Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 vs Leao Winter Defender UHP
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 finished ahead 3 times and the Winter Defender UHP not once. The Pilot Alpin 5 was stronger in dry, wet, snow and comfort, the Winter Defender UHP in value.
Performance profile
6 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Pilot Alpin 5
Winter Defender UHP
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 85%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 14 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Pilot Alpin 5
Winter Defender UHP
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tyres of the same season and class: 90 means this tyre out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.
| Measurement | Pilot Alpin 5 | Gap | Winter Defender UHP | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Pilot Alpin 5 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 41.01 | 6.9% | 44.08 | 2-0 |
| Dry Handling (s) | 70.81 | 3.3% | 73.24 | 1-0 |
| Dry Handling (km/h) | 98.8 | 2.8% | 96.1 | 1-0 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | scored | 3.3% | scored | 1-0 |
| Wet Pilot Alpin 5 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 38.84 | 22.4% | 50.12 | 3-0 |
| Wet Handling (s) | 57.53 | 12.9% | 66.05 | 1-0 |
| Wet Handling (km/h) | 70.4 | 10% | 64 | 1-0 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | scored | 22.5% | scored | 1-0 |
| Straight Aqua km/h | 85.52 | 8.4% | 79.49 | 2-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning m/sec2 | 2.65 | 20.5% | 2.2 | 1-0 |
| Snow Pilot Alpin 5 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking m | 21.54 | 5.8% | 22.88 | 2-0 |
| Snow Traction s | 5.54 | 6.9% | 5.95 | 1-0 |
| Snow Traction N | 2,699 | 4.8% | 2,575 | 1-0 |
| Snow Handling s | 84.26 | 6.3% | 89.95 | 1-0 |
| Snow Handling (km/h) | 66.4 | 2.6% | 64.7 | 1-0 |
| Subj. Snow Handling pts | scored | 11.1% | scored | 1-0 |
| Snow Slalom m/sec2 | 4.17 | 7.5% | 3.88 | 1-0 |
| Comfort Pilot Alpin 5 ahead | ||||
| Subj. Comfort pts | scored | 11.2% | scored | 2-0 |
| Noise dB | 70.2 | 0.9 dB | 71.1 | 1-0 |
| Value Winter Defender UHP ahead | ||||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.55 | 0.3% | 8.52 | 0-1 |
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 tyres shared.
Head to head in 3 tests, 2023 to 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tyres 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 | Winter Defender UHP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | P1 of 12 | P12 of 12 | |
| 2026 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 50 Sets | P3 of 50 | P44 of 50 | |
| 2023 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | P1 of 11 | P11 of 11 |
Pilot Alpin 5 vs Winter Defender UHP: your questions
Is the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 or the Leao Winter Defender UHP the better tyre?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 finished ahead 3 times and the Winter Defender UHP not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Pilot Alpin 5 scores 9.5 and the Winter Defender UHP 3.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Pilot Alpin 5 or the Winter Defender UHP?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 9 of the 9 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 22.4% shorter in the wet across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 5 of the 5 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 6.9% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 8 of the 8 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 5.8% shorter on snow across 2 tests.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Pilot Alpin 5 87% from 33 reviews; the Winter Defender UHP has no owner reviews yet.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the Pilot Alpin 5 was the dearer tyre in 2 of them, by 119.8% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Pilot Alpin 5 is made in 81 sizes (16 to 23 inch) and the Winter Defender UHP in 38 (15 to 20 inch). 16 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 Winter Defender UHP C and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Pilot Alpin 5 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2017, the Winter Defender UHP in 2014. The Pilot Alpin 5 replaced the Michelin Pilot Alpin 4.
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Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre 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 tyres 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 Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.