Tests 78 · 7 tests Owners 76 · 49 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 2 in All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres (noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 860 vs Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
WinterContact TS 860 leads, 77–74 Narrow edge
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Tests 77 · 7 tests Owners 71 · 50 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (dry handling)
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 +373Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 Winter i*cept RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) 74 75 Reviews found online 78 70 Dry Braking (% of best) 87% 98% Dry Handling (% of best) 99% 100% -
86
Wet
WinterContact TS 860 +383Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 Winter i*cept RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) 88 89 Reviews found online 83 76 Wet Braking (% of best) 100% 96% Wet Handling (% of best) 100% 97% -
75
Snow
Level75Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 Winter i*cept RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) 77 80 Reviews found online 71 68 Snow Braking (% of best) 93% 96% Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 100% Snow Traction (% of best) 84% 99% -
77
Comfort
WinterContact TS 860 +572Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 Winter i*cept RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) 77 75 Reviews found online 76 67 -
73
Noise
WinterContact TS 860 +1261Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 Winter i*cept RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) 78 57 -
72
Treadwear
Winter i*cept RS2 +173Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 Winter i*cept RS2 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 74 Reviews found online 71 71 -
79
Handling
WinterContact TS 860 +871Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 860 Winter i*cept RS2 Reviews found online 79 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 | Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 74 |
| Dry | 76 | 73 |
| Wet | 86 | 83 |
| Snow | 75 | 75 |
| Comfort | 77 | 72 |
| Noise | 73 | 61 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 73 |
| Handling | 79 | 71 |
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
77
/ 100
WinterContact TS 860
74
/ 100
Winter i*cept 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.
| Discipline | Category | WinterContact TS 860 | Winter i*cept RS2 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 87% #6/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −10.7 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #8/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −1.5 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 98% #2/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres | 82% #8/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +15.9 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres | 96% #17/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +4.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 60% #11/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 84% #11/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −23.6 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 70% #16/20 · 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test | 74% #13/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −4.4 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 65% #6/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 83% #2/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −17.4 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/51 · 2018 51 Winter Tyre Shootout | 25% #4/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +75.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 93% #9/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | 96% #17/30 · 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview | −3.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #2/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | −0.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 84% #8/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | −15.2 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test | 92% #9/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +8.3 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 90% #5/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 90% #4/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Same test |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 100% #1/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | 80% #3/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +20.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 90% #2/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 60% #7/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +30.0 | Same test |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 100% #1/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 50% #6/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +50.0 | Same test |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #17/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #19/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 100% #2/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test | 96% #2/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +3.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/11 · 2017 All Season VS Winter Tyre Test | 97% #4/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +3.0 | 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 Winter i*cept RS2
Pros
- Exceptional grip and handling on wet and dry roads
- Impressive resistance to aquaplaning in heavy rain or standing water
- Strong value for money with a competitive price point
Cons
- Higher than average road noise, especially at highway speeds
- Firm, stiff sidewalls leading to a less comfortable or harsh ride
- Subpar performance and unpredictable grip on ice and black ice
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 | B · Hankook Winter i*cept RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 47 | 37 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 17″ | 13″ – 17″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
77
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 860
74
/ 100
Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 860 — better noise, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 73 vs 61 on noise.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 79 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 77 vs 72 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 76 vs 73 on dry.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*cept RS2
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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.