Tests 81 · 27 tests Owners 81 · 31 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (dry handling)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Michelin Alpin 6 — 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 27 + 19 road tests and 31 + 35 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: WinterContact TS 870 P 81, Alpin 6 80.
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
Key facts
- In 4 tests that measured wet braking for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 1 and Alpin 6 won 3 (average 94% vs 96% of the best).
- In 4 tests that measured snow braking for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 3 and Alpin 6 won 1 (average 99% vs 96% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured dry braking for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 2 and Alpin 6 won 1 (average 95% vs 94% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured straight aquaplaning for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 3 and Alpin 6 won 0 (average 95% vs 94% of the best).
- In 3 tests that measured snow traction for both, WinterContact TS 870 P won 1 and Alpin 6 won 2 (average 96% vs 99% of the best).
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81
Dry
WinterContact TS 870 P +477Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 22 / 15 tests 82 74 Reviews found online 79 82 Dry Braking (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 2–1 95% 94% Dry Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 99% 98% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 82.4 + 40% × 79 = 81
Alpin 6: 60% × 74.2 + 40% × 82 = 77
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90
Wet
WinterContact TS 870 P +189Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 27 / 19 tests 93 90 Reviews found online 86 87 Curved Aquaplaning (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 90% 82% Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 95% 94% Wet Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 1–3 94% 96% Wet Braking (concrete) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 92% 94% Wet Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 1–0 98% 96% Wet Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–0 99% 98% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 92.8 + 40% × 86.2 = 90
Alpin 6: 60% × 90.4 + 40% × 87 = 89
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78
Snow
WinterContact TS 870 P +375Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 26 / 19 tests 79 77 Reviews found online 76 74 Ice Braking (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 92% 95% Snow Braking (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 3–1 99% 96% Snow Circle (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 98% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 1–1 97% 98% Snow Traction (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 1–2 96% 99% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 78.7 + 40% × 76.2 = 78
Alpin 6: 60% × 76.7 + 40% × 73.6 = 75
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82
Comfort
Alpin 6 +284Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 4 tests 84 86 Reviews found online 81 82 WinterContact TS 870 P: 40% × 83.9 + 60% × 81.1 = 82
Alpin 6: 40% × 86.4 + 60% × 82 = 84
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74
Noise
WinterContact TS 870 P +1460Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 13 tests 78 56 Reviews found online ≈ 67 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Noise (% of best) · 3 shared tests · wins 3–0 99% 98% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 78.3 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 74
Alpin 6: 60% × 56 + 40% × 66.6 (est.) = 60
No owner ratings of noise for WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6. 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.
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74
Treadwear
Alpin 6 +1185Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 7 / 7 tests 71 89 Reviews found online 80 80 Abrasion (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 72% 100% Wear (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 74% 96% WinterContact TS 870 P: 60% × 70.6 + 40% × 79.9 = 74
Alpin 6: 60% × 88.6 + 40% × 80.1 = 85
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83
Handling (owners)
WinterContact TS 870 P +182Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Alpin 6 Reviews found online 83 82 -
86
Efficiency
WinterContact TS 870 P +2363Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 P Alpin 6 Professional tests (TWG score) · 21 / 15 tests 86 63 Fuel Consumption (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 97% 97% Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 2–0 91% 81%
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 870 P | Michelin Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 80 |
| Dry | 81 | 77 |
| Wet | 90 | 89 |
| Snow | 78 | 75 |
| Comfort | 82 | 84 |
| Noise | 74 | 60 |
| Treadwear | 74 | 85 |
| Handling (owners) | 83 | 82 |
| Efficiency | 86 | 63 |
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
81
/ 100
WinterContact TS 870 P
80
/ 100
Alpin 6
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 4 tests that ran both, Continental WinterContact TS 870 P finished ahead 2 times and Michelin Alpin 6 2 times.
| Discipline | Category | WinterContact TS 870 P | Alpin 6 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Dry | 99% #2/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 | 98% #6/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 95% | 94% | +1.0 | 2–1 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% | 98% | +1.0 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 100% #1/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | 87% #4/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 90% | 82% | +7.6 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test · 205/60 R16 |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 95% | 94% | +1.3 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet | Wet | 97% #2/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 | 97% #3/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 94% | 96% | −1.7 | 1–3 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Braking (concrete) | Wet | 92% | 94% | −1.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test · 205/60 R16 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 98% | 96% | +1.8 | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 99% | 98% | +1.1 | 1–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 100% #2/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 82% #3/8 · 2022 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 92% | 95% | −3.8 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test · 205/60 R16 |
| Snow | Snow | 94% #4/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 | 99% #3/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% | 96% | +3.0 | 3–1 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Circle | Snow | 98% | 99% | −0.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% | 98% | −0.7 | 1–1 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Snow Handling (tester's mark) | Snow | 50% #3/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 70% #6/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 96% | 99% | −2.5 | 1–2 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 80% #1/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 98% #7/7 · 2024 Al Volante Crossover Winter Tire Test R18 | 97% #7/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% | 98% | +1.2 | 3–0 in 3 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Abrasion | Treadwear | 72% | 100% | −28.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test · 205/60 R16 |
| Wear | Treadwear | 74% | 96% | −22.7 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test · 205/60 R16 |
| Fuel Consumption | Efficiency | 97% | 97% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test · 205/60 R16 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 91% | 81% | +10.6 | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 61% | 61% | −0.4 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Cost | #14/20 | #9/20 | – | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Value | Cost | 47% | 64% | −17.1 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/10 | #9/10 | – | 2–2 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2024 All Season and Winter Tyre Test · 215/55 R17 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A WinterContact TS 870 P
Pros
- Exceptionally low noise levels and high ride comfort
- Outstanding wet weather and slush performance, cutting through heavy rain effortlessly
- Balanced dry and cold-weather handling with impressive cornering stability
Cons
- Higher price point compared to some competitors
- Steering response and initial stiffness are slightly softer and less sporty than dedicated summer tires or some rivals
- Snow and ice traction can feel less exceptional or borderline inadequate for a small subset of users
Tire B Alpin 6
Pros
- Exceptional wet and dry road grip in cold temperatures
- High levels of ride comfort and low cabin noise
- Impressive tread life and long-term durability
Cons
- Inconsistent performance in deep snow and on ice
- Some reports of sluggish steering feedback or 'soft' sidewall feel
- Higher price point compared to some performance-oriented winter alternatives
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P | B · Michelin Alpin 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 121 | 42 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 23″ | 15″ – 20″ |
| Sizes in common | 17 | 17 |
Which one should you actually buy?
81
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
80
/ 100
Michelin Alpin 6
Too close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P and Michelin Alpin 6 are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 870 P is stronger on efficiency, noise and dry. Michelin Alpin 6 is stronger on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want lower fuel or energy use
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 86 vs 63 on efficiency.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 74 vs 60 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Alpin 6 scores 85 vs 74 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 81 vs 77 on dry.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Tire B · Michelin Alpin 6
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WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6?
Which is better in the wet, WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6?
Neither, by our numbers: 90 vs 89 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6?
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, 81 vs 77 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6?
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, 78 vs 75 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6?
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, 74 vs 60 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6?
Neither, by our numbers: 82 vs 84 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6?
Michelin Alpin 6, 85 vs 74 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, WinterContact TS 870 P or Alpin 6?
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, 86 vs 63 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