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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV vs Pirelli Scorpion Winter — 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.

Tire A Michelin

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

Winter Ultra High Performance tires

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV tread pattern
Objective (60%)
88/100
6 professional tests
User signal (40%)
83/100
13 owner reviews
Dry
94
Wet
86
Snow
81
Comfort
94
Noise
44
Treadwear
85
Handling
87

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Pirelli

Pirelli Scorpion Winter

Winter Premium Touring tires

Pirelli Scorpion Winter tread pattern
Objective (60%)
77/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
80/100
17 owner reviews
Dry
91
Wet
82
Snow
78
Comfort
80
Noise
85
Treadwear
73
Handling
80

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictToo close to call: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV and Pirelli Scorpion Winter are within 2 points overall. Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is stronger on comfort, treadwear and handling. Pirelli Scorpion Winter is stronger on noise.
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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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 3
A — Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
94
B — Pirelli Scorpion Winter
91
Why this score
SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVScorpion Winter
Professional tests (TWG score) 96 94
Tire Rack owners 91 90
Tyre Reviews owners 91 85
SimpleTire owners – 80
Dry Braking (% of best) 100% 97%
Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 100%

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 4
A — Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
86
B — Pirelli Scorpion Winter
82
Why this score
SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVScorpion Winter
Professional tests (TWG score) 86 81
Tire Rack owners 91 91
Tyre Reviews owners 85 82
SimpleTire owners – 90
Wet Braking (% of best) 97% 87%
Wet Handling (% of best) 98% 100%

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 3
A — Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
81
B — Pirelli Scorpion Winter
78
Why this score
SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVScorpion Winter
Professional tests (TWG score) 79 81
Tire Rack owners 87 88
Tyre Reviews owners 82 78
SimpleTire owners – 93
Snow Braking (% of best) 99% 90%
Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 97%
Snow Traction (% of best) 92% 97%

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 14
A — Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
94
B — Pirelli Scorpion Winter
80
Why this score
SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVScorpion Winter
Professional tests (TWG score) 100 –
Tire Rack owners 92 88
Tyre Reviews owners 85 81
SimpleTire owners – 93

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Scorpion Winter leads by 41
A — Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
44
B — Pirelli Scorpion Winter
85
Why this score
SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVScorpion Winter
Professional tests (TWG score) 44 82
SimpleTire owners – 73

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 12
A — Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
85
B — Pirelli Scorpion Winter
73
Why this score
SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVScorpion Winter
Tire Rack owners 83 81
Tyre Reviews owners 85 72
SimpleTire owners – 73

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 7
A — Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
87
B — Pirelli Scorpion Winter
80
Why this score
SourcePilot Alpin 5 SUVScorpion Winter
Tyre Reviews owners 87 80

Scores at a glance

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV vs Pirelli Scorpion Winter: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryMichelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUVPirelli Scorpion Winter
Relative Score 82 81
Dry 94 91
Wet 86 82
Snow 81 78
Comfort 94 80
Noise 44 85
Treadwear 85 73
Handling 87 80

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.

Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

Test data

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.

DisciplineCategoryTire ATire BΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 97% #4/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test +2.5 Same test
Dry Handling Dry 98% #8/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 100% #2/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test -1.4 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 87% #9/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test 86% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test +1 Different tests
Noise Other 96% #1/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test 100% #7/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test -3.8 Different tests
Price Other 100% #10/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 94% #7/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test +5.9 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 50% #2/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 50% #2/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test 0 Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 99% #3/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test 90% #9/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test +9.3 Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 100% #1/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test 97% #4/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test +3.2 Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 92% #2/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 97% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test -5 Same test
Straight Aqua Straight 95% #4/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 88% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test +6.6 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 97% #3/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test 87% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test +9.4 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 98% #5/7 · 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/10 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test -2 Different tests
From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, particularly excelling in wet, slushy, and snowy conditions. Users frequently praise its impressive longevity and balanced performance, though some note a distinct limit to its grip threshold in deep or hard-packed snow compared to dedicated Nordic-style winter tires.

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and handling on wet and slushy roads
  • High tread life and durability over long distances
  • Excellent dry road comfort and low noise levels
  • Strong performance in snow-covered cornering and braking

Cons

  • Abrupt loss of grip when reaching the limit on hard-packed snow
  • Higher price point compared to some competitors
  • Performance can feel less predictable than dedicated Nordic winter tires in extreme ice/snow conditions

Observations

  • Drivers of heavy SUVs report high confidence in handling and agility, noting the tire makes the vehicle feel more responsive.
  • Users transitioning from Nokian tires noted a significant improvement in quietness and dry-road refinement, though some missed the specific snow-traction characteristics of the previous brand.
Tire B Pirelli Scorpion Winter

The Pirelli Scorpion Winter is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in wet and dry conditions, often mimicking the handling characteristics of a summer tire. While many users praise its confidence-inspiring grip on highways and in heavy rain, consensus is mixed regarding its performance in severe ice and deep slush, where some drivers report a lack of traction.

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather performance and resistance to aquaplaning
  • Strong dry road handling and stability at high speeds
  • Comfortable and quiet ride quality for long-distance cruising
  • Predictable and confidence-inspiring grip in light to moderate snow

Cons

  • Inconsistent performance on hard ice and slushy conditions
  • Faster tread wear compared to standard summer tires
  • Reduced snow traction as the tire ages and tread depth decreases
  • High-speed stability can feel vague at extreme velocities

Observations

  • Users with heavy SUVs and performance crossovers report high satisfaction with highway handling but note faster tread wear.
  • Drivers utilizing staggered fitments on 20-inch wheels report good feedback and handling, though some note the design is aging compared to newer iterations.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV B · Pirelli Scorpion Winter
CategoryWinter Ultra High Performance tiresWinter Premium Touring tires
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—44
Rim diameters—17″ – 22″
Tread depth—10/32″
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—50 psi
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Michelin

Pirelli

Too close to call: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV and Pirelli Scorpion Winter are within 2 points overall. Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is stronger on comfort, treadwear and handling. Pirelli Scorpion Winter is stronger on noise.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Pirelli Scorpion Winter scores 85 vs 44 on noise.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 94 vs 80 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 85 vs 73 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 87 vs 80 on handling.

Tire A · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion Winter

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.