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Head-to-head Updated

Continental VikingContact 7 vs Continental WinterContact TS 850 P — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 8 + 9 road tests and 32 + 20 owner reviews. How we score

WinterContact TS 850 P is ahead, 74–69

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Continental VikingContact 7
Tire AContinental

VikingContact 7

Winter

± 5

Tests 75 · 8 tests Owners 63 · 32 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Tire BContinental

WinterContact TS 850 P

Winter

± 5

Tests 76 · 9 tests Owners 72 · 20 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test (wet handling)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 67

    Dry

    WinterContact TS 850 P +4
    71
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 P
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 8 tests7771
    Reviews found online5371

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 76.6 + 40% × 52.7 = 67

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 71.4 + 40% × 71.2 = 71

  2. 68

    Wet

    WinterContact TS 850 P +16
    84
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 P
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 9 tests6889
    Reviews found online6777

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 68.4 + 40% × 66.5 = 68

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 88.5 + 40% × 77.4 = 84

  3. 76

    Snow

    VikingContact 7 +3
    73
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 P
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 9 tests7976
    Reviews found online7268

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 79.1 + 40% × 72.4 = 76

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 76.4 + 40% × 68.3 = 73

  4. 71

    Comfort

    VikingContact 7 +1
    70
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 P
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7072
    Reviews found online7169

    VikingContact 7: 40% × 70 + 60% × 71.3 = 71

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 40% × 72.3 + 60% × 68.9 = 70

  5. 81

    Noise

    VikingContact 7 +14
    67
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 P
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 7 tests8967
    Reviews found online69≈ 67 (est.)

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 88.6 + 40% × 68.8 = 81

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 67.4 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 67

    No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 850 P. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 60

    Treadwear

    WinterContact TS 850 P +12
    72
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 P
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 63 (est.)72
    Reviews found online5671

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 62.5 (est.) + 40% × 55.8 = 60

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 72.1 + 40% × 71.3 = 72

    No road tests of treadwear for VikingContact 7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 64

    Handling (owners)

    WinterContact TS 850 P +11
    75
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 P
    Reviews found online6475
  8. 77

    Efficiency

    WinterContact TS 850 P +3
    80
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 P
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 7 tests7780
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental VikingContact 7Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Relative Score 69 74
Dry 67 71
Wet 68 84
Snow 76 73
Comfort 71 70
Noise 81 67
Treadwear 60 72
Handling (owners) 64 75
Efficiency 77 80

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

VikingContact 7

± 5

WinterContact TS 850 P

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryVikingContact 7WinterContact TS 850 PΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 96% #9/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 70% #9/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 80% #2/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 93% #8/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 80% #2/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 94% #7/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 80% #3/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 99% #4/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 70% #5/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 90% #5/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 93% #7/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 90% #3/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 96% #3/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 91% #6/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 90% #3/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 100% #3/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test 95% #9/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 100% #1/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 69% #5/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test 42% #9/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #2/15 2025 Teknikens Värld Winter Tire Test R17 #7/10 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test R18 – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A VikingContact 7

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Strong performance in slush and deep snow
  • Stable and predictable handling at highway speeds

Cons

  • Mixed reports regarding tread life and longevity
  • Noticeable decline in ice-braking performance compared to top-tier ice specialists
  • Compound may harden or performance may degrade after multiple seasons
All owner themes in the VikingContact 7 review

Tire B WinterContact TS 850 P

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and stability in wet and dry conditions
  • Low noise levels and high ride comfort
  • Predictable handling and good feedback on cold, ungritted roads

Cons

  • Faster than expected tread wear reported by some users
  • High initial purchase price
  • Mixed performance on ice and slush for certain drivers
All owner themes in the WinterContact TS 850 P review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental VikingContact 7 B · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available134122
Rim diameters14″ – 22″15″ – 22″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″10 - 11/32″
SidewallBlack Side WallBlack Side Wall
Max pressure44 - 51 psi44 - 51 psi
Sizes in common8585

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental VikingContact 7

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P

Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P — better wet, treadwear and handling. Pick the Continental VikingContact 7 if noise and snow matter most to you.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P scores 84 vs 68 on wet.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental VikingContact 7 scores 81 vs 67 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P scores 72 vs 60 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P scores 75 vs 64 on handling.

Tire A · Continental VikingContact 7
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Tire B · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
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VikingContact 7 or WinterContact TS 850 P?

Which is better in the wet, VikingContact 7 or WinterContact TS 850 P?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 84 vs 68 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, VikingContact 7 or WinterContact TS 850 P?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 71 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, VikingContact 7 or WinterContact TS 850 P?

Continental VikingContact 7, 76 vs 73 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, VikingContact 7 or WinterContact TS 850 P?

Continental VikingContact 7, 81 vs 67 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, VikingContact 7 or WinterContact TS 850 P?

Neither, by our numbers: 71 vs 70 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, VikingContact 7 or WinterContact TS 850 P?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 72 vs 60 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, VikingContact 7 or WinterContact TS 850 P?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 80 vs 77 on our efficiency score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology