Tests 79 · 13 tests Owners 66 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 6 in 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 (rolling resistance)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental IceContact 3 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is ahead, 77–71
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Tests 83 · 6 tests Owners 76 · 15 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test (noise)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
73
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +376Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Pilot Alpin 5 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 76 75 Reviews found online 69 78 Dry Braking (% of best) 70% 99% -
71
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +1081Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Pilot Alpin 5 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 74 81 Reviews found online 67 81 Longitudinal Aquaplaning (% of best) 92% 87% Wet Braking (% of best) 99% 90% Wet Circle (% of best) 100% 99% Wet Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
79
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +483Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Pilot Alpin 5 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 83 88 Reviews found online 72 76 Snow Braking (% of best) 90% 100% Snow Handling (% of best) 90% 100% Snow Traction (% of best) 98% 100% -
83
Comfort
IceContact 3 +1073Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Pilot Alpin 5 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 98 – Reviews found online 60 76 -
70
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +1888Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Pilot Alpin 5 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 72 99 Reviews found online – 72 Exterior Noise (% of best) 97% 99% -
59
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +1170Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Pilot Alpin 5 SUV Reviews found online 54 74 -
69
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +473Why this score
Source IceContact 3 Pilot Alpin 5 SUV Reviews found online 69 73
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental IceContact 3 | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 77 |
| Dry | 73 | 76 |
| Wet | 71 | 81 |
| Snow | 79 | 83 |
| Comfort | 83 | 73 |
| Noise | 70 | 88 |
| Treadwear | 59 | 70 |
| Handling | 69 | 73 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
IceContact 3
77
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | IceContact 3 | Pilot Alpin 5 SUV | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 70% #12/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 99% #4/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −28.6 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 87% #9/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test | +13.1 | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 97% #2/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 99% #3/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 | −1.7 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 50% #13/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 45% #7/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +5.1 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 11% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test | −88.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 90% #2/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 100% #1/7 · 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tyre Test | −10.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 90% #7/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 100% #1/7 · 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tyre Test | −10.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 98% #10/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −1.7 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 99% #3/8 · 2022 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #4/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | +6.0 | Different tests |
| Longitudinal Aquaplaning | Wet | 92% #5/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 87% #7/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 | +4.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #2/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 90% #9/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +8.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 100% #1/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | 99% #4/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +1.4 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −1.3 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A IceContact 3
Pros
- Exceptional grip and braking performance on packed snow and ice
- Predictable handling in severe winter conditions
- Strong performance on lake ice tracks
Cons
- Premature stud wear or loss reported after moderate mileage
- Potential for reduced stability in deeper snow (4-5 cm) depending on tire width
- Unpredictable handling characteristics when paired with certain electronic stability control systems
Tire B Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
Pros
- Exceptional traction and handling on wet and slushy roads
- High tread life and durability over long distances
- Excellent dry road comfort and low noise levels
Cons
- Abrupt loss of grip when reaching the limit on hard-packed snow
- Higher price point compared to some competitors
- Performance can feel less predictable than dedicated Nordic winter tires in extreme ice/snow conditions
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental IceContact 3 | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | — | 71 |
| Rim diameters | — | 17″ – 23″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Continental IceContact 3
77
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV — better noise, treadwear and wet. Pick the Continental IceContact 3 if comfort matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 88 vs 70 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 70 vs 59 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental IceContact 3 scores 83 vs 73 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 81 vs 71 on wet.
Tire A · Continental IceContact 3
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
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How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.