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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S vs Dunlop Winter Response 2 — Compared

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

Winter Response 2 leads, 78–74 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 BDunlop

Winter Response 2

Winter

Tests 83 · 1 test Owners 81 · 10 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 51 in 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! (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

    Winter Response 2 +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Response 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)73–
    Reviews found online7779
  2. 73

    Wet

    Winter Response 2 +12
    85
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Response 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7086
    Reviews found online7984
    Wet Braking (% of best)91%98%
  3. 73

    Snow

    Winter Response 2 +8
    81
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Response 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7179
    Reviews found online7883
    Snow Braking (% of best)96%99%
  4. 74

    Comfort

    Winter Response 2 +2
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Response 2
    Reviews found online7982
  5. 72

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Response 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)73–
    Reviews found online71–
  6. 72

    Treadwear

    WinterContact TS 860 S +1
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Response 2
    Reviews found online7675
  7. 81

    Handling

    Winter Response 2 +1
    82
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Response 2
    Reviews found online8182
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 860 SDunlop Winter Response 2
Relative Score 74 78
Dry 74 75
Wet 73 85
Snow 73 81
Comfort 74 76
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
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

Winter Response 2

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 SWinter Response 2ΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 25% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! −75.0 Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 96% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 99% #3/31 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! −3.0 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 91% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 98% #3/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! −6.5 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 Winter Response 2

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and confidence in snow and ice
  • Excellent wet weather performance and braking
  • High level of cabin comfort and low noise levels

Cons

  • Faster tread wear reported by some users
  • Slightly noticeable tire roll in fast corners above 50 mph
All owner themes in the Winter Response 2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S B · Dunlop Winter Response 2
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available9215
Rim diameters16″ – 23″14″ – 16″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

Dunlop Winter Response 2

Winner: Dunlop Winter Response 2 — better wet and snow. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 85 vs 73 on wet.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Dunlop Winter Response 2 scores 81 vs 73 on snow.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Dunlop Winter Response 2
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.

78

Narrow edge

Winter Response 2

Amazon