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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 — 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
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Pirelli

Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3

Winter Premium Touring tires

Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
82/100
18 owner reviews
Dry
90
Wet
91
Snow
82
Comfort
84
Noise
98
Treadwear
85
Handling
78
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 — better noise and wet. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P if handling and treadwear matter 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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Winter Snow Control Series 3 leads by 1
A
89
B
90
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PWinter Snow Control Series 3
Professional tests (TWG score) 90 –
Tyre Reviews owners 86 82

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Winter Snow Control Series 3 leads by 5
A
86
B
91
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PWinter Snow Control Series 3
Professional tests (TWG score) 83 –
Tyre Reviews owners 91 86

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A
82
B
82
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PWinter Snow Control Series 3
Professional tests (TWG score) 78 –
Tyre Reviews owners 89 67

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) WinterContact TS 870 P leads by 1
A
85
B
84
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PWinter Snow Control Series 3
Professional tests (TWG score) 82 –
Tyre Reviews owners 90 71

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Winter Snow Control Series 3 leads by 39
A
59
B
98
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PWinter Snow Control Series 3
Professional tests (TWG score) 59 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) WinterContact TS 870 P leads by 4
A
89
B
85
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PWinter Snow Control Series 3
Tyre Reviews owners 89 74

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) WinterContact TS 870 P leads by 10
A
88
B
78
Why this score
SourceWinterContact TS 870 PWinter Snow Control Series 3
Tyre Reviews owners 88 78

Scores at a glance

CategoryContinental WinterContact TS 870 PPirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3
Relative Score 83 87
Dry 89 90
Wet 86 91
Snow 82 82
Comfort 85 84
Noise 59 98
Treadwear 89 85
Handling 88 78

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

Tire A

Tire B

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 Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3

The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in dry and wet handling while maintaining strong traction in snow. While most users praise its sporty feedback and stability, some report concerns regarding sidewall durability and noise levels at highway speeds.

Pros

  • Excellent handling and feedback on dry and wet pavement
  • Strong traction and braking performance in snow
  • High-speed stability and hydroplaning resistance
  • Sporty driving characteristics suitable for performance vehicles

Cons

  • Vulnerable sidewalls prone to damage from curb impacts
  • Noticeable road noise at higher speeds
  • Mixed reports regarding tread longevity
  • Some users find them less effective in deep ice compared to dedicated studless tires

Observations

  • Performance-oriented vehicles, such as the Mustang GT and modified Volvo S60, benefit from the tire's ability to maintain summer-like handling in cold conditions.
  • Users operating smaller vehicles like the Mini in rural, ungritted environments report high levels of stability and security.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P B · Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3
CategoryWinter Ultra High Performance tiresWinter Premium Touring tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental

Pirelli

Winner: Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 — better noise and wet. Pick the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P if handling and treadwear matter most to you.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 scores 98 vs 59 on noise.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 88 vs 78 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3 scores 91 vs 86 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scores 89 vs 85 on treadwear.

Tire A · Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Pirelli Winter Snow Control Series 3
Check price on Amazon

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.