Michelin Primacy 5 vs Vredestein Ultrac+
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 62
- TR Score
- 8.4/10
- Owners say
- 83% · 8
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Primacy 5 finished ahead 3 times and the Ultrac+ once. The Primacy 5 had 9.8% lower rolling resistance; the Ultrac+ held a 2.2% higher speed on the wet circle.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Michelin Primacy 5 if you want the best day-to-day ownership tire-lower noise, better efficiency, and especially much longer predicted life-while maintaining generally strong wet braking and aquaplaning safety. Choose the Vredestein Ultrac+ if your main priority is wet-grip performance in the ECO-style results (notably wet braking and wet cornering) and you can accept higher wear, higher rolling resistance, and less convincing dry precision depending on size and test context.
Where the Primacy 5 is stronger
- Best-in-class efficiency trend: lower rolling resistance in all shared tests (e.g., 7.12 vs 7.73 kg/t; 0.70 vs 0.762 kg/t) and lower energy use (10.4 vs 10.9 kWh/100 km in the ECO test)
- Refinement advantage: consistently lower measured noise and higher comfort scores (e.g., 70.9 vs 72.6 dB; comfort 6.9 vs 6.4)
- Strong wet safety consistency in braking and straight-line aquaplaning (wins wet braking in 3/4 shared tests; straight aquaplaning wins 3/4)
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
Primacy 5 vs Ultrac+ at a glance
| Category | Primacy 5 | Gap | Ultrac+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won4 shared tests | 3 | 1 | |
| Dry9 measurements | 6 | 3 | |
| Wet20 measurements | 10 | Level between the two. | 10 |
| Comfort5 measurements | 5 | The Primacy 5 was 0.9 dB quieter (3 tests) | 0 |
| Value7 measurements | 7 | The Primacy 5 had 9.8% lower rolling resistance (3 tests) | 0 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.8/10 | The Primacy 5 by 0.4 | 8.4/10 |
| Owner rating62 and 8 reviews | 82% | Too close to call | 83% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 78% | The Primacy 5 by 7 points | 71% |
| Pricein the 2 tests that listed prices | +23.4% | The Primacy 5 was dearer in 2 of 2 | Cheaper |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 88 | 38 sizes made in both | 57 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tires; a tick marks the tire ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 4 tests in 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Primacy 5 | Field | Ultrac+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Motor Summer Tire Test | P5 of 9 | P9 of 9 | |
| 2026 Summer ECO Tire Test | P3 of 8 | P2 of 8 | |
| The BEST Summer Tires for 2026 Tested and Rated | P6 of 12 | P10 of 12 | |
| 2026 ADAC Summer Tire Test | P7 of 16 | P12 of 16 |
Performance profile
11 measurements from the 4 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Primacy 5
Ultrac+
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. 9 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Primacy 5
Ultrac+
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Primacy 5
Ultrac+
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Primacy 5 82% from 62 reviews and the Ultrac+ 83% from 8. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | Primacy 5 | Gap | Ultrac+ | Wins | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | 0.1% | 123 | 2-2 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 74.88 | 0.1% | 74.96 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 66.2 | 0.1% | 66.1 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 8.8% | scored | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 121 | 0.5% | 120 | 3-1 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 127 | 1.8% | 130 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 72.68 | 0.2% | 72.83 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 34 | 0.5% | 34.2 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 1.3% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 9.3 | 2.2% | 9.5 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 12.91 | 1.5% | 12.72 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 50.1 | 0.3% | 49.9 | 3-1 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 12.4 | 0.8% | 12.3 | 1-3 | |||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 7.8% | scored | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 68.17 | 0.9 dB | 69.07 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 34,797 | 83% | 19,014 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 5.01 | 9.8% | 5.6 | 3-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 5.4 | 3.6% | 5.6 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 10.4 | 4.6% | 10.9 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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| 54 | 44.3% | 97 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||
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Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Primacy 5 scores 8.8 and the Ultrac+ 8.4 out of 10.
| Primacy 5 | Category | Ultrac+ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | Dry | 60 | ||
| 77 | Wet | 74 | ||
| 76 | Comfort | 92 | ||
| 92 | Value | 53 | ||
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
What owners say
| Primacy 5 | Category | Ultrac+ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | Dry Grip | 8.9 | ||
| 8.7 | Wet Grip | 9.1 | ||
| 7.6 | Road Feedback | 7.9 | ||
| 7.8 | Handling | 7.9 | ||
| 9.1 | Wear | 7.7 | ||
| 8.4 | Comfort | 8.5 | ||
Owners rate the Primacy 5 82% from 62 reviews and the Ultrac+ 83% from 8. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Michelin Primacy 5
- 82%from 62 reviews
- 78%would buy again
- 378,963 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners generally rate the Michelin Primacy 5 highly (82% average), most often praising its notably comfortable, refined ride and strong wet-weather confidence. Around three quarters of reviewers mention noise, and while many find it very quiet, a sizeable minority report intrusive droning on certain road surfaces. Grip and efficiency are commonly highlighted as strengths (especially in the wet and for rolling resistance), but around one in five owners feel it sacrifices dry handling and steering precision compared with sportier alternatives.
- Very comfortable, smooth ride quality
- Low road noise for a touring tire (especially at speed)
- Strong wet grip and reassuring wet traction
- Low rolling resistance / good efficiency
- Can be noisy or drone on rougher road surfaces
- Soft, less confident dry handling in corners
- Less direct steering feel / reduced precision
Summarised by AI from 62 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 62 Primacy 5 reviewsThe tires are very silent and comfortable. Despite this they are very grippy in the dry and wet and give a good feedback. Driven in 40+ degrees in summer until now in rainy 5 degrees autumn and they make the drive 100% secure.
Vredestein Ultrac+
- 83%from 8 reviews
- 71%would buy again
- 35,000 milesdriven by reviewers
Across seven reviews, the Vredestein Ultrac+ is described as a strong all-rounder with standout wet-weather security, including very high confidence in heavy rain and good resistance to aquaplaning. Drivers also commonly praise its comfortable ride, generally low cabin noise, and precise, planted handling/steering. Value for money is repeatedly highlighted as a major strength. A smaller subset of users report slightly worse fuel economy/rolling resistance versus some alternatives, and isolated feedback notes higher noise at high motorway speeds on coarse surfaces.
- Excellent wet grip and high-speed rain stability/aquaplaning resistance
- Comfortable ride and good bump absorption
- Generally quiet/low noise (often described as a low hum)
- Precise steering and stable handling
- Slight fuel economy/rolling resistance penalty versus some competitors
Summarised by AI from 7 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 8 Ultrac+ reviewsI xannot recommend these vrederstein tires higly enough. On safety ,fuel economy and dry and wet weather handling and safety . If they have any weakness it would be on tred wear. But at 90 pounds a tire i wil never drive on anything else.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 88 sizes of the Primacy 5 and 57 of the Ultrac+, 38 of them made in both.
| Category | Primacy 5 | Ultrac+ |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| Sizes made | 88 sizes, 16 to 22 inch | 57 sizes, 15 to 20 inch |
| Made in both | 38 sizes 195/55 R16195/60 R16205/55 R16205/60 R16215/55 R16215/60 R16215/65 R16215/70 R16225/55 R16205/45 R17205/50 R17205/55 R17and 26 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A100% | A100% |
| EU label rolling resistance | B88%C12% | B50%C45%A3%D1% |
| EU label noise | 70-72 dB B95%A5% | 69-70 dB B100% |
| On the market since | 2025 | 2024 |
| Replaced | Michelin Primacy 4+ (2022) | - |
| Awards | Highly Recommended: Best Tires for Family Cars (DriverReviews, 2026/27) Winner: Best Tires for Large Family Cars (DriverReviews, 2026/27) | - |
| Price in the shared tests | The Primacy 5 was the dearer tire in 2 of the 2 tests that listed prices, by 23.4% on average. Each test priced the tires in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Michelin's Primacy 5 and Vredestein's Ultrac+ sit in the same “premium-touring summer” lane, but the shared 2026 test data shows they arrive there with very different priorities. Across four major comparative tests (Motor, ADAC, and two 225/45 R17 summer round-ups), the Michelin trends toward refinement and efficiency, while the Vredestein alternates between flashes of strong wet grip and notable shortfalls in overall balance.
