Tests – · none yet Owners 75 · 57 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 42 in 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 850 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 84–73
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Tests 89 · 18 tests Owners 79 · 30 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 18 in 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
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 +1386Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) – 89 Reviews found online 77 80 -
78
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +1088Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) – 92 Reviews found online 81 82 -
70
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +1686Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) – 93 Reviews found online 70 75 -
73
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +477Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) – 79 Reviews found online 77 74 -
–
Noise
No comparison87Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) – 100 -
70
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +979Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) – 81 Reviews found online 73 76 -
78
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 +482Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 Pilot Alpin 5 Reviews found online 78 82
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 850 | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 84 |
| Dry | 73 | 86 |
| Wet | 78 | 88 |
| Snow | 70 | 86 |
| Comfort | 73 | 77 |
| Noise | – | 87 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 79 |
| Handling | 78 | 82 |
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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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
WinterContact TS 850
84
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 | WinterContact TS 850 | Pilot Alpin 5 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/42 · 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test | 50% #2/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | +50.0 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A WinterContact TS 850
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow and icy conditions
- Outstanding performance in wet weather with strong resistance to aquaplaning
- High levels of ride comfort and low cabin noise
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can result in a 'floating' or vague steering feel during cornering
- Performance degrades noticeably in temperatures above 10-15°C
- Reports of accelerated shoulder wear, particularly on heavier or RWD vehicles
Tire B Pilot Alpin 5
Pros
- Outstanding dry and wet grip and handling, feeling similar to a UHP summer tire
- Great snow traction and stability for mountain driving and aggressive winter cornering
- Excellent steering response and high feedback compared to traditional winter tires
Cons
- Subpar performance and braking on pure ice or severe slush
- Stiffer sidewalls can lead to a firmer, sometimes bumpy ride quality and transfer road imperfections
- Fuel economy can be negatively impacted
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 5 | 81 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 16″ | 16″ – 23″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 850
84
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better snow, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 70 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 73 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 78 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 79 vs 70 on treadwear.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
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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.