Winter tires can be a touchy subject. There are those that believe winter tires are not needed and all-season tires will suffice. They have been driving with them for years, have a vehicle with all-wheel drive, and/or believe they are a very safe driver. Another topic of discussion asks if it’s worth spending the money on big-name brands versus unknown budget brands. I’ve run budget-friendly tires for the last couple of winters, but this year we were provided a set of Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 tires to evaluate on my 2013 BMW 650i xDrive Gran Coupe.
In the snow tire space, Michelin is most well-known for their X-Ice tires, which is a dedicated winter tire designed to deal with heavy snow and ice. Winter tires tend to have flexible tread layouts and soft sidewalls. This is great for maximizing traction, but tends to compromise road feel and handling performance on dry pavement. Michelin’s Pilot Alpin winter tires are the more performance-oriented option for drivers that mostly deal with light snow, wet and cold road conditions.
A winter tire without winter tire compromise
This is a tire for consumers who drive their sports cars or sport sedans year round, and would like to retain the sporty characteristics of their summer tires. With an ugly winter season of mostly city driving and the occasional trip north of Toronto, I never found myself wanting for more, as it proved to be a great mix of performance, comfort, and traction.
The Michelin Alpin PA4 tires are composed of a silica-based rubber made with sunflower oil, which allows flexibility in the tread during cold temperatures. This is unlike all-season tires, which become hard as hockey pucks when temperatures drop below 7 degrees Celsius. 3D interlocking sipes increase grip in the tread and help the tire bite into snow so that you have as much control as possible. Directional tread patterns enhance handling while retaining comfort and reducing road noise typical to winter tires.
Driving impressions – dry, wet, and worse
This winter season we luckily, or unluckily, had a mixture of freezing temperatures and an abundance of snow. The first few months brought damp roads and highways along with frigid temperatures. Coming from a budget-oriented tire to the Michelin Alpin PA4 was an eye-opener. Grip in the wet was truly exceptional. Taking on-ramps onto the QEW was a bit more fun as I was able to build speed confidently knowing that I had more than enough traction. A test car I had this winter was outfitted with all-season tires, and it felt absolutely skittish by comparison.
Damp and frosted roads were not an issue for the Michelin Pilot Alpins, as they were handled with ease. Grip under acceleration was excellent and left me wanting for nothing. When the heavier of snow did hit us, the Michelin Alpin PA4s showed what they were made of. Traction was excellent, control was there at all speeds and braking was tremendous. Not once this year did ABS need to kick in, not like with the budget-friendly rubber I had replaced.
Better than budget-tier
One of my biggest peeves with the budget-friendly winter tires I had replaced was flat spotting after about a week of sitting outside in below-freezing temperatures. Only after 10–15 minutes of driving did the tires finally even out. Even though this was a short-term issue, it was frustrating. The Michelin Alpin PA4s had no such issue. This one of the many things that separates quality tires from budget tires.
Wrap it up
The technology and know-how are apparent, and show why spending a few more dollars on quality tires is worth it. There are 43 sizes available for the Michelin Alpin PA4s, ranging from 17 to 21 inches, so most modern vehicles are covered. While far from the cheapest tires on the market, they are also not the most expensive, and they supported by a 50,000-kilometer warranty, so you needn’t worry about them not lasting. In this case, you get what you pay for and then some, and if you love to push your sporty car year round, the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 performance winter tires are a smart option.
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