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 Kumho IZen KW23 — 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%)
83/100
10 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 860 and Kumho IZen KW23 are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 860 is stronger on handling and wet. Kumho IZen KW23 is stronger on snow, comfort and treadwear.
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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)
IZen KW23 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 76 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 83 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 92 | 83 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
IZen KW23 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 77 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 90 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
IZen KW23 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 67 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 85 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 62 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
IZen KW23 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 86 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 | IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 76 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 | Kumho IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 83 | 84 |
| Dry | 81 | 83 |
| Wet | 90 | 83 |
| Snow | 78 | 90 |
| Comfort | 75 | 85 |
| Noise | 62 | – |
| Treadwear | 83 | 86 |
| Handling | 86 | 76 |
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
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 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 Kumho IZen KW23 is highly regarded by users for its exceptional performance in severe winter conditions, frequently outperforming more expensive competitors on snow and ice. While it provides significant confidence and traction in cold weather, some users note that its performance in dry or wet conditions is merely adequate and can be accompanied by increased road noise.
Pros
- Outstanding traction and handling on snow and ice
- Excellent value for money compared to premium brands
- Provides significant confidence for rear-wheel-drive vehicles in winter
- Improved ride comfort due to a softer compound
Cons
- Increased road noise levels
- Mediocre performance in wet, non-frozen conditions
- Potential for skidding if tire pressure is not strictly maintained
- Sidewall stiffness can vary depending on the specific tire size
Observations
- Rear-wheel-drive owners, particularly those with BMW models, reported a transformative improvement in winter drivability.
- Users noted that the tire performs effectively even on smaller, lighter vehicles like the Fiat Punto.
- One user observed that the 195/65/R15 size featured notably stiff, non-flexible sidewalls.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 | B · Kumho IZen KW23 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
83
/ 100
Continental
84
/ 100
Kumho
Too close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 860 and Kumho IZen KW23 are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 860 is stronger on handling and wet. Kumho IZen KW23 is stronger on snow, comfort and treadwear.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Kumho IZen KW23 scores 90 vs 78 on snow.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 86 vs 76 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Kumho IZen KW23 scores 85 vs 75 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental WinterContact TS 860 scores 90 vs 83 on wet.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860
Tire B · Kumho IZen KW23
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental WinterContact TS 860 also compared with
Kumho IZen KW23 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.