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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin CrossClimate 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 2 + 18 road tests and 152 + 30 owner reviews. How we score

Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 87–74

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Michelin CrossClimate
Tire AMichelin

CrossClimate

All Season

± 6

Tests 75 · 2 tests Owners 74 · 152 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 14 in 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test (noise)

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Alpin 5

Winter

± 4

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.

  1. 76

    Dry

    Pilot Alpin 5 +12
    88
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 14 tests7891
    Reviews found online7484

    CrossClimate: 60% × 77.8 + 40% × 73.9 = 76

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 91.1 + 40% × 83.7 = 88

  2. 76

    Wet

    Pilot Alpin 5 +15
    91
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 18 tests7594
    Reviews found online7886

    CrossClimate: 60% × 75.5 + 40% × 78 = 76

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.5 + 40% × 86.4 = 91

  3. 69

    Snow

    Pilot Alpin 5 +18
    87
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 17 tests7194
    Reviews found online6678

    CrossClimate: 60% × 70.9 + 40% × 65.6 = 69

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.7 + 40% × 77.7 = 87

  4. 74

    Comfort

    Pilot Alpin 5 +4
    78
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 70 (est.)80
    Reviews found online7677

    CrossClimate: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 76.3 = 74

    Pilot Alpin 5: 40% × 79.5 + 60% × 76.8 = 78

    No road tests of comfort for CrossClimate. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 69

    Noise

    Pilot Alpin 5 +16
    85
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 14 tests7197
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    CrossClimate: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 96.5 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 85

    No owner ratings of noise for CrossClimate 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.

  6. 74

    Treadwear

    Pilot Alpin 5 +10
    84
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests7484
    Reviews found online7582

    CrossClimate: 60% × 73.8 + 40% × 74.8 = 74

    Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 84.4 + 40% × 82.3 = 84

  7. 73

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Alpin 5 +12
    85
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5
    Reviews found online7385
  8. 76

    Efficiency

    CrossClimate +2
    74
    Why this score
    SourceCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 14 tests7674
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin CrossClimateMichelin Pilot Alpin 5
Relative Score 74 87
Dry 76 88
Wet 76 91
Snow 69 87
Comfort 74 78
Noise 69 85
Treadwear 74 84
Handling (owners) 73 85
Efficiency 76 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
± 6

CrossClimate

± 4

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.

DisciplineCategoryCrossClimatePilot Alpin 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 99% #2/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 100% #1/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 90% #7/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 100% #2/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 94% #4/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 87% #9/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 98% #2/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 96% #4/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 99% #3/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 91% #5/8 · 2017 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 98% #3/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 99% #2/8 · 2017 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 100% #2/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 100% #1/14 · 2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test 98% #6/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wear Treadwear 91% #4/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test 83% #4/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/8 · 2017 Auto Bild All Season Tyre Test 89% #10/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #4/10 2017 All Season Tyre Test #16/20 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Value Cost 65% #8/10 · 2017 All Season Tyre Test 55% #19/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #9/9 2018 ADAC All Season Tyre Test #2/18 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A CrossClimate

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability
  • Strong wet-weather grip and hydroplaning resistance
  • Reliable traction in light snow and cold conditions

Cons

  • Tendency to pick up and retain small stones in the tread pattern
  • Noticeable drop in performance as tread depth decreases
  • Potential for reduced fuel economy compared to dedicated summer tires
All owner themes in the CrossClimate review

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
All owner themes in the Pilot Alpin 5 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin CrossClimate B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
CategoryAll SeasonWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—81
Rim diameters—16″ – 23″

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin CrossClimate

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5

Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better snow, noise and wet. Where the Michelin CrossClimate is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 87 vs 69 on snow.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 69 on noise.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 91 vs 76 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 76 on dry.

Tire A · Michelin CrossClimate
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Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
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CrossClimate or Pilot Alpin 5?

Which is better in the wet, CrossClimate or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 91 vs 76 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, CrossClimate or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 88 vs 76 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, CrossClimate or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 87 vs 69 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, CrossClimate or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 69 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, CrossClimate or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 78 vs 74 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, CrossClimate or Pilot Alpin 5?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 84 vs 74 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, CrossClimate or Pilot Alpin 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 74 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