Tests 75 · 8 tests Owners 62 · 33 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental VikingContact 7 vs Michelin Alpin — 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 + 0 road tests and 33 + 10 owner reviews. How we score
Alpin is ahead, 78–68
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
66
Dry
Alpin +1076Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 Alpin Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / – tests 77 ≈ 73 (est.) Reviews found online 51 81 VikingContact 7: 60% × 76.6 + 40% × 50.8 = 66
Alpin: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 80.6 = 76
No road tests of dry for Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
-
67
Wet
Alpin +1683Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 Alpin Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / – tests 69 ≈ 80 (est.) Reviews found online 66 88 VikingContact 7: 60% × 68.7 + 40% × 65.7 = 67
Alpin: 60% × 80 (est.) + 40% × 87.6 = 83
No road tests of wet for Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
76
Snow
VikingContact 7 +175Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 Alpin Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / – tests 79 ≈ 73 (est.) Reviews found online 72 78 VikingContact 7: 60% × 79 + 40% × 72.3 = 76
Alpin: 60% × 72.8 (est.) + 40% × 77.7 = 75
No road tests of snow for Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
-
70
Comfort
Alpin +777Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 Alpin Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 70 ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 71 81 VikingContact 7: 40% × 70 + 60% × 70.6 = 70
Alpin: 40% × 71.2 (est.) + 60% × 80.8 = 77
No road tests of comfort for Alpin. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
79
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 Alpin Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests 87 – Reviews found online 68 – VikingContact 7: 60% × 87 + 40% × 68.2 = 79
-
60
Treadwear
Alpin +1777Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 Alpin Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) ≈ 73 (est.) Reviews found online 56 84 VikingContact 7: 60% × 62.7 (est.) + 40% × 55.8 = 60
Alpin: 60% × 72.8 (est.) + 40% × 83.9 = 77
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. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
64
Handling (owners)
Alpin +1377Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 Alpin Reviews found online 64 77 -
77
Efficiency
No comparison–Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 Alpin Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / – tests 77 –
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental VikingContact 7 | Michelin Alpin |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 78 |
| Dry | 66 | 76 |
| Wet | 67 | 83 |
| Snow | 76 | 75 |
| Comfort | 70 | 77 |
| Noise | 79 | – |
| Treadwear | 60 | 77 |
| Handling (owners) | 64 | 77 |
| Efficiency | 77 | – |
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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
68
/ 100
VikingContact 7
78
/ 100
Alpin
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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
Tire B Alpin
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in snow and ice
- Greatly improved wet weather and cold-condition performance
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality
Cons
- High initial cost when purchased new
- Can feel overly responsive or aggressive on gravel-strewn city roads
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental VikingContact 7 | B · Michelin Alpin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 134 | — |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Continental VikingContact 7
78
/ 100
Michelin Alpin
Winner: Michelin Alpin — better treadwear, wet and handling. Where the Continental VikingContact 7 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Michelin Alpin rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Alpin scores 77 vs 60 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Alpin scores 83 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Alpin scores 77 vs 64 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Alpin scores 76 vs 66 on dry.
Tire A · Continental VikingContact 7
Tire B · Michelin Alpin
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
VikingContact 7 or Alpin?
Which is better in the wet, VikingContact 7 or Alpin?
Michelin Alpin, 83 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, VikingContact 7 or Alpin?
Michelin Alpin, 76 vs 66 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, VikingContact 7 or Alpin?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 75 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, VikingContact 7 or Alpin?
Michelin Alpin, 77 vs 70 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, VikingContact 7 or Alpin?
Michelin Alpin, 77 vs 60 on our treadwear 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