Tests 83 · 15 tests Owners 76 · 25 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 12 in 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test (curved aquaplaning)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Uniroyal WinterExpert — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
WinterContact TS 870 is ahead, 79–68
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Tests 69 · 11 tests Owners 67 · 7 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (rolling resistance)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
79
Dry
WinterContact TS 870 +1861Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 WinterExpert Professional tests (TWG score) 80 57 Reviews found online 76 67 Dry Braking (% of best) 98% 94% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
90
Wet
WinterContact TS 870 +1080Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 WinterExpert Professional tests (TWG score) 96 83 Reviews found online 82 76 Wet Braking (% of best) 95% 96% Wet Braking - Concrete (% of best) 100% 96% Wet Circle (% of best) 100% 84% Wet Handling (% of best) 100% 95% -
77
Snow
WinterContact TS 870 +671Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 WinterExpert Professional tests (TWG score) 82 77 Reviews found online 71 62 Snow Braking (% of best) 99% 97% Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 97% Snow Traction (% of best) 98% 92% -
73
Comfort
WinterContact TS 870 +1558Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 WinterExpert Professional tests (TWG score) 72 55 Reviews found online 75 63 -
77
Noise
WinterContact TS 870 +1562Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 WinterExpert Professional tests (TWG score) 84 59 -
76
Treadwear
WinterContact TS 870 +1066Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 WinterExpert Professional tests (TWG score) 77 67 Reviews found online 74 65 -
75
Handling
WinterContact TS 870 +1065Why this score
Source WinterContact TS 870 WinterExpert Reviews found online 75 65
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 870 | Uniroyal WinterExpert |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 68 |
| Dry | 79 | 61 |
| Wet | 90 | 80 |
| Snow | 77 | 71 |
| Comfort | 73 | 58 |
| Noise | 77 | 62 |
| Treadwear | 76 | 66 |
| Handling | 75 | 65 |
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
79
/ 100
WinterContact TS 870
68
/ 100
WinterExpert
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 | WinterExpert | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curved Aquaplaning | Curved | 100% #1/12 · 2024 ADAC 16 Inch Winter Tyre Test | 87% #11/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +13.5 | Different tests |
| Dry Braking | Dry | 98% #4/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 94% #13/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | +4.1 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #5/8 · 2025 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 99% #6/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | −1.2 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% #3/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | 100% #1/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −10.5 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 93% #8/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 98% #5/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | −5.4 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 90% #9/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 89% #13/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | +1.7 | Different tests |
| Abrasion | Other | 86% #5/15 · 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tyre Test | 57% #16/16 · 2023 ADAC 16 Inch Tyre Test | +29.1 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/8 · 2025 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | +1.0 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 67% #19/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 89% #4/8 · 2022 AMS Winter Tyre Test | −21.9 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 51% #12/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 185/65 R15 | 62% #15/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −11.4 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 73% #10/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 74% #15/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | −1.3 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/7 · 2024 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 20% #5/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | +80.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 99% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #7/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +1.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2025 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 97% #13/20 · 2023 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +3.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 98% #3/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 92% #15/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +5.8 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 92% #3/5 · 2025 TUV Test of Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 vs Rivals | 91% #18/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | +0.7 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 100% #1/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | 84% #16/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | +16.3 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #3/20 · 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #3/20 · 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 95% #2/8 · 2023 Autozurnal Winter Tire Test R17 | 96% #6/51 · 2025 Winter Tyre Braking Test - 52 Sets! | −0.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking - Concrete | Wet | 100% #1/16 · 2026 ADAC Winter Tyre Test - 225/50 R17 | 96% #10/31 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | +4.2 | Different tests |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 100% #1/11 · 2026 Auto Express Winter Tyre Test | 84% #10/30 · 2025 ADAC Winter Tyre Test | +16.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 95% #19/20 · 2022 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | +5.0 | 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 WinterExpert
Pros
- Reliable and great grip on dry, wet, and snow-covered roads
- Direct and responsive handling with predictable cornering
- Good fuel economy
Cons
- Noticeably higher noise levels, particularly on dry roads and during parking maneuvers
- Limited traction and performance when pushed or driven aggressively
- Inferior snow and ice performance compared to some competing winter tires like the Hankook Winter I-cept 2
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 | B · Uniroyal WinterExpert |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 44 | 90 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 19″ | 13″ – 20″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 870
68
/ 100
Uniroyal WinterExpert
Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 870 — better dry, comfort and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental WinterContact TS 870 scores 79 vs 61 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental WinterContact TS 870 scores 73 vs 58 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental WinterContact TS 870 scores 77 vs 62 on noise.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental WinterContact TS 870 scores 90 vs 80 on wet.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 870
Tire B · Uniroyal WinterExpert
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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.