Hankook Ventus Prime 4 vs Michelin Primacy 5
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 97
- TR Score
- 8.8/10
- Owners say
- 82% · 62
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Primacy 5 finished ahead 5 times and the Ventus Prime 4 not once. The Primacy 5 lasted 29.1% longer in the wear tests.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Michelin Primacy 5 if you want the safest, most consistent wet performance plus the best long-term efficiency (wear/abrasion/rolling resistance) and lower noise-an ideal touring tire for mixed conditions and high mileage. Choose the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 mainly if it is meaningfully cheaper and your driving is predominantly dry/urban, where its competitive dry braking and decent everyday feel can represent good value, but expect less wet margin and refinement.
Where the Ventus Prime 4 is stronger
- Competitive dry braking in multiple tests (wins 2/4), with decent subjective dry handling feel in at least one test
- Can show strong curved-aquaplaning performance in specific conditions (ADAC: 3.4 vs 3.3 m/s², marginal win)
- Generally easy, predictable daily-driver character noted by testers (adequate/balanced when not pushed)
Where the Primacy 5 is stronger
- Consistently shorter wet braking across all shared tests (wins 4/4), including a notable ADAC advantage (32.7 m vs 34.5 m)
- Stronger straight-line aquaplaning resistance in every shared test (wins 4/4), supporting wet-motorway safety
- Best ownership/eco profile in the ADAC data: longer projected wear (56,000 vs 44,700 km) and much lower abrasion (54 vs 75 mg/km/t)
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.
Ventus Prime 4 vs Primacy 5 at a glance
| Category | Ventus Prime 4 | Gap | Primacy 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won5 shared tests | 0 | 5 | |
| Dry7 measurements | 3 | Level between the two. | 3 |
| Wet16 measurements | 1 | The Primacy 5 stopped 5% shorter in the wet (5 tests) | 14 |
| Comfort4 measurements | 0 | 3 | |
| Value8 measurements | 0 | The Primacy 5 lasted 29.1% longer in the wear tests (2 tests) | 7 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.8/10 | Level | 8.8/10 |
| Owner rating97 and 62 reviews | 82% | Too close to call | 82% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 73% | The Primacy 5 by 5 points | 78% |
| Pricein the 2 tests that listed prices | Cheaper | The Primacy 5 was dearer in 2 of 2 | +28.3% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 66 | 47 sizes made in both | 88 |
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 5 tests, 2024 to 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 | Ventus Prime 4 | Field | Primacy 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ADAC Summer Tire Test | P11 of 16 | P7 of 16 | |
| 2025 Die ReifenTester Summer Touring Tire Test | P6 of 7 | P5 of 7 | |
| 2025 Al Volante Summer Tire Test | P6 of 7 | P4 of 7 | |
| 2025 Summer and All Season Combined Tire Test | P6 of 14 | P1 of 14 | |
| 2024 TUV and DEKRA Test of Michelin Primacy 5 vs Rivals | P5 of 5 | P1 of 5 |
Performance profile
11 measurements from the 5 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Ventus Prime 4
Primacy 5
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. The scale stops at 85%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 4 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Ventus Prime 4
Primacy 5
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
Ventus Prime 4
Primacy 5
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97 reviews and the Primacy 5 82% from 62. 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 | Ventus Prime 4 | Gap | Primacy 5 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 121 | 0.2% | 121 | 2-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 0.7% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 100 | 5% | 95 | 0-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 138 | 7.8% | 127 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 95.31 | 0.7% | 94.56 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 7% | scored | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 47.6 | 3.8% | 49.3 | 0-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 145.5 | 0.3% | 150.4 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 3.9% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 12.5% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 72.9 | 2.3 dB | 70.6 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 21,437 | 29.1% | 27,434 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 7.82 | 5.2% | 7.41 | 0-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.4 | = | 5.4 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 75.05 | 20.7% | 59.5 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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 Ventus Prime 4 scores 8.8 and the Primacy 5 8.8 out of 10.
| Ventus Prime 4 | Category | Primacy 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | Dry | 62 | ||
| 71 | Wet | 77 | ||
| 27 | Comfort | 76 | ||
| 80 | Value | 92 | ||
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
| Ventus Prime 4 | Category | Primacy 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | Dry Grip | 8.5 | ||
| 8.3 | Wet Grip | 8.7 | ||
| 8.1 | Road Feedback | 7.6 | ||
| 8.2 | Handling | 7.8 | ||
| 7.8 | Wear | 9.1 | ||
| 8 | Comfort | 8.4 | ||
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97 reviews and the Primacy 5 82% from 62. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Hankook Ventus Prime 4
- 82%from 97 reviews
- 73%would buy again
- 1,056,322 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 highly overall (average 80.7%), most often praising its strong dry grip and confident, predictable dry handling, backed up by a comfortable, generally quiet ride. Wet grip is also widely seen as secure for a touring tire, with many calling it reassuring in heavy rain, though a minority report some instability or weaker aquaplaning resistance. The main recurring drawback is longevity: wear and performance consistency split opinion, with around one in four owners mentioning tread life and around one in ten saying grip drops off noticeably as the tire wears, sometimes accompanied by increased noise.
