Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Continental WinterContact TS 860: the full picture
This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV and Continental WinterContact TS 860 appear in 13 tests, though they have not yet met head-to-head in the same test. Head-to-head results carry the most weight here, because surface, weather and test car all change between events and make raw numbers from different tests hard to compare directly.
How the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV performs. It takes the win in noise / comfort, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 92/100, based on 3 tests.
How the Continental WinterContact TS 860 performs. It takes the win in wet, dry, snow, ice, mileage. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 91/100, based on 10 tests.
What this means for you. Category wins matter more than the overall score when your driving is weighted toward one condition — a wet-climate commuter should follow the wet braking column, while a high-mileage driver should follow wear and rolling resistance. Also check that both tires are actually offered in your size and load rating: performance can shift between sizes, and availability differs between the European and North American markets.
Verdict
The Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV is the stronger all-round choice, leading in noise / comfort and Tire Lab Score. The Continental WinterContact TS 860 still wins on wet, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.
Which one should you buy?
Choose Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV if
- You prioritise noise / comfort
- You prioritise efficiency
- You prioritise wet
- You prioritise dry
- You prioritise snow
Test profile
| Metric | Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV | Continental WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Performance Winter | Performance Winter |
| Type | Winter | Winter |
| Tests used | 3 | 10 |
| Best rank | #1 | #1 |
| Avg rank | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Latest test | 2021 | 2020 |
| Tire Lab Score | 91.7 | 91 |
Tire Lab Score
Continental WinterContact TS 860
Performance overview
Category-by-category results
| Category | Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV | Continental WinterContact TS 860 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💧Wet | Avg rank 4.0 112 | Avg rank 3.3 74 | Continental WinterContact TS 860 |
| ☀️Dry | Avg rank 6.2 1 | Avg rank 4.4 531 | Continental WinterContact TS 860 |
| ❄️Snow | Avg rank 4.8 112 | Avg rank 4.5 452 | Continental WinterContact TS 860 |
| 🧊Ice | No data | Avg rank 3.0 11 | Continental WinterContact TS 860 |
| 🔇Noise / Comfort | Avg rank 4.7 2 | Avg rank 6.0 32 | Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV |
| 📏Mileage | No data | Avg rank 7.7 1 | Continental WinterContact TS 860 |
| 🔋Efficiency | Avg rank 9.3 | Avg rank 9.4 1 | Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV |
💧 Wet: Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Continental WinterContact TS 860
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 3.3, compared to 4.0 for the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
☀️ Dry: Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Continental WinterContact TS 860
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 4.4, compared to 6.2 for the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
❄️ Snow: Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Continental WinterContact TS 860
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 4.5, compared to 4.8 for the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
🧊 Ice: Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Continental WinterContact TS 860
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 3.0, compared to no data for the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
🔇 Noise / Comfort: Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Continental WinterContact TS 860
The Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV wins this category with an average rank of 4.7, compared to 6.0 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860.
📏 Mileage: Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Continental WinterContact TS 860
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 7.7, compared to no data for the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
🔋 Efficiency: Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Continental WinterContact TS 860
The Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV wins this category with an average rank of 9.3, compared to 9.4 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better in the wet, Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or Continental WinterContact TS 860?
Across independent wet-braking tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 ranks higher on average than the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
Which has shorter dry braking distance?
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 averages a better dry-braking rank than the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV across the tests where both appeared.
Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?
On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV ranks better than the Continental WinterContact TS 860.
Which tire lasts longer?
Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 shows better mileage performance than the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
How many tests were used in this comparison?
Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV appears in 3 independent tests, Continental WinterContact TS 860 in 10.
Also compare
Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs…
Continental WinterContact TS 860 vs…
Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →