82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
82/100
2 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental IceContact 2 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
79/100
8 professional tests
User signal (40%)
84/100
49 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Continental IceContact 2 and Continental WinterContact TS 860 are within 2 points overall. Continental IceContact 2 is stronger on dry and snow. Continental WinterContact TS 860 is stronger on comfort and treadwear.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
IceContact 2 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 100 | 76 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 89 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 100% | 94% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 97 | 89 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 92 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 99% | 82% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
IceContact 2 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 79 | 77 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 80 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 97% | 54% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 93% | 98% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) | 95% | 99% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 67 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 86 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 62 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 83 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | IceContact 2 | WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 86 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental IceContact 2 | Continental WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 82 | 83 |
| Dry | 88 | 81 |
| Wet | 90 | 90 |
| Snow | 85 | 78 |
| Comfort | 65 | 75 |
| Noise | – | 62 |
| Treadwear | 75 | 83 |
| Handling | 85 | 86 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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.
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
82
/ 100
Tire A
83
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Test data
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 | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #11/14 · 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tyre Test | +6 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 90% #8/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 85% #4/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | +4.3 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 93% #6/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | +6.7 | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 86% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #1/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres | -10.2 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 57% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 94% #8/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | -36.6 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/12 · 2018 ACE All Season and Winter Tyre Test | 0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #5/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 54% #1/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | +43.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 93% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #4/11 · 2018 AMS Winter Tyre Test | -5.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #8/10 · 2019 Auto Center Winter Tyre Test | -3.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 82% #1/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | +17 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Continental IceContact 2 is highly regarded as a robust winter tire, particularly well-suited for harsh Nordic and Baltic climates. Users consistently praise its exceptional grip on snow and ice, noting that while it performs well, its acoustic profile and ice-traction longevity are typical trade-offs for a studded tire.
Pros
- Excellent traction on snow and ice-covered surfaces
- Surprisingly comfortable and quiet ride for a studded tire
- Reliable handling and stability in severe winter conditions
- Strong performance on mixed and rural road surfaces
Cons
- Increased road noise when driving on dry or clean pavement
- Noticeable degradation in ice grip performance after two seasons of use
- Requires precise tire pressure maintenance to ensure optimal wet-weather handling
Observations
- Users operating in rural or mixed-road environments report higher satisfaction than those primarily on dry highways.
- The tire is specifically noted for its suitability in extreme northern climates like Sweden and the Baltic region.
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 is widely regarded as a top-tier, balanced winter tire that excels in wet and snowy conditions while maintaining impressive comfort and low noise levels. While the vast majority of users report high satisfaction with its safety and handling, a minority of owners noted a significant drop in performance as the tires aged or after several seasons of use.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and safety in wet and slushy conditions
- Outstanding performance on snow, providing high levels of confidence
- Remarkably low noise levels and high ride comfort
- Strong fuel efficiency and balanced overall performance
- Predictable handling on dry roads, often compared favorably to summer tires
Cons
- Performance degradation noted by some users after 3-4 seasons
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a slight loss of steering precision or 'wobble' in tight corners
- Tread pattern prone to picking up and throwing stones/sand
- Inconsistent reports regarding tread wear, with some users experiencing faster-than-expected depletion
Observations
- Users with high-torque vehicles noted that the tire can struggle with traction under heavy acceleration on snow if the vehicle lacks advanced torque management.
- Drivers of smaller, lighter vehicles (e.g., VW Polo, Golf) reported excellent handling and confidence in varied winter conditions.
- Some users noted that the tire's soft sidewall is more noticeable on larger rim sizes or during spirited driving.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental IceContact 2 | B · Continental WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
82
/ 100
Continental
83
/ 100
Continental
Too close to call: Continental IceContact 2 and Continental WinterContact TS 860 are within 2 points overall. Continental IceContact 2 is stronger on dry and snow. Continental WinterContact TS 860 is stronger on comfort and treadwear.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 75 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 83 vs 75 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental IceContact 2 scores 88 vs 81 on dry.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental IceContact 2 scores 85 vs 78 on snow.
Tire A · Continental IceContact 2
Tire B · Continental WinterContact TS 860
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental IceContact 2 also compared with
Continental WinterContact TS 860 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.