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 Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP — 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 + 2 road tests and 28 + 14 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Alpin 4 is ahead, 79–71
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Tests 69 · 2 tests Owners 73 · 14 reviews
Best test result: #5 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded 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 4 +275Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests 67 73 Reviews found online 92 77 Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 91.6 = 77
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 73 + 40% × 77 = 75
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84
Wet
Pilot Alpin 4 +975Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 2 tests 78 71 Reviews found online 93 81 Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 78.2 + 40% × 93.3 = 84
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 80.8 = 75
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77
Snow
Pilot Alpin 4 +1166Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 2 tests 72 60 Reviews found online 83 75 Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 72.3 + 40% × 82.8 = 77
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 59.5 + 40% × 74.8 = 66
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82
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 4 +775Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 73 (est.) 76 Reviews found online 88 74 Pilot Alpin 4: 40% × 72.6 (est.) + 60% × 87.6 = 82
Observe GSi-6 HP: 40% × 76.5 + 60% × 73.9 = 75
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
Observe GSi-6 HP +869Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 1 tests 57 72 Reviews found online ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 56.7 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 61
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 71.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 69
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP. 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 4 +1862Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 75 (est.) ≈ 64 (est.) Reviews found online 89 59 Pilot Alpin 4: 60% × 74.6 (est.) + 40% × 89 = 80
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 63.7 (est.) + 40% × 58.5 = 62
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).
No road tests of treadwear for Observe GSi-6 HP. 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 +1675Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Observe GSi-6 HP Reviews found online 91 75 -
66
Efficiency
Level66Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 4 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 1 tests 66 66
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 | Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 71 |
| Dry | 77 | 75 |
| Wet | 84 | 75 |
| Snow | 77 | 66 |
| Comfort | 82 | 75 |
| Noise | 61 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 80 | 62 |
| Handling (owners) | 91 | 75 |
| Efficiency | 66 | 66 |
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
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Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Less important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Not important
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Recomputed
Headline score
79
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 4
71
/ 100
Observe GSi-6 HP
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 | Observe GSi-6 HP | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 93% #8/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 83% #9/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #2/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 81% #7/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 97% #8/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #8/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 96% #9/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 98% #12/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/11 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | #12/20 2025 Studded, Friction and European 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 Observe GSi-6 HP
Pros
- Exceptional traction and stability in snow and slush
- Impressive wet-weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
- Remarkably quiet ride quality for a winter tire
Cons
- Inconsistent tread life reports, with some users experiencing premature wear
- Occasional reports of structural failure or tread separation
- Slightly vague steering feel at lower speeds
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 | B · Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Sizes available | — | 39 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 11 - 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4
71
/ 100
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 — better treadwear, handling and snow. Pick the Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 scores 80 vs 62 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 scores 91 vs 75 on handling.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 scores 77 vs 66 on snow.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 scores 84 vs 75 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 4
Tire B · Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP
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Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Which is better in the wet, Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4, 84 vs 75 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 75 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4, 77 vs 66 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP, 69 vs 61 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4, 82 vs 75 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Michelin Pilot Alpin 4, 80 vs 62 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, Pilot Alpin 4 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Neither, by our numbers: 66 vs 66 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