Tests 81 · 27 tests Owners 81 · 31 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (dry handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 870 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 27 + 18 road tests and 31 + 30 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 87–81
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Tests 90 · 18 tests Owners 82 · 30 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 13 tests that measured wet braking for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 4 and Pilot Alpin 5 won 9 (average 94% vs 95% of the best).
- In 13 tests that measured snow braking for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 1 and Pilot Alpin 5 won 11 (average 96% vs 99% of the best).
- In 12 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 4 and Pilot Alpin 5 won 6 (average 96% vs 96% of the best).
- In 11 tests that measured dry braking for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 0 and Pilot Alpin 5 won 11 (average 97% vs 100% of the best).
- In 11 tests that measured snow traction for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 1 and Pilot Alpin 5 won 10 (average 95% vs 99% of the best).
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81
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +788Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / 14 tests 82 91 Reviews found online 79 84 Dry Braking (% of best) · 11 shared tests · wins 0–11 97% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) · 10 shared tests · wins 3–6 99% 100% Dry Lane Change (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 100% 99% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 82.4 + 40% × 79 = 81
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 91.1 + 40% × 83.7 = 88
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90
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +191Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 27 / 18 tests 93 94 Reviews found online 86 86 Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 87% 77% Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 12 shared tests · wins 4–6 96% 96% Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 100% 100% Wet Braking (% of best) · 13 shared tests · wins 4–9 94% 95% Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 96% 99% Wet Circle (% of best) · 5 shared tests · wins 3–1 96% 94% Wet Handling (% of best) · 10 shared tests · wins 3–6 98% 98% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 92.8 + 40% × 86.2 = 90
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.5 + 40% × 86.4 = 91
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78
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +987Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / 17 tests 79 94 Reviews found online 76 78 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 84% 93% Snow Braking (% of best) · 13 shared tests · wins 1–11 96% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) · 10 shared tests · wins 1–9 98% 99% Snow Slalom (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–2 93% 94% Snow Traction (% of best) · 11 shared tests · wins 1–10 95% 99% Ice Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 50% 50% Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 50% 50% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 78.7 + 40% × 76.2 = 78
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 77.7 = 87
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82
Comfort
WinterContact TS 870 P +478Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 3 tests 84 80 Reviews found online 81 77 Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–1 89% 87% WinterContact TS 870 P: 40% × 83.9 + 60% × 81.1 = 82
Pilot Alpin 5: 40% × 79.5 + 60% × 76.8 = 78
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74
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +1185Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 14 tests 78 97 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 11 shared tests · wins 1–9 99% 100% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 78.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 74
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 96.5 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 85
No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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74
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +1084Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 5 tests 71 84 Reviews found online 80 82 Abrasion (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 82% 100% Wear (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 80% 91% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 70.6 + 40% × 79.9 = 74
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 84.4 + 40% × 82.3 = 84
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83
Handling (owners)
Pilot Alpin 5 +285Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Pilot Alpin 5 Reviews found online 83 85 -
86
Efficiency
WinterContact TS 870 P +1274Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 21 / 14 tests 86 74 Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 97% 95% Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 10 shared tests · wins 9–1 97% 92%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 870 P | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 87 |
| Dry | 81 | 88 |
| Wet | 90 | 91 |
| Snow | 78 | 87 |
| Comfort | 82 | 78 |
| Noise | 74 | 85 |
| Treadwear | 74 | 84 |
| Handling (owners) | 83 | 85 |
| Efficiency | 86 | 74 |
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
81
/ 100
WinterContact TS 870 P
87
/ 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 14 tests that ran both, Continental WinterContact TS 870 P finished ahead 2 times and Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 12 times.
| Discipline | Category | WinterContact TS 870 P | Pilot Alpin 5 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% | 100% | −2.8 | 0–11 in 11 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% | 100% | −0.2 | 3–6 in 10 shared tests Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Dry Lane Change | Dry | 100% | 99% | +1.3 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 87% | 77% | +10.1 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 96% | 96% | −0.3 | 4–6 in 12 shared tests Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 94% | 95% | −0.7 | 4–9 in 13 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | Wet | 96% | 99% | −2.8 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 96% | 94% | +2.2 | 3–1 in 5 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% | 98% | −0.3 | 3–6 in 10 shared tests Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 100% | 100% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 84% | 93% | −9.3 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Ice Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 50% | 50% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% | 99% | −2.9 | 1–11 in 13 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% | 99% | −1.4 | 1–9 in 10 shared tests Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 50% | 50% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
| Snow Slalom | Snow | 93% | 94% | −0.9 | 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 225/45 R18 |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 95% | 99% | −3.8 | 1–10 in 11 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 89% | 87% | +2.1 | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
| Noise | Noise | 99% | 100% | −1.0 | 1–9 in 11 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Abrasion | Treadwear | 82% | 100% | −18.3 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 80% | 91% | −10.5 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 97% | 95% | +2.1 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 97% | 92% | +5.6 | 9–1 in 10 shared tests Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 58% | 53% | +4.7 | 4–0 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #11/20 | #16/20 | – | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Value | Cost | 54% | 56% | −1.6 | 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test · 225/40 R18 |
| Road Rating (tester's mark) | Other | 90% | 60% | +30.0 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #1/18 | #2/18 | – | 2–12 in 14 shared tests Newest: 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test · 235/45 R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A WinterContact TS 870 P
Pros
- Exceptionally low noise levels and high ride comfort
- Outstanding wet weather and slush performance, cutting through heavy rain effortlessly
- Balanced dry and cold-weather handling with impressive cornering stability
Cons
- Higher price point compared to some competitors
- Steering response and initial stiffness are slightly softer and less sporty than dedicated summer tires or some rivals
- Snow and ice traction can feel less exceptional or borderline inadequate for a small subset of users
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 870 P | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 121 | 81 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 23″ | 16″ – 23″ |
| Sizes in common | 43 | 43 |
Which one should you actually buy?
81
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
87
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better noise, treadwear and snow. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P if efficiency and comfort matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 86 vs 74 on efficiency.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 74 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 84 vs 74 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 87 vs 78 on snow.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
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WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Which is better in the wet, WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Neither, by our numbers: 90 vs 91 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 88 vs 81 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 87 vs 78 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 74 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, 82 vs 78 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 84 vs 74 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, WinterContact TS 870 P or Pilot Alpin 5?
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, 86 vs 74 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