Tests 88 · 18 tests Owners 79 · 30 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 6 in 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 vs Toyo Observe Winter Sport 1 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 84–71
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests 72 · 2 tests Owners 71 · 2 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 20 in 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
85
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +1174Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Observe Winter Sport 1 Professional tests (TWG score) 88 76 Reviews found online 80 70 Dry Braking (% of best) 100% 99% Dry Handling (% of best) 99% 98% -
88
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +484Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Observe Winter Sport 1 Professional tests (TWG score) 92 89 Reviews found online 83 77 Wet Braking (% of best) 94% 98% Wet Handling (% of best) 96% 98% -
85
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +2758Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Observe Winter Sport 1 Professional tests (TWG score) 92 54 Reviews found online 75 – Snow Braking (% of best) 97% 91% Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 93% Snow Traction (% of best) 89% 90% -
77
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +869Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Observe Winter Sport 1 Professional tests (TWG score) 79 70 Reviews found online 74 66 -
87
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +2661Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Observe Winter Sport 1 Professional tests (TWG score) 100 57 -
79
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +871Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Observe Winter Sport 1 Professional tests (TWG score) 81 73 Reviews found online 76 68 -
82
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 +1171Why this score
Source Pilot Alpin 5 Observe Winter Sport 1 Reviews found online 82 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | Toyo Observe Winter Sport 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 84 | 71 |
| Dry | 85 | 74 |
| Wet | 88 | 84 |
| Snow | 85 | 58 |
| Comfort | 77 | 69 |
| Noise | 87 | 61 |
| Treadwear | 79 | 71 |
| Handling | 82 | 71 |
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.
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
84
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
71
/ 100
Observe Winter Sport 1
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 | Observe Winter Sport 1 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +0.7 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #4/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | 98% #11/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +1.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 87% #8/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 90% #8/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −2.6 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #19/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +3.0 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 55% #19/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 76% #5/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −21.2 | Same test |
| Wear | Other | 100% #1/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | 94% #6/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +6.0 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | 13% #8/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | +37.5 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #3/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 91% #20/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +5.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 93% #20/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +6.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 89% #6/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | 90% #18/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −0.6 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 96% #10/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −2.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 100% #1/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | 91% #7/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +8.8 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #4/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | 0% #6/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 94% #5/10 · 2024 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −3.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #5/10 · 2024 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | 98% #5/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −1.2 | 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 Observe Winter Sport 1
Pros
- Strong performance in dry road conditions
- Reliable handling in wet weather
- Excellent traction in cold, mountainous climates
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | B · Toyo Observe Winter Sport 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 81 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 23″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
84
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
71
/ 100
Toyo Observe Winter Sport 1
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better snow, noise and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 58 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 87 vs 61 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 85 vs 74 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 82 vs 71 on handling.
Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Tire B · Toyo Observe Winter Sport 1
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
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.