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Nokian WR SUV 3 vs Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV finished ahead 3 times and the WR SUV 3 not once. The WR SUV 3 was stronger in dry and snow, the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV in wet, comfort and value.

Performance profile

10 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tyre shown as its share of the better figure in every test.

Dry BrakingDry HandlingWet BrakingWet HandlingStraight AquaSnow BrakingSnow TractionSnow HandlingNoiseRolling Resistance

Where each is furthest ahead

WR SUV 3

Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.

In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 36 m stop against 34.2 m is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 96%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.

Every measurement, side by side

Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.

Measurement WR SUV 3 Gap Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV Wins
Dry WR SUV 3 ahead
Dry Braking m 45.9 0.4% 46.1 1-0
Dry Handling s 65.8 1.3% 66.7 1-0
Wet Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV ahead
Wet Braking m 58.1 3.4% 56.1 0-1
Wet Handling s 89.5 0.8% 90.2 1-0
Straight Aqua km/h 76.2 0.1% 76.3 0-1
Snow WR SUV 3 ahead
Snow Braking m 24.4 1.2% 24.7 1-0
Snow Traction N 5,075 5% 5,327 0-1
Snow Handling s 81.3 0.6% 81.8 1-0
Comfort Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV ahead
Noise dB 73 1 dB 72 0-1
Value Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV ahead
Rolling Resistance kg / t 8.42 16.5% 7.03 0-1

Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.

Head to head in 3 tests, 2015 to 2018

Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.

Test WR SUV 3 Field Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
2018 AZ SUV Winter Tyre Test Auto Zeitung · 2018 · 235/60 R18 P3 of 9 P2 of 9
2016 AutoBild 4x4 Winter Tyre Test Auto Bild Allrad · 2016 · 255/55 R18 P7 of 8 P2 of 8
2015 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tyre Test Auto Bild Allrad · 2015 · 215/65 R16 P6 of 8 P3 of 8

WR SUV 3 vs Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: your questions

Is the Nokian WR SUV 3 or the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV the better tyre?

In the 3 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV finished ahead 3 times and the WR SUV 3 not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the WR SUV 3 scores 8.5 and the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV 9.1 out of 10.

Which is better in the wet, the WR SUV 3 or the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV?

The Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV led 2 of the 3 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.

Which is better in the dry?

The WR SUV 3 led 2 of the 2 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.

Which is better in snow?

The WR SUV 3 led 2 of the 3 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.

Which is quieter and more comfortable?

Owners rate comfort 8.8/10 for the WR SUV 3 and 9.6/10 for the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.

What do owners say?

Owners rate the WR SUV 3 83% from 17 reviews and the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV 84% from 5. 67% of WR SUV 3 owners would buy it again, against 80% for the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.

More comparisons with these tyres

Run either of these?

Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.

Review the WR SUV 3 Review the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV

Where this data comes from

Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.

About the TR Score

The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.

Who does the testing

Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.

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