Tests 89 · 18 tests Owners 79 · 30 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 18 in 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 vs Continental WinterContact TS 850 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 84–73
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Tests – · none yet Owners 75 · 57 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 42 in 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test (overall ranking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
86
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +1373Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 WinterContact TS 850 Professional tests (TWG score) 89 – Reviews found online 80 77 -
88
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +1078Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 WinterContact TS 850 Professional tests (TWG score) 92 – Reviews found online 82 81 -
86
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +1670Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 WinterContact TS 850 Professional tests (TWG score) 93 – Reviews found online 75 70 -
77
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +473Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 WinterContact TS 850 Professional tests (TWG score) 79 – Reviews found online 74 77 -
87
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 WinterContact TS 850 Professional tests (TWG score) 100 – -
79
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +970Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 WinterContact TS 850 Professional tests (TWG score) 81 – Reviews found online 76 73 -
82
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 +478Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 WinterContact TS 850 Reviews found online 82 78
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | Continental WinterContact TS 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 84 | 73 |
| Dry | 86 | 73 |
| Wet | 88 | 78 |
| Snow | 86 | 70 |
| Comfort | 77 | 73 |
| Noise | 87 | – |
| Treadwear | 79 | 70 |
| Handling | 82 | 78 |
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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Less important
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Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
84
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
73
/ 100
WinterContact TS 850
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Pilot Alpin 5 | WinterContact TS 850 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/42 · 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test | −50.0 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A 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
Tire B WinterContact TS 850
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow and icy conditions
- Outstanding performance in wet weather with strong resistance to aquaplaning
- High levels of ride comfort and low cabin noise
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can result in a 'floating' or vague steering feel during cornering
- Performance degrades noticeably in temperatures above 10-15°C
- Reports of accelerated shoulder wear, particularly on heavier or RWD vehicles
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | B · Continental WinterContact TS 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 81 | 5 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 23″ | 14″ – 16″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
84
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
73
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 850
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better snow, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 70 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 73 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 78 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 79 vs 70 on treadwear.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Tire B · Continental WinterContact TS 850
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.