Tests 66 · 10 tests Owners 78 · 66 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 11 in 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test (subj. comfort)
Head-to-head
Updated
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin 5 is ahead, 84–72
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Tests 89 · 18 tests Owners 79 · 30 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tyre Test (noise)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
75
Dry
Pilot Alpin 5 +1186Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 73 89 Reviews found online 79 80 Dry Braking (% of best) 98% 99% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 100% -
81
Wet
Pilot Alpin 5 +788Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 92 Reviews found online 83 82 Wet Braking (% of best) 94% 92% Wet Handling (% of best) 96% 98% -
65
Snow
Pilot Alpin 5 +2186Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 57 93 Reviews found online 77 75 Snow Braking (% of best) 91% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) 95% 98% Snow Traction (% of best) 91% 99% -
73
Comfort
Pilot Alpin 5 +477Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 79 Reviews found online 74 74 -
67
Noise
Pilot Alpin 5 +2087Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 60 100 Reviews found online 78 – -
62
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin 5 +1779Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Professional tests (TWG score) 56 81 Reviews found online 71 76 -
80
Handling
Pilot Alpin 5 +282Why this score
Source Winter Sottozero 3 Pilot Alpin 5 Reviews found online 80 82
Scores at a glance
| Category | Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 84 |
| Dry | 75 | 86 |
| Wet | 81 | 88 |
| Snow | 65 | 86 |
| Comfort | 73 | 77 |
| Noise | 67 | 87 |
| Treadwear | 62 | 79 |
| Handling | 80 | 82 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
Winter Sottozero 3
84
/ 100
Pilot Alpin 5
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 | Winter Sottozero 3 | Pilot Alpin 5 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 98% #4/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/10 · 2024 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | −1.3 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #7/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/6 · 2025 High Performance Winter Tyre Test | −2.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 84% #8/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | 87% #8/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | −3.2 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #10/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/11 · 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tyre Test | −2.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 51% #9/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | 42% #10/10 · 2022 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +8.9 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 65% #19/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 68% #19/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | −2.9 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 70% #19/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | −29.6 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 14% #7/16 · 2014 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | −85.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 91% #9/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | −8.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 95% #18/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #10/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | −2.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 91% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/9 · 2023 Sport Auto Winter Tyre Test | −7.8 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 95% #3/10 · 2017 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | 96% #10/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −1.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 91% #15/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −1.3 | Different tests |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 80% #8/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 50% #2/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | +30.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 70% #6/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 100% #1/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | −30.0 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #5/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 0% #15/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Same test |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 94% #5/10 · 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tyre Test | 92% #4/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +2.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 96% #9/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test | 98% #4/11 · 2023 Sports Cars Winter Tyre Test | −1.8 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winter Sottozero 3
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance and resistance to hydroplaning.
- Strong dry-road handling and steering precision for a winter tire.
- Excellent traction and stability in snow and slush.
Cons
- Rapid tread wear, particularly if driven in temperatures above 15°C or year-round.
- Susceptibility to sidewall damage and bubbling when encountering road hazards.
- Increased noise levels as the tire ages and tread depth decreases.
Tire B 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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 98 | 81 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 21″ | 16″ – 23″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
84
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 — better snow, noise and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 65 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 87 vs 67 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 79 vs 62 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scores 86 vs 75 on dry.
Tire A · Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
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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.