Tests 88 · 18 tests Owners 79 · 30 reviews
Best test result: #4 of 9 in 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 vs Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 84–66
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Tests – · none yet Owners 65 · 45 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 8 in 2009 Sport Auto Performance Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
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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85
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +2164Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 SP Winter Sport 3D Professional tests (TWG score) 88 – Reviews found online 80 61 -
88
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +1672Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 SP Winter Sport 3D Professional tests (TWG score) 92 – Reviews found online 83 73 -
85
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +1867Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 SP Winter Sport 3D Professional tests (TWG score) 92 – Reviews found online 75 66 -
77
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +1166Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 SP Winter Sport 3D Professional tests (TWG score) 79 – Reviews found online 74 63 -
87
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +2463Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 SP Winter Sport 3D Professional tests (TWG score) 100 – Reviews found online – 59 -
79
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +1663Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 SP Winter Sport 3D Professional tests (TWG score) 81 – Reviews found online 76 61 -
82
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 +1567Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 SP Winter Sport 3D Reviews found online 82 67
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 84 | 66 |
| Dry | 85 | 64 |
| Wet | 88 | 72 |
| Snow | 85 | 67 |
| Comfort | 77 | 66 |
| Noise | 87 | 63 |
| Treadwear | 79 | 63 |
| Handling | 82 | 67 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
84
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
66
/ 100
SP Winter Sport 3D
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 | SP Winter Sport 3D | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 25% #4/9 · 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | 33% #3/8 · 2009 Sport Auto Performance Winter Tyre Test | −8.3 | 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 SP Winter Sport 3D
Pros
- Outstanding grip and traction in deep and packed snow
- Confident handling and braking performance on cold, wet roads
- Great dry-road handling and steering response during winter temperatures
Cons
- High and sometimes unbearable road noise as the tires age
- Degradation of grip and hardening of rubber compound over multiple seasons
- Faster or below-average tread life reported by some drivers
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | B · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 81 | 21 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 23″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
84
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
66
/ 100
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better noise, dry and snow. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 87 vs 63 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 64 on dry.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 67 on snow.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 72 on wet.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Tire B · Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
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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.