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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S vs Dunlop Winter Sport 5 — 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 1 + 25 road tests and 16 + 47 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: WinterContact TS 860 S and Winter Sport 5 are level at 75.

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Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Tire AContinental

WinterContact TS 860 S

Winter

± 7Provisional

Tests 71 · 1 test Owners 80 · 16 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 11 in 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test (dry handling)

Dunlop Winter Sport 5
Tire BDunlop

Winter Sport 5

Winter

± 4

Tests 75 · 25 tests Owners 78 · 47 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (snow traction)

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 860 S +7
    69
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 19 tests7366
    Reviews found online8074

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 73 + 40% × 79.5 = 76

    Winter Sport 5: 60% × 65.7 + 40% × 73.7 = 69

  2. 75

    Wet

    Winter Sport 5 +9
    84
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 25 tests7086
    Reviews found online8382

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 70 + 40% × 82.9 = 75

    Winter Sport 5: 60% × 86.2 + 40% × 81.6 = 84

  3. 74

    Snow

    Winter Sport 5 +9
    83
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 25 tests7187
    Reviews found online7878

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 70.5 + 40% × 78.2 = 74

    Winter Sport 5: 60% × 86.8 + 40% × 77.9 = 83

  4. 77

    Comfort

    WinterContact TS 860 S +2
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 71 (est.)74
    Reviews found online8176

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 40% × 71.2 (est.) + 60% × 81.4 = 77

    Winter Sport 5: 40% × 74.4 + 60% × 76 = 75

    No road tests of comfort for WinterContact TS 860 S. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 71

    Noise

    WinterContact TS 860 S +38
    33
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 17 tests7310
    Reviews found online≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 73.3 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 71

    Winter Sport 5: 60% × 10.3 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 33

    No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 75

    Treadwear

    Winter Sport 5 +4
    79
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 13 tests≈ 71 (est.)78
    Reviews found online8080

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 71.3 (est.) + 40% × 79.7 = 75

    Winter Sport 5: 60% × 78.2 + 40% × 79.5 = 79

    No road tests of treadwear for WinterContact TS 860 S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 84

    Handling (owners)

    WinterContact TS 860 S +8
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Sport 5
    Reviews found online8476
  8. 77

    Efficiency

    Winter Sport 5 +2
    79
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter Sport 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 18 tests7779
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 860 SDunlop Winter Sport 5
Relative Score 75 75
Dry 76 69
Wet 75 84
Snow 74 83
Comfort 77 75
Noise 71 33
Treadwear 75 79
Handling (owners) 84 76
Efficiency 77 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 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
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

WinterContact TS 860 S

± 4

Winter Sport 5

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 860 SWinter Sport 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 98% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 94% #14/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #2/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 98% #16/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 90% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 93% #15/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 91% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 92% #13/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 98% #9/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 96% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 97% #4/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 98% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 98% #7/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 98% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 95% #27/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 93% #4/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 55% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 67% #16/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #4/11 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test #5/10 2025 Autobild Winter Tire Test R18 – 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 grip in wet, dry, and snow conditions
  • Stiff sidewalls providing precise road feedback and cornering stability
  • Summer-tire-like driving dynamics and confidence at low temperatures

Cons

  • Long break-in (scrub-in) period required before optimal grip is reached
  • Lateral grip in wet conditions can occasionally feel lacking during sudden maneuvers
  • High price point
All owner themes in the WinterContact TS 860 S review

Tire B Winter Sport 5

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and braking performance in snow, slush, and heavy winter conditions
  • Strong wet weather handling and reliable water clearance to prevent hydroplaning
  • Impressive tread wear and long-term durability across multiple seasons

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls can lead to a mushy or floating steering response and unstable cornering when temperatures rise above 5-10°C
  • Reduced dry handling precision and longer braking distances in warmer ambient conditions
  • Inadequate or missing effective rim protection despite manufacturer claims
All owner themes in the Winter Sport 5 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S B · Dunlop Winter Sport 5
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available9246
Rim diameters16″ – 23″15″ – 21″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common1616

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

Dunlop Winter Sport 5

Too close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 860 S and Dunlop Winter Sport 5 are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 860 S is stronger on noise, handling and dry. Dunlop Winter Sport 5 is stronger on wet, snow and treadwear. Continental WinterContact TS 860 S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 16 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 71 vs 33 on noise.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 84 vs 75 on wet.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Dunlop Winter Sport 5 scores 83 vs 74 on snow.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 84 vs 76 on handling.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
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Tire B · Dunlop Winter Sport 5
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WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5?

Which is better in the wet, WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5?

Dunlop Winter Sport 5, 84 vs 75 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5?

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S, 76 vs 69 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5?

Dunlop Winter Sport 5, 83 vs 74 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5?

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S, 71 vs 33 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 75 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5?

Dunlop Winter Sport 5, 79 vs 75 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, WinterContact TS 860 S or Winter Sport 5?

Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 79 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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