Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
- TR Score
- 6.6/10
- Owners say
- 71% · 8
- TR Score
- 9.5/10
- Owners say
- 87% · 34
In the 9 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 finished ahead 9 times and the Premitra Snow WP6 not once. The Premitra Snow WP6 held 6.2% more grip in curved aquaplaning; the Pilot Alpin 5 stopped 10.2% shorter in the wet.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 if you want the safest, most confidence-inspiring winter tyre with consistently excellent wet braking and top-tier snow performance, plus strong longevity that can offset the higher purchase price. Consider the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 only if budget is the overriding constraint and your priorities lean toward aquaplaning resistance and basic winter mobility-accepting clearly longer braking distances and a lower overall safety/handling ceiling, especially in the wet.
Where the Premitra Snow WP6 is stronger
- Strong aquaplaning resistance across multiple tests (often ahead of the Michelin in straight and/or curved aquaplaning)
- Lower purchase price / better value metrics where measured (e.g., value score advantage in AZ 2025; described as one of the cheapest in Auto Bild Sportscars 2026)
- Can be relatively efficient in some datasets (e.g., low fuel consumption win in ADAC 2025; rolling resistance win in Auto Bild Sportscars 2026)
Where the Pilot Alpin 5 is stronger
- Class-leading winter performance envelope: consistently top on snow metrics (braking/traction/handling) and near-top overall in every shared test
- Short, repeatable braking distances on wet and dry roads (wins every shared wet-braking comparison; also leads dry braking in all reported head-to-heads)
- More refined dynamics and comfort: higher subjective comfort scores and generally lower noise in direct comparisons
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
Premitra Snow WP6 vs Pilot Alpin 5 at a glance
| Category | Premitra Snow WP6 | Gap | Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won9 shared tests | 0 | 9 | |
| Dry12 measurements | 0 | The Pilot Alpin 5 stopped 6.7% shorter in the dry (6 tests) | 12 |
| Wet31 measurements | 8 | The Pilot Alpin 5 stopped 10.2% shorter in the wet (9 tests) | 23 |
| Snow23 measurements | 0 | The Pilot Alpin 5 stopped 3.3% shorter on snow (7 tests) | 21 |
| Ice1 measurement | 0 | 1 | |
| Comfort9 measurements | 0 | The Pilot Alpin 5 was 1 dB quieter (6 tests) | 9 |
| Value11 measurements | 2 | The Pilot Alpin 5 lasted 23.4% longer in the wear tests (3 tests) | 9 |
| Tyre Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 6.6/10 | The Pilot Alpin 5 by 2.9 | 9.5/10 |
| Owner rating8 and 34 reviews | 71% | The Pilot Alpin 5 by 16 points | 87% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 63% | The Pilot Alpin 5 by 22 points | 85% |
| Pricein the 6 tests that listed prices | Cheaper | The Pilot Alpin 5 was dearer in 6 of 6 | +43.8% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 63 | 31 sizes made in both | 81 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tyres; a tick marks the tyre ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 9 tests, 2022 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 | Premitra Snow WP6 | Field | Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | P15 of 20 | P1 of 20 | |
| 2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | P10 of 12 | P1 of 12 | |
| 2026 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 50 Sets | P20 of 50 | P3 of 50 | |
| 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | P10 of 10 | P2 of 10 | |
| 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | P44 of 51 | P2 of 51 | |
| 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | P19 of 31 | P2 of 31 | |
| 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | P11 of 12 | P1 of 12 | |
| 2023 Winter Tyre Test 54 Set Braking Test | P34 of 54 | P2 of 54 | |
| 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | P8 of 9 | P4 of 9 |
Performance profile
15 measurements from the 9 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Premitra Snow WP6
Pilot Alpin 5
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. 13 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Premitra Snow WP6
Not ahead in any category
Pilot Alpin 5
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.
Where owners rate each higher
Premitra Snow WP6
Not ahead in any category
Pilot Alpin 5
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Premitra Snow WP6 71% from 8 reviews and the Pilot Alpin 5 87% from 34. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
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. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | Premitra Snow WP6 | Gap | Pilot Alpin 5 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44.75 | 6.7% | 41.73 | 0-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 76.6 | 0.9% | 75.9 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 104.1 | 1.7% | 105.8 | 0-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| scored | 11.1% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 46.43 | 10.2% | 41.77 | 0-9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 41 | 10% | 36.9 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 91.5 | 5.6% | 86.4 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 78.15 | 3% | 80.5 | 0-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| scored | 73.7% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2.7 | 12.5% | 2.4 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14.57 | 1.8% | 14.32 | 0-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 83.25 | 1.8% | 81.77 | 4-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2.9 | 6.2% | 2.74 | 3-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24.13 | 3.3% | 23.36 | 0-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2,794 | 5.5% | 2,938 | 0-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 71.2 | 4.5% | 68 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 56.6 | 5.2% | 59.53 | 0-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| scored | 38.9% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.47 | 8.4% | 3.76 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.69 | 7.3% | 3.96 | 0-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17.5 | 6.9% | 16.3 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| scored | 22.9% | scored | 0-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 72.58 | 1 dB | 71.6 | 0-6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 48,167 | 23.4% | 56,750 | 0-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8.48 | 4.4% | 8.11 | 1-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5.6 | 3.4% | 5.8 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 59 | 15.3% | 50 | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0.21 | 39.5% | 0.12 | 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. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Premitra Snow WP6 scores 6.6 and the Pilot Alpin 5 9.5 out of 10.
| Premitra Snow WP6 | Category | Pilot Alpin 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | Dry | 99 | ||
| 63 | Wet | 90 | ||
| 46 | Comfort | 89 | ||
| 50 | Value | 59 | ||
| 36 | Snow | 92 | ||
| 12 | Ice | 80 | ||
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.
What owners say
| Premitra Snow WP6 | Category | Pilot Alpin 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.4 | Dry Grip | 9.1 | ||
| 8.4 | Wet Grip | 9 | ||
| 7.7 | Road Feedback | 8.8 | ||
| 7.7 | Handling | 9 | ||
| 7.9 | Wear | 9 | ||
| 6.8 | Comfort | 8.3 | ||
| 8.4 | Snow Grip | 9 | ||
| 7.8 | Ice Grip | 8 | ||
Owners rate the Premitra Snow WP6 71% from 8 reviews and the Pilot Alpin 5 87% from 34. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
- 71%from 8 reviews
- 63%would buy again
- 30,000 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers generally report the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 as a strong-performing winter tyre, with frequent praise for confident grip in snow/ice and capable wet-road handling, especially considering the price. Most high-scoring reviews are very satisfied and would buy it again. A smaller minority report notable road noise/humming, sometimes described as a growl or drone, which can undermine overall comfort.
- strong snow traction
- good ice grip
- confident wet handling/grip
- good value for money
- increased road noise/humming
Summarised by AI from 8 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 8 Premitra Snow WP6 reviewsThe Maxxis WP6 is good enough for normal Dutch winter driving. Straight-line aquaplaning resistance is good and overall grip levels are acceptable.
However, on dry and wet roads the tyres lack feedback when cornering. Steering feel is vague and the car feels slightly floaty, especially in faster bends and motorway exits.
Snow traction is good and steering on snow is acceptable. On icy roads the rear of the car felt unstable, with a subtle side-to-side movement.
Previously driven on Firestone Winterhawk 2, Michelin Alpin A4 and Dunlop Winter Sport 5. Of those, the Dunlop offered the best overall balance and driver confidence.
Overall I’m satisfied, but I would not buy them again. Next time I would try the Kumho WP52 or return to a premium brand.
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
- 87%from 34 reviews
- 85%would buy again
- 402,850 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners rate the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 highly overall (average 82.7%), with the clearest consensus around strong snow traction and unusually capable dry-road performance for a winter tyre. Wet grip also earns plenty of praise, and a smaller group highlights sharp steering feel and secure snow handling. Complaints are more mixed, but around a quarter of owners mention either firmer-than-expected ride comfort or disappointing ice performance, and a smaller minority report noticeable road noise and weak slush behaviour.
- Strong snow traction and confidence in winter conditions
- Outstanding dry grip for a winter tyre
- Very good wet grip
- Secure, sporty handling on dry roads
- Ice grip can be poor and unpredictable for some
- Firm or bumpy ride comfort for a winter tyre
- Noticeable road noise at speed
Summarised by AI from 27 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tyre page.
All 34 Pilot Alpin 5 reviewsGreat tyre, i replaced my GY Ultragrip performance 3 with this and i can say they are even better on snow than GY. Where Michelin lacks to GY is on wet. I find goodyear a bit better on wet surfaces but both tyres are excepional.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tyre: 63 sizes of the Premitra Snow WP6 and 81 of the Pilot Alpin 5, 31 of them made in both.
| Category | Premitra Snow WP6 | Pilot Alpin 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Winter | Winter |
| Sizes made | 63 sizes, 14 to 20 inch | 81 sizes, 16 to 23 inch |
| Made in both | 31 sizes 205/60 R16215/65 R16225/50 R17235/45 R17245/45 R17245/55 R17215/40 R18225/40 R18225/45 R18235/40 R18235/45 R18245/40 R18and 19 more | |
| EU label wet grip | B70%C28%A1% | B58%C40%D2% |
| EU label rolling resistance | D79%C21% | C60%D30%B9% |
| EU label noise | 69-72 dB B73%A27% | 68-75 dB B70%A30% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 71 of 71 | 96 of 96 |
| On the market since | 2020 | 2017 |
| Replaced | - | Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 (2012) |
| Price in the shared tests | The Pilot Alpin 5 was the dearer tyre in 6 of the 6 tests that listed prices, by 43.8% on average. Each test priced the tyres in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Maxxis' Premitra Snow WP6 and Michelin's Pilot Alpin 5 aim at two slightly different briefs within the same winter segment: the Maxxis is positioned as a premium-touring style winter tyre with a clear value angle, while the Michelin is a true ultra-high-performance winter tyre designed to keep sporty cars and powerful daily drivers stable, precise and safe across changing winter conditions.
Across eight shared professional tests (sizes from 225/40 R18 to 245/45 R19), the pattern is unusually consistent: the Pilot Alpin 5 finishes near the very top every time (including multiple outright wins), while the Premitra Snow WP6 tends to land in the bottom third to bottom quarter of the field. The interesting twist is that the Maxxis does have a repeatable technical strength-strong aquaplaning resistance-so the comparison isn't “bad at everything,” but it is “outclassed where it matters most” in braking and snow performance.
Conclusion
On the evidence from these shared tests, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 is the clearly superior winter tyre for safety and all-round capability. It repeatedly delivers shorter braking distances on dry and wet roads (often by large margins) and is consistently stronger on snow. In key real-world terms, that means the Michelin will more reliably stop and steer when temperatures drop and roads are wet, slushy or snow-covered-exactly the situations where a winter tyre earns its keep. Representative gaps are meaningful: wet braking advantages of ~10-19% show up in multiple braking-only comparisons (e.g., 41 m vs 33.2 m in the 2025 52-set test, and 41 m vs 35.9 m in the 2026 50-set test), and the Michelin also leads snow traction/handling in the major comparative tests.
The Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6's main counterpunch is aquaplaning resistance (e.g., it beats the Michelin in straight and/or curved aquaplaning in several tests, including Auto Bild Sportscars 2026 and Auto Bild SUV 2024), and it is typically cheaper-sometimes explicitly highlighted as “second-cheapest” with better 'value' scoring in AZ's 2025 test. However, the recurring weaknesses are hard to ignore: the WP6 is regularly among the weakest for wet braking and overall wet handling, and in at least one major report it was penalized for being the weakest on snow in that test. Even when the WP6 looks “acceptable” on snow in one dataset, it still trails the Michelin. Practical takeaway: if winter safety margins and confident handling are priorities, the Michelin is the buy; the Maxxis only makes sense if budget is tight and your driving is cautious, with an added upside in standing-water aquaplaning resistance.
Premitra Snow WP6 vs Pilot Alpin 5: your questions
Is the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 or the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 the better tyre?
In the 9 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 finished ahead 9 times and the Premitra Snow WP6 not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Premitra Snow WP6 scores 6.6 and the Pilot Alpin 5 9.5 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Premitra Snow WP6 or the Pilot Alpin 5?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 23 of the 31 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 10.2% shorter in the wet across 9 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 12 of the 12 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 6.7% shorter in the dry across 6 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The Pilot Alpin 5 led 21 of the 23 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.3% shorter on snow across 7 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Pilot Alpin 5 lasted 23.4% longer in the wear tests (3 tests) and had 4.4% lower rolling resistance (5 tests). Owners rate wear 7.9/10 for the Premitra Snow WP6 and 9/10 for the Pilot Alpin 5.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The Pilot Alpin 5 was 1 dB quieter (6 tests). Owners rate comfort 6.8/10 for the Premitra Snow WP6 and 8.3/10 for the Pilot Alpin 5.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Premitra Snow WP6 71% from 8 reviews and the Pilot Alpin 5 87% from 34. 63% of Premitra Snow WP6 owners would buy it again, against 85% for the Pilot Alpin 5.
Which is more expensive?
In the 6 tests that listed prices, the Pilot Alpin 5 was the dearer tyre in 6 of them, by 43.8% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Premitra Snow WP6 is made in 63 sizes (14 to 20 inch) and the Pilot Alpin 5 in 81 (16 to 23 inch). 31 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Premitra Snow WP6 is graded B for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Pilot Alpin 5 B and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Premitra Snow WP6 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2020, the Pilot Alpin 5 in 2017. The Pilot Alpin 5 replaced the Michelin Pilot Alpin 4.
More comparisons with these tyres
vs
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
3-14 in 18 shared tests
vs
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
3-14 in 21 shared tests
vs
Bridgestone Blizzak 6 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
0-11 in 11 shared tests
vs
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
1-18 in 20 shared tests
vs
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
5-10 in 16 shared tests
vs
Linglong Sport Master Winter vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
0-5 in 5 shared tests
vs
Dunlop Winter Sport 5 vs Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
0-9 in 9 shared tests
vs
Kumho Winter Craft WP52 vs Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
5-2 in 7 shared tests
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.
Discussion