tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Continental WinterContact TS 860 vs Pirelli Cinturato Winter — 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 7 + 5 road tests and 49 + 7 owner reviews. How we score

WinterContact TS 860 is ahead, 79–67

Check price on Amazon · WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter on Amazon
Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Continental WinterContact TS 860
Tire AContinental

WinterContact TS 860

Winter

± 5

Tests 79 · 7 tests Owners 79 · 49 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tyre Test (dry handling)

Pirelli Cinturato Winter
Tire BPirelli

Cinturato Winter

Winter

± 8

Tests 65 · 5 tests Owners 69 · 7 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2021 AMS Winter Tyre Test (straight aquaplaning)

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

Key facts

  • In 3 tests that measured dry braking for both, WinterContact TS 860 won 2 and Cinturato Winter won 1 (average 97% vs 95% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, WinterContact TS 860 won 1 and Cinturato Winter won 2 (average 96% vs 96% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured wet braking for both, WinterContact TS 860 won 3 and Cinturato Winter won 0 (average 98% vs 94% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured snow braking for both, WinterContact TS 860 won 1 and Cinturato Winter won 2 (average 97% vs 97% of the best).
  • In 3 tests that measured rolling resistance for both, WinterContact TS 860 won 3 and Cinturato Winter won 0 (average 92% vs 83% of the best).
  1. 77

    Dry

    WinterContact TS 860 +17
    60
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860Cinturato Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 4 tests7557
    Reviews found online8264
    Dry Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–197%95%
    Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–099%97%
    Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–060%40%

    WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 74.8 + 40% × 81.5 = 77

    Cinturato Winter: 60% × 56.5 + 40% × 64 = 60

  2. 88

    Wet

    WinterContact TS 860 +9
    79
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860Cinturato Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 5 tests8981
    Reviews found online8776
    Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–296%96%
    Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0100%40%
    Wet Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–098%94%
    Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0100%98%

    WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 89.4 + 40% × 87.1 = 88

    Cinturato Winter: 60% × 80.8 + 40% × 75.7 = 79

  3. 76

    Snow

    WinterContact TS 860 +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860Cinturato Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 5 tests7876
    Reviews found online7374
    Snow Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–297%97%
    Snow Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–198%98%
    Snow Traction (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–198%99%
    Snow Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–090%80%

    WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 78.1 + 40% × 72.7 = 76

    Cinturato Winter: 60% × 75.8 + 40% × 73.5 = 75

  4. 78

    Comfort

    WinterContact TS 860 +12
    66
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860Cinturato Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 1 tests7764
    Reviews found online7968
    Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–090%50%

    WinterContact TS 860: 40% × 77.4 + 60% × 78.8 = 78

    Cinturato Winter: 40% × 64.3 + 60% × 67.6 = 66

  5. 74

    Noise

    WinterContact TS 860 +3
    71
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860Cinturato Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 3 tests7874
    Reviews found online≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Noise (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–298%99%

    WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 78.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 74

    Cinturato Winter: 60% × 74.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 71

    No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter. 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

    WinterContact TS 860 +21
    53
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860Cinturato Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 3 / 1 tests7347
    Reviews found online7662
    Wear (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–065%40%

    WinterContact TS 860: 60% × 72.8 + 40% × 76 = 74

    Cinturato Winter: 60% × 46.6 + 40% × 62.1 = 53

  7. 82

    Handling (owners)

    WinterContact TS 860 +15
    67
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860Cinturato Winter
    Reviews found online8267
  8. 76

    Efficiency

    WinterContact TS 860 +17
    59
    Why this score
    SourceWinterContact TS 860Cinturato Winter
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 4 tests7659
    Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–092%83%
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 860Pirelli Cinturato Winter
Relative Score 79 67
Dry 77 60
Wet 88 79
Snow 76 75
Comfort 78 66
Noise 74 71
Treadwear 74 53
Handling (owners) 82 67
Efficiency 76 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 and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

WinterContact TS 860

± 8

Cinturato Winter

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.

In the overall rankings of 16 tests that ran both, Continental WinterContact TS 860 finished ahead 15 times and Pirelli Cinturato Winter 1 times.

DisciplineCategoryWinterContact TS 860Cinturato WinterΔHead-to-head
Dry Braking Dry 97% 95% +2.1 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Dry Handling Dry 99% 97% +1.9 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 195/65 R15
Dry Handling (tester's mark) Dry 60% 40% +20.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Straight Aquaplaning Wet 96% 96% +0.1 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Wet Braking Wet 98% 94% +3.7 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Wet Handling Wet 100% 98% +1.7 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 195/65 R15
Wet Handling (tester's mark) Wet 100% 40% +60.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Snow Braking Snow 97% 97% −0.7 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Snow Handling Snow 98% 98% −0.2 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 195/65 R15
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 90% 80% +10.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Snow Traction Snow 98% 99% −1.1 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 90% 50% +40.0 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Noise Noise 98% 99% −1.0 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 195/65 R15
Wear Treadwear 65% 40% +25.4 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 195/65 R15
Rolling Resistance Efficiency 92% 83% +9.0 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test · 205/55 R16
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Price Cost 61% 65% −3.6 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 195/65 R15
Total Cost of Ownership Cost #6/20 #20/20 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 195/65 R15
Value Cost 60% 41% +19.4 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 195/65 R15
Overall Ranking Overall #1/8 #5/8 – 15–1 in 16 shared tests Newest: 2020 Wybór Kierowców Winter Tire Test R16 · 205/55R16

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
All owner themes in the WinterContact TS 860 review

Tire B Cinturato Winter

Pros

  • Amazing snow and ice grip
  • Strong and reliable wet weather performance
  • Good initial noise levels and overall ride comfort

Cons

  • Average to deteriorating dry grip and emergency braking performance
  • Increases significantly in noise as the tire ages
  • Soft sidewalls affect handling precision
All owner themes in the Cinturato Winter review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 B · Pirelli Cinturato Winter
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available4733
Rim diameters13″ – 17″14″ – 17″
Sizes in common2525

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental WinterContact TS 860

Pirelli Cinturato Winter

Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 860 — better treadwear, dry and efficiency. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 74 vs 53 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 77 vs 60 on dry.

Pick tire A You want lower fuel or energy use

Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 76 vs 59 on efficiency.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 82 vs 67 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is noise

Pirelli Cinturato Winter won 2 of 2 shared noise tests.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Pirelli Cinturato Winter
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter?

Which is better in the wet, WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter?

Continental WinterContact TS 860, 88 vs 79 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter?

Continental WinterContact TS 860, 77 vs 60 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter?

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

Which is quieter, WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter?

Continental WinterContact TS 860, 74 vs 71 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter?

Continental WinterContact TS 860, 78 vs 66 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter?

Continental WinterContact TS 860, 74 vs 53 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, WinterContact TS 860 or Cinturato Winter?

Continental WinterContact TS 860, 76 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