tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Alpin 5 vs Michelin Alpin A4 — 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 + 1 road tests and 33 + 55 owner reviews. How we score

Alpin A4 leads, 80–77 Narrow edge

Check price on Amazon · Alpin A4 or Alpin 5 on Amazon
Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Michelin Alpin 5
Tire AMichelin

Alpin 5

Winter

± 6

Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 81 · 33 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (wear)

Michelin Alpin A4
Tire BMichelin

Alpin A4

Winter

± 7

Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 88 · 55 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (wet braking)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 73

    Dry

    Alpin A4 +7
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin 5Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests7075
    Reviews found online7787

    Alpin 5: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 76.5 = 73

    Alpin A4: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.6 = 80

  2. 82

    Wet

    Level
    82
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin 5Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests8075
    Reviews found online8793

    Alpin 5: 60% × 79.5 + 40% × 86.7 = 82

    Alpin A4: 60% × 75.3 + 40% × 93.2 = 82

  3. 73

    Snow

    Alpin A4 +1
    74
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin 5Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests6969
    Reviews found online7982

    Alpin 5: 60% × 68.7 + 40% × 78.6 = 73

    Alpin A4: 60% × 69 + 40% × 81.9 = 74

  4. 75

    Comfort

    Alpin A4 +6
    81
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin 5Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online7988

    Alpin 5: 40% × 70.7 (est.) + 60% × 78.6 = 75

    Alpin A4: 40% × 72.5 (est.) + 60% × 87.5 = 81

    No road tests of comfort for Alpin 5. 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 Alpin A4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 62

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin 5Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / – tests60–
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)–

    Alpin 5: 60% × 59.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 62

    No owner ratings of noise for 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.

  6. 83

    Treadwear

    Alpin 5 +3
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin 5Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / – tests83≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online8389

    Alpin 5: 60% × 83.2 + 40% × 83.1 = 83

    Alpin A4: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80

    No road tests of treadwear for Alpin A4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 77

    Handling (owners)

    Alpin A4 +14
    91
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin 5Alpin A4
    Reviews found online7791
  8. 59

    Efficiency

    Alpin A4 +5
    64
    Why this score
    SourceAlpin 5Alpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests5964
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Alpin 5Michelin Alpin A4
Relative Score 77 80
Dry 73 80
Wet 82 82
Snow 73 74
Comfort 75 81
Noise 62 –
Treadwear 83 80
Handling (owners) 77 91
Efficiency 59 64

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

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 6

Alpin 5

± 7

Alpin A4

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryAlpin 5Alpin A4ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 96% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 98% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 95% #4/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 96% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 92% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 98% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 99% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 95% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 98% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 76% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test 88% #8/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/11 2019 Auto Zeitung Winter Tire Test R17 #6/16 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Alpin 5

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow and winter conditions
  • Outstanding wet-weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
  • High ride comfort and remarkably low noise levels for a winter tire

Cons

  • Soft rubber compound struggles in warm temperatures (above 20°C–25°C), causing cornering smear
  • Soft sidewalls reduce precision during aggressive dry handling
  • Potential increase in noise and hardening of the rubber compound after 3 years of use
All owner themes in the Alpin 5 review

Tire B Alpin A4

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice
  • High level of confidence and stability in wet, cold conditions
  • Impressive tread life and durability over multiple seasons

Cons

  • Reduced steering feedback and 'numb' handling feel
  • Performance decline in dry conditions when temperatures exceed 10°C
  • Occasional reports of increased rolling resistance
All owner themes in the Alpin A4 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Alpin 5 B · Michelin Alpin A4
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available179
Rim diameters15″ – 20″14″ – 17″
Sizes in common00

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Alpin 5

Michelin Alpin A4

Narrow edge: Michelin Alpin A4 — better handling, dry and comfort. Pick the Michelin Alpin 5 if treadwear matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 91 vs 77 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 80 vs 73 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 81 vs 75 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want lower fuel or energy use

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 64 vs 59 on efficiency.

Tire A · Michelin Alpin 5
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Alpin A4
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Alpin 5 or Alpin A4?

Which is better in the wet, Alpin 5 or Alpin A4?

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

Which grips better on dry roads, Alpin 5 or Alpin A4?

Michelin Alpin A4, 80 vs 73 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Alpin 5 or Alpin A4?

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 74 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Alpin 5 or Alpin A4?

Michelin Alpin A4, 81 vs 75 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Alpin 5 or Alpin A4?

Michelin Alpin 5, 83 vs 80 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Alpin 5 or Alpin A4?

Michelin Alpin A4, 64 vs 59 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