Michelin expands premium SUV tire lineup with focus on wet-road braking

Michelin Korea is extending its premium Primacy 5 tire to cover sport utility vehicles. The move comes as SUVs account for a growing share of vehicle sales and demand for electric SUVs rises, driving the need for tires that combine quietness, durability and wet-road stability.

Michelin Korea announced Monday that it is expanding the Primacy 5's SUV lineup. Launched last year as Michelin's flagship premium tire, the Primacy 5 will now fit a wider range of SUV models following the size expansion. It will be sold in South Korea in 26 sizes ranging from 17 to 19 inches.

The Primacy 5 is designed with wet-road stability as its central focus. Michelin said it placed particular emphasis on maintaining performance not only when the tire is new but also as it wears down toward the legal tread-depth limit of 1.6 millimeters. Given South Korea's road conditions — marked by monsoon rains and frequent localized downpours — wet-road braking performance can be a key factor in tire selection, the company said.

Concern among Korean drivers about heavy monsoon rainfall, urban flooding and highway accidents in wet conditions has grown in recent years. Experts note that tire performance management is especially important for SUVs, whose larger bodies and greater weight mean that braking distance and traction have a proportionally bigger impact on safety.

The SUV version of the Primacy 5 incorporates Michelin's third-generation Silent Rib technology, which reduces road noise entering the cabin to improve quietness and ride comfort. The sidewall has also been reinforced to enable stable driving on rough surfaces, a design choice aimed at handling the varied driving conditions typical of SUV use.

Wet-road performance draws on several Michelin technologies, including EverGrip, EverTread and Functional Elastomer 3.0. According to Michelin, the tire reduces wet-road braking distance by 16 percent compared with other premium brands — on both new and worn tires — and recorded strong results in wet-road moose tests as well.

Durability is another focus. Michelin's MaxTouch technology distributes contact between the tire and road surface more evenly, spreading the forces generated during acceleration, braking and cornering. This contributes to longer tread life and sustained driving stability, the company said.

The tire is also designed with electric vehicles in mind. A high-performance tread EMC reduces rolling resistance by 10 percent, improving energy efficiency and extending battery range. Michelin positions the Primacy 5 as suited to both combustion-engine and electric SUVs.

Michelin has been strengthening its lineup in step with the expanding SUV market. The SUV and crossover segment grew from 11 percent of total vehicle sales in 2010 to 42 percent in 2025. As vehicle sizes increase and electrification models multiply, the performance demands placed on tires have broadened from ride comfort alone to encompass braking, quietness, efficiency and durability.

"As the SUV market grows rapidly, demand for related tires is also rising," a Michelin official said. "With this lineup expansion, more drivers will be able to experience the Primacy 5's wet-road stability, ride comfort and durability."