Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 vs Continental WinterContact 8 S
Ahead in each discipline
The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 and the Continental WinterContact 8 S have met in one independent test so far, and the Pilot Alpin 5 finished ahead. The Pilot Alpin 5 was stronger in dry, wet, snow and comfort, the WinterContact 8 S in value.
Performance profile
13 measurements from the one shared test, each tire shown as its share of the better figure.
Where each is furthest ahead
Pilot Alpin 5
WinterContact 8 S
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 92%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Pilot Alpin 5
WinterContact 8 S
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Pilot Alpin 5
WinterContact 8 S
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Pilot Alpin 5 87% from 33 reviews and the WinterContact 8 S 88% from 5. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tires' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tire that did better.
| Measurement | Pilot Alpin 5 | Gap | WinterContact 8 S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Pilot Alpin 5 ahead | |||
| Dry Braking ft | 135 | 4% | 140 |
| Dry Handling mph | 75.5 | 0.4% | 75.2 |
| Wet Pilot Alpin 5 ahead | |||
| Wet Braking ft | 106 | 2.1% | 108 |
| Wet Handling mph | 46.2 | 1.8% | 45.4 |
| Wet Circle mph | 18.5 | 0.6% | 18.6 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 57.2 | 6% | 53.9 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 5.7 | 27.7% | 4.5 |
| Snow Pilot Alpin 5 ahead | |||
| Snow Braking ft | 86 | 1.1% | 87 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 1 | 11.5% | 2 |
| Snow Handling mph | 46.9 | 1.5% | 46.2 |
| Snow Slalom ft/s² | 13.2 | 3.3% | 12.8 |
| Comfort Pilot Alpin 5 ahead | |||
| Noise dB | 71.8 | 2.1 dB | 73.9 |
| Value WinterContact 8 S ahead | |||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 7.9 | 1.3% | 7.8 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared.
Head to head in 1 test in 2025
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Pilot Alpin 5 | Field | WinterContact 8 S |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 High Performance Winter Tire Test | P1 of 6 | P5 of 6 |
Pilot Alpin 5 vs WinterContact 8 S: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 or the Continental WinterContact 8 S the better tire?
The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 and the Continental WinterContact 8 S have met in one independent test so far, and the Pilot Alpin 5 finished ahead. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Alpin 5 scores 9.5 and the WinterContact 8 S 8.5 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Alpin 5 or the WinterContact 8 S?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 4 of the 5 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 2 of the 2 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 3 of the 4 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.3/10 for the Pilot Alpin 5 and 7.6/10 for the WinterContact 8 S.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Alpin 5 87% from 33 reviews and the WinterContact 8 S 88% from 5. 84% of Pilot Alpin 5 owners would buy it again, against 80% for the WinterContact 8 S.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Pilot Alpin 5 is made in 81 sizes (16 to 23 inch) and the WinterContact 8 S in 36 (19 to 22 inch). 20 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Pilot Alpin 5 is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the WinterContact 8 S B and B.
Which is the newer tire?
The WinterContact 8 S is the newer design: it reached the market in 2024, the Pilot Alpin 5 in 2017. The Pilot Alpin 5 replaced the Michelin Pilot Alpin 4. The WinterContact 8 S replaced the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
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Every Michelin vs Continental test → All comparisons → Compare three or more tires →
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.