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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S vs Continental WinterContact TS830 — Compared

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

WinterContact TS830 leads, 77–74 Narrow edge

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Tire AContinental

WinterContact TS 860 S

Winter

Tests 71 · 1 test Owners 78 · 14 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 11 in 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Tire BContinental

WinterContact TS830

Winter

Tests – · none yet Owners 81 · 30 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 13 in 2010 Auto Zeitung 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. 74

    Dry

    WinterContact TS830 +3
    77
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinterContact TS830
    Professional tests (TWG score)73–
    Reviews found online7782
  2. 73

    Wet

    WinterContact TS830 +9
    82
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinterContact TS830
    Professional tests (TWG score)70–
    Reviews found online7987
  3. 73

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinterContact TS830
    Professional tests (TWG score)71–
    Reviews found online78–
  4. 74

    Comfort

    WinterContact TS830 +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinterContact TS830
    Reviews found online7982
  5. 72

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinterContact TS830
    Professional tests (TWG score)73–
    Reviews found online71–
  6. 72

    Treadwear

    WinterContact TS 860 S +1
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinterContact TS830
    Reviews found online7674
  7. 81

    Handling

    WinterContact TS830 +1
    82
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinterContact TS830
    Reviews found online8182
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 860 SContinental WinterContact TS830
Relative Score 74 77
Dry 74 77
Wet 73 82
Snow 73 –
Comfort 74 75
Noise 72 –
Treadwear 72 71
Handling 81 82

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.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost

Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Less important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost

Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score

WinterContact TS 860 S

WinterContact TS830

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.

DisciplineCategoryWinterContact TS 860 SWinterContact TS830ΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 25% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/13 · 2010 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test −75.0 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A WinterContact TS 860 S

Pros

  • Exceptional handling and feedback on dry and wet roads in cold temperatures
  • Strong performance and confidence in snow and icy conditions
  • Stiffer sidewalls compared to predecessors, offering improved cornering stability

Cons

  • Long break-in period required before optimal grip is achieved
  • Potential for traction control interference on staggered RWD setups due to circumference variances
  • Limited lateral grip in wet conditions compared to some competitors
All owner themes in the WinterContact TS 860 S review

Tire B WinterContact TS830

Pros

  • Outstanding traction and braking performance on snow and ice
  • Excellent grip and stability in cold, wet, and slushy conditions
  • Surprisingly quiet and comfortable ride quality for a winter tire

Cons

  • Slightly increased noise levels compared to some summer tires (though still quiet for the category)
  • Reduced performance and 'tightness' as temperatures rise above 15°C
  • Premium price point compared to budget alternatives
All owner themes in the WinterContact TS830 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S B · Continental WinterContact TS830
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available92—
Rim diameters16″ – 23″—
Tread depth10 - 11/32″—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

Continental WinterContact TS830

Winner: Continental WinterContact TS830 — better wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental WinterContact TS830 scores 82 vs 73 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental WinterContact TS830 scores 77 vs 74 on dry.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Continental WinterContact TS830
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.

77

Narrow edge

WinterContact TS830

Amazon