Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 vs Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus
Across four shared 2025 tests (including large-group tests up to 52 tires), the pattern is consistent: the Pilot Alpin 5 is the more complete, safer all-round winter performance tire, while the Wintrac Pro+ flashes some strengths in wet handling/aquaplaning resistance but gives back too much in the disciplines that most directly affect stopping distances and everyday confidence-especially wet braking, dry braking and overall efficiency/longevity.
Test Results
Independent comparison tire tests are the best source of data to get tire information from, and the good news is there have been four tests which compare both tires directly!
| Tire | Test Wins | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 | four |
While it might look like the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 is better than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus purely based on the higher number of test wins, tires are very complicated objects which means where one tire is better than the other can be more important in real world use.
Let's look at how the two tires compare across multiple tire test categories.
Key Strengths
- Stronger braking safety margins in wet and dry across all shared tests (typically ~5-9% shorter stopping distances)
- More consistently capable on snow for braking and handling (wins snow braking in all shared results)
- Lower noise/refinement advantage in multiple tests (e.g., 71.8 dB vs 75.5 dB in 275/35 R19; 65.0 vs 66.9 dB in 225/40 R18)
- Better efficiency and ownership economics: lower rolling resistance and markedly better wear/longevity (e.g., ~46,750 km vs ~31,250 km)
- Competitive wet handling feel and balance; can score better subjectively in wet handling (e.g., 35 vs 33 points in AZ test)
- Often strong aquaplaning resistance in at least one shared test (straight and curved aquaplaning wins in 275/35 R19)
- Decent snow traction/longitudinal drive in some conditions (e.g., 7.31 N vs 6.61 N traction in 275/35 R19)
- Can be price-competitive depending on market/test value metric (near-tie on value in Autobild: 13.29 vs 13.36 Price/1000)
Dry Braking
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during three dry braking tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 stopped the vehicle in 6.66% less distance than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Dry Braking: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Dry Braking winner was calculated >>
Dry Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one dry handling [s] tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was 1.04% faster around a lap than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Dry Handling [s]: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Dry Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during two dry handling [km/h] tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was 1.72% faster around a lap than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Dry Handling [Km/H]: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Dry Handling
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one subj. dry handling tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scored 25% more points than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Subj. Dry Handling: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Subj. Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking
Looking at data from four tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during four wet braking tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 stopped the vehicle in 6.29% less distance than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Wet Braking: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Wet Braking winner was calculated >>
Wet Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one wet handling [s] tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was 0.12% faster around a wet lap than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Wet Handling [s]: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one wet handling [km/h] tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was 0.13% faster around a wet lap than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Wet Handling [Km/H]: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Wet Handling
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus was better during one subj. wet handling tests. On average the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus scored 5.71% more points than the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5.
Best In Subj. Wet Handling: Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus
See how the Subj. Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Circle
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus was better during one wet circle tests. On average the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus had 0.24% higher lateral wet grip than the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5.
Best In Wet Circle: Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus
See how the Wet Circle winner was calculated >>
Straight Aqua
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one straight aqua tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 floated at a 0.62% higher speed than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Straight Aqua: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Straight Aqua winner was calculated >>
Curved Aquaplaning
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one curved aquaplaning tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 slipped out at a 1.51% higher speed than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Curved Aquaplaning: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Curved Aquaplaning winner was calculated >>
Snow Braking
Looking at data from four tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during four snow braking tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 stopped the vehicle in 2.36% less distance than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Snow Braking: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Snow Braking winner was calculated >>
Snow Traction
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during two snow traction tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 had 7.86% better snow traction than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Snow Traction: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Snow Traction winner was calculated >>
Snow Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one snow handling [s] tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was 4.36% faster around a lap than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Snow Handling [s]: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Snow Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during two snow handling [km/h] tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was 2.3% faster around a lap than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Snow Handling [Km/H]: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Snow Handling
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one subj. snow handling tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scored 24% more points than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Subj. Snow Handling: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Subj. Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Snow Circle
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one snow circle tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 provided 8.78% more lateral grip than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Snow Circle: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Snow Circle winner was calculated >>
Snow Slalom
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during two snow slalom tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was 4.39% faster through a slalom than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Snow Slalom: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Snow Slalom winner was calculated >>
Subj. Comfort
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one subj. comfort tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 scored 3.92% more points than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Subj. Comfort: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Subj. Comfort winner was calculated >>
Noise
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during three noise tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 measured 3.17% quieter than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Noise: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Noise winner was calculated >>
Wear
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during two wear tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 is predicted to cover 26.66% miles before reaching 1.6mm than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Wear: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Wear winner was calculated >>
Value
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one value tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 proved to have a 5.42% better value based on price/1000km than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Value: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Value winner was calculated >>
Rolling Resistance
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during three rolling resistance tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 had a 11.87% lower rolling resistance than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Rolling Resistance: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Rolling Resistance winner was calculated >>
Abrasion
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 was better during one abrasion tests. On average the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 wore 40% less per 1000km driven than the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Best In Abrasion: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
See how the Abrasion winner was calculated >>
Real World Driver Reviews
Tire Reviews also collects real world driver reviews for the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 and Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
In total the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 has been reviewed 29 times and drivers have given the tire 86% overall.
The Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus has been reviewed 1 times and drivers have given the tire 96% overall.
This means in real world driving, people prefer the Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus.
Conclusion
The Wintrac Pro+ is not without merit: in the 275/35 R19 test it showed slightly better wet handling metrics and strong aquaplaning margins (e.g., 93.9 km/h vs 92.0 straight-aqua; 1.83 vs 1.75 curved). However, these wins are small, while its deficits are more consequential: longer wet and dry braking, weaker snow cornering/handling in several reports, and clearly poorer efficiency (rolling resistance as high as 9.8 kg/t vs Michelin's 7.9 kg/t). Add in durability results where available (Michelin ~46-47k km vs Vredestein ~31-38k km), and the Michelin's “premium price” is easier to justify as a cost-per-kilometre and safety proposition.
Practical takeaway: the Pilot Alpin 5 is the tire you buy when you want a winter setup that feels calm, quiet and secure in the real world-especially when you mix wet motorways, cold dry days, and occasional snow. The Wintrac Pro+ is best seen as a situational alternative for milder, very wet winters where aquaplaning resistance and subjective wet feel matter most, but you must accept longer braking distances and higher running costs.
Key Differences
- Overall performance consistency: Michelin leads every shared overall result (including wins of 1/7 and 1/22), while Vredestein sits mid-to-lower pack (e.g., 13/22; 17/52).
- Wet braking is a decisive separator: Michelin is ~4-8% shorter in all shared wet-braking results (e.g., 51.9 m vs 56.3 m; 33.2 m vs 36.0 m).
- Dry braking/handling: Michelin repeatedly stops shorter and feels more precise (e.g., 42.6 m vs 46.9 m; higher dry handling speeds).
- Snow performance balance: Michelin is more complete in snow braking/handling/slalom, while Vredestein can show good traction but weaker cornering/handling consistency.
- Efficiency and running costs: Michelin's rolling resistance is clearly lower (e.g., 7.9 vs 9.8 kg/t), supporting fuel/EV range and cooler running.
- Longevity/value over time: Michelin's projected mileage advantage is large where measured (~46-47k km vs ~31-38k km), often outweighing upfront price differences.
Overall Winner: Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
Based on the tire test data and user reviews we have in our database, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 has demonstrated better overall performance in this comparison. However, as you can see from the spider diagram above, each tire has its own strengths which should be considered in your final tire buying choice.Similar Comparisons
Looking for more tire comparisons? Here are other direct comparisons involving these tires:
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 Top Comparisons
No other comparisons available for this tire.
Vredestein Wintrac Pro plus Top Comparisons
No other comparisons available for this tire.
Footnote
This page has been developed using tire industry testing best practices. This means we are only comparing tests which have had both tires in the same test.
Why is this important? Tire testing is heavily affected by things like surface grip levels and surface temperature, which means you can only compare values from the same day. During a tire test external condition changes are calculated into the overall results, but it is not possible to calculate this between tire tests performed on different days or at different locations.
As a result you will see other tests on Tire Reviews which feature both the %s and %s, but as they weren't conducted on the same day, the results are not comparable.
Lots of other websites do this sort of tire comparison, Tire Reviews doesn't.