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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S vs Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — Compared

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

WinterContact TS 860 S leads, 74–71 Narrow edge

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Tire AContinental

WinterContact TS 860 S

Winter

Tests 71 · 1 test Owners 78 · 14 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 11 in 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test (rolling resistance)

Tire BHankook

Winter i*pike RS2

Winter

Tests 66 · 5 tests Owners 76 · 5 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 8 in 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test (straight aqua)

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 TS 860 S +15
    59
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7349
    Reviews found online7774
    Dry Braking (% of best)98%95%
  2. 73

    Wet

    Winter i*pike RS2 +1
    74
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7071
    Reviews found online7978
    Wet Braking (% of best)91%92%
    Wet Handling (% of best)97%95%
  3. 73

    Snow

    Winter i*pike RS2 +3
    76
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7176
    Reviews found online7877
    Snow Braking (% of best)96%100%
    Snow Handling (% of best)98%98%
  4. 74

    Comfort

    Winter i*pike RS2 +4
    78
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–81
    Reviews found online7975
  5. 72

    Noise

    WinterContact TS 860 S +12
    60
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter i*pike RS2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7355
    Reviews found online71–
  6. 72

    Treadwear

    WinterContact TS 860 S +1
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter i*pike RS2
    Reviews found online7675
  7. 81

    Handling

    WinterContact TS 860 S +2
    79
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SWinter i*pike RS2
    Reviews found online8179
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 860 SHankook Winter i*pike RS2
Relative Score 74 71
Dry 74 59
Wet 73 74
Snow 73 76
Comfort 74 78
Noise 72 60
Treadwear 72 71
Handling 81 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 and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
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Important
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Less important
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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

WinterContact TS 860 S

Winter i*pike RS2

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 i*pike RS2ΔBoth?
Dry Braking Dry 98% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 95% #14/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test +2.8 Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 98% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test +1.9 Different tests
Noise Other 98% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 99% #3/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test −2.0 Different tests
Price Other 55% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 67% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test −11.6 Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall 25% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 20% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test +5.0 Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 96% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 100% #2/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test −4.3 Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 98% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 98% #6/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test +0.5 Different tests
Straight Aqua Straight 90% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 100% #1/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test −10.3 Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 91% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 92% #8/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test −0.3 Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 95% #3/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test +2.2 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 i*pike RS2

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and braking on snow and ice
  • Strong side grip and predictable cornering limits
  • High durability with secure stud retention over multiple years

Cons

  • Poor steering feedback on dry tarmac
  • Noticeable understeer in dry road conditions
All owner themes in the Winter i*pike RS2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
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

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2

Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 860 S — better dry and noise. Pick the Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 if comfort and snow matter most to you.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 74 vs 59 on dry.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 72 vs 60 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 78 vs 74 on comfort.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 scores 76 vs 73 on snow.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
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.

74

Narrow edge

WinterContact TS 860 S

Amazon