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Head-to-head Updated

Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV vs Michelin X Ice Snow — 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 3 + 13 road tests and 5 + 19 owner reviews. How we score

X Ice Snow leads, 74–70 Narrow edge

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Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
Tire AContinental

Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

Winter

± 7

Tests 73 · 3 tests Owners 69 · 5 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter SUV / 4x4 Tyre Test (wet braking)

Michelin X Ice Snow
Tire BMichelin

X Ice Snow

Winter

± 5

Tests 70 · 13 tests Owners 79 · 19 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (comfort (tester's mark))

Category by category

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

  1. 70

    Dry

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV +2
    68
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 11 tests6865
    Reviews found online7272

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 68.1 + 40% × 72.4 = 70

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 65.3 + 40% × 72.2 = 68

  2. 75

    Wet

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV +4
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests7764
    Reviews found online7281

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 77.1 + 40% × 71.9 = 75

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 64.2 + 40% × 80.6 = 71

  3. 68

    Snow

    X Ice Snow +9
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 12 tests7673
    Reviews found online5682

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 76.4 + 40% × 56.1 = 68

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 81.8 = 77

  4. 72

    Comfort

    X Ice Snow +9
    81
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests≈ 70 (est.)82
    Reviews found online7380

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 40% × 69.8 (est.) + 60% × 73 = 72

    X Ice Snow: 40% × 82.3 + 60% × 80 = 81

    No road tests of comfort for Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 63

    Noise

    X Ice Snow +12
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 8 tests6181
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 61.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 63

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 81.2 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 75

    No owner ratings of noise for Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow. 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. 70

    Treadwear

    X Ice Snow +7
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online7283

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: 60% × 68.3 (est.) + 40% × 72.3 = 70

    X Ice Snow: 60% × 72.1 (est.) + 40% × 83.2 = 77

    No road tests of treadwear for Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

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

  7. 71

    Handling (owners)

    X Ice Snow +5
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice Snow
    Reviews found online7176
  8. 81

    Efficiency

    Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV +4
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice Snow
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 6 tests8177
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUVMichelin X Ice Snow
Relative Score 70 74
Dry 70 68
Wet 75 71
Snow 68 77
Comfort 72 81
Noise 63 75
Treadwear 70 77
Handling (owners) 71 76
Efficiency 81 77

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
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

± 5

X Ice Snow

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinter Contact TS 850 P SUVX Ice SnowΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 96% #7/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 81% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #3/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 92% #4/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 90% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 75% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 98% #3/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 72% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 100% #3/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 95% #6/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 99% #3/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 69% #6/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 99% #2/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 86% #8/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 93% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 96% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Noise Noise 96% #8/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 99% #7/8 · 2024 Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 97% #3/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 68% #9/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test 50% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #3/10 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test #7/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

Pros

  • Balanced performance across dry and wet conditions
  • Secure handling and positive steering feedback on snow and ice
  • Good overall traction in cold weather environments

Cons

  • Subpar aquaplaning resistance reported by some users
  • Inconsistent grip leading to rear-wheel spin in non-dry conditions
  • Mixed snow and winter slush performance depending on severity
All owner themes in the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV review

Tire B X Ice Snow

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and lateral grip in deep snow and slush
  • High level of confidence and stability on icy surfaces
  • Excellent tread life and durability over multiple seasons

Cons

  • Average performance and handling on dry or wet pavement
  • Increased road noise as the tires wear over time
  • Can feel slightly 'twitchy' or less stable at the absolute limit of handling
All owner themes in the X Ice Snow review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV B · Michelin X Ice Snow
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—100
Rim diameters—13″ – 21″

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

Michelin X Ice Snow

Narrow edge: Michelin X Ice Snow — better noise, snow and comfort. Pick the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV if wet and efficiency matter most to you.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 75 vs 63 on noise.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 68 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 81 vs 72 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin X Ice Snow scores 77 vs 70 on treadwear.

Tire A · Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
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Tire B · Michelin X Ice Snow
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Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow?

Which is better in the wet, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow?

Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV, 75 vs 71 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow?

Neither, by our numbers: 70 vs 68 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 68 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 75 vs 63 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 81 vs 72 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow?

Michelin X Ice Snow, 77 vs 70 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV or X Ice Snow?

Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV, 81 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