Tests – · none yet Owners 79 · 57 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 850 vs Pirelli SOTTOZERO — 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 + 9 owner reviews. How we score
WinterContact TS 850 is ahead, 76–67
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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.
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75
Dry
WinterContact TS 850 +1065Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 SOTTOZERO Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 73 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 79 64 WinterContact TS 850: 60% × 72.6 (est.) + 40% × 79.2 = 75
SOTTOZERO: 60% × 66.2 (est.) + 40% × 63.8 = 65
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. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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81
Wet
WinterContact TS 850 +972Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 SOTTOZERO Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 78 (est.) ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 84 73 WinterContact TS 850: 60% × 78.3 (est.) + 40% × 84.4 = 81
SOTTOZERO: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.7 = 72
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. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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71
Snow
WinterContact TS 850 +665Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 SOTTOZERO Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 72 61 WinterContact TS 850: 60% × 71.1 (est.) + 40% × 72.1 = 71
SOTTOZERO: 60% × 67.7 (est.) + 40% × 61.3 = 65
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 0.32).
No road tests of snow for SOTTOZERO. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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76
Comfort
WinterContact TS 850 +967Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 SOTTOZERO Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 80 66 WinterContact TS 850: 40% × 71 (est.) + 60% × 79.6 = 76
SOTTOZERO: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 66 = 67
No road tests of comfort for WinterContact TS 850. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for SOTTOZERO. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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73
Treadwear
WinterContact TS 850 +766Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 SOTTOZERO Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 78 66 WinterContact TS 850: 60% × 70.5 (est.) + 40% × 77.7 = 73
SOTTOZERO: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 66.2 = 66
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 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for SOTTOZERO. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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81
Handling (owners)
WinterContact TS 850 +1269Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 850 SOTTOZERO Reviews found online 81 69
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 850 | Pirelli SOTTOZERO |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 67 |
| Dry | 75 | 65 |
| Wet | 81 | 72 |
| Snow | 71 | 65 |
| Comfort | 76 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 73 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 81 | 69 |
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
76
/ 100
WinterContact TS 850
67
/ 100
SOTTOZERO
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 SOTTOZERO
Pros
- Exceptional ride comfort and low noise levels compared to standard winter tires.
- Strong dry road handling with a progressive, communicative feel.
- Impressive tread longevity, with some users reporting high mileage even in warmer conditions.
Cons
- Inconsistent traction on ice and deep snow reported by some users.
- Potential for rear-end instability or loss of grip in wet conditions on certain vehicles.
- Accelerated tread wear noted by users who purchased used tires or drove aggressively.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 | B · Pirelli SOTTOZERO |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 5 | — |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 16″ | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 850
67
/ 100
Pirelli SOTTOZERO
Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 850 — better handling, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score. Pirelli SOTTOZERO rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 9 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 81 vs 69 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 75 vs 65 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 81 vs 72 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental WinterContact TS 850 scores 76 vs 67 on comfort.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850
Tire B · Pirelli SOTTOZERO
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WinterContact TS 850 or SOTTOZERO?
Which is better in the wet, WinterContact TS 850 or SOTTOZERO?
Continental WinterContact TS 850, 81 vs 72 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, WinterContact TS 850 or SOTTOZERO?
Continental WinterContact TS 850, 75 vs 65 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, WinterContact TS 850 or SOTTOZERO?
Continental WinterContact TS 850, 71 vs 65 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, WinterContact TS 850 or SOTTOZERO?
Continental WinterContact TS 850, 76 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 850 or SOTTOZERO?
Continental WinterContact TS 850, 73 vs 66 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