86
/ 100
Objective (60%)
71/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
85/100
30 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Michelin Alpin 5 vs Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
80
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
77/100
64 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin Alpin 5 — better snow, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Alpin 5 | Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 83 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Alpin 5 | Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 86 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 86 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 34
Why this score
| Source | Alpin 5 | Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 91 | 50 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Wintrac Xtreme leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Alpin 5 | Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 86 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Alpin 5 | Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 96 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | Alpin 5 | Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 87 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Alpin 5 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Alpin 5 | Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 77 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Alpin 5 | Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 86 | 80 |
| Dry | 87 | 83 |
| Wet | 87 | 86 |
| Snow | 84 | 50 |
| Comfort | 85 | 86 |
| Noise | 96 | – |
| Treadwear | 90 | 87 |
| Handling | 78 | 77 |
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
86
/ 100
Tire A
80
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Michelin Alpin 5 is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, praised for its exceptional traction in snow and wet conditions. While users consistently highlight its longevity and comfort, some note that its performance degrades after three years and that the soft compound is not suitable for warm, dry weather.
Pros
- Exceptional snow and ice traction
- Outstanding wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
- High durability and long tread life
- Excellent ride comfort and low noise levels
Cons
- Performance degradation after 3 years of use
- Soft sidewalls lead to vague handling in corners
- Poor performance and 'smearing' in temperatures above 20°C
- Lack of rim protection
Observations
- Drivers of smaller, lighter vehicles like the Mini Cooper S and Skoda Yeti report significant improvements in driving feel and comfort.
- Users note that the tire's soft sidewalls are beneficial for comfort but detrimental to handling precision on sportier vehicle setups.
The Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in deep snow, ice, and cold-weather traction. While the vast majority of users report exceptional confidence and reliability in severe conditions, a small subset of drivers—particularly those with high-horsepower rear-wheel-drive vehicles—report inconsistent wet-weather performance and a noticeable 'break-in' period.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and control in deep snow and icy conditions.
- High level of driver confidence and predictability in cold weather.
- Impressive longevity and tread wear, with many users reporting high mileage.
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality compared to other winter-specific tires.
Cons
- Reported lack of grip in wet conditions, particularly for high-torque or high-performance vehicles.
- Noticeable 'break-in' period where the tires may feel slippery or detached from the road.
- Performance degradation in warmer temperatures (above 10°C) due to the softer compound.
- Occasional reports of sidewall cracking or splitting after several years of use.
Observations
- High-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive vehicles (e.g., Jaguar XFR, high-output BMWs) are more likely to experience traction issues in wet conditions compared to AWD or lighter vehicles.
- Users with SUVs and 4x4s (e.g., Audi Q3, Land Rover Discovery, VW Touareg) consistently report excellent results, often noting the tires outperform standard M&S factory-fitted rubber.
- Some users noted that downsizing wheel diameter for winter fitment significantly improved ride comfort and snow performance.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Alpin 5 | B · Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
86
/ 100
Michelin
80
/ 100
Vredestein
Winner: Michelin Alpin 5 — better snow, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Alpin 5 scores 84 vs 50 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Alpin 5 scores 87 vs 83 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Alpin 5 scores 90 vs 87 on treadwear.
Tire A · Michelin Alpin 5
Tire B · Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme
More comparisons
Also compared with
Michelin Alpin 5 also compared with
Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.