83
/ 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 Vector 4Seasons — 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
82
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
81/100
63 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 860 and Goodyear Vector 4Seasons are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 860 is stronger on wet, handling and snow. Goodyear Vector 4Seasons is stronger on comfort and dry.
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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)
Vector 4Seasons leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 76 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 84 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 92 | 83 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 77 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 75 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Vector 4Seasons leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 67 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 82 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 62 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Vector 4Seasons leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 84 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 81 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 | Goodyear Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 82 |
| Dry | 81 | 84 |
| Wet | 90 | 83 |
| Snow | 78 | 75 |
| Comfort | 75 | 82 |
| Noise | 62 | – |
| Treadwear | 83 | 84 |
| Handling | 86 | 81 |
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
83
/ 100
Tire A
82
/ 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 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 Vector 4Seasons is widely regarded as a highly capable, year-round solution that excels in wet, snowy, and cold conditions, offering significant convenience for drivers who wish to avoid seasonal tire changes. While most users praise its winter performance and longevity, a notable subset of reviewers reports issues with increased road noise and inconsistent grip in extreme summer heat.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and confidence in snow and icy conditions.
- Strong performance in heavy rain and wet road environments.
- High durability and tread life for many users.
- Convenience of a 'fit and forget' all-season solution.
Cons
- Increased road noise, often described as a 'humming' or 'bearing-like' sound.
- Softened handling and reduced precision during high-temperature summer months.
- Reports of premature wear or tread chunking in specific high-performance or heavy-load applications.
- Occasional wheel spin under heavy acceleration in wet conditions.
Observations
- Drivers of heavier AWD vehicles noted that while the tires perform well in winter, they can feel soft and prone to ABS intervention during aggressive summer braking.
- Users of high-torque or performance-oriented vehicles reported more frequent traction loss in the wet compared to those with standard family hatchbacks.
- Several owners of older or budget-friendly vehicles reported that the tire significantly improved their car's stability and confidence in poor weather.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 | B · Goodyear Vector 4Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | All Season Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | — | 9/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 500 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Continental
82
/ 100
Goodyear
Too close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 860 and Goodyear Vector 4Seasons are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 860 is stronger on wet, handling and snow. Goodyear Vector 4Seasons is stronger on comfort and dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 90 vs 83 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Goodyear Vector 4Seasons scores 82 vs 75 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 86 vs 81 on handling.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 78 vs 75 on snow.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860
Tire B · Goodyear Vector 4Seasons
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental WinterContact TS 860 also compared with
Goodyear Vector 4Seasons 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.