is your seat belt at high speeds. These two related to different features. Let’s dig into them.
Wet Traction
When the first time I saw this tire, I had questions about its traction performance on wet surfaces.
All right, I have to admit that, this tire has a bit simple design for decent traction. Manufacturers generally prefer asymmetrical design or sectional center and internal ribs to exceed biting edges. Michelin Primacy Tour A/S have neither of them. However, its compound is relatively softer and stickier. So, it closes the gap.
I can’t say it’s perfect wet traction, though, it won’t let you down. Let’s say 8 out of 10 which is a bit low for grand touring all-season tire.
Hydroplaning Resistance
Hydroplaning resistance is where it shines. First of all, it has 4 circumferential grooves that evacuate the water by themself. Moreover, even though its shoulder design seems a bit close, these full-depth notches throw the remaining water out with ease.
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S has massive hydroplaning resistance. I highly recommend it if you like to drive at high velocity.
Winter Performance
Winter performance of all-season tires is misunderstood. Firstly, a compound of all-season tires isn’t designed for under 7 Celcius degrees. That means they lose gripping ability below 7 Celcius degrees (at or below 40º F). In that case, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S has pros and cons.
Regarding light snow, it’s above the market average. This feature comes from its relatively soft compound. Even though it has a continuous center and inner ribs, these ribs are exceedingly notched. When you combine these notches with sticky and soft compounds, decent light snow performance shows up. It’s not perfect but trustworthy tires for light snow.
Regarding deep snow, it’s total garbage. This tire has one of the lowest tread depths in its segment and this feature has a negative effect on its deep snow performance. Since the all-season tires aren’t capable of deep snow, I don’t recommend this tire for severe winter conditions.
Regarding icy traction, it’s optimized contact patch bring some advantage. Though, in my point of view, it’s not safe to use all-season tires on icy grounds.
Comfort
This tire has exceptional ride quality. In fact, comfort is Michelin’s main sales point for this tire.
In that case, its symmetrical tread design and polyester cord casing get into the game. Moreover, Michelin supports these two with relatively soft compounds. As a result, you’ll get a smooth and smooth ride even on the bumpiest surfaces.
I strongly recommend Michelin Primacy Tour A/S if comfort is your priority.
Road Noise
Road noise could be a problem for all-season tires. Some manufacturers prefer a bit more sectional tread design and increase to the void area due to improve severe winter performance. That’s not the case for Primacy Tour A/S.
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S has a continuous center and inner ribs. Moreover, its shoulder blocks can be counted as close blocks. So, this tire has minimized the void area. Therefore, it’s one of the quietest tires in the market.
A side note here: I highly recommend using Tire Rack’s Tire Decision Guide Tool before making any purchase. It shortened my decision process significantly and ensures you pick the right tire for your needs.
Note: Its shoulder blocks have full-depth sipes. The width of these sipes becomes broader through the bottom. Therefore, Primacy Tour A/S could be slightly louder on its late tread life.
Fuel Efficiency
Due to its non-aggressive design and average weight, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S won’t hurt your MPG.
Tread Life
Even though reviews say the opposite, I think tread life is the weakest point of this tire. It’s of course above average, though, if I pay this much for a tire, I expect more.
Due to its relatively soft compound, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S’s tread life is satisfying compared to the competition. For better understanding, all-weather tires have 3PMSF markings. That labeling states that tires can perform in severe winter conditions. However, it generally costs 10-15% of the tire’s tread life. So, we can say all-weather tires have a relatively shorter tread life. In our case, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S has the same similar compound that offers tread life with all-weather tires(see the best ones) but doesn’t have 3PMSF. However, this Michelin Primacy Tour A/S’s sipe density is low compared to all-weather tires. For this reason, it wears slower than all-weather tires.
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S offers a decent tread life.
Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,
If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:
Warranty
Depending on the tires’ speed rating, Michelin offers different warranties. The warranty mileage decreases with the increase of speed rating.
- Michelin offers 55,000 miles treadwear warranty for V and H speed ratings.
- Michelin offers 45,000 miles treadwear warranty for W speed rating
Michelin’s warranty system is a bit complicated. I recommend you to read it before making a purchase.
Michelin’s Warranty Document: https://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/warranty/MI0619.pdf
Sizes
Most tire sizes begin with modifier letters(P, LT, etc.) that identify the type of vehicle or type of service for which they were designed. Here is a perfect guide for reading tire size –> https://tireterrain.com/how-to-read-tire-size/
| 17” | 18” | 19” | 20” | 21” | 22” |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 215/55R17 94V SL BSW | 225/45R18 95W XL BSW | 225/40R19 93W XL BSW | 235/55R20 102H SL BSW | 255/40R21 102W XL BSW | 265/40R22 106W XL BSW |
| 225/50R17 98V XL BSW | 225/55R18 98V SL BSW | 225/45R19 96W XL BSW | 245/40R20 99V XL BSW | 275/45R21 107H SL BSW | |
| 235/45R17 97W XL BSW | 225/60R18 100V SL BSW | 225/55R19 99V SL BSW | 245/45R20 103V XL BSW | 315/40R21 111H SL BSW | |
| 235/55R17 99H SL BSW | 225/60R18 100H SL BSW | 235/50R19 99V SL BSW | 245/50R20 102V SL BSW | ||
| 245/40R17 91H SL BSW | 235/40R18 95H XL BSW | 235/55R19 105W XL BSW | 255/45R20 101W SL BSW | ||
| 245/45R17 99H XL BSW | 235/45R18 94V SL BSW | 245/40R19 94V SL BSW | 255/50R20 105H SL BSW | ||
| 245/65R17 107H SL BSW | 235/45R18 98V XL BSW | 245/45R19 102W XL BSW | 265/50R20 111W XL BSW | ||
| 235/50R18 97V SL BSW | 245/45R19 98W SL BSW | 275/50R20 109H SL BSW | |||
| 235/50R18 97H SL BSW | 255/35R19 96W XL BSW | ||||
| 235/60R18 107V XL BSW | 255/40R19 100V XL BSW | ||||
| 235/65R18 106H SL BSW | 255/50R19 107H XL BSW | ||||
| 245/45R18 96V SL BSW | 275/40R19 105W XL BSW | ||||
| 245/50R18 104W XL BSW | |||||
| 245/50R18 100V SL BSW | |||||
| 245/60R18 105H SL BSW | |||||
| 255/55R18 109H XL BSW |
For Better Understanding: 215/55R17 94V SL BSW
215: Tire Width
55: Aspect Ratio
R: Radial
17: Rim Size
94: Load Index
V: Speed Index
SL: Load Range(can be XL also)
BSW: Black Sidewall
Conclusion
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is a unique all-round tire. Depending on your expectations, it might be a perfect fit for your vehicle.
