TopTire Review

    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

    2026 test data · 15 independent tests · 1 head-to-head

    → See full Continental vs Michelin brand comparison

    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV: the full picture

    This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P and Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV appear in 15 tests, 1 of which put both tires on the same track on the same day. Head-to-head results carry the most weight here, because surface, weather and test car all change between events and make raw numbers from different tests hard to compare directly.

    How the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P performs. It takes the win in wet, mileage. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 94/100, based on 9 tests.

    How the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV performs. It takes the win in dry, snow, noise / comfort, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 91/100, based on 6 tests.

    What this means for you. Category wins matter more than the overall score when your driving is weighted toward one condition — a wet-climate commuter should follow the wet braking column, while a high-mileage driver should follow wear and rolling resistance. Also check that both tires are actually offered in your size and load rating: performance can shift between sizes, and availability differs between the European and North American markets.

    Verdict

    The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P is the stronger all-round choice, leading in wet and Tire Lab Score. The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV still wins on dry, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.

    Which one should you buy?

    Choose Continental WinterContact TS 850 P if

    Overall winner
    • You prioritise wet
    • You prioritise mileage

    Choose Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV if

    • You prioritise dry
    • You prioritise snow
    • You prioritise noise / comfort

    Test profile

    MetricContinental WinterContact TS 850 PMichelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
    SegmentPerformance WinterPerformance Winter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used96
    Best rank#1#1
    Avg rank6.14.3
    Latest test20212024
    Tire Lab Score94.391.4

    Tire Lab Score

    94.3
    Excellent · Winter
    91.4
    Excellent · Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 850 PMichelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUVWinner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 4.0
    434
    Avg rank 5.7
    115
    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 6.3
    14
    Avg rank 3.6
    41
    Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 5.9
    113
    Avg rank 3.2
    1014
    Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 6.1
    121
    Avg rank 4.6
    8
    Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
    📏Mileage
    Avg rank 4.0
    		No data
    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 8.1
    Avg rank 3.7
    111
    Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

    Tests used in this comparison

    Both tires were measured head-to-head in these 1 independent test:

    💧 Wet: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

    The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P wins this category with an average rank of 4.0, compared to 5.7 for the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV.

    ☀️ Dry: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

    The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV wins this category with an average rank of 3.6, compared to 6.3 for the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P.

    ❄️ Snow: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

    The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV wins this category with an average rank of 3.2, compared to 5.9 for the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P.

    🔇 Noise / Comfort: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

    The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV wins this category with an average rank of 4.6, compared to 6.1 for the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P.

    📏 Mileage: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

    The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P wins this category with an average rank of 4.0, compared to no data for the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV.

    🔋 Efficiency: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV

    The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV wins this category with an average rank of 3.7, compared to 8.1 for the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which is better in the wet, Continental WinterContact TS 850 P or Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV?

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P ranks higher on average than the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV.

    Which has shorter dry braking distance?

    The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV averages a better dry-braking rank than the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P across the tests where both appeared.

    Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?

    On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV ranks better than the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P.

    Which tire lasts longer?

    Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P shows better mileage performance than the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV.

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P appears in 9 independent tests, Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV in 6, with 1 head-to-head tests where both were measured.

    Also compare

    Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →