Tests 76 · 9 tests Owners 72 · 20 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test (wet handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — 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 9 + 23 road tests and 20 + 34 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 88–74
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Tests 91 · 23 tests Owners 85 · 34 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 31 in 2025 ADAC 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.
Key facts
- In 3 tests that measured wet braking for both, WinterContact TS 850 P won 2 and Pilot Alpin 5 won 1 (average 96% vs 96% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured snow braking for both, WinterContact TS 850 P won 0 and Pilot Alpin 5 won 3 (average 96% vs 99% of the best).
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71
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +1889Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 17 tests 71 91 Reviews found online 71 86 Dry Braking (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 92% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 99% 100% WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 71.3 + 40% × 70.7 = 71
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 90.7 + 40% × 86.3 = 89
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84
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +993Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 23 tests 88 95 Reviews found online 77 89 Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 96% 97% Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–1 96% 96% Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–1 99% 99% WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 88.1 + 40% × 77.2 = 84
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 95.4 + 40% × 88.8 = 93
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73
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +1588Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 22 tests 76 93 Reviews found online 68 80 Snow Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 0–3 96% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 97% 99% Snow Traction (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 93% 94% WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 76.4 + 40% × 68.1 = 73
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.4 + 40% × 79.6 = 88
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70
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +1585Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests 72 94 Reviews found online 68 80 WinterContact TS 850 P: 40% × 72.1 + 60% × 68.4 = 70
Pilot Alpin 5: 40% × 93.8 + 60% × 79.5 = 85
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67
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +1784Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 17 tests 67 95 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 98% 99% WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 67
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 95.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 84
No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5. 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.
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72
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +1385Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests 72 84 Reviews found online 71 85 Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 91% 100% WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 72.2 + 40% × 71.4 = 72
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 84.4 + 40% × 84.8 = 85
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74
Handling (owners)
Pilot Alpin 5 +1488Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin 5 Reviews found online 74 88 -
80
Efficiency
WinterContact TS 850 P +872Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 17 tests 80 72 Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 87% 91%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 850 P | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 88 |
| Dry | 71 | 89 |
| Wet | 84 | 93 |
| Snow | 73 | 88 |
| Comfort | 70 | 85 |
| Noise | 67 | 84 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 74 | 88 |
| Efficiency | 80 | 72 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
74
/ 100
WinterContact TS 850 P
88
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
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 6 tests that ran both, Continental WinterContact TS 850 P finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 6 times.
| Discipline | Category | WinterContact TS 850 P | Pilot Alpin 5 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% | 100% | −8.1 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% | 100% | −1.1 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 96% | 97% | −1.3 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 96% | 96% | −0.1 | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% | 99% | −0.1 | 0–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 90% #5/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 100% #1/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% | 99% | −3.0 | 0–3 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% | 99% | −1.3 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 50% #2/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 93% | 94% | −0.6 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 90% #3/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 96% #6/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 98% | 99% | −1.5 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 91% | 100% | −9.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R18 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 87% | 91% | −4.0 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 61% | 61% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test · 245/40 R18 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #17/20 | #15/20 | – | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R18 |
| Value | Cost | 71% | 68% | +2.3 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test · 245/45 R18 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #7/10 | #2/10 | – | 0–6 in 6 shared tests Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test R18 · 245/40R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A WinterContact TS 850 P
Pros
- Exceptional grip and stability in wet and dry conditions
- Low noise levels and high ride comfort
- Predictable handling and good feedback on cold, ungritted roads
Cons
- Faster than expected tread wear reported by some users
- High initial purchase price
- Mixed performance on ice and slush for certain drivers
Tire B Pilot Alpin 5
Pros
- Outstanding dry and wet grip for a winter tire, offering summer-tire-like handling characteristics
- Excellent traction, stability, and handling in snow and alpine conditions
- Crisp steering response, high precision, and great road feedback
Cons
- Subpar performance on pure ice and certain slush conditions
- Stiffer sidewalls can translate to a bumpy ride that transmits minor road imperfections
- Potential for increased cabin noise or humming at highway speeds
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 122 | 81 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | 16″ – 23″ |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 41 | 41 |
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
88
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better dry, noise and snow. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P if efficiency matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 89 vs 71 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 84 vs 67 on noise.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 73 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 70 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet braking
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P won 2 of 3 shared wet braking tests.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
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WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Which is better in the wet, WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 93 vs 84 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 89 vs 71 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 88 vs 73 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 84 vs 67 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 70 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 72 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, WinterContact TS 850 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 80 vs 72 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