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 Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW — 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
88
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
91/100
98 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW — better noise, wet and dry. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S if handling matters 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)
Scorpion ICE plus SNOW leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 93 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 82 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Scorpion ICE plus SNOW leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 82 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 90 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Scorpion ICE plus SNOW leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 79 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Scorpion ICE plus SNOW leads by 47
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 42 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 87 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 69 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 S | Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 88 |
| Dry | 89 | 94 |
| Wet | 81 | 92 |
| Snow | 87 | 86 |
| Comfort | 88 | 92 |
| Noise | 42 | 89 |
| Treadwear | 88 | 88 |
| Handling | 87 | 69 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Recomputed
Headline score
81
/ 100
Tire A
88
/ 100
Tire B
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 Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow is widely regarded as a highly capable winter tire, particularly for heavy SUVs and 4x4 vehicles. Users frequently praise its exceptional traction on ice and deep snow, with many noting that it provides significant confidence in extreme winter conditions. While some users report concerns regarding tread longevity and dry-pavement noise, the consensus remains that it is a premium, reliable choice for severe weather performance.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction on ice and packed snow
- High durability and long tread life for many users
- Strong performance in varied winter conditions including slush and mud
- Reliable handling and stability for heavy SUVs and towing applications
Cons
- Increased road noise on dry pavement
- Inconsistent tread life reported by some users
- Stiffer ride quality compared to non-winter tires
- Reduced performance in off-road mud conditions for certain rim sizes
Observations
- Users with heavy vehicles like Land Rover Discovery and Toyota Land Cruiser report excellent performance, even when towing heavy loads.
- Some users noted that smaller rim sizes (e.g., 16-inch) appeared to offer better off-road mud performance than larger 17-inch variants on similar vehicle platforms.
- Drivers of high-performance SUVs (e.g., BMW X5) noted faster-than-expected tread wear, suggesting the compound may be sensitive to aggressive driving styles.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S | B · Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| 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
88
/ 100
Pirelli
Winner: Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW — better noise, wet and dry. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S if handling matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW scores 89 vs 42 on noise.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 87 vs 69 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW scores 92 vs 81 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW scores 94 vs 89 on dry.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Tire B · Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW
More comparisons
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Pirelli Scorpion ICE plus SNOW 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.