Comparison: Continental UltraContact vs. Michelin Primacy 4+ vs. Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance 2 vs. Firestone Roadhawk 2 vs. Michelin Primacy 5 vs. GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2

Premium

Continental

UltraContact

VS

Also compare with

UltraContact NXT

Ventus Evo

Cinturato (C3)

Michelin leads on comfort and aquaplaning; Continental fights back with superior dry braking.

Both the Continental UltraContact and the Michelin Primacy 4+ wear the premium summer touring label, but they are built around meaningfully different priorities. Continental has engineered the UltraContact as a dry-biased, high-mileage touring tyre with strong braking credentials and an impressively low cost-per-kilometre proposition. Michelin, meanwhile, has positioned the Primacy 4+ — the evolution of the well-regarded Primacy 4, itself soon to be superseded by the Primacy 5 — as a comfort-first cruiser that wears quietly, rolls efficiently, and preserves its safety margins deep into tread life. In their only shared test, the ADAC 2023 205/55 R16 evaluation of 50 summer tyres, the Primacy 4+ placed 3rd against the UltraContact's 7th — a gap that broadly reflects the real-world difference between them.

UltraContact

Good for

Drivers prioritising short dry braking distances High-mileage motorway users wanting low cost-per-km Owners of smaller cars needing 14–15" fitments Budget-aware premium tyre buyers

Not ideal for

Drivers regularly encountering standing water or floods Those for whom cabin refinement is paramount Buyers needing 20–21" fitments

Primacy 4+

Good for

Comfort-first drivers wanting a refined motorway ride Families prioritising all-weather safety margins EV drivers benefiting from low rolling resistance Those who keep tyres to full legal tread depth

Not ideal for

Drivers wanting cutting-edge wet handling response Sports car owners wanting sharper dry dynamics Those seeking the lowest possible purchase price

Test Profile

UltraContact

Primacy 4+

Efficient Grip Performance 2

Roadhawk 2

Primacy 5

Efficientgrip Performance 2

Number of tests

1

13

18

6

5

4

Best position

#7

#1

#3

#1

#2

Average position

7.0

4.3

6.1

4.7

4.8

3.3

Latest test

2023

2025

2024

2026

Available sizes

88

123

47

146

158

40

Tread pattern comparison

Continental UltraContact

Michelin Primacy 4+

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Verdict

For the majority of everyday drivers, the Michelin Primacy 4+ is the stronger all-round choice. It finished higher in their shared ADAC test, delivers demonstrably better comfort and cabin refinement, offers superior aquaplaning protection, and carries the confidence of Michelin's EverGrip longevity technology. Drivers who spend long hours on motorways and value a quiet, refined environment will feel the difference immediately. The Continental UltraContact makes its case for drivers who weight dry braking above all else and who may cover very high annual mileage — its dry stopping credentials are class-competitive and its projected tyre life is excellent. It is also available from 14-inch fitments, giving it a broader reach into smaller city cars. But as an overall package in the premium touring segment, the Primacy 4+ is the better-rounded tyre, and its higher independent test standing reflects that.