81
/ 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.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S vs Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — 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
85
/ 100
Objective (60%)
90/100
20 professional tests
User signal (40%)
86/100
22 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — better noise and wet. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S if comfort, handling and snow matter most to you.
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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)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 93 | 89 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 89 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 98% | 95% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 99% | 99% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winter i cept evo3 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 90 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 91% | 95% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 97% | 88% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 85 | 77 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 93 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 96% | 97% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 98% | 94% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 81 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 77 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Winter i cept evo3 leads by 39
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 42 | 81 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 88 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 83 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 S | Hankook Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 85 |
| Dry | 89 | 89 |
| Wet | 81 | 87 |
| Snow | 87 | 84 |
| Comfort | 88 | 80 |
| Noise | 42 | 81 |
| Treadwear | 88 | 88 |
| Handling | 87 | 83 |
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
81
/ 100
Tire A
85
/ 100
Tire B
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 | 98% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 95% #5/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | +2.1 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #2/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #6/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | -0.4 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 87% #6/11 · 2023 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | +13 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 96% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | -3.4 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 97% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 67% #4/11 · 2023 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | +30.1 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 7% #14/19 · The Best Winter Tyres for 2020 | 25% #4/11 · 2023 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | -17.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 97% #11/30 · 2020 Winter Tyre Market Overview - 52 Tyre Braking Test | -1.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 94% #4/11 · 2023 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | +4 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 90% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | -7.4 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 95% #4/10 · 2024 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tyre Test | -3.5 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 88% #7/11 · 2023 Tyre Reviews Winter Tyre Test | +9.3 | 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 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.
The Hankook Winter i cept evo3 is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that offers exceptional value, frequently outperforming more expensive premium brands in wet and snowy conditions. While most users praise its balanced handling and impressive aquaplaning resistance, a small minority of drivers report concerns regarding ride comfort and noise levels.
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance and aquaplaning resistance
- Strong traction and confidence-inspiring grip in deep snow and ice
- Excellent value-for-money proposition compared to premium competitors
- Stable and predictable handling on dry and cold pavement
Cons
- Reports of increased road noise compared to summer tires
- Mixed feedback regarding ride comfort, with some users finding them stiff
- Occasional reports of suboptimal launch traction in wet conditions
Observations
- Drivers of performance-oriented vehicles (e.g., Ford Puma ST) noted that the tire maintains sporty characteristics without significant compromise.
- Users with AWD vehicles (e.g., Audi A4 Allroad) highlighted superior stability in deep water and snow, though some RWD users noted the importance of fitting all four tires to prevent rear-end instability.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S | B · Hankook Winter i cept evo3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | 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?
81
/ 100
Continental
85
/ 100
Hankook
Winner: Hankook Winter i cept evo3 — better noise and wet. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S if comfort, handling and snow matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 81 vs 42 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 88 vs 80 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Hankook Winter i cept evo3 scores 87 vs 81 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 87 vs 83 on handling.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Tire B · Hankook Winter i cept evo3
More comparisons
Also compared with
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Hankook Winter i cept evo3 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.