- Strong dry grip with plenty of traction
- Excellent dry handling and confidence in corners
- Comfortable, compliant ride quality
- Generally low road noise for a touring tire
- Tread life can be disappointing for some drivers
- Grip drops off as the tire wears
- Road noise can be noticeable on some surfaces
Summarised by AI from 87 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 97 Ventus Prime 4 reviewsNo complaints on Wet or Dry grip for everyday driving. It was a 2025 tire with 12k miles had to deal with a full blowout while driving. From a tropical climate with 99% indoor parking.
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.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 66 sizes of the Ventus Prime 4 and 88 of the Primacy 5, 47 of them made in both.
| Category | Ventus Prime 4 | Primacy 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Summer | Summer |
| Sizes made | 66 sizes, 15 to 20 inch | 88 sizes, 16 to 22 inch |
| Made in both | 47 sizes 195/55 R16195/60 R16205/55 R16205/60 R16205/65 R16215/55 R16215/60 R16215/65 R16215/70 R16225/55 R16225/60 R16205/45 R17and 35 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A88%B12% | A100% |
| EU label rolling resistance | B47%C39%A14% | B88%C12% |
| EU label noise | 68-71 dB A52%B48% | 70-72 dB B95%A5% |
| On the market since | - | 2025 |
| Replaced | Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 | Michelin Primacy 4+ (2022) |
| Awards | Winner: Summer Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2023) | 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 28.3% 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.
Previous generation: Hankook Ventus Prime 4 vs Michelin Primacy 4+ (7 shared tests)
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.
Hankook's Ventus Prime 4 and Michelin's Primacy 5 sit in the same “premium touring” summer bracket: tires aimed at everyday drivers who want safe, predictable handling, good comfort and low running costs rather than outright sportiness. Because these tires often feel “close enough” on a quick test drive, the most useful differences show up when you stack multiple independent tests across wet braking, aquaplaning, noise/comfort and efficiency.
Across the four shared tests here (ADAC 2026 plus three 2025 group tests), a clear pattern emerges: the Primacy 5 repeatedly posts stronger wet safety metrics and markedly better efficiency/low-wear credentials, while the Ventus Prime 4 occasionally nicks small wins in dry braking/steering feel but struggles to match Michelin's consistency in the wet and its refinement-focused metrics. The result is less about one headline number and more about how often each tire lands on the “right side” of the touring brief.
Conclusion
If your priority is wet safety and low cost per kilometer, Michelin's Primacy 5 is the more convincing choice across this dataset. It won all four shared tests overall and swept every wet-braking comparison (4/4), with especially meaningful gaps in the most safety-critical ADAC wet stops: 32.7 m vs 34.5 m (about 5% shorter) and on wet concrete 38.8 m vs 42.1 m (nearly 8% shorter). It also consistently resisted straight-line aquaplaning better (4/4), and its running-cost story is strong: ADAC projects 56,000 km vs 44,700 km for the Hankook (+25%), plus much lower abrasion (54 vs 75 mg/km/t). Add lower rolling resistance in the shared rolling tests (e.g., 7.0 vs 7.7 kg/t; 7.74 vs 7.99 kg/t) and it's easy to see why it scores so well on efficiency and ownership.
The Hankook Ventus Prime 4 isn't a “bad” tire-its dry braking is competitive (winning 2 of 4 comparisons) and several reports describe decent dry grip and agreeable steering feel. However, the consistent theme is that it gives away confidence and margin in the wet (braking, straight aquaplaning, and stability at the limit), and it tends to be noisier/less refined in the tests that measured it (e.g., 72.9 dB vs 70.6 dB in Al Volante). Practical takeaway: for a touring summer tire, Michelin's Primacy 5 better matches the brief-safe, calm and efficient-while the Hankook is best viewed as an acceptable everyday option if priced significantly lower and if most of your driving is in dry conditions.
Ventus Prime 4 vs Primacy 5: your questions
Is the Hankook Ventus Prime 4 or the Michelin Primacy 5 the better tire?
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Michelin Primacy 5 finished ahead 5 times and the Ventus Prime 4 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Ventus Prime 4 scores 8.8 and the Primacy 5 8.8 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Ventus Prime 4 or the Primacy 5?
The Primacy 5 led 14 of the 16 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 5% shorter in the wet across 5 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 3-3 between the Ventus Prime 4 and the Primacy 5.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Primacy 5 lasted 29.1% longer in the wear tests (2 tests), had 5.2% lower rolling resistance (3 tests) and shed 20.7% less rubber in the abrasion test (2 tests). Owners rate wear 7.8/10 for the Ventus Prime 4 and 9.1/10 for the Primacy 5.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8/10 for the Ventus Prime 4 and 8.4/10 for the Primacy 5.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Ventus Prime 4 82% from 97 reviews and the Primacy 5 82% from 62. 73% of Ventus Prime 4 owners would buy it again, against 78% for the Primacy 5.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the Primacy 5 was the dearer tire in 2 of them, by 28.3% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Ventus Prime 4 is made in 66 sizes (15 to 20 inch) and the Primacy 5 in 88 (16 to 22 inch). 47 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Ventus Prime 4 is graded A for wet grip and B for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Primacy 5 A and B.
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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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