76
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
74/100
3 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860 S — 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
86
/ 100
Objective (60%)
71/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
85/100
14 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Continental WinterContact TS 860 S — better dry, handling and wet. 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)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 26
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak LM-80 | WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 93 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 63 | 84 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak LM-80 | WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 80 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 82 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak LM-80 | WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 89 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak LM-80 | WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 88 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak LM-80 | WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 42 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Blizzak LM-80 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak LM-80 | WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 88 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 17
Why this score
| Source | Blizzak LM-80 | WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 87 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80 | Continental WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 76 | 86 |
| Dry | 63 | 89 |
| Wet | 70 | 81 |
| Snow | – | 87 |
| Comfort | 80 | 88 |
| Noise | – | 42 |
| Treadwear | 90 | 88 |
| Handling | 70 | 87 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
76
/ 100
Tire A
86
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Bridgestone Blizzak LM80 is highly regarded for its exceptional performance in cold, snowy, and icy conditions, while also demonstrating surprising versatility in milder weather. Users report a smooth, quiet ride and impressive durability, positioning it as a reliable choice for SUV and crossover owners.
Pros
- Excellent traction on snow and ice
- Quiet and smooth ride quality
- Strong tread wear longevity
- Effective performance in cold, wet conditions
Cons
- Limited feedback on extreme high-speed dry handling
- Potential for premature wear if used exclusively in high-heat summer conditions
Observations
- Users transitioning from factory-fitted all-season tires on SUVs, such as the Ford Kuga, report a noticeable improvement in ride comfort and cold-weather grip.
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 S is widely regarded as a premium performance winter tire that excels in cold, dry, and wet conditions, often mimicking the handling characteristics of a summer tire. While the majority of users praise its sporty feedback and snow traction, some owners report specific issues with lateral grip in wet conditions and potential compatibility challenges with staggered wheel setups.
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
- High durability and slow tread wear over multiple seasons
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
- High price point relative to other winter tire options
Observations
- Users with staggered RWD setups reported significant issues with traction control systems when using non-OEM specific tire variants.
- Drivers of performance-oriented vehicles (e.g., BMW M2) noted that the stiffer sidewalls provide a more precise, less 'squishy' feel during spirited driving.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80 | B · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | — | Winter Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | — | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 4 |
| Rim diameters | — | 18″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10 - 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 - 51 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
76
/ 100
Bridgestone
86
/ 100
Continental
Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 860 S — better dry, handling and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 89 vs 63 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 87 vs 70 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 81 vs 70 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 88 vs 80 on comfort.
Tire A · Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80
Tire B · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
More comparisons
Also compared with
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80 also compared with
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S 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.