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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Alpin A4 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

Alpin A4 leads, 78–74 Narrow edge

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Tire AContinental

WinterContact TS 850 P

Winter

Tests 76 · 9 tests Owners 71 · 20 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test (rolling resistance)

Tire BMichelin

Alpin A4

Winter

Tests 73 · 1 test Owners 83 · 54 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 (wet braking)

Category by category

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

  1. 71

    Dry

    Alpin A4 +7
    78
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PAlpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)7175
    Reviews found online7182
  2. 83

    Wet

    WinterContact TS 850 P +3
    80
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PAlpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)8775
    Reviews found online7787
  3. 73

    Snow

    Alpin A4 +1
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PAlpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)7669
    Reviews found online6982
  4. 71

    Comfort

    Alpin A4 +6
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PAlpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)72–
    Reviews found online6984
  5. 65

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PAlpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)65–
    Reviews found online64–
  6. 71

    Treadwear

    Alpin A4 +4
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PAlpin A4
    Professional tests (TWG score)72–
    Reviews found online6981
  7. 74

    Handling

    Alpin A4 +12
    86
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850 PAlpin A4
    Reviews found online7486
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 850 PMichelin Alpin A4
Relative Score 74 78
Dry 71 78
Wet 83 80
Snow 73 74
Comfort 71 77
Noise 65 –
Treadwear 71 75
Handling 74 86

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

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
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Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost

Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

WinterContact TS 850 P

Alpin A4

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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 PAlpin A4ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 96% #9/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 98% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 −2.3 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 88% #8/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 +11.9 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #7/10 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test R18 #6/16 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 93% #7/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 98% #3/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 −4.7 Different tests
Snow Traction Snow 91% #6/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 95% #6/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 −4.6 Different tests
Straight Aqua Wet 93% #8/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 96% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 −2.8 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 94% #7/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 −5.7 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 99% #4/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test 99% #2/8 · 2017 AC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 +0.6 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 Alpin A4

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice
  • High level of confidence and stability in wet, cold conditions
  • Impressive tread life and durability over multiple seasons

Cons

  • Reduced steering feedback and 'numb' handling feel
  • Performance decline in dry conditions when temperatures exceed 10°C
  • Occasional reports of increased rolling resistance
All owner themes in the Alpin A4 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P B · Michelin Alpin A4
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1229
Rim diameters15″ – 22″14″ – 17″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure44 - 51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 850 P

Michelin Alpin A4

Winner: Michelin Alpin A4 — better handling, dry and comfort. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P if wet matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 86 vs 74 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 78 vs 71 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 77 vs 71 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Alpin A4 scores 75 vs 71 on treadwear.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Michelin Alpin A4
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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.

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

78

Narrow edge

Alpin A4

Amazon