Michelin Primacy 3 ST Review - How Does It Stack Up?
| Key Info - Australia | |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Suitability | Passenger |
| Driving Style | Premium Touring Summer |
| Season | Summer |
| Release Date | 2013 |
| Run Flat? | No |
Review Summary
In a hurry? Here's what you need to know about the Michelin Primacy 3 ST:
- Fuel efficiency is more or less average.
- Wet condition grip and handling is above average.
- Noise levels are quite poor.
Pricing
Enter your tyre size below to see the best prices for your specific size (if unsure, check placard on the driver's side door or your existing tyres).
Michelin Primacy 3 ST in Australia
This offering by Michelin has been around in Australia for about 11 years. Especially designed for regular passenger (non-SUV) vehicles, it comes in a total of 9 sizes.
This premium touring summer tyre is a solid option for those looking for a summer tyre in the premium end of the market. Note that it is not a runflat tyre.
Read on to see how it stacks up against the competition!
How We Reviewed The Primacy 3 ST Tyres
Unlike the Australian government, the European Union carries out standardised tests on all tyres sold in Europe. These tests are carried out in identical conditions, making them a reliable way to compare tyres.
For this review, we use averaged results from tests done on 1 sizes of the Primacy 3 ST tyres by the European Union.
We then compare these to the same results for the following similar tyres, also rated for Premuim Touring Summer usage and sold in Australia.
Fuel Efficiency
| EU Grade | Compared to an A grade tyre? | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Efficiency (A - E) | C | 0.2L/100km extra fuel consumption. ~$48 extra per year |
The US Department of Energy estimates that around 25% of the fuel consumption of a vehicle is attributable to the tyres. That's a lot, and it means that choosing fuel efficient tyres can save you quite a bit of money.
The Primacy 3 ST tyres rank a C on a scale of A to E in the official fuel efficiency tests carried out by the EU (they call these rolling resistance tests).
Relative to an A grade tyre, expect to use an extra 0.2L/100km. This works out to $48 extra spent on petrol per year, based on a typical 12,000 km driven per year.
Comparison
Here's how the Primacy 3 ST compares to similar tyres for fuel efficiency (1 = Grade E, 5 = Grade A).
Based on the comparison tyres we've selected, the Primacy 3 ST ranked # out of 0 tyres.
Grip & Handling
| EU Grade | Compared to an A grade tyre? | |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Grip (A - E) | B | 2.5 metre greater stopping distance when braking at 80km/h |
We'll now take a look at how these tyres compare in terms of grip and handling.
A good measure of this is 'wet grip', which is an indication of how well the tyres will allow the vehicle to come to a stop in wet conditions.
The Primacy 3 ST tyres rank a B on a scale of A to E in the official fuel tests carried out by the EU.
Relative to an A grade tyre, expect these tyres to require about an extra 2.5 metres to come to a complete stop when braking at 80km/h.
Comparison
For wet grip, they scored # out of 0 comparison tyres.
Noise
| EU Grade | Compared to an A grade tyre? | |
|---|---|---|
| Noise (A - C) | B (71 dB) | 2 times as noisy |
Another key factor to consider when choosing a tyre is road noise. Once you're over about 40 km/h, the dominant source of noise you hear is from the contact of your tyres on the road.
There is a surprisingly wide variation in the amount of noise each tyre makes.
The Primacy 3 ST tyres produce 71.0 dB of road noise, which corresponds to a rank of B on a scale of A to C in the standardised testing done by the EU.
Expect these tyres to produce about 2 times as much noise as an A grade tyre (the decibel scale is logarithmic).
Comparison
For noise, they ranked # out of 0 comparison tyres.
Treadwear
We don't have any UTQG treadwear data for this tyre, unfortunately.
Traction
The UTQG system measures traction as straight-line braking in dry conditions. The scale is AA, A, B, C, with AA being the best grade, and C the worst.
We don't have any UTQG traction data for this tyre, unfortunately.
Temperature Resistance
The UTQG temperature resistance tests measure how well tyres can dissipate heat that builds up due to friction with the road. The scale is A, B, C, with A being the highest grade.
We don't have any UTQG temperature data for this tyre, unfortunately.
Warranty
The Primacy 3 ST tyres have a warranty of 6 years.
Comparisons With Similar Tyres
Still undecided as to whether to go with these premuim touring summer tyres? Check out our data-driven comparisons to similar tyres on the market in Australia!
Summary
The Primacy 3 ST tyres are a solid choice for anyone looking to replace their car rubber with some tyres designed for premuim touring summer action.
For fuel efficiency, they score a grade of C, which is more or less average, though this isn't a super important factor.
More important is the wet grip, which gives you an indication of their traction and handling. In this regard, they get a score of B, which is above average.
Finally, for road noise, they receive a B grade, which is about typical.
Full Size List (click to show)
Below is a list of all 9 sizes of the Primacy 3 ST tyres sold in Australia, sorted by tyre width. Select your preferred size to compare prices across multiple suppliers.
| Size |
|---|
| 205/65 R15 94V |
| 205/50 R17 93W XL |
| 215/55 R17 94V |
| 225/55 R18 102V XL |
| 225/55 R17 101W XL |
| 225/60 R16 98W |
| 235/45 R18 94V |
| 235/50 R18 97W |
| 245/45 R18 100Y |
Louis
I'm Louis, an engineer passionate about helping Australians choose better tyres for their vehicles!