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Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop Winter Sport 5 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 2 + 6 road tests and 4 + 15 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is ahead, 79–74

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Dunlop Winter Sport 5 SUV
Tire ADunlop

Winter Sport 5 SUV

Winter

± 7

Tests 70 · 2 tests Owners 79 · 4 reviews

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

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. 75

    Dry

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +3
    78
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests7276
    Reviews found online8080

    Winter Sport 5 SUV: 60% × 72.2 + 40% × 79.6 = 75

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 76.1 + 40% × 79.9 = 78

  2. 80

    Wet

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +2
    82
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests7882
    Reviews found online8282

    Winter Sport 5 SUV: 60% × 78.5 + 40% × 82.1 = 80

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 81.8 + 40% × 81.9 = 82

  3. 68

    Snow

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +15
    83
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests6489
    Reviews found online7675

    Winter Sport 5 SUV: 60% × 63.8 + 40% × 75.6 = 68

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 88.7 + 40% × 74.6 = 83

  4. 76

    Comfort

    Winter Sport 5 SUV +2
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online7977

    Winter Sport 5 SUV: 40% × 70.8 (est.) + 60% × 79.3 = 76

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 40% × 70.2 (est.) + 60% × 76.5 = 74

    No road tests of comfort for Winter Sport 5 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. 62

    Noise

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +22
    84
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 5 tests5997
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    Winter Sport 5 SUV: 60% × 59.3 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 62

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 96.5 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 84

    No owner ratings of noise for Winter Sport 5 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. 73

    Treadwear

    Winter Sport 5 SUV +1
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online7775

    Winter Sport 5 SUV: 60% × 70.2 (est.) + 40% × 76.7 = 73

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 69.7 (est.) + 40% × 75.2 = 72

    No road tests of treadwear for Winter Sport 5 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. 79

    Handling (owners)

    Level
    79
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Reviews found online7979
  8. 65

    Efficiency

    Winter Sport 5 SUV +2
    63
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUV
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 6 tests6563
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop Winter Sport 5 SUVMichelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
Relative Score 74 79
Dry 75 78
Wet 80 82
Snow 68 83
Comfort 76 74
Noise 62 84
Treadwear 73 72
Handling (owners) 79 79
Efficiency 65 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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Winter Sport 5 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.

DisciplineCategoryWinter Sport 5 SUVPilot Alpin 5 SUVΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 96% #4/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 100% #2/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #5/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 99% #5/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 100% #1/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 87% #7/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 99% #4/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 93% #4/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #4/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 92% #7/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 93% #6/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 94% #9/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 100% #1/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Noise Noise 97% #8/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 100% #1/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 90% #8/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 96% #3/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 53% #9/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 45% #7/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #4/13 2020 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 235/55 R17 #1/10 2025 Auto Motor und Sport Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Winter Sport 5 SUV

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry road handling
  • Low noise levels and high ride comfort
  • Strong tread longevity and durability

Cons

  • Reduced grip and 'spongy' handling in warmer temperatures
  • Suboptimal traction during ice braking and acceleration
  • Not suitable for year-round use due to rapid degradation in heat
All owner themes in the Winter Sport 5 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 · Dunlop Winter Sport 5 SUV B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available3171
Rim diameters16″ – 21″17″ – 23″
Sizes in common2424

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Winter Sport 5 SUV

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV — better noise, snow and dry. Where the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 SUV is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 84 vs 62 on noise.

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 75 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop Winter Sport 5 SUV
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
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Winter Sport 5 SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Which is better in the wet, Winter Sport 5 SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Neither, by our numbers: 80 vs 82 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winter Sport 5 SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV, 78 vs 75 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Winter Sport 5 SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

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

Which is quieter, Winter Sport 5 SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV, 84 vs 62 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winter Sport 5 SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 74 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Winter Sport 5 SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 72 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

Which rolls more easily, Winter Sport 5 SUV or Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 63 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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