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Head-to-head Updated

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — 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 6 + 27 road tests and 15 + 6,614 owner reviews. How we score

Different seasons: Pilot Alpin 5 SUV and Pilot Sport 4 S are each scored against tires of their own season.

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Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
Tire AMichelin

Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

Winter

± 5

Tests 84 · 6 tests Owners 78 · 15 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Tire BMichelin

Pilot Sport 4 S

Summer

± 4

Tests 82 · 27 tests Owners 86 · 6,614 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)

“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”

Category by category

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

  1. 78

    Dry

    Pilot Sport 4 S +15
    93
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 25 tests7694
    Reviews found online8192

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 76 + 40% × 80.5 = 78

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 94.3 + 40% × 92.1 = 93

  2. 82

    Wet

    Pilot Sport 4 S +6
    88
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 26 tests8286
    Reviews found online8291

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 81.8 + 40% × 82.2 = 82

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 86.4 + 40% × 90.7 = 88

  3. 83

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / – tests88–
    Reviews found online75–

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 88.5 + 40% × 75 = 83

  4. 75

    Comfort

    Pilot Sport 4 S +4
    79
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 71 (est.)70
    Reviews found online7784

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 40% × 70.6 (est.) + 60% × 77.2 = 75

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 40% × 70.4 + 60% × 84.2 = 79

    No road tests of comfort for Pilot Alpin 5 SUV. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 86

    Noise

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV +17
    69
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 20 tests9870
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 98.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 86

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 69

    No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Alpin 5 SUV or Pilot Sport 4 S. 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. 72

    Treadwear

    Level
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 69 (est.)70
    Reviews found online7574

    Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: 60% × 69.3 (est.) + 40% × 75.2 = 72

    Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74.1 = 72

    No road tests of treadwear for Pilot Alpin 5 SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 79

    Handling (owners)

    Pilot Sport 4 S +11
    90
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 S
    Reviews found online7990
  8. 63

    Efficiency

    Pilot Sport 4 S +9
    72
    Why this score
    SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 23 tests6372
Scores at a glance
CategoryMichelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUVMichelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Relative Score 79 85
Dry 78 93
Wet 82 88
Snow 83 –
Comfort 75 79
Noise 86 69
Treadwear 72 72
Handling (owners) 79 90
Efficiency 63 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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

± 4

Pilot Sport 4 S

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.

DisciplineCategoryPilot Alpin 5 SUVPilot Sport 4 SΔHead-to-head
Dry Dry 97% #3/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 94% #3/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Dry Braking Dry 100% #2/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 94% #8/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #5/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test 100% #2/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Curved Aquaplaning Wet 92% #7/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 96% #4/7 · 2025 Autobild Sportcars Summer Tire Test R20 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 87% #7/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 100% #1/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Wet 93% #6/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 88% #5/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 93% #4/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 90% #7/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Circle Wet 96% #7/7 · 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tyre Test 87% #7/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 100% #1/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 90% #6/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Exterior Noise Noise 99% #3/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 99% #2/7 · 2025 Autobild Sportcars Summer Tire Test R20 – Different tests
Noise Noise 100% #1/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test 98% #4/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 96% #3/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 98% #2/8 · 2026 Autobild Sports Cars Summer Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 45% #7/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 46% #11/11 · 2023 Sport Auto UHP Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #1/10 2025 Auto Motor und Sport Winter Tire Test R18 #1/10 2026 ACE Summer Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and handling on wet and slushy roads
  • High tread life and durability over long distances
  • Excellent dry road comfort and low noise levels

Cons

  • Abrupt loss of grip when reaching the limit on hard-packed snow
  • Higher price point compared to some competitors
  • Performance can feel less predictable than dedicated Nordic winter tires in extreme ice/snow conditions
All owner themes in the Pilot Alpin 5 SUV review

Tire B Pilot Sport 4 S

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and predictable handling in both dry and wet conditions
  • Noticeable reduction in road noise and improved ride comfort compared to competitors and run-flats
  • Sharper steering response and improved cornering stability

Cons

  • High initial purchase price
  • Rapid tread wear reported by some aggressive drivers and track users
  • Soft sidewalls can cause a slightly vague or laggy initial response during rapid steering transitions
All owner themes in the Pilot Sport 4 S review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Positive

The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S as a benchmark max-performance summer tire, praising its outstanding dry and wet grip, stability, and daily driving refinement. Common criticisms focus on its premium price, rapid tread wear on high-powered heavy vehicles or hot track sessions, and significantly reduced grip in cold weather. Many enthusiasts consider it an ideal street tire, though some note softer sidewalls compared to predecessors or recommend dedicated track tires for hard circuit driving.

jaguarforums.com

“I had a similar experience with Discount Tire and brand new Michelin PS4S's. I clipped a large lane marker (not a dot, a turtle) with both driver's side tires and pinch-flatted them both. I had driven them less than 10 miles so Discount Tire replaced them for only $50 without me even asking for a discount. I had purchased them for about $450 each and didn't buy a road hazard warranty, so I was very pleased with Discount Tire.”
vwvortex.com ·2025-09-26

“My 2023 20th AE Golf R came with Hankook tires , and I've been very pleased with them. I'm a fairly aggressive driver and frequent the twisty roads in the Santa Monica Mountains. I also have a mildly modded Mk VI Golf R shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4s tires on factory 18" rims, and the Hankooks seem to perform almost as well in the dry, but outshine the PS4s in the wet. I will most likely need new tires next year, but I am undecided between the Hankooks and the Michelin PS4AS tires . As for Continental tires ... I use Continental tubular tires on my road bicycle, but have experienced many problems, including massive chunking with them on my 1974 BMW 2002Tii and my 1979 Scirocco Gti , so I am not going to use them on my cars again.”
bobistheoilguy.com ·2024-01-21

“My 2020 Kia Forte GT came with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires. Those were not going to work in the PNW as a daily driver tire. I went right to Costco and bought some Michelin Pilot All season tires, the ones that compete with the Continental DWS at the time. I listed the take offs on Craigslist for $400 and sold them that day.”
Top themes
#Wet and dry grip#Track day durability#High price vs alternatives#Tread life and wear#Cold weather performance#Sidewall stiffness and comfort

Based on 208 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
CategoryWinterSummer
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available71110
Rim diameters17″ – 23″17″ – 22″
Sizes in common1212

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S

Built for different seasons: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is a winter tire, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S a summer tire. Each score is measured against tires of its own season, so the two are not ranked against each other — pick by the season you drive in.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Check price on Amazon

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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