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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Bridgestone Blizzak DM V3 — 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 9 + 1 road tests and 20 + 1 owner reviews. How we score

WinterContact TS 850 P is ahead, 74–64

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Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Tire AContinental

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)

Bridgestone Blizzak DM V3
Tire BBridgestone

Blizzak DM V3

Winter

± 8Provisional

Tests 67 · 1 test Owners 62 · 1 review

Best test result: #3 of 8 in 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test (snow handling)

Category by category

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

  1. 71

    Dry

    WinterContact TS 850 P +6
    65
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 1 tests7170
    Reviews found online7159

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 71.3 + 40% × 70.7 = 71

    Blizzak DM V3: 60% × 69.8 + 40% × 58.9 = 65

  2. 84

    Wet

    WinterContact TS 850 P +24
    60
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 1 tests8859
    Reviews found online7762

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 88.1 + 40% × 77.2 = 84

    Blizzak DM V3: 60% × 59.3 + 40% × 61.5 = 60

  3. 73

    Snow

    WinterContact TS 850 P +3
    70
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 9 / 1 tests7671
    Reviews found online6868

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 76.4 + 40% × 68.1 = 73

    Blizzak DM V3: 60% × 70.7 + 40% × 67.9 = 70

  4. 70

    Comfort

    WinterContact TS 850 P +11
    59
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests72≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online6854

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 40% × 72.1 + 60% × 68.4 = 70

    Blizzak DM V3: 40% × 65.7 (est.) + 60% × 53.9 = 59

    No road tests of comfort for Blizzak DM V3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 67

    Noise

    Blizzak DM V3 +1
    68
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 1 tests6770
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 67.2 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 67

    Blizzak DM V3: 60% × 69.8 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 68

    No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 72

    Treadwear

    WinterContact TS 850 P +9
    63
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests72≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online7161

    WinterContact TS 850 P: 60% × 72.2 + 40% × 71.4 = 72

    Blizzak DM V3: 60% × 64.5 (est.) + 40% × 60.8 = 63

    No road tests of treadwear for Blizzak DM V3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 75

    Handling (owners)

    WinterContact TS 850 P +16
    59
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3
    Reviews found online7559
  8. 80

    Efficiency

    WinterContact TS 850 P +19
    61
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 1 tests8061
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 850 PBridgestone Blizzak DM V3
Relative Score 74 64
Dry 71 65
Wet 84 60
Snow 73 70
Comfort 70 59
Noise 67 68
Treadwear 72 63
Handling (owners) 75 59
Efficiency 80 61

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

WinterContact TS 850 P

± 8

Blizzak DM V3

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinterContact TS 850 PBlizzak DM V3ΔHead-to-head
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 90% #2/11 · 2019 AMS Winter SUV Tyre Test 60% #6/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 93% #8/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 88% #7/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #4/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 97% #8/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 96% #3/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 99% #3/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 91% #6/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 96% #7/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 95% #9/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 98% #4/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 90% #8/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 42% #9/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 66% #6/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #7/10 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test R18 #6/8 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A 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

Tire B Blizzak DM V3

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P B · Bridgestone Blizzak DM V3
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverSUV and 4x4
Sizes available12273
Rim diameters15″ – 22″15″ – 22″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure44 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common4646

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P

Bridgestone Blizzak DM V3

Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P — better wet, efficiency and handling. Where the Bridgestone Blizzak DM V3 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Bridgestone Blizzak DM V3 rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 1 review), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P scores 84 vs 60 on wet.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P scores 80 vs 61 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P scores 75 vs 59 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P scores 70 vs 59 on comfort.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
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Tire B · Bridgestone Blizzak DM V3
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WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3?

Which is better in the wet, WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 84 vs 60 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 71 vs 65 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 73 vs 70 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3?

Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 68 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 70 vs 59 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 72 vs 63 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, WinterContact TS 850 P or Blizzak DM V3?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P, 80 vs 61 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