Tests 89 · 18 tests Owners 79 · 30 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 vs Firestone Winterhawk 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 84–64
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Tests 67 · 4 tests Owners 59 · 8 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (price)
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 +2363Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 89 66 Reviews found online 80 58 Dry Braking (% of best) 100% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) 100% 98% -
88
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +2563Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 92 64 Reviews found online 82 62 Wet Braking (% of best) 92% 90% Wet Handling (% of best) 98% 93% -
86
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +2165Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 93 71 Reviews found online 75 56 Snow Braking (% of best) 100% 97% Snow Handling (% of best) 99% 96% -
77
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +1364Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 79 – Reviews found online 74 60 -
87
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +2067Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 100 67 -
79
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +1267Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Winterhawk 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 81 70 Reviews found online 76 62 -
82
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 +2458Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Winterhawk 3 Reviews found online 82 58
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | Firestone Winterhawk 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 84 | 64 |
| Dry | 86 | 63 |
| Wet | 88 | 63 |
| Snow | 86 | 65 |
| Comfort | 77 | 64 |
| Noise | 87 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 79 | 67 |
| Handling | 82 | 58 |
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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Recomputed
Headline score
84
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
64
/ 100
Winterhawk 3
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 | Winterhawk 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +2.5 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #2/10 · 2022 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 98% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +1.5 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 94% #2/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | 80% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +13.5 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #6/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | 98% #5/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +0.1 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 37% #9/9 · 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | 87% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −50.3 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 68% #19/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 60% #12/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +8.6 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 89% #9/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 72% #14/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +16.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/11 · 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tyre Test | 33% #3/17 · 2013 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/60 R15 | +16.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #1/10 · 2022 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 97% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +2.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #2/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 96% #17/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +3.2 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 95% #5/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | 92% #15/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +2.7 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #17/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 92% #4/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 90% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +2.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #3/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 93% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +5.3 | 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 Winterhawk 3
Pros
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise
- Good longevity and tread wear resistance
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Inconsistent or poor grip on snow and ice
- Unreliable wet weather performance and braking
- Pronounced understeering tendencies
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | B · Firestone Winterhawk 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 81 | 39 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 23″ | 13″ – 18″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
84
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
64
/ 100
Firestone Winterhawk 3
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better wet, handling and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 88 vs 63 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 82 vs 58 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 63 on dry.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 65 on snow.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Tire B · Firestone Winterhawk 3
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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.