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Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S vs Michelin Alpin 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 + 3 road tests and 14 + 31 owner reviews. How we score

Alpin 5 leads, 76–74 Narrow edge

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Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Tire AContinental

WinterContact TS 860 S

Winter

± 7Provisional

Tests 71 · 1 test Owners 78 · 14 reviews

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

Michelin Alpin 5
Tire BMichelin

Alpin 5

Winter

± 6

Tests 74 · 3 tests Owners 81 · 31 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (wear)

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 +1
    73
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SAlpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7370
    Reviews found online7677

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 73 + 40% × 76.4 = 74

    Alpin 5: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 77 = 73

  2. 74

    Wet

    Alpin 5 +9
    83
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SAlpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7080
    Reviews found online8087

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 69.9 + 40% × 80.1 = 74

    Alpin 5: 60% × 79.7 + 40% × 86.8 = 83

  3. 73

    Snow

    Level
    73
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SAlpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7169
    Reviews found online7780

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 70.6 + 40% × 76.9 = 73

    Alpin 5: 60% × 68.8 + 40% × 79.5 = 73

  4. 76

    Comfort

    WinterContact TS 860 S +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SAlpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online7979

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 40% × 70.9 (est.) + 60% × 78.6 = 76

    Alpin 5: 40% × 70.9 (est.) + 60% × 78.5 = 75

    No road tests of comfort for WinterContact TS 860 S or Alpin 5. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 71

    Noise

    WinterContact TS 860 S +9
    62
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SAlpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7460
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 73.5 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 71

    Alpin 5: 60% × 59.7 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 62

    No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 860 S or Alpin 5. The owner half is the owners’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 74

    Treadwear

    Alpin 5 +9
    83
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SAlpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 71 (est.)83
    Reviews found online7984

    WinterContact TS 860 S: 60% × 70.6 (est.) + 40% × 78.9 = 74

    Alpin 5: 60% × 83.1 + 40% × 83.8 = 83

    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 0.35).

  7. 81

    Handling (owners)

    WinterContact TS 860 S +3
    78
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SAlpin 5
    Reviews found online8178
  8. 77

    Efficiency

    WinterContact TS 860 S +18
    59
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860 SAlpin 5
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 3 tests7759
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 860 SMichelin Alpin 5
Relative Score 74 76
Dry 74 73
Wet 74 83
Snow 73 73
Comfort 76 75
Noise 71 62
Treadwear 74 83
Handling (owners) 81 78
Efficiency 77 59

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

± 6

Alpin 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 SAlpin 5ΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 98% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 96% #7/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Dry Handling Dry 99% #2/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 99% #5/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 90% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 95% #4/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 91% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 92% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Wet Handling Wet 97% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 98% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 96% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 95% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 98% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 96% #18/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Noise Noise 98% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 95% #19/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 100% #1/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test 76% #20/20 · 2018 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 68% #19/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #4/11 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test #2/11 2019 Auto Zeitung Winter Tire Test R17 – 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 Alpin 5

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow and winter conditions
  • Outstanding wet-weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
  • High ride comfort and remarkably low noise levels for a winter tire

Cons

  • Soft rubber compound struggles in warm temperatures (above 20°C–25°C), causing cornering smear
  • Soft sidewalls reduce precision during aggressive dry handling
  • Potential increase in noise and hardening of the rubber compound after 3 years of use
All owner themes in the Alpin 5 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S B · Michelin Alpin 5
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available9217
Rim diameters16″ – 23″15″ – 20″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″—
SidewallBlack Side Wall—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—
Sizes in common11

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

Michelin Alpin 5

Narrow edge: Michelin Alpin 5 — better wet and treadwear. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S if efficiency and noise matter most to you. Continental WinterContact TS 860 S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 77 vs 59 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 71 vs 62 on noise.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Alpin 5 scores 83 vs 74 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Alpin 5 scores 83 vs 74 on treadwear.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
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Tire B · Michelin Alpin 5
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WinterContact TS 860 S or Alpin 5?

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

Michelin Alpin 5, 83 vs 74 on our wet score.

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

Neither, by our numbers: 74 vs 73 on the dry score, within 3 points.

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

Neither, by our numbers: 73 vs 73 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, WinterContact TS 860 S or Alpin 5?

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S, 71 vs 62 on our noise score.

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

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 75 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 860 S or Alpin 5?

Michelin Alpin 5, 83 vs 74 on our treadwear score.

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

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S, 77 vs 59 on our efficiency 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