Head-to-head Updated

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

WinterContact TS 860 S is ahead, 75–66

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Tests – · none yet Owners 64 · 3 reviews

Best test result: #6 of 8 in 2011 Auto Bild 4x4 Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Tests 72 · 1 test Owners 78 · 14 reviews

Best test result: #4 of 11 in 2019 19 Inch Performance 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.

  1. 61

    Dry

    WinterContact TS 860 S +14
    75
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-80WinterContact TS 860 S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–74
    Reviews found online5878
  2. 67

    Wet

    WinterContact TS 860 S +7
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-80WinterContact TS 860 S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–70
    Reviews found online6580
  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-80WinterContact TS 860 S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–71
    Reviews found online–78
  4. 67

    Comfort

    WinterContact TS 860 S +7
    74
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-80WinterContact TS 860 S
    Reviews found online6579
  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-80WinterContact TS 860 S
    Professional tests (TWG score)–74
    Reviews found online–70
  6. 69

    Treadwear

    WinterContact TS 860 S +3
    72
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-80WinterContact TS 860 S
    Reviews found online7077
  7. 64

    Handling

    WinterContact TS 860 S +19
    83
    Why this score
    SourceBlizzak LM-80WinterContact TS 860 S
    Reviews found online6483
Scores at a glance
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryBridgestone Blizzak LM-80Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Relative Score 66 75
Dry 61 75
Wet 67 74
Snow – 74
Comfort 67 74
Noise – 72
Treadwear 69 72
Handling 64 83

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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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Blizzak LM-80

WinterContact TS 860 S

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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.

DisciplineCategoryBlizzak LM-80WinterContact TS 860 SΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 17% #6/8 · 2011 Auto Bild 4x4 Winter Tyre Test 25% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test −8.3 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Blizzak LM-80

Pros

  • Excellent traction on snow and ice
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality
  • Strong tread wear longevity

Cons

  • Limited feedback on extreme high-speed dry handling
  • Potential for premature wear if used exclusively in high-heat summer conditions
All owner themes in the Blizzak LM-80 review

Tire B WinterContact TS 860 S

Pros

  • Exceptional handling and feedback on dry and wet roads in cold temperatures
  • Strong performance and confidence in snow and icy conditions
  • Stiffer sidewalls compared to predecessors, offering improved cornering stability

Cons

  • Long break-in period required before optimal grip is achieved
  • Potential for traction control interference on staggered RWD setups due to circumference variances
  • Limited lateral grip in wet conditions compared to some competitors
All owner themes in the WinterContact TS 860 S review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80 B · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Category—Winter
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—5
Rim diameters—16″ – 22″
Tread depth—10 - 11/32″
Sidewall—Black Side Wall
Max pressure—50 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

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

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 83 vs 64 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 75 vs 61 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 74 vs 67 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 74 vs 67 on comfort.

Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80
Tire B · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S

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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.

75

Leads

WinterContact TS 860 S

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