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Head-to-head Updated

Continental VikingContact 7 vs Michelin Alpin A4 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 8 + 1 road tests and 33 + 55 owner reviews. How we score

Alpin A4 is ahead, 80–68

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Continental VikingContact 7
Tire AContinental

VikingContact 7

Winter

± 5

Tests 75 · 8 tests Owners 62 · 33 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)

Michelin Alpin A4
Tire BMichelin

Alpin A4

Winter

± 7

Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 88 · 55 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (wet braking)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 66

    Dry

    Alpin A4 +14
    80
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 1 tests7775
    Reviews found online5187

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 76.6 + 40% × 50.7 = 66

    Alpin A4: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.6 = 80

  2. 67

    Wet

    Alpin A4 +15
    82
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 1 tests6975
    Reviews found online6693

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 68.7 + 40% × 65.6 = 67

    Alpin A4: 60% × 75.3 + 40% × 93.2 = 82

  3. 76

    Snow

    VikingContact 7 +2
    74
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 1 tests7969
    Reviews found online7282

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 79 + 40% × 72.2 = 76

    Alpin A4: 60% × 69 + 40% × 81.9 = 74

  4. 70

    Comfort

    Alpin A4 +11
    81
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests70≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online7188

    VikingContact 7: 40% × 70.1 + 60% × 70.5 = 70

    Alpin A4: 40% × 72.5 (est.) + 60% × 87.5 = 81

    No road tests of comfort for Alpin A4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 79

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests87–
    Reviews found online68–

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 87 + 40% × 68.1 = 79

  6. 60

    Treadwear

    Alpin A4 +20
    80
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online5689

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 62.7 (est.) + 40% × 55.8 = 60

    Alpin A4: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80

    No road tests of treadwear for VikingContact 7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for Alpin A4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 64

    Handling (owners)

    Alpin A4 +27
    91
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7Alpin A4
    Reviews found online6491
  8. 77

    Efficiency

    VikingContact 7 +13
    64
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 1 tests7764
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental VikingContact 7Michelin Alpin A4
Relative Score 68 80
Dry 66 80
Wet 67 82
Snow 76 74
Comfort 70 81
Noise 79 –
Treadwear 60 80
Handling (owners) 64 91
Efficiency 77 64

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

VikingContact 7

± 7

Alpin A4

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryVikingContact 7Alpin A4ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 98% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 80% #2/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 96% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 80% #2/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 80% #3/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 99% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 85% #7/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Ice Handling Snow 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 86% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Ice Traction Snow 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 89% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 98% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 95% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 88% #8/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/15 2025 Teknikens Värld Winter Tire Test R17 #6/16 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A VikingContact 7

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Strong performance in slush and deep snow
  • Stable and predictable handling at highway speeds

Cons

  • Mixed reports regarding tread life and longevity
  • Noticeable decline in ice-braking performance compared to top-tier ice specialists
  • Compound may harden or performance may degrade after multiple seasons
All owner themes in the VikingContact 7 review

Tire B Alpin A4

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice
  • High level of confidence and stability in wet, cold conditions
  • Impressive tread life and durability over multiple seasons

Cons

  • Reduced steering feedback and 'numb' handling feel
  • Performance decline in dry conditions when temperatures exceed 10°C
  • Occasional reports of increased rolling resistance
All owner themes in the Alpin A4 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental VikingContact 7 B · Michelin Alpin A4
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1349
Rim diameters14″ – 22″14″ – 17″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure44 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common55

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental VikingContact 7

Michelin Alpin A4

Winner: Michelin Alpin A4 — better handling, treadwear and wet. Pick the Continental VikingContact 7 if efficiency matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 91 vs 64 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 80 vs 60 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 82 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 80 vs 66 on dry.

Tire A · Continental VikingContact 7
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Tire B · Michelin Alpin A4
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VikingContact 7 or Alpin A4?

Which is better in the wet, VikingContact 7 or Alpin A4?

Michelin Alpin A4, 82 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, VikingContact 7 or Alpin A4?

Michelin Alpin A4, 80 vs 66 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, VikingContact 7 or Alpin A4?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 74 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, VikingContact 7 or Alpin A4?

Michelin Alpin A4, 81 vs 70 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, VikingContact 7 or Alpin A4?

Michelin Alpin A4, 80 vs 60 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, VikingContact 7 or Alpin A4?

Continental VikingContact 7, 77 vs 64 on our efficiency score.

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.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology