Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
The data shows a decisive split in safety-critical braking and handling, especially in the wet where winter accidents are most common. Continental sweeps wet braking in all shared tests (often by 7-13%), pairs it with sharper handling feedback, and usually betters dry braking too. Maxxis counters with strong straight-line aquaplaning in several sizes, competitive snow braking in some tests, lower purchase prices, and at times better projected mileage or abrasion scores. The question becomes: is the lower upfront cost worth the notable compromises in wet grip and overall control?
Test Results
Independent comparison tyre tests are the best source of data to get tyre information from, and the good news is there have been nine tests which compare both tyres directly!
| Tyre | Test Wins | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Continental WinterContact TS 870 P | nine |
While it might look like the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P is better than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 purely based on the higher number of test wins, tyres are very complicated objects which means where one tyre is better than the other can be more important in real world use.
Let's look at how the two tyres compare across multiple tyre test categories.
Key Strengths
- Best-in-test wet braking consistency; large safety margins in rain
- Precise, predictable handling with strong feedback in dry and wet
- Balanced winter performance with solid snow traction/handling
- Lower rolling resistance than WP6 in most tests, aiding efficiency
- Lower purchase price and strong value metrics in several tests
- Frequent wins in straight-line aquaplaning and low noise levels
- Occasionally competitive snow and ice braking results
- In some sizes/tests, favorable projected mileage or abrasion
Dry Braking
Looking at data from six tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during six dry braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 4.48% less distance than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Dry Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Dry Braking winner was calculated >>
Dry Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one dry handling [s] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 0.91% faster around a lap than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Dry Handling [s]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Dry Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three dry handling [km/h] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 0.84% faster around a lap than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Dry Handling [Km/H]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Dry Handling
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one subj. dry handling tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scored 35.71% more points than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Subj. Dry Handling: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Subj. Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking
Looking at data from nine tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during nine wet braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 7.82% less distance than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Wet Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Braking winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking - Concrete
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during two wet braking - concrete tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 8.96% less distance than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Wet Braking - Concrete: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Braking - Concrete winner was calculated >>
Wet Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one wet handling [s] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 5.68% faster around a wet lap than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Wet Handling [s]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three wet handling [km/h] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 1.95% faster around a wet lap than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Wet Handling [Km/H]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Wet Handling
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one subj. wet handling tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scored 50% more points than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Subj. Wet Handling: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Subj. Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Circle
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P and Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 performed equally well in wet circle tests.
Best In Wet Circle: Both tyres performed equally well
See how the Wet Circle winner was calculated >>
Straight Aqua
Looking at data from six tyre tests, the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 was better during four straight aqua tests. On average the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 floated at a 1.14% higher speed than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Straight Aqua: Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
See how the Straight Aqua winner was calculated >>
Curved Aquaplaning
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three curved aquaplaning tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P slipped out at a 7.77% higher speed than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Curved Aquaplaning: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Curved Aquaplaning winner was calculated >>
Snow Braking
Looking at data from nine tyre tests, the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 was better during five snow braking tests