Skip advert
Advertisement

Michelin Alpin A4 tyre review

Its days on sale are numbered, but this winter tyre is still well worth considering.

Michelin Alpin A4

Its days on sale are numbered, but this winter tyre is still well worth considering.

This is likely to be the last time we see the Alpin A4 in our winter tyre tests, as Michelin has launched the new A5 since we carried out our assessment. Still, the outgoing tyre remains a good choice and, for once, Michelin is among the least expensive options.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It’s still competitive and proved a close match for the new Uniroyal – this bodes well for the new Alpin, which promises improvements in just about every area. The A4 was quickest around the wide snow circle and took third around the twists and turns of Ivalo’s handling track. The rear moved, but it was easy to keep in check and helped the lap time.

The Michelin was up there with the best in the braking and traction tests, too. It wasn’t quite so close to the front runners in the wet, but performed solidly, feeling sharp on the handling track as it finished fourth, around a second behind the winner. It trailed a little further in wet braking, and like other tyres was caught out by the curved aquaplaning test’s deep water, slipping to a distant sixth.

It was also close to the pace in dry handling, taking third in a tight field. In dry braking it need less than two metres longer to stop from 62mph than the top Nokian. No doubt one of the areas the A5 will be keen to tackle is economy as the A4 uses around two per cent more fuel than the Conti. Even so, it had the edge over most rivals, finishing fourth here.

Price£99.49 
Snow braking98.00%5th
Snow traction97.90%4th
Snow circle100.00%=1st
Snow handling98.40%3rd
Straight aqua94.50%6th
Curved aqua87%6th
Wet braking96.20%3rd
Wet handling98.70%4th
Dry braking96.70%6th
Dry handling99.60%3rd
Cabin noise99.10%6th
Rolling resistance87.10%4th
Overall98.40%5th
Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £1,848 off RRP*Used from £7,649
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £2,721 off RRP*Used from £8,600
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £5,075 off RRP*Used from £14,448
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £2,513 off RRP*Used from £5,500
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025