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Head-to-head Updated

Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV — 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 3 + 6 road tests and 5 + 15 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is ahead, 79–70

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Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
Tire AContinental

Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

Winter

± 7

Tests 73 · 3 tests Owners 68 · 5 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test (wet braking)

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

Winter

± 5

Tests 83 · 6 tests Owners 78 · 15 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 70

    Dry

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +8
    78
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests6876
    Reviews found online7280
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–196%100%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–099%98%

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 68 + 40% × 71.9 = 70

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 76.2 + 40% × 79.9 = 78

  2. 75

    Wet

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +7
    82
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests7782
    Reviews found online7282
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–190%93%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–098%93%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1100%100%

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 76.9 + 40% × 71.6 = 75

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 81.8 + 40% × 81.8 = 82

  3. 68

    Snow

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +15
    83
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests7689
    Reviews found online5675
    Snow Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–099%95%
    Snow Handling (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–199%100%
    Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–193%100%

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 76.4 + 40% × 55.9 = 68

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 88.6 + 40% × 74.6 = 83

  4. 71

    Comfort

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +3
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online7276

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 40% × 69.4 (est.) + 60% × 72.3 = 71

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 40% × 70.2 (est.) + 60% × 76.4 = 74

    No road tests of comfort for Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for Pilot Alpin 5 SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 63

    Noise

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +21
    84
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 5 tests6195
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–196%100%

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 61.4 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 63

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 95.5 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 84

    No owner ratings of noise for Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 70

    Treadwear

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +2
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online7375

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 68.7 (est.) + 40% × 72.5 = 70

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 69.6 (est.) + 40% × 75.2 = 72

    No road tests of treadwear for Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV. 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 Pilot Alpin 5 SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 71

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +8
    79
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Reviews found online7179
  8. 81

    Efficiency

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV +18
    63
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests8163
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%89%
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUVMichelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
Relative Score 70 79
Dry 70 78
Wet 75 82
Snow 68 83
Comfort 71 74
Noise 63 84
Treadwear 70 72
Handling (owners) 71 79
Efficiency 81 63

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

± 5

Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

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.

In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV 1 times.

DisciplineCategoryWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUVΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 96% 100% −4.1 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Dry Handling Dry 99% 98% +0.3 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 90% 93% −3.0 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Wet Braking Wet 98% 93% +4.5 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Wet Handling Wet 100% 100% −0.1 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Snow Braking Snow 99% 95% +4.3 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Snow Handling Snow 99% 100% −0.7 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Snow Traction Snow 93% 100% −6.5 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Noise Noise 96% 100% −4.1 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% 89% +11.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 68% 65% +3.1 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18
Overall Ranking Overall #3/10 #2/10 – 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test · 235/55 R18

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

Pros

  • Balanced performance across dry and wet conditions
  • Secure handling and positive steering feedback on snow and ice
  • Good overall traction in cold weather environments

Cons

  • Subpar aquaplaning resistance reported by some users
  • Inconsistent grip leading to rear-wheel spin in non-dry conditions
  • Mixed snow and winter slush performance depending on severity
All owner themes in the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV review

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
All owner themes in the Pilot Alpin 5 SUV review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—71
Rim diameters—17″ – 23″

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV — better noise, snow and dry. Pick the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV if efficiency matters most to you.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 84 vs 63 on noise.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV scores 81 vs 63 on efficiency.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 83 vs 68 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 78 vs 70 on dry.

Tire A · Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
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Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Which is better in the wet, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV, 82 vs 75 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV, 78 vs 70 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV, 83 vs 68 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV, 84 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV, 74 vs 71 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 72 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV, 81 vs 63 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