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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Dunlop SP Winter Response — 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.

Tire A Continental

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P

Winter Ultra High Performance tires

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P tread pattern
Objective (60%)
93/100
29 professional tests
User signal (40%)
87/100
28 owner reviews
Dry
89
Wet
86
Snow
82
Comfort
85
Noise
59
Treadwear
89
Handling
88
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Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Dunlop

Dunlop SP Winter Response

Winter Ultra High Performance tires

Dunlop SP Winter Response tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
62/100
3 owner reviews
Dry
63
Wet
53
Snow
–
Comfort
73
Noise
–
Treadwear
63
Handling
63
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P — better wet, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
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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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) WinterContact TS 870 P leads by 26
A
89
B
63
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PSP Winter Response
Professional tests (TWG score) 90 –
Tyre Reviews owners 86 63

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) WinterContact TS 870 P leads by 33
A
86
B
53
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PSP Winter Response
Professional tests (TWG score) 83 –
Tyre Reviews owners 91 53

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A
82
B
–
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PSP Winter Response
Professional tests (TWG score) 78 –
Tyre Reviews owners 89 –

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) WinterContact TS 870 P leads by 12
A
85
B
73
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PSP Winter Response
Professional tests (TWG score) 82 –
Tyre Reviews owners 90 73

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A
59
B
–
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PSP Winter Response
Professional tests (TWG score) 59 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) WinterContact TS 870 P leads by 26
A
89
B
63
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PSP Winter Response
Tyre Reviews owners 89 63

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) WinterContact TS 870 P leads by 25
A
88
B
63
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PSP Winter Response
Tyre Reviews owners 88 63

Scores at a glance

CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 870 PDunlop SP Winter Response
Relative Score 87 62
Dry 89 63
Wet 86 53
Snow 82 –
Comfort 85 73
Noise 59 –
Treadwear 89 63
Handling 88 63

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.

Neutral
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Important
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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

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.

Tire A Continental WinterContact TS 870 P

The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P is widely regarded as a premium, highly balanced winter tire that excels in wet and slushy conditions while offering exceptional comfort and low noise levels. Most users report high levels of confidence in varied winter weather, though a small minority of users report inconsistent performance in severe snow and ice, and some note that steering response is less sharp than dedicated performance-focused alternatives.

Pros

  • Exceptional wet weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
  • High levels of cabin comfort and low road noise
  • Strong, predictable grip on snow and slush
  • Good balance of dry handling and rolling resistance
  • Solid tread life and durability for a performance winter tire

Cons

  • Premium price point compared to competitors
  • Steering feel can be perceived as 'soft' or 'jelly' compared to summer tires
  • Performance can drop off in temperatures above 8-10°C
  • Inconsistent feedback regarding extreme ice traction

Observations

  • EV and hybrid owners frequently praise the tire for its low rolling resistance and quiet operation.
  • Drivers of high-performance RWD vehicles report that while the tire provides excellent grip, it may feel less stiff and sharp during aggressive cornering compared to summer counterparts.
  • Users on larger wheel diameters (20-inch) report that the tire maintains high comfort levels without sacrificing handling.
Tire B Dunlop SP Winter Response

The Dunlop SP Winter Response receives mixed feedback, with users praising its high levels of comfort and low noise output. However, significant concerns regarding wet weather performance and braking reliability in critical situations suggest inconsistent safety characteristics.

Pros

  • High level of ride comfort
  • Low road noise levels
  • Stable driving experience in favorable conditions

Cons

  • Poor wet weather grip and braking performance
  • Inconsistent safety in emergency stop scenarios
  • Mediocre dry road handling

Observations

  • Users report that the tire provides a more stable and quieter driving experience compared to some summer-focused alternatives.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P B · Dunlop SP Winter Response
CategoryWinter Ultra High Performance tiresWinter Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental

Dunlop

Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P — better wet, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 86 vs 53 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 89 vs 63 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 89 vs 63 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 88 vs 63 on handling.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
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Tire B · Dunlop SP Winter Response
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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.