Continental WinterContact TS 850 P review
The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in wet and dry conditions, offering a comfortable and quiet ride. While most users praise its predictability and grip on snow and ice, a minority of drivers report inconsistent performance in extreme cold or icy conditions and concerns regarding tread longevity.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
79%By road tests
80.6%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 20 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that excels in wet and dry conditions, offering a comfortable and quiet ride. While most users praise its predictability and grip on snow and ice, a minority of drivers report inconsistent performance in extreme cold or icy conditions and concerns regarding tread longevity.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and handling in wet and dry conditions
- High levels of ride comfort and low noise output
- Predictable and confidence-inspiring performance on snow
- Strong braking performance on mixed surfaces
Cons
- Reports of rapid tread wear for some users
- Inconsistent lateral grip on ice and deep snow for some drivers
- High price point compared to competitors
- Stiff sidewall construction noted by some as harsh
Worth knowing
- Performance-oriented vehicles (e.g., BMW, Golf GTI) report excellent dry/wet handling, though some note a loss of steering feedback compared to summer tires.
- Heavy vehicles like the Mercedes E350 and Volvo XC70 report stable, comfortable, and balanced performance, particularly with larger wheel setups.
- Users with front-wheel-drive vehicles noted the tire provides surprising capability in challenging winter conditions, often keeping pace with 4x4 vehicles.
7 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter tire Test · 245/40 R18
7th of 13
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 4th of 13 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 13 | |
| Dry Braking | 13th of 13 | |
| Dry Handling | 7th of 13 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 13 | |
| Snow Traction | 5th of 13 | |
| Snow Handling | 9th of 13 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 10th of 13 | |
| Straight Aqua | 10th of 13 | |
| Noise | 8th of 13 | |
| Price | 12th of 13 |
2021 Auto Bild SUV Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18
5th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 7th of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 10 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 8th of 10 | |
| Noise | 9th of 10 | |
| Price | 9th of 10 |
2020 ADAC Winter tire Test - 235/55 R17 · 235/55 R17
12th of 13
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter tire Test · 245/45 R18
7th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 1st of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 19th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 14th of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 8th of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 11th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 12th of 20 | |
| Noise | 8th of 20 | |
| Value | 17th of 20 | |
| Wear | 4th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 17th of 20 |
2020 Winter tire Market Overview - 52 tire Braking Test · 245/45 R18
4th of 48
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 48 | |
| Snow Braking | 17th of 48 |
2019 AMS Winter SUV tire Test · 215/55 R17
4th of 11
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 2nd of 11 | |
| Wet Handling | 5th of 11 | |
| Dry Braking | 8th of 11 | |
| Dry Handling | 3rd of 11 | |
| Snow Braking | 6th of 11 | |
| Snow Handling | 6th of 11 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 1st of 11 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 11 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 2nd of 11 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 3rd of 11 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 5th of 11 | |
| Noise | 9th of 11 | |
| Price | 10th of 11 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 2nd of 11 |
2018 Autobild UHP Winter tire Test · 195/65 R15
2nd of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 10 | |
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 5th of 10 | |
| Dry Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 10 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 6th of 10 | |
| Straight Aqua | 6th of 10 | |
| Noise | 6th of 10 | |
| Price | 10th of 10 |
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi |
| Size | Retailer |
|---|---|
| 255/55 R18 | Amazon |
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