Michelin Alpin 6 vs Alpin 7

Since the 20^th century, Michelin has stood as a premier manufacturer of tyres, continually dedicating itself to tyre innovation and advancement.

Michelin has developed some of the best seasonal tyres on the market, from reliable all-season tyres to high-performance summer tyres.

One seasonal tyre type that Michelin has also specialised in is winter tyres, which is highlighted through their Alpin tyre series.

The most recent Alpin tyre model is the Alpin 6, a premium winter tyre released globally by Michelin back in 2018. However, a brand new Alpin model, the Michelin Alpin 7, has just been released in 2024.

With the release of the all-new  Alpin 7, we feel it’s necessary to compare the Alpin 7 to its successful predecessor, the Alpin 7.

Today, we will cover the key features of both models and how they stack up against each other.

Alpin 6 Overview

The Michelin Alpin 6 is an industry leading winter tyre manufactured by Michelin.

Since the Alpin 6 is a winter tyre, it is developed to be at its most optimal level of performance when driving through wet, snowy, and/or icy weather conditions.

The capabilities of this tyre are underscored by its inclusion of the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) tyre marking. This EU-approved label signifies that the tyre model has undergone and passed standardized, supervised, and stringent tests assessing its suitability for winter conditions.

Industry leading technologies have been applied to the Alpin 6 to further optimise the performance levels in winter conditions – Michelin’s WinterEverGrip technology ensures continued braking and traction on snow.

Additionally, the Alpin 6 is equipped with Michelin’s MaxTouch technology to confirm that tyre pressure is evenly distributed, further bettering the tyre’s longevity.

The Alpin 6 outperforms its predecessor, the Alpin 5, by over 6% on wet surfaces and over 8% in snow.

Alpin 7 Overview

The Michelin Alpin 7 is a winter tyre set to be released by Michelin in 2024.

Like its predecessor that we just spoke about, the Alpin 6, the Alpin 7 is a winter tyre that offers great levels of performance throughout winter driving conditions.

The Michelin winter tyre features cutting-edge Michelin technology, including a newly formulated compound optimized for low temperatures.

A sophisticated compound delivers strong traction on the road, improving driver control during acceleration, braking, and cornering during winter driving conditions.

Furthermore, the Michelin Alpin 7 is engineered with distinctive grooves that become visible as the tyre wears. This smart tread pattern maintains consistent performance over the tyre's life, especially in snowy conditions.

Scheduled for a 2024 release, the Alpin 7 will succeed the Alpin 6.

Tyre Label Ratings

Tyre label ratings are an EU regulated ranking system that rates a tyre model on key performance categories.

The following categories are ranked as follows:

Fuel Efficiency – Ranked A to G

Wet Grip – Ranked A to G

Tyre Noise – Ranked with numbers and A to C/Decibels (dB)

Alpin 6 Label Ratings

In the available tyre sizes on the Michelin website, the Michelin Alpin 6 has fuel efficiency ratings of C or D.

The wet grip ratings for the Alpin 6 is B across all available tyre sizes.

External tyre noise ratings are also consistent across tyre sizes with 69 dB.

Alpin 7 Label Ratings

The Michelin Alpin 7 boasts fuel efficiency ratings from B to D.

The wet grip ratings for this Michelin winter tyre, same as the Alpin 6, are consistently rated B across all tyre sizes.

Noise levels for the Alpin 7 range between 69B and 71B.

Alpin 6 Awards

The Michelin Alpin 6 has gathered various awards and recognitions from industry experts since its release in 2018.

In 2021, the Alpin 6 was named 2^nd amongst the ‘Best 15 Winter Tyres’ list constructed by WhatTyre, only just missing out to the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005.

A year later, the 2022 Tyre Seeker saw the Alpin 6 be ‘recommended’ as a top winter tyre, only behind the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 and Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 that were the winner and ‘highly recommended’ respectively.

Furthermore, the Michelin winter tyre model was labelled with a ‘Good’ rating by ADACC in a comparative test of 16 225/45 R17 winter tyres and 16 205/60 R16 ​ winter tyres.

Overall, the Alpin 6’s success in both tyre tests and receiving awards is reflective of the quality and reliability of the winter tyre model.

Alpin 7 Awards

As the Alpin 7 has just been released, the brand new winter tyre model has not received any comparative test success or awards.

However, due to the sheer innovation and quality the tyre promises, we are sure many will be heading the Alpin 7’s way in the coming years.

Alpin 6 Customer Reviews

Our customer reviews system is powered by DriverReviews, where customers are given the opportunity to review their previously purchased tyre model.

Customers are given 4 categories to review their tyre from.

Over 1090 of our customers at Blackcircles.com have reviewed the Alpin 6 as follows:

• Overall rating of my tyres – 4.4/5
• I would buy the same tyres again – 4.6/5
• The car feels better to drive – 4.3/5
• The tyres were value for money – 4.1/5

Alpin 7 Customer Reviews

As mentioned previously, the Alpin 7 has just been released, which means there isn’t any customer reviews for the winter tyre.

Buy Winter Tyres Online Today

To summarise, both the Alpin 6 and 7 are fantastic winter tyre options that suit various car types and winter driving conditions.

To find out more about winter tyres or to buy your tyres online, visit our winter tyres page today.