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Michelin Primacy Tour A/S Tire Review
Specifications:
- Dry Conditions – 80%
- Wet Conditions – 70%
- Snow – 70%
- Comfort – 80%
- Noise Reduction – 90%
- Durability – 70%
- Direct handling
- All-weather grip and traction
- Snow performance is improved over its predecessor
- Wet braking distance is one of the shortest
- Average wet handling
- The sizes start at 17 inches
Most of our driving habits revolve around cruising on the highway and driving around town. Touring tires are an excellent choice because they offer a good balance between longevity and comfort. If you choose this approach, you will sacrifice some performance. Most enthusiasts dislike the dull steering feel, and the lack of proper grip and traction prevents going to a track.
Premium tire manufacturers have been working hard to improve the performance of touring tires. There’s no guarantee they’ll be as good as high-performance tires, but people who want a more dynamic ride will appreciate the improvements.
The best tires are made by premium tire manufacturers. As a result of the constant battle between them, car owners benefit from newer tires. Let’s take Michelin as an example. For over 130 years, the French manufacturer has been producing tires and is regarded as one of the best. My review will cover a Primacy model from Michelin’s lineup.
Michelin advertises these tires as luxury performance tires. A good balance should be struck between comfort, longevity, and performance. This isn’t the company’s first attempt at this category. Michelin launched the Primacy MXM4 about a decade ago. The tire was excellent, but the warranty and snow coverage were lacking.
As a successor, Michelin introduced the Primacy Tour A/S and all-season grand touring tire, which is also marketed as a performance-oriented tire. It’s not easy to design a tire that has all 3 characteristics without making some compromises. Was Michelin able to accomplish that, or is it all show and no go?
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S features?
As an all-season tire, I’ll start with the Primacy Tour A/S. Michelin developed a rubber compound that can be driven in both hot and cold weather. When you drive it in the winter, it won’t harden because it’s enriched with silica.
Michelin made some improvements to the MXM4’s snow performance, as you may recall. With the tweaks in the tread design, the Primacy Tour A/S should perform 17% better on snow. Among the tweaks are a slightly redesigned tread pattern and sharpened lateral groove angles. As a result, the tire should have better traction on snow because it can bite into the surface.
Tread design is not only responsible for performance, but also for comfort, especially noise reduction. PIANO noise reduction tuning works together with Enhanced ComfortControl to make the tire quiet. By implementing shoulder grooves, the tire’s sound frequency can be canceled. Furthermore, the block chamfers are designed with smoother belts, which reduce road noise further.
Michelin didn’t compromise on performance. Four circumferential grooves and countless lateral sipes are incorporated into the tread pattern. In order to help the tire evacuate water more efficiently, they are working together. The zig-zag pattern provides plenty of traction in wet conditions, however.
Michelin’s Total Performance technology ensures longevity. From the day you purchase it until the day you replace it, it should provide consistent performance. Featuring MaxTouch Construction, the Primacy Tour A/S wears evenly and performs consistently.
What is its behavior on dry roads?
Primacy Tour A/S performs exceptionally, as you might expect. You are looking at one of the best grand touring tires.
It has exceptional grip and traction, and it sticks very well to the road. Whether you are accelerating aggressively or turning hard, the tire will not let you down. Chug the tire into a corner to see how it works to keep it planted.
The tire’s responsiveness makes this easy, an area where most grand-torturing tires fall short. Despite Michelin’s improvements, the tire doesn’t quite match the MXM4’s sporty characteristics.
What is its behavior on slippery and wet roads?
The Primacy Tour A/S performs well in the wet, but there are some drawbacks.
The tire is planted and has a lot of traction to get the car moving. You won’t have too many problems even if you have a lead foot. There will be a bit of slip, but the tire will find traction fairly quickly.
The grip is phenomenal in corners and will be more than sufficient for most drivers. It won’t be a problem to do things a bit aggressively.
Despite high speeds, the tire remains stable even when aquaplaning occurs. With one of the shortest braking distances in this category, you get a very safe tire.
The downside is the handling. Although it isn’t the worst, it doesn’t seem to respond as well as some of its competitors.
Behavior on snow?
As long as you drive in light conditions, the Primacy Tour A/S performs well on snow.
Snow that is shallow will not pose a problem for the tire. Exceptional traction and grip will ensure safe driving. In terms of safety, this car offers one of the shortest braking distances.
Does it feel comfortable and refined?
As with the MXM4, Michelin made the Primacy Tour A/S comfortable and quiet.
Michelin decided to make it a bit sportier, which reduced comfort. Compared to other grand-touring tires, the sidewall is slightly stiffer, making the ride slightly harsher. The result is a very smooth and stable ride on the highway.
The tire is decently quiet around town and on the highway, and the noise levels are good. The Turanza QuietTrack is quieter, but it’s not class-leading.
Off-roading behavior?
Primacy Tour A/S should never be taken off-road. Although you can fit it to a crossover or SUV, the tire isn’t designed for those types of vehicles.
You could drive on a dirt road or in shallow mud, but the performance won’t be as good as it should be. Additionally, the tire may be damaged.
Is the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S suitable for sporty driving?
Michelin tried but couldn’t improve the sporty driving of the MXM4, making the Primacy Tour A/S good but not the best. You shouldn’t expect it to set lap records as a grand-touring tire.
In terms of responsiveness, the tire isn’t too bad. It responds well and is reasonably sharp. You won’t get much feedback from the front wheels, which is a downside.
On a dry twisty road, you might have some fun with it. More than that, and the tire will struggle.
Warranty for Michelin Primacy Tour A/S
Due to a lack of warranty coverage on the MXM4, I was quite dissatisfied with the Primacy Tour A/S. This tire comes with a 55,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is among the shortest in the premium segment. That kind of warranty is something I’d expect from a mid-range tire.
Pricing
Despite its higher price tag, the Primacy Tour A/S is well worth the money. Prices start at around $180, but keep in mind that the smallest size is 17 inches. You get more or less the same price when you compare the same size with other premium brands.
Michelin Primacy Tour A/S Tire Buying guide video?
It is worth considering the Primacy Tour A/S tire after considering the other options. There are some aspects of it that won’t sit well with some owners.
No matter what the weather conditions are, performance is not compromised. The tire is excellent and is at the top of its class, despite a slight lack of responsiveness on wet roads. Michelin managed to combine comfort and performance very well, and the driving dynamics are also good.
Primacy Tour A/S has a warranty problem. People might look at other manufacturers because it’s short for a premium, grand-touring tire.
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