81
/ 100
Objective (60%)
79/100
8 professional tests
User signal (40%)
84/100
49 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental WinterContact TS 860 vs Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — 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
83
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
86/100
31 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — better comfort, dry and snow. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 860 if noise 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)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 76 | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 87 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 96% | 98% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 97% | 98% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | 90 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 92 | 88 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 82% | 95% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 100% | 98% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 77 | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 86 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 54% | 95% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 92% | 99% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 67 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 87 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 15
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 62 | 47 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 88 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 85 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 | Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 83 |
| Dry | 81 | 90 |
| Wet | 90 | 89 |
| Snow | 78 | 86 |
| Comfort | 75 | 87 |
| Noise | 62 | 47 |
| Treadwear | 83 | 88 |
| Handling | 86 | 85 |
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
83
/ 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 | 96% #2/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres | 98% #6/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | -2.6 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 97% #7/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 98% #10/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | -1.1 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 85% #4/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 96% #4/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | -11 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #1/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 96% #7/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | +3.8 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 84% #4/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 94% #6/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | -10.4 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 50% #2/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 20% #5/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | +30 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 54% #1/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 95% #6/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | -41.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 92% #1/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres | 99% #5/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | -6.7 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 100% #1/2 · All Season vs Winter vs Nordic vs Studded Tyres | 97% #4/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | +2.7 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 82% #1/9 · 2018 AMS All Season Tyre Test | 95% #3/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | -12.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 100% #1/20 · 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/10 · 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tyre Test | +2.2 | 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 is widely regarded as a top-tier, balanced winter tire that excels in wet and snowy conditions while maintaining impressive comfort and low noise levels. While the vast majority of users report high satisfaction with its safety and handling, a minority of owners noted a significant drop in performance as the tires aged or after several seasons of use.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and safety in wet and slushy conditions
- Outstanding performance on snow, providing high levels of confidence
- Remarkably low noise levels and high ride comfort
- Strong fuel efficiency and balanced overall performance
- Predictable handling on dry roads, often compared favorably to summer tires
Cons
- Performance degradation noted by some users after 3-4 seasons
- Soft sidewalls can lead to a slight loss of steering precision or 'wobble' in tight corners
- Tread pattern prone to picking up and throwing stones/sand
- Inconsistent reports regarding tread wear, with some users experiencing faster-than-expected depletion
Observations
- Users with high-torque vehicles noted that the tire can struggle with traction under heavy acceleration on snow if the vehicle lacks advanced torque management.
- Drivers of smaller, lighter vehicles (e.g., VW Polo, Golf) reported excellent handling and confidence in varied winter conditions.
- Some users noted that the tire's soft sidewall is more noticeable on larger rim sizes or during spirited driving.
The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance Gen 1 is widely regarded as a high-performing winter tire, particularly excelling in cold, wet, and slushy conditions. While most users praise its confidence-inspiring grip and longevity, some report mixed experiences regarding road noise and dry-weather handling precision.
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather and slush performance
- Strong traction and braking capabilities in snow
- High durability and long tread life
- Comfortable ride quality compared to summer or run-flat tires
Cons
- Increased road noise reported by some users at higher speeds
- Vague steering feedback and sidewall flex during spirited dry-road driving
- Occasional loss of grip in dry conditions or when temperatures exceed 7°C
- Tendency to oversteer on certain rear-wheel-drive platforms
Observations
- Users on BMW and other rear-wheel-drive platforms noted a tendency for the rear to slide or oversteer in corners.
- Drivers transitioning from run-flat tires to these winter tires frequently reported a significant improvement in ride comfort.
- Owners of smaller, balanced vehicles like the Mazda MX-5 noted that the tire maintains good handling characteristics despite the softer winter compound.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 | B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Ultra High Performance Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | — | 9 - 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Raised Black Lettering |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
81
/ 100
Continental
83
/ 100
Goodyear
Winner: Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 — better comfort, dry and snow. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 860 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 62 vs 47 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 87 vs 75 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 90 vs 81 on dry.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 scores 86 vs 78 on snow.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860
Tire B · Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental WinterContact TS 860 also compared with
Goodyear Ultra Grip Performance Gen-1 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.