Tests 67 · 4 tests Owners 59 · 8 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (price)
Head-to-head
Updated
Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 84–64
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Tests 89 · 18 tests Owners 79 · 30 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Autobild 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.
-
63
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +2386Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 66 89 Reviews found online 58 80 Dry Braking (% of best) 98% 100% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 100% -
63
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +2588Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 64 92 Reviews found online 62 82 Wet Braking (% of best) 90% 92% Wet Handling (% of best) 93% 98% -
65
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +2186Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 71 93 Reviews found online 56 75 Snow Braking (% of best) 97% 100% Snow Handling (% of best) 96% 99% -
64
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +1377Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) – 79 Reviews found online 60 74 -
67
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +2087Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 67 100 -
67
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +1279Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 81 Reviews found online 62 76 -
58
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 +2482Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Reviews found online 58 82
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Winterhawk 3 | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 84 |
| Dry | 63 | 86 |
| Wet | 63 | 88 |
| Snow | 65 | 86 |
| Comfort | 64 | 77 |
| Noise | 67 | 87 |
| Treadwear | 67 | 79 |
| Handling | 58 | 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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Recomputed
Headline score
64
/ 100
Winterhawk 3
84
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
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 | Winterhawk 3 | Pilot Alpin 5 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 98% #6/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −2.5 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/10 · 2022 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −1.5 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 80% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 94% #2/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | −13.5 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #5/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | −0.1 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 87% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 37% #9/9 · 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | +50.3 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 60% #12/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 68% #19/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | −8.6 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 72% #14/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 89% #9/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −16.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 33% #3/17 · 2013 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/60 R15 | 50% #2/11 · 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tyre Test | −16.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2022 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −2.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 96% #17/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | −3.2 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 92% #15/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 95% #5/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | −2.7 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #17/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 90% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 92% #4/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | −2.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 93% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −5.3 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winterhawk 3
Pros
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise
- Good longevity and tread wear resistance
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Inconsistent or poor grip on snow and ice
- Unreliable wet weather performance and braking
- Pronounced understeering tendencies
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 · Firestone Winterhawk 3 | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 39 | 81 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 18″ | 16″ – 23″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Firestone Winterhawk 3
84
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better wet, handling and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 63 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 82 vs 58 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 63 on dry.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 65 on snow.
Tire A · Firestone Winterhawk 3
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.