Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 79 · 40 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Goodyear UltraGrip 9 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 3 + 23 road tests and 40 + 34 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 88–76
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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.
-
72
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +1789Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 17 tests 70 91 Reviews found online 75 86 UltraGrip 9: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 74.6 = 72
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 90.7 + 40% × 86.3 = 89
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84
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +993Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 23 tests 83 95 Reviews found online 86 89 UltraGrip 9: 60% × 83 + 40% × 85.7 = 84
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 95.4 + 40% × 88.8 = 93
-
75
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +1388Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 22 tests 73 93 Reviews found online 79 80 UltraGrip 9: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 78.7 = 75
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.4 + 40% × 79.5 = 88
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78
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +785Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 71 (est.) 94 Reviews found online 82 80 UltraGrip 9: 40% × 71.3 (est.) + 60% × 81.7 = 78
Pilot Alpin 5: 40% × 93.8 + 60% × 79.5 = 85
No road tests of comfort for UltraGrip 9. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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65
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +1984Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 17 tests 64 95 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) UltraGrip 9: 60% × 63.7 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 65
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 95.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 84
No owner ratings of noise for UltraGrip 9 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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75
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +1085Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 6 tests 73 84 Reviews found online 78 85 UltraGrip 9: 60% × 72.6 + 40% × 77.5 = 75
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 84.4 + 40% × 84.8 = 85
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81
Handling (owners)
Pilot Alpin 5 +788Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Pilot Alpin 5 Reviews found online 81 88 -
75
Efficiency
UltraGrip 9 +372Why this score
Source UltraGrip 9 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 17 tests 75 72
Scores at a glance
| Category | Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 88 |
| Dry | 72 | 89 |
| Wet | 84 | 93 |
| Snow | 75 | 88 |
| Comfort | 78 | 85 |
| Noise | 65 | 84 |
| Treadwear | 75 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 81 | 88 |
| Efficiency | 75 | 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
76
/ 100
UltraGrip 9
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.
| Discipline | Category | UltraGrip 9 | Pilot Alpin 5 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #14/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 94% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #9/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #6/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 92% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 90% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 93% #8/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 99% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 96% #14/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wear | Treadwear | 67% #4/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 91% #2/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 92% #13/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 71% #16/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 72% #9/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #2/20 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | #16/20 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Value | Cost | 71% #11/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 56% #18/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/8 2020 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R16 | #1/20 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A UltraGrip 9
Pros
- Exceptional snow and ice traction
- High level of ride comfort and low road noise
- Excellent wet and dry weather performance in cold temperatures
Cons
- Reduced performance on dry, warm asphalt (above 12°C)
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a less sporty or 'wallowy' handling feel
- Reports of premature tread wear or chunking in specific heavy-use cases
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 · Goodyear UltraGrip 9 | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 1 | 81 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ | 16″ – 23″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip 9
88
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better noise, dry and snow. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip 9 if efficiency matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 84 vs 65 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 89 vs 72 on dry.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 75 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 75 on treadwear.
Tire A · Goodyear UltraGrip 9
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
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UltraGrip 9 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Which is better in the wet, UltraGrip 9 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 93 vs 84 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, UltraGrip 9 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 89 vs 72 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, UltraGrip 9 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 88 vs 75 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, UltraGrip 9 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 84 vs 65 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, UltraGrip 9 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 78 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, UltraGrip 9 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 75 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, UltraGrip 9 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Goodyear UltraGrip 9, 75 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