What makes this head-to-head interesting is that the Ultrac+ can look like a wet-weather hero in certain ECO-focused testing (2nd overall in the 195/55 R16 ECO test, including a standout 35.5 m wet stop), yet it also lands at the bottom of the table in other mainstream summer tests (9/9 in Motor's 225/45 R17). The Primacy 5, by contrast, is rarely the dynamic class leader on pure grip metrics, but it repeatedly scores on the “daily-driver” measures-noise, rolling resistance, and especially longevity-often by a meaningful margin.
Conclusion
On the evidence from these shared tests, the Michelin Primacy 5 is the more consistently recommendable touring tire. It wins the comparison overall in 3 of the 4 shared tests and repeatedly leads the non-grip categories: lower rolling resistance in every test where it's measured (e.g., 7.12 vs 7.73 kg/t; 0.70 vs 0.762 kg/t), quieter results (e.g., 70.9 vs 72.6 dB), and a dramatic ADAC wear advantage (56,000 km vs 30,600 km) alongside much lower abrasion (54 vs 97 mg/km/t). In practice, that translates to a calmer cabin, lower running costs (especially for high-mileage drivers/EVs), and fewer compromises as conditions vary.
The Vredestein Ultrac+ is more “situational.” In the 2026 ECO test it delivered genuinely strong wet performance (wet braking 35.5 m vs Michelin's 38.8 m, and slightly better wet handling/circle), which is a real, safety-relevant gap. But outside that result, its overall placings are weaker (10/13, 12/16, and last in Motor), and multiple reports flag below-average dry precision and heat sensitivity when pushed. The takeaway: Ultrac+ can be an attractive choice if your top priority is wet stopping performance in the right size/category, but Primacy 5 is the better all-round ownership tire-especially if you value efficiency, comfort, and tread life more than chasing the last tenths of lap-time feel.
Primacy 5 vs Ultrac+: your questions
Is the Michelin Primacy 5 or the Vredestein Ultrac+ the better tire?
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Primacy 5 finished ahead 3 times and the Ultrac+ once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Primacy 5 scores 8.8 and the Ultrac+ 8.4 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Primacy 5 or the Ultrac+?
Across the shared tests the wet measurements are split 10-10 between the Primacy 5 and the Ultrac+.
Which is better in the dry?
The Primacy 5 led 6 of the 9 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Primacy 5 had 9.8% lower rolling resistance (3 tests). Owners rate wear 9.1/10 for the Primacy 5 and 7.7/10 for the Ultrac+.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The Primacy 5 was 0.9 dB quieter (3 tests). Owners rate comfort 8.4/10 for the Primacy 5 and 8.5/10 for the Ultrac+.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Primacy 5 82% from 62 reviews and the Ultrac+ 83% from 8. 78% of Primacy 5 owners would buy it again, against 71% for the Ultrac+.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the Primacy 5 was the dearer tire in 2 of them, by 23.4% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Primacy 5 is made in 88 sizes (16 to 22 inch) and the Ultrac+ in 57 (15 to 20 inch). 38 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Primacy 5 is graded A for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Ultrac+ A and B.
Which is the newer tire?
The Primacy 5 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2025, the Ultrac+ in 2024. The Primacy 5 replaced the Michelin Primacy 4+.
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Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.
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