Tests 68 · 4 tests Owners 59 · 8 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 20 in 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test (price)
Head-to-head
Updated
Firestone Winterhawk 3 vs Continental WinterContact TS 870 P — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
WinterContact TS 870 P is ahead, 80–64
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Tests 81 · 28 tests Owners 78 · 31 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 18 in 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
63
Dry
WinterContact TS 870 P +1780Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 WinterContact TS 870 P Professional tests (TWG score) 67 83 Reviews found online 58 77 Dry Braking (% of best) 94% 97% Dry Handling (% of best) 98% 99% -
63
Wet
WinterContact TS 870 P +2689Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 WinterContact TS 870 P Professional tests (TWG score) 64 92 Reviews found online 62 84 Wet Braking (% of best) 80% 96% Wet Handling (% of best) 93% 99% -
65
Snow
WinterContact TS 870 P +1378Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 WinterContact TS 870 P Professional tests (TWG score) 71 79 Reviews found online 56 76 Snow Braking (% of best) 94% 98% Snow Handling (% of best) 98% 98% -
64
Comfort
WinterContact TS 870 P +1882Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 WinterContact TS 870 P Professional tests (TWG score) – 84 Reviews found online 60 80 -
67
Noise
WinterContact TS 870 P +774Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 WinterContact TS 870 P Professional tests (TWG score) 67 79 -
66
Treadwear
WinterContact TS 870 P +672Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 WinterContact TS 870 P Professional tests (TWG score) 70 70 Reviews found online 62 75 -
58
Handling
WinterContact TS 870 P +2280Why this score
Source Winterhawk 3 WinterContact TS 870 P Reviews found online 58 80
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Winterhawk 3 | Continental WinterContact TS 870 P |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 80 |
| Dry | 63 | 80 |
| Wet | 63 | 89 |
| Snow | 65 | 78 |
| Comfort | 64 | 82 |
| Noise | 67 | 74 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 72 |
| Handling | 58 | 80 |
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
64
/ 100
Winterhawk 3
80
/ 100
WinterContact TS 870 P
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 | Winterhawk 3 | WinterContact TS 870 P | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #16/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #6/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test | −3.1 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 98% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | −0.9 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 80% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 90% #6/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | −10.1 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 96% #13/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #9/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −0.7 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 87% #3/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 40% #10/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +46.5 | Different tests |
| Value | Other | 60% #12/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 50% #8/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | +9.5 | Different tests |
| Wear | Other | 62% #8/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 88% #10/20 · 2025 Autobild Winter Tyre Test | −25.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 7% #14/18 · 2015 Auto Bild Top 18 Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | −92.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 94% #21/30 · 2019 Winter Tyre Test Market Overview | 98% #4/9 · 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | −3.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #10/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/12 · 2024 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | −0.4 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 90% #15/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | −7.5 | Different tests |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Total | 0% #14/20 · 2017 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 0% #7/10 · 2025 AZ Performance Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 80% #32/48 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | 96% #4/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test | −15.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 93% #20/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/9 · 2022 Sports Car UHP Winter Tyre Test | −5.9 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Winterhawk 3
Pros
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise
- Good longevity and tread wear resistance
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Inconsistent or poor grip on snow and ice
- Unreliable wet weather performance and braking
- Pronounced understeering tendencies
Tire B 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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Firestone Winterhawk 3 | B · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 39 | 121 |
| Rim diameters | 13″ – 18″ | 16″ – 23″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Firestone Winterhawk 3
80
/ 100
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P — better wet, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 89 vs 63 on wet.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 80 vs 58 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 82 vs 64 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 80 vs 63 on dry.
Tire A · Firestone Winterhawk 3
Tire B · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
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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.