TopTire Review

    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    2026 test data · 10 independent tests

    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S: the full picture

    This comparison is built only from published independent tests — no manufacturer claims and no sponsored reviews. Between them, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P and Continental WinterContact TS 860 S appear in 10 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 WinterContact TS 850 P performs. It takes the win in wet, snow, mileage, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 94/100, based on 9 tests.

    How the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S performs. It takes the win in dry, noise / comfort. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 89/100, based on 1 test.

    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 WinterContact TS 850 P is the stronger all-round choice, leading in wet and Tire Lab Score. The Continental WinterContact TS 860 S still wins on dry, making it the right pick if that matters most to you.

    Which one should you buy?

    Choose Continental WinterContact TS 850 P if

    Overall winner
    • You prioritise wet
    • You prioritise snow
    • You prioritise mileage

    Choose Continental WinterContact TS 860 S if

    • You prioritise dry
    • You prioritise noise / comfort

    Test profile

    MetricContinental WinterContact TS 850 PContinental WinterContact TS 860 S
    SegmentPerformance WinterPerformance Winter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used91
    Best rank#1#2
    Avg rank6.15.8
    Latest test20212019
    Tire Lab Score94.388.8

    Tire Lab Score

    94.3
    Excellent · Winter
    88.8
    Very Good · Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 850 PContinental WinterContact TS 860 SWinner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 4.0
    434
    Avg rank 5.0
    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 6.3
    14
    Avg rank 2.5
    11
    Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 5.9
    113
    Avg rank 7.0
    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 6.1
    121
    Avg rank 6.0
    Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
    📏Mileage
    Avg rank 4.0
    		No data
    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 8.1
    Avg rank 11.0
    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P

    💧 Wet: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P wins this category with an average rank of 4.0, compared to 5.0 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

    ☀️ Dry: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 S wins this category with an average rank of 2.5, compared to 6.3 for the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P.

    ❄️ Snow: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P wins this category with an average rank of 5.9, compared to 7.0 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

    🔇 Noise / Comfort: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 S wins this category with an average rank of 6.0, compared to 6.1 for the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P.

    📏 Mileage: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P wins this category with an average rank of 4.0, compared to no data for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

    🔋 Efficiency: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P wins this category with an average rank of 8.1, compared to 11.0 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which is better in the wet, Continental WinterContact TS 850 P or Continental WinterContact TS 860 S?

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P ranks higher on average than the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

    Which has shorter dry braking distance?

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 S averages a better dry-braking rank than the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P across the tests where both appeared.

    Which tire is quieter and more comfortable?

    On combined noise and comfort metrics, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S ranks better than the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P.

    Which tire lasts longer?

    Based on wear and abrasion testing, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P shows better mileage performance than the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Continental WinterContact TS 850 P appears in 9 independent tests, Continental WinterContact TS 860 S in 1.

    Also compare

    Data aggregated from independent testing organizations including ADAC, Auto Bild, TCS, and Auto Motor und Sport. Read our methodology →