Michelin’s Strategic Leap: Primacy 5 and the Evolution to Meet Vietnam’s Automotive Demands

Michelin introduces the new Primacy 5 tires with a promise of a smooth ride, confident handling, and superior stability and traction.

Expanding Infrastructure, Rising Self-Driving Demand, and Emphasis on Comfort

Vietnam is witnessing a remarkable era in its transportation infrastructure development. By 2024, the country’s expressway network had reached a remarkable 2,100 km, with 28 projects underway. This number is expected to increase to approximately 3,000 km by 2025. This improved connectivity not only reduces travel time but also boosts economic growth, social development, and tourism. It stimulates the demand for high-performance tires capable of excelling on both long-distance journeys and expressways, especially as extended road trips are becoming a popular trend.

Selecting the right tires can enhance road grip, reduce noise, and provide a smoother driving experience. While addressing environmental noise or vibration from the vehicle’s frame can be complex and costly, tire noise can be effectively mitigated by choosing the right set of tires.

Michelin’s Primacy 5 tires are equipped with the MICHELIN Silent Rib Gen-3 technology, effectively eliminating road noise and ensuring a comfortable and relaxed journey, even when accelerating on lengthy expressways.

The MICHELIN Primacy 5 tires, featuring Silent Rib Gen-3 technology, offer reduced vibration and noise for a serene journey, especially on extended trips.

Trends Towards Versatile Vehicles with an Emphasis on Safety

From 2018 to 2022, MPV sales witnessed an impressive surge of 184%, climbing from 18,650 units to 53,026 units, nearly tripling in volume. In 2024, the segment below one billion VND in price achieved sales of 56,527 units, capturing about 11.4% of the total market share (494,310 units). Leading the pack were CUV-B models with sales of 59,025 units, accounting for 11.9% of the market share. This attractive market segment has lured numerous automakers to introduce new models, reflecting the diverse preferences for spacious, comfortable, high-payload, and powerful vehicles. Naturally, tires must keep pace with these evolving demands.

MICHELIN Primacy 5 delivers stable performance and exceptional grip, ensuring a safe journey on wet roads.

“Post-pandemic, my family prioritizes spending quality time together, despite my busy business schedule. As a mother, I value confidence and safety behind the wheel for my children. Choosing tires that meet these criteria is of utmost importance. With MICHELIN Primacy 5, I experienced superior road grip, especially when navigating curves, and it gave me added confidence in my driving abilities,” shared Ms. Mai Linh from Hanoi.

Operating in Vietnam’s tropical climate with alternating dry and wet seasons poses unique challenges. Selecting tires with excellent traction is crucial for safety in both hot and rainy conditions. The former can cause the road surface to soften and deform, while the latter often leads to “hydroplaning.” MICHELIN Primacy 5 tires feature a tread pattern with efficient water evacuation capabilities, maximizing road contact, and evenly distributing braking and cornering forces, ensuring stability even in heavy rainfall.

MICHELIN Primacy 5 provides peace of mind when traveling on long-distance journeys and expressways.

Vietnam’s traffic conditions are notoriously unpredictable, often presenting sudden situations that require quick reflexes and emergency braking. In such moments, a shorter braking distance can be the difference between safety and disaster. Real-world tests reveal that when braking abruptly from 80 km/h, a vehicle equipped with MICHELIN Primacy 5 tires can come to a complete stop within 36 meters, while several competing brands require 40 meters, equivalent to the length of a standard 5-seat sedan.

MICHELIN Primacy 5 challenges the notion that new tires are safer than worn ones. Thanks to its advanced design, this tire maintains impressive road grip and braking performance even when worn down to the minimum legal tread depth (1.6-2.0mm). Tests show that when braking abruptly from 80 km/h, new MICHELIN Primacy 5 tires can shorten the stopping distance by 3-4 meters compared to other premium brands, and worn Primacy 5 tires can still outperform them by 4-5 meters. This means that even with worn tires, drivers can confidently brake hard and react swiftly in emergencies.

Go Further, Conserve More: Embracing the Electric Vehicle Revolution

Electric vehicles are experiencing a noticeable surge in popularity in Vietnam, with projections reaching 150,000-180,000 units by 2025, capturing 30-35% of the country’s total automotive sales. By 2028, this number could soar to one million, and by 2040, it is estimated to reach approximately 3.5 million. However, the weight associated with batteries, instantaneous torque, and high payload requirements place significant stress on tires, necessitating the use of robust, durable, and energy-efficient tires.

As tires start rolling, they encounter various resistance forces, such as surface deformation, traction forces bearing the vehicle’s weight, and friction with the road surface. These factors not only drain the battery but also accelerate tire wear, especially in heavier electric vehicles. To demonstrate reduced rolling resistance, Michelin conducted a test in Thailand by turning off the engine and letting the vehicle roll downhill, comparing the distances traveled. Primacy 5 outperformed its competitors, rolling an impressive 126 meters, a full 44 meters further. In real-world usage, if a single charge offers 300 km of range, Primacy 5 could potentially extend that by an extra 10-15 km, reducing the frequency of charging and prolonging battery life.

A rolling resistance test showcases the superior performance of MICHELIN Primacy 5.

Cost-Effectiveness and Environmental Consciousness in a Period of Economic and Social Uncertainty

In early 2025, Vietnam set an ambitious target of achieving a minimum of 8% GDP growth and a per capita income surpassing $5,000. However, international organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund provided more conservative estimates, projecting Vietnam’s GDP growth to range between 5.2% and 6.8%, reflecting the challenges posed by global trade tensions and inflationary pressures. In response, consumers are increasingly prioritizing cost-saving measures, including the selection of fuel-efficient tires to reduce operational expenses.

“I choose tires not just for their price but also for their fuel efficiency and longevity,” shared Mr. Tung from Ho Chi Minh City. “When traveling long distances, fuel costs constitute a significant portion of the overall expenses, so having tires that facilitate smoother rides and reduce fuel consumption can make a noticeable difference.”

Michelin’s “All Sustainable” strategy aims to deliver enhanced value to consumers while reducing environmental impact.

According to independent tests conducted by DEKRA TEST CENTER, MICHELIN Primacy 5 tires demonstrated superior longevity, outperforming a leading premium brand by an impressive 24% on average. Over the same distance of up to 100,000 km, consumers would effectively save the cost of one tire for every set of four.

Primacy 5 not only excels in performance, safety, and comfort but also surpasses its predecessors in environmental friendliness, aligning with Michelin’s “All Sustainable” strategy. By 2050, Michelin aims to use 100% recycled and renewable materials in tire manufacturing and achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Primacy 5 tires are produced using bio-based and recycled materials, reducing the reliance on raw materials and lowering carbon emissions during production. Additionally, Michelin’s focus on technology enhancements to extend tire longevity helps users delay tire replacement, reducing vehicle maintenance costs and minimizing environmental impact. Old tires are then recycled by Michelin to produce new ones, creating a more sustainable product lifecycle while alleviating environmental strain.

With its exceptional performance in terms of comfort, safety, and fuel efficiency, MICHELIN Primacy 5 is the ideal choice for versatile, crossover, and electric vehicles such as the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross, Mitsubishi X-Force, Kia Creta, Kia Seltos, Honda HRV, Subaru Forester, Hyundai Custin, Toyota Corolla Cross HEV, Toyota Innova Cross HEV, Toyota Yaris Cross HEV, Toyota Camry HEV, Ford Territory, Vinfast VF5, and VF6 Plus. In Vietnam, MICHELIN Primacy 5 is available in 43 sizes, ranging from 16 to 20 inches, and can be purchased from authorized Michelin dealers nationwide.

To check prices, find the right MICHELIN Primacy 5 tire sizes for your vehicle, and locate the nearest authorized dealer, please visit this website.

PV (Tuoitrethudo)