| Michelin Primacy Tour A/S | |
|---|---|
| Best for | 3 season driving (light-snow included), cozy and quiet highway driving, longevity |
| Test Report | vs Turanza QuietTract & PureContact LS & Quatrac Pro (July 12, 2019) |
| Category | Grand Touring All-Season |
| Vehicle | Crossover, sedans, coupes and SUVs |
| Weight | 25 – 37 lbs |
| Made In | USA |
| Warranty | 55,000 Miles (H- & V-Speed Rated) 45,000 Miles (W-Speed Rated) |
| Available Sizes (Rim) | 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 21”, 22” |
| Labels | M+S |
A quick check list,
- XL sizes tend to carry more load and offer better handling. Hence, they might be a better pick for bigger vehicles( XL vs SL tires)
- Please pay attention to the load index and speed index. These metrics are essential if you expect decent tread life
- There isn’t a bad tire in the market right now, you should just know what to expect from tires
I hope the article was helpful. If you have any further questions, please leave them in the below section. Have a safe ride folks!
For those who prefer to see whole market analyze:
- https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires-for-snow/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-1-2-ton-truck-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-3-4-ton-truck-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-rt-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-tires-for-snow-plowing/
- https://tireterrain.com/on-road-all-terrain-tires-highway/
A couple of popular size analyses:
- https://tireterrain.com/best-35x12-50r20-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-285-70r17-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-275-55r20-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-275-65r18-all-terrain-tires/
Want to learn more about all-terrain tires:
- https://tireterrain.com/highway-tires-vs-all-terrain-vs-mud-terrain/
- https://tireterrain.com/all-season-vs-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/tire-load-index-and-load-range/
- https://tireterrain.com/lt-tires-vs-passenger-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-for-daily-driving/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-in-snow/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-loud/
- https://tireterrain.com/how-long-do-all-terrain-tires-last/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-in-rain/
- https://tireterrain.com/off-road-tire-pressure-load-range-for-every-rig/
I have these tires on my cadillac xt5, came on it from new, only 36,000 miles on them, and need replacement, have been rotated three times, and dive on paved roads, will not recommend these tires to no one!!
Hello Jim,
Thanks for your comment.
OEM tires don’t last long. Unlike replacement tires, OEM tires have a bit fluffier and sticky compound due to meeting vehicle manufacturers’ minimum test limits (compound stiffness, traction, etc). As a result, OEM tires perform better and provide a cozier drive. This actually makes new car owners more positive about their new baby. Let’s be honest, people talk about the tires only thing go wrong 🙂
If you’re interested, I’ve also talked about it in this article: https://tireterrain.com/what-are-oem-tires/
Hi, I enjoyed your article and found it informative. I have a 2019 Tesla model S. I need new tires and currently have Michelin Primacy MXM4 R13 245/45ZR19 and got good milage on them. Honestly, I don’t care about handling, braking,, speed, etc…I want the best soft riding luxury feel. I always keep a few less lbs of air in my tires to soften the ride a bit. I talked to Michelin and they recommend their Primacy Tour A/S tires, and recommend the acoustic model which has a extra layer of foam for making the ride softer and quieter. Problem is, there are none available right now. What is your opinion of this acoustic model of these tires? Are they appreciably better (softer/quieter ride) than the regular non acoustic version? Thank you.
Hey Randy,
Thanks for your kind comment.
So, Michelin is making quite a claim with that 20% improvement. While I have a ton of respect for Michelin and their innovations, I’d caution taking that percentage at face value, especially for those slick low-profile tires like yours.
Diving into the Primacy Tour A/S saga, I found something interesting. There isn’t an acoustic spec version available. But guess what? For your tire size, Michelin offers not one, but two distinct specifications!
Low Load Index & OEM Spec: This tire is pretty much the blend of style and performance. It sports a lower load index, which technically translates to potentially being a great match for your vehicle. However, bear in mind that its mileage might be on the lower side. Curious? Check it out here: Discount Tire Link
High Load Index Spec: This version is designed with electric vehicles in mind. It’s robust and optimized for durability. While it promises longevity, the ride might lean towards the stiffer side. Here’s where you can explore more: Tire Rack Link
From my perspective, the first option seems to align well with your expectations. But, of course, it’s all about your priorities and driving style.
And just in case you’re wondering about the acoustic technology, Michelin does have an entire page dedicated to it: Michelin Acoustic Tech.
There you go, Randy! A deep dive into tire tech for your perusal. Whatever you decide, here’s to a smooth and enjoyable ride!