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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 850 vs Pirelli Sottozero Serie II — 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 0 + 0 road tests and 57 + 31 owner reviews. How we score

WinterContact TS 850 is ahead, 76–71

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Category by category

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

  1. 76

    Dry

    WinterContact TS 850 +5
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online8072

    WinterContact TS 850: 60% × 72.9 (est.) + 40% × 79.6 = 76

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 72.3 = 71

    No road tests of dry for WinterContact TS 850. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

    No road tests of dry for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 81

    Wet

    WinterContact TS 850 +4
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 78 (est.)≈ 76 (est.)
    Reviews found online8579

    WinterContact TS 850: 60% × 78.4 (est.) + 40% × 84.5 = 81

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 75.5 (est.) + 40% × 79.4 = 77

    No road tests of wet for WinterContact TS 850. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 72

    Snow

    WinterContact TS 850 +6
    66
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online7264

    WinterContact TS 850: 60% × 71.4 (est.) + 40% × 72.3 = 72

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 63.6 = 66

    No road tests of snow for WinterContact TS 850. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

    No road tests of snow for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 77

    Comfort

    WinterContact TS 850 +4
    73
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online8075

    WinterContact TS 850: 40% × 71.2 (est.) + 60% × 80.1 = 77

    Sottozero Serie II: 40% × 70.2 (est.) + 60% × 74.7 = 73

    No road tests of comfort for WinterContact TS 850 or Sottozero Serie II. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 73

    Treadwear

    WinterContact TS 850 +4
    69
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Sottozero Serie II
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online7871

    WinterContact TS 850: 60% × 70.1 (est.) + 40% × 77.6 = 73

    Sottozero Serie II: 60% × 68 (est.) + 40% × 71.4 = 69

    No road tests of treadwear for WinterContact TS 850. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for Sottozero Serie II. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  6. 81

    Handling (owners)

    WinterContact TS 850 +6
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 850Sottozero Serie II
    Reviews found online8175
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 850Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
Relative Score 76 71
Dry 76 71
Wet 81 77
Snow 72 66
Comfort 77 73
Treadwear 73 69
Handling (owners) 81 75

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

WinterContact TS 850

± 8

Sottozero Serie II

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 850Sottozero Serie IIΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/51 2015 Winter Tyre Market Overview #2/9 2012 Auto Bild Performance 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

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 Sottozero Serie II

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and standing water grip with strong resistance to aquaplaning
  • Surprisingly confident, communicative handling and short braking distances on dry roads
  • High levels of ride comfort and remarkably low road noise, even on low-profile sizes

Cons

  • Subpar traction and grip in deep snow or severe ice according to a minority of reviewers
  • High initial purchase price
  • Soften up and exhibit slightly reduced predictability or increased noise in warmer temperatures above 7°C (45°F)
All owner themes in the Sottozero Serie II review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 B · Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available5—
Rim diameters14″ – 16″—

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 850

Pirelli Sottozero Serie II

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

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 72 vs 66 on snow.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 81 vs 75 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 76 vs 71 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 81 vs 77 on wet.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850
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Tire B · Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
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WinterContact TS 850 or Sottozero Serie II?

Which is better in the wet, WinterContact TS 850 or Sottozero Serie II?

Continental WinterContact TS 850, 81 vs 77 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, WinterContact TS 850 or Sottozero Serie II?

Continental WinterContact TS 850, 76 vs 71 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, WinterContact TS 850 or Sottozero Serie II?

Continental WinterContact TS 850, 72 vs 66 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, WinterContact TS 850 or Sottozero Serie II?

Continental WinterContact TS 850, 77 vs 73 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 850 or Sottozero Serie II?

Continental WinterContact TS 850, 73 vs 69 on our treadwear 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