Tests – · none yet Owners 75 · 57 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 42 in 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 850 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
UltraGrip Performance+ is ahead, 78–73
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Tests 77 · 11 tests Owners 77 · 18 reviews
Best test result: #4 of 10 in 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test R18 (overall ranking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
73
Dry
WinterContact TS 850 +271Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 UltraGrip Performance+ Professional tests (TWG score) – 71 Reviews found online 77 72 -
78
Wet
UltraGrip Performance+ +684Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 UltraGrip Performance+ Professional tests (TWG score) – 86 Reviews found online 81 81 -
70
Snow
UltraGrip Performance+ +1282Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 UltraGrip Performance+ Professional tests (TWG score) – 86 Reviews found online 70 77 -
73
Comfort
UltraGrip Performance+ +174Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 UltraGrip Performance+ Professional tests (TWG score) – 72 Reviews found online 77 78 -
–
Noise
No comparison61Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 UltraGrip Performance+ Professional tests (TWG score) – 57 -
70
Treadwear
UltraGrip Performance+ +474Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 UltraGrip Performance+ Professional tests (TWG score) – 73 Reviews found online 73 75 -
78
Handling
UltraGrip Performance+ +179Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 UltraGrip Performance+ Reviews found online 78 79
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 850 | Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 78 |
| Dry | 73 | 71 |
| Wet | 78 | 84 |
| Snow | 70 | 82 |
| Comfort | 73 | 74 |
| Noise | – | 61 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 74 |
| Handling | 78 | 79 |
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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Important
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Less important
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Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
WinterContact TS 850
78
/ 100
UltraGrip Performance+
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 | UltraGrip Performance+ | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/42 · 2012 Auto Bild 42 Winter Tyre Braking Test | 73% #4/10 · 2020 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test R18 | +27.3 | 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
Tire B UltraGrip Performance+
Pros
- Exceptional wet grip and low risk of aquaplaning
- Outstanding traction and lateral grip on snow
- Comfortable ride quality with manageable noise levels
Cons
- Mixed feedback regarding noise, with some users reporting a noticeable roar or sizzling sound on fast curves
- Average performance on pure ice compared to specialized ice tires
- Faster rear-axle tread wear reported on high-powered rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicles
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 5 | 88 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 16″ | 15″ – 22″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 850
78
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ — better snow, wet and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ scores 82 vs 70 on snow.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ scores 84 vs 78 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ scores 74 vs 70 on treadwear.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+
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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.