Tests 74 · 9 tests Owners 72 · 20 reviews
Best test result: #7 of 13 in 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Pilot Alpin PA3 leads, 75–74 Narrow edge
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Tests – · none yet Owners 78 · 11 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 7 in 2011 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
72
Dry
Pilot Alpin PA3 +678Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin PA3 Professional tests (TWG score) 71 – Reviews found online 73 82 -
79
Wet
WinterContact TS 850 P +277Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin PA3 Professional tests (TWG score) 81 – Reviews found online 75 80 -
73
Snow
WinterContact TS 850 P +667Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin PA3 Professional tests (TWG score) 76 – Reviews found online 70 65 -
71
Comfort
Pilot Alpin PA3 +475Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin PA3 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 – Reviews found online 69 80 -
64
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin PA3 Professional tests (TWG score) 64 – Reviews found online 64 – -
71
Treadwear
Pilot Alpin PA3 +172Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin PA3 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 – Reviews found online 70 77 -
75
Handling
Pilot Alpin PA3 +681Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 P Pilot Alpin PA3 Reviews found online 75 81
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 850 P | Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | 75 |
| Dry | 72 | 78 |
| Wet | 79 | 77 |
| Snow | 73 | 67 |
| Comfort | 71 | 75 |
| Noise | 64 | – |
| Treadwear | 71 | 72 |
| Handling | 75 | 81 |
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.
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
74
/ 100
WinterContact TS 850 P
75
/ 100
Pilot Alpin PA3
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | WinterContact TS 850 P | Pilot Alpin PA3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 14% #7/13 · 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tyre Test | 17% #6/7 · 2011 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | −2.4 | 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
Tire B Pilot Alpin PA3
Pros
- Exceptional traction and grip on ice, light-to-moderate snow, and wet roads
- High comfort levels and very low road noise, comparable to summer tires
- Durable tread life with slow, even wear over thousands of miles
Cons
- Premium price point that some users find lacking in value
- Not optimized for deep snow or slow-speed climbing in mountainous 'white' roads
- Slight loss of braking performance felt on dry roads by some drivers
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
74
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
75
/ 100
Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3
Too close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 850 P and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 850 P is stronger on snow. Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 is stronger on dry, handling and comfort.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P scores 73 vs 67 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 scores 78 vs 72 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 scores 81 vs 75 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 scores 75 vs 71 on comfort.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3
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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.