Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV review
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.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
83%By road tests
88.4%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 13 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
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
Worth knowing
- 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.
6 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2024 AS SUV Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18
1st of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 5th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 9th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 10 | |
| Noise | 1st of 10 |
2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter tire Test · 225/60 R18
2nd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Wet Circle | 4th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 4th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 10th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 10 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 7th of 10 | |
| Noise | 1st of 10 | |
| Price | 7th of 10 | |
| Snow Slalom | 2nd of 10 |
2023 Tyre Reviews SUV Winter tire Test · 235/60 R18
2nd of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 4th of 9 | |
| Dry Handling | 5th of 9 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 9 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 9 | |
| Straight Aqua | 5th of 9 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 6th of 9 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 1st of 9 | |
| Noise | 1st of 9 |
2023 AMS SUV Winter tire Test · 255/45 R20
3rd of 7
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 7 | |
| Wet Handling | 5th of 7 | |
| Wet Circle | 7th of 7 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 7 | |
| Dry Handling | 6th of 7 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 7 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 7 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 7 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 7 | |
| Straight Aqua | 2nd of 7 | |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 3rd of 7 | |
| Noise | 1st of 7 | |
| Snow Circle | 3rd of 7 |
2021 AZ SUV Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18
2nd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 7th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 2nd of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 8th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 10 | |
| Noise | 1st of 10 | |
| Price | 10th of 10 |
2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18
2nd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 9th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 8th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 10 | |
| Noise | 1st of 10 | |
| Price | 10th of 10 |