Tests 83 · 15 tests Owners 76 · 25 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test (curved aquaplaning)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Michelin Alpin 7 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
WinterContact TS 870 leads, 79–78 Narrow edge
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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.
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79
Dry
WinterContact TS 870 +376Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 Alpin 7 Professional tests (TWG score) 80 76 Reviews found online 76 77 Dry Braking (% of best) 97% 96% Dry Handling (% of best) 100% 99% -
90
Wet
WinterContact TS 870 +783Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 Alpin 7 Professional tests (TWG score) 96 85 Reviews found online 82 80 Wet Braking (% of best) 95% 92% Wet Braking - Concrete (% of best) 100% 93% Wet Circle (% of best) 100% 99% Wet Handling (% of best) 100% 100% -
77
Snow
Alpin 7 +380Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 Alpin 7 Professional tests (TWG score) 82 83 Reviews found online 71 76 Snow Braking (% of best) 96% 96% Snow Handling (% of best) 99% 99% Snow Traction (% of best) 94% 96% -
73
Comfort
Alpin 7 +477Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 Alpin 7 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 76 Reviews found online 75 79 -
77
Noise
WinterContact TS 870 +572Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 Alpin 7 Professional tests (TWG score) 84 75 -
76
Treadwear
WinterContact TS 870 +175Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 Alpin 7 Professional tests (TWG score) 77 73 Reviews found online 74 79 -
75
Handling
Alpin 7 +378Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 Alpin 7 Reviews found online 75 78
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 870 | Michelin Alpin 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 78 |
| Dry | 79 | 76 |
| Wet | 90 | 83 |
| Snow | 77 | 80 |
| Comfort | 73 | 77 |
| Noise | 77 | 72 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 75 |
| Handling | 75 | 78 |
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
79
/ 100
WinterContact TS 870
78
/ 100
Alpin 7
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 870 | Alpin 7 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved Aquaplaning | Curved | 100% #1/15 · 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 84% #6/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | +15.6 | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 97% #4/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 96% #6/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | +0.9 | Same test |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 100% #2/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +0.9 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 93% #5/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/11 · 2025 Autobild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −7.0 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 100% #2/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | 96% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | +3.6 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 96% #4/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 97% #3/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Abrasion | Other | 73% #8/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 73% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 0.0 | Same test |
| Noise | Other | 97% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 97% #11/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | +0.3 | Same test |
| Value | Other | 82% #5/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 49% #14/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | +33.6 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 73% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 83% #5/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | −9.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/7 · 2025 Autozurnal Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% #8/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 96% #5/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +0.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 99% #4/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/5 · 2025 TUV Test of Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 vs Rivals | +0.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 94% #9/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 96% #3/11 · 2025 Autobild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −1.9 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 97% #4/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 91% #4/5 · 2025 TUV Test of Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 vs Rivals | +5.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 88% #5/8 · 2022 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | 80% #4/10 · 2025 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +7.5 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 90% #2/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 91% #7/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | −1.3 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 90% #2/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 96% #3/7 · 2025 Die Reifentester Winter Tyre Test | −6.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 95% #2/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | 92% #5/5 · 2025 TUV Test of Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 vs Rivals | +2.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | Wet | 100% #1/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 93% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | +6.6 | Same test |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 100% #1/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 99% #4/11 · 2025 Autobild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +1.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/8 · 2025 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/7 · 2025 Autozurnal Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A WinterContact TS 870
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
- High level of driver confidence and predictability in varied conditions
- Strong dry road handling and steering feedback
Cons
- Inconsistent performance on steep, hard-packed snow for some users
- Potential negative impact on electric vehicle range
- Occasional reports of understeer on heavy vehicles in cold, greasy conditions
Tire B Alpin 7
Pros
- Exceptional ride comfort and bump absorption
- Class-leading low noise levels, often compared to summer tires
- Strong traction and stability on snow and slush
Cons
- Handling can feel slightly 'floaty' or soft due to sidewall flex
- Not suitable for extreme Nordic winter conditions (deep ice/heavy snow)
- Dry braking distances may feel slightly longer compared to dedicated summer tires
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 | B · Michelin Alpin 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 44 | 43 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 19″ | 15″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 870
78
/ 100
Michelin Alpin 7
Too close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 870 and Michelin Alpin 7 are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 870 is stronger on wet, noise and dry. Michelin Alpin 7 is stronger on comfort, snow and handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental WinterContact TS 870 scores 90 vs 83 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental WinterContact TS 870 scores 77 vs 72 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Alpin 7 scores 77 vs 73 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental WinterContact TS 870 scores 79 vs 76 on dry.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 870
Tire B · Michelin Alpin 7
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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.