82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
81/100
6 professional tests
User signal (40%)
79/100
20 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Michelin Alpin A4 — 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
92
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
92/100
53 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin Alpin A4 — better snow, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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)
Alpin A4 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 850 P | Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 86 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 88 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Alpin A4 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 850 P | Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 95 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Alpin A4 leads by 17
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 850 P | Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 74 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 92 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Alpin A4 leads by 15
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 850 P | Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 78 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 93 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 850 P | Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 61 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Alpin A4 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 850 P | Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 94 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Alpin A4 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 850 P | Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 88 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 850 P | Michelin Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 82 | 92 |
| Dry | 85 | 88 |
| Wet | 87 | 95 |
| Snow | 75 | 92 |
| Comfort | 78 | 93 |
| Noise | 61 | – |
| Treadwear | 82 | 94 |
| Handling | 84 | 88 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
82
/ 100
Tire A
92
/ 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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | 17% #6/16 · 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tyre Test | +33.3 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in wet and dry conditions, offering a comfortable and quiet ride. While most users praise its predictability and grip on snow and ice, a minority of drivers report inconsistent performance in extreme cold or icy conditions and concerns regarding tread longevity.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and handling in wet and dry conditions
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise output
- Predictable and confidence-inspiring performance on snow
- Strong braking performance on mixed surfaces
Cons
- Reports of rapid tread wear for some users
- Inconsistent lateral grip on ice and deep snow for some drivers
- High price point compared to competitors
- Stiff sidewall construction noted by some as harsh
Observations
- Performance-oriented vehicles (e.g., BMW, Golf GTI) report excellent dry/wet handling, though some note a loss of steering feedback compared to summer tires.
- Heavy vehicles like the Mercedes E350 and Volvo XC70 report stable, comfortable, and balanced performance, particularly with larger wheel setups.
- Users with front-wheel-drive vehicles noted the tire provides surprising capability in challenging winter conditions, often keeping pace with 4x4 vehicles.
The Michelin Alpin A4 is widely regarded as a benchmark winter tire, consistently praised for its exceptional traction and confidence-inspiring performance in snow, ice, and cold wet conditions. While some users note a slight numbness in steering feedback and reduced performance in warmer, dry weather, the consensus highlights its durability, quiet ride, and ability to transform the handling of both front-wheel and rear-wheel drive vehicles in treacherous winter climates.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking performance on snow and ice
- High level of confidence and stability in wet, cold conditions
- Impressive tread life and durability over multiple seasons
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality compared to competitors
- Reliable handling that significantly improves safety for RWD vehicles
Cons
- Reduced steering feedback and 'numb' handling feel
- Performance decline in dry conditions when temperatures exceed 10°C
- Occasional reports of increased rolling resistance
- Potential for performance drop-off as tread depth wears down
Observations
- Users with high-power rear-wheel drive vehicles (e.g., BMW 3-series, Mercedes E-Class) report that the tires effectively mitigate common winter handling issues.
- Drivers opting for narrower tire widths on smaller rims noted improved traction and ride comfort in deep snow.
- Heavy-duty use, such as in taxi applications, confirms the tire's longevity and ability to handle high-mileage, stop-start driving cycles.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P | B · Michelin Alpin A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
82
/ 100
Continental
92
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Alpin A4 — better snow, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin Alpin A4 scores 92 vs 75 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Alpin A4 scores 93 vs 78 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Michelin Alpin A4 scores 94 vs 82 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Alpin A4 scores 95 vs 87 on wet.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 850 P
Tire B · Michelin Alpin A4
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P also compared with
Michelin Alpin A4 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.