Tests 78 · 7 tests Owners 76 · 49 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 2 in All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres (snow traction)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 860 vs Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
WinterContact TS 860 leads, 77–75 Narrow edge
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Tests 74 · 5 tests Owners 77 · 6 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test (ice braking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
76
Dry
WinterContact TS 860 +967Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 UltraGrip 9+ Professional tests (TWG score) 74 60 Reviews found online 78 78 Dry Braking (% of best) 98% 95% Dry Handling (% of best) 97% 98% -
86
Wet
WinterContact TS 860 +284Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 UltraGrip 9+ Professional tests (TWG score) 88 85 Reviews found online 83 81 Wet Braking (% of best) 99% 87% Wet Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
75
Snow
UltraGrip 9+ +479Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 UltraGrip 9+ Professional tests (TWG score) 78 84 Reviews found online 71 72 Snow Braking (% of best) 94% 100% Snow Handling (% of best) 99% 97% Snow Traction (% of best) 100% 98% -
77
Comfort
WinterContact TS 860 +176Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 UltraGrip 9+ Professional tests (TWG score) 77 77 Reviews found online 76 76 -
73
Noise
WinterContact TS 860 +964Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 UltraGrip 9+ Professional tests (TWG score) 78 63 -
72
Treadwear
UltraGrip 9+ +274Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 UltraGrip 9+ Professional tests (TWG score) 72 71 Reviews found online 71 79 -
79
Handling
WinterContact TS 860 +574Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 UltraGrip 9+ Reviews found online 79 74
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 | Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 75 |
| Dry | 76 | 67 |
| Wet | 86 | 84 |
| Snow | 75 | 79 |
| Comfort | 77 | 76 |
| Noise | 73 | 64 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 74 |
| Handling | 79 | 74 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
77
/ 100
WinterContact TS 860
75
/ 100
UltraGrip 9+
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.
| Discipline | Category | WinterContact TS 860 | UltraGrip 9+ | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 98% #3/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 95% #11/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +3.7 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 97% #7/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 98% #9/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | −1.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 95% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | −2.4 | Same test |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 93% #6/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | −6.7 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 98% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #10/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 63% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 80% #15/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −17.2 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 60% #18/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 79% #10/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −18.7 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 65% #6/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 81% #7/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −15.4 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 17% #6/16 · 2021 ADAC 15 Inch Winter Tyre Test | 86% #2/8 · 2020 Motor Winter Tire Test R16 | −69.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 94% #5/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | −5.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #9/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 97% #4/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +1.6 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres | 98% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +2.2 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 96% #4/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 94% #6/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +2.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 80% #4/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 100% #2/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | −20.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 60% #7/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 80% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | −20.0 | Same test |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 90% #2/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 90% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 80% #3/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 50% #7/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +30.0 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #10/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 0% #7/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #2/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 87% #9/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +11.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 98% #6/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 99% #3/10 · 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test | −1.0 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A WinterContact TS 860
Pros
- Exceptional grip and safety in wet and slushy conditions
- Outstanding performance on snow, providing high levels of confidence
- Remarkably low noise levels and high ride comfort
Cons
- Performance degradation noted by some users after 3-4 seasons
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a slight loss of steering precision or 'wobble' in tight corners
- Tread pattern prone to picking up and throwing stones/sand
Tire B UltraGrip 9+
Pros
- Excellent wet and cold weather grip
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise
- Strong value proposition compared to premium competitors
Cons
- Performance on deep snow and ice may lag slightly behind specialized winter-focused brands like Nokian
- Limited feedback on long-term tread wear due to low mileage in current reviews
- Increased noise levels specifically on concrete road surfaces
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 47 | 19 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 17″ | 14″ – 16″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
77
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 860
75
/ 100
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 860 — better dry, noise and handling. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ if snow matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 76 vs 67 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 73 vs 64 on noise.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 79 vs 74 on handling.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Goodyear UltraGrip 9+ scores 79 vs 75 on snow.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip 9+
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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.