TopTire Review

    Continental WinterContact TS 860 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    2026 test data · 11 independent tests

    Continental WinterContact TS 860 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 860 and Continental WinterContact TS 860 S appear in 11 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 860 performs. It takes the win in wet, snow, ice, mileage, efficiency. Its overall Tire Lab Score is 91/100, based on 10 tests.

    How the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S performs. It takes the win in dry. 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 860 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 860 if

    Overall winner
    • You prioritise wet
    • You prioritise snow
    • You prioritise ice

    Choose Continental WinterContact TS 860 S if

    • You prioritise dry

    Test profile

    MetricContinental WinterContact TS 860Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
    SegmentPerformance WinterPerformance Winter
    TypeWinterWinter
    Tests used101
    Best rank#1#2
    Avg rank5.25.8
    Latest test20202019
    Tire Lab Score9188.8

    Tire Lab Score

    91
    Excellent · Winter
    88.8
    Very Good · Winter

    Performance overview

    Category-by-category results

    CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 860Continental WinterContact TS 860 SWinner
    💧Wet
    Avg rank 3.3
    74
    Avg rank 5.0
    Continental WinterContact TS 860
    ☀️Dry
    Avg rank 4.4
    531
    Avg rank 2.5
    11
    Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
    ❄️Snow
    Avg rank 4.5
    452
    Avg rank 7.0
    Continental WinterContact TS 860
    🧊Ice
    Avg rank 3.0
    11
    		No data
    Continental WinterContact TS 860
    🔇Noise / Comfort
    Avg rank 6.0
    32
    Avg rank 6.0
    Tie
    📏Mileage
    Avg rank 7.7
    1
    		No data
    Continental WinterContact TS 860
    🔋Efficiency
    Avg rank 9.4
    1
    Avg rank 11.0
    Continental WinterContact TS 860

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

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 3.3, compared to 5.0 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

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

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 S wins this category with an average rank of 2.5, compared to 4.4 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860.

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

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 4.5, compared to 7.0 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

    🧊 Ice: Continental WinterContact TS 860 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 3.0, compared to no data for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

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

    Both tires perform similarly in noise / comfort, with average ranks of 6.0 and 6.0.

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

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 7.7, compared to no data for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

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

    The Continental WinterContact TS 860 wins this category with an average rank of 9.4, compared to 11.0 for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S.

    Frequently asked questions

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

    Across independent wet-braking tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 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 860 across the tests where both appeared.

    Which tire lasts longer?

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

    How many tests were used in this comparison?

    Continental WinterContact TS 860 appears in 10 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 →