Tests 71 · 3 tests Owners 89 · 28 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2017 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test (snow handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 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 28 + 34 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 88–79
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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.
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77
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +1289Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 17 tests 67 91 Reviews found online 92 86 Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 91.5 = 77
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 90.7 + 40% × 86.3 = 89
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84
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +993Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 23 tests 78 95 Reviews found online 93 89 Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 78.2 + 40% × 93.2 = 84
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 95.4 + 40% × 88.7 = 93
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76
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +1288Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 22 tests 72 93 Reviews found online 83 80 Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 72.3 + 40% × 82.7 = 76
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 93.3 + 40% × 79.5 = 88
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81
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +485Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 72 (est.) 94 Reviews found online 88 79 Pilot Alpin 4: 40% × 72.5 (est.) + 60% × 87.5 = 81
Pilot Alpin 5: 40% × 93.8 + 60% × 79.4 = 85
No road tests of comfort for Pilot Alpin 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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61
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +2283Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 17 tests 57 94 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 56.7 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 61
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 94.2 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 83
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Alpin 4 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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80
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +585Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests ≈ 75 (est.) 84 Reviews found online 89 85 Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 74.5 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80
Pilot Alpin 5: 60% × 84.4 + 40% × 84.8 = 85
No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Alpin 4. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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91
Handling (owners)
Pilot Alpin 4 +388Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Pilot Alpin 5 Reviews found online 91 88 -
66
Efficiency
Pilot Alpin 5 +672Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 17 tests 66 72
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 88 |
| Dry | 77 | 89 |
| Wet | 84 | 93 |
| Snow | 76 | 88 |
| Comfort | 81 | 85 |
| Noise | 61 | 83 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 91 | 88 |
| Efficiency | 66 | 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 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
79
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 4
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 | Pilot Alpin 4 | Pilot Alpin 5 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #3/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 93% #8/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 97% #9/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #2/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 92% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 96% #9/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 100% #3/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 94% #9/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/20 · 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 86% #8/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance 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 | 54% #11/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 72% #9/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/11 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | #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 Pilot Alpin 4
Pros
- Exceptional grip and handling in snow and ice
- Sporty, responsive handling on dry and wet pavement
- High level of comfort and low road noise for a winter tire
Cons
- Higher price point compared to some competitors
- Above-average noise level reported by a few users due to the aggressive tread pattern
- Slight initial tread squirm when brand new before settling in
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 · Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 81 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 23″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4
88
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better noise, dry and snow. Where the Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 83 vs 61 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 89 vs 77 on dry.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 76 on snow.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 93 vs 84 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 4
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
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Pilot Alpin 4 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Alpin 4 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 93 vs 84 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Alpin 4 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 89 vs 77 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Pilot Alpin 4 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 88 vs 76 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Pilot Alpin 4 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 83 vs 61 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Alpin 4 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 81 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Alpin 4 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 85 vs 80 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Pilot Alpin 4 or Pilot Alpin 5?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5, 72 vs 66 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