81
/ 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 Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV — 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%)
88/100
6 professional tests
User signal (40%)
83/100
13 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictToo close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 860 S and Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 860 S is stronger on snow and treadwear. Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is stronger on comfort, dry and wet.
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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)
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 93 | 96 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 91 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 98% | 100% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) | 99% | 99% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | 86 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 82 | 85 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 91% | 93% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 97% | 98% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 85 | 79 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 89 | 82 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 96% | 94% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 98% | 100% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 100 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 85 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Pilot Alpin 5 SUV leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 42 | 44 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
WinterContact TS 860 S leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 85 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | WinterContact TS 860 S | Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 87 | 87 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental WinterContact TS 860 S | Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 82 |
| Dry | 89 | 94 |
| Wet | 81 | 86 |
| Snow | 87 | 81 |
| Comfort | 88 | 94 |
| Noise | 42 | 44 |
| Treadwear | 88 | 85 |
| Handling | 87 | 87 |
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
81
/ 100
Tire A
82
/ 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 | 98% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | -2.4 | Different tests |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 99% #2/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #5/10 · 2024 AS SUV Winter Tyre Test | -0.1 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 79% #5/9 · 2023 Tyre Reviews SUV Winter Tyre Test | +20.8 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 96% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 96% #1/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | -0.6 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 97% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 90% #7/10 · 2023 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | +7.2 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 25% #4/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 50% #2/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | -25 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 96% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 94% #1/7 · 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tyre Test | +1.5 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 98% #7/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | -2 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 90% #10/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/7 · 2023 AMS SUV Winter Tyre Test | -9.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 91% #6/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 93% #5/10 · 2021 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test | -1.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% #5/11 · 2019 19 Inch Performance Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/10 · 2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test | -0.4 | 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 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 Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is widely regarded as a top-tier winter tire, particularly excelling in wet, slushy, and snowy conditions. Users frequently praise its impressive longevity and balanced performance, though some note a distinct limit to its grip threshold in deep or hard-packed snow compared to dedicated Nordic-style winter tires.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and handling on wet and slushy roads
- High tread life and durability over long distances
- Excellent dry road comfort and low noise levels
- Strong performance in snow-covered cornering and braking
Cons
- Abrupt loss of grip when reaching the limit on hard-packed snow
- Higher price point compared to some competitors
- Performance can feel less predictable than dedicated Nordic winter tires in extreme ice/snow conditions
Observations
- Drivers of heavy SUVs report high confidence in handling and agility, noting the tire makes the vehicle feel more responsive.
- Users transitioning from Nokian tires noted a significant improvement in quietness and dry-road refinement, though some missed the specific snow-traction characteristics of the previous brand.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S | B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Ultra High Performance tires | Winter Ultra 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?
81
/ 100
Continental
82
/ 100
Michelin
Too close to call: Continental WinterContact TS 860 S and Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV are within 2 points overall. Continental WinterContact TS 860 S is stronger on snow and treadwear. Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV is stronger on comfort, dry and wet.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S scores 87 vs 81 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 94 vs 88 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 94 vs 89 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV scores 86 vs 81 on wet.
Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Tire B · Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental WinterContact TS 860 S also compared with
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV 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.