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.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S vs Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme — 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
84
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
84/100
44 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Continental WinterContact TS 860 S — better handling, snow and treadwear. Pick the Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme if wet matters most to you.
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)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 93 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 86 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Wintrac 4 Extreme leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 89 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 80 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 88 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 42 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 83 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 78 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 S | Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 86 | 84 |
| Dry | 89 | 86 |
| Wet | 81 | 89 |
| Snow | 87 | 80 |
| Comfort | 88 | 88 |
| Noise | 42 | – |
| Treadwear | 88 | 83 |
| Handling | 87 | 78 |
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
86
/ 100
Tire A
84
/ 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 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 Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme is widely regarded by users as a high-performance winter tire that excels in deep snow, ice, and cold, wet conditions. While it offers exceptional traction and safety margins in harsh weather, users note that its performance degrades in warmer temperatures, where the compound becomes soft and handling feels less precise.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and stability in deep snow and on ice
- Strong performance in cold, wet, and greasy road conditions
- Impressive tread longevity and durability
- High value-for-money compared to premium competitors
- Noticeable improvement in handling and confidence over standard summer or all-season tires
Cons
- Reduced handling precision and 'squidgy' feel in temperatures above 13°C
- Initial stiffness or harsh ride quality during the break-in period
- Increased tread wear if used consistently in warm summer weather
- Less effective on clay-based mud when tread depth drops below 4mm
Observations
- Owners of heavy SUVs and 4x4s (e.g., Land Rover Freelander, Volvo XC90) frequently report that these tires transform vehicle capability in extreme winter conditions.
- Users noted that the tires significantly improved the handling of rear-wheel-drive vehicles, which are typically prone to losing traction in cold weather.
- Some users reported a harsh ride initially on larger wheel sizes, which improved significantly after a break-in period of approximately 2,000 miles.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S | B · Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter High Performance 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?
86
/ 100
Continental
84
/ 100
Vredestein
Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 860 S — better handling, snow and treadwear. Pick the Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme if wet matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 87 vs 78 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme scores 89 vs 81 on wet.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 87 vs 80 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 88 vs 83 on treadwear.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Tire B · Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S also compared with
Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme 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.