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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 850 vs Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance — Compared

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

WinterContact TS 850 is ahead, 73–66

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Tire AContinental

WinterContact TS 850

Winter

Tests – · none yet Owners 75 · 57 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 42 in 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test (overall ranking)

Tire BGoodyear

Ultra Grip 8 Performance

Winter

Tests – · none yet Owners 65 · 13 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 6 in 2012 Auto Bild Sports 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.

  1. 73

    Dry

    WinterContact TS 850 +6
    67
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Ultra Grip 8 Performance
    Reviews found online7766
  2. 78

    Wet

    WinterContact TS 850 +6
    72
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Ultra Grip 8 Performance
    Reviews found online8173
  3. 70

    Snow

    WinterContact TS 850 +11
    59
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Ultra Grip 8 Performance
    Reviews found online7051
  4. 73

    Comfort

    WinterContact TS 850 +5
    68
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Ultra Grip 8 Performance
    Reviews found online7768
  5. 70

    Treadwear

    WinterContact TS 850 +3
    67
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Ultra Grip 8 Performance
    Reviews found online7369
  6. 78

    Handling

    WinterContact TS 850 +13
    65
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Ultra Grip 8 Performance
    Reviews found online7865
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 850Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
Relative Score 73 66
Dry 73 67
Wet 78 72
Snow 70 59
Comfort 73 68
Treadwear 70 67
Handling 78 65

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

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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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Recomputed
Headline score

WinterContact TS 850

Ultra Grip 8 Performance

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinterContact TS 850Ultra Grip 8 PerformanceΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 100% #1/42 · 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test 100% #1/6 · 2012 Auto Bild Sports Winter Tyre Test 0.0 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A WinterContact TS 850

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow and icy conditions
  • Outstanding performance in wet weather with strong resistance to aquaplaning
  • High levels of ride comfort and low cabin noise

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls can result in a 'floating' or vague steering feel during cornering
  • Performance degrades noticeably in temperatures above 10-15°C
  • Reports of accelerated shoulder wear, particularly on heavier or RWD vehicles
All owner themes in the WinterContact TS 850 review

Tire B Ultra Grip 8 Performance

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
  • Low road noise levels compared to competitors
  • Strong dry road stability and handling

Cons

  • Inconsistent snow and ice traction reported by some users
  • Potential for grip degradation as the tire ages
  • Reports of increased fuel consumption
All owner themes in the Ultra Grip 8 Performance review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 B · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available514
Rim diameters14″ – 16″16″ – 18″
Tread depth—10 - 11/32″
Sidewall—Raised Black Lettering
Max pressure—50 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 850

Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance

Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 850 — better handling, snow and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 78 vs 65 on handling.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 70 vs 59 on snow.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 73 vs 67 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 78 vs 72 on wet.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850
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Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip 8 Performance
Check price on Amazon

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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.

73

Leads

WinterContact TS 850

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