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 Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance — 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 · 13 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 6 in 2012 Auto Bild Sports 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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86
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +1967Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Ultra Grip 8 Performance Professional tests (TWG score) 89 – Reviews found online 80 66 -
88
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +1672Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Ultra Grip 8 Performance Professional tests (TWG score) 92 – Reviews found online 82 73 -
86
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +2759Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Ultra Grip 8 Performance Professional tests (TWG score) 93 – Reviews found online 75 51 -
77
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +968Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Ultra Grip 8 Performance Professional tests (TWG score) 79 – Reviews found online 74 68 -
87
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Ultra Grip 8 Performance Professional tests (TWG score) 100 – -
79
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +1267Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Ultra Grip 8 Performance Professional tests (TWG score) 81 – Reviews found online 76 69 -
82
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 +1765Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Ultra Grip 8 Performance Reviews found online 82 65
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 84 | 66 |
| Dry | 86 | 67 |
| Wet | 88 | 72 |
| Snow | 86 | 59 |
| Comfort | 77 | 68 |
| Noise | 87 | – |
| Treadwear | 79 | 67 |
| Handling | 82 | 65 |
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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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
84
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
66
/ 100
Ultra Grip 8 Performance
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 | Ultra Grip 8 Performance | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/6 · 2012 Auto Bild Sports Winter Tyre 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 Ultra Grip 8 Performance
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
- Low road noise levels compared to competitors
- Strong dry road stability and handling
Cons
- Inconsistent snow and ice traction reported by some users
- Potential for grip degradation as the tire ages
- Reports of increased fuel consumption
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | B · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 81 | 14 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 23″ | 16″ – 18″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10 - 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Raised Black Lettering |
| Max pressure | — | 50 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
84
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
66
/ 100
Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better snow, dry and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 59 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 67 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 82 vs 65 on handling.
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 · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
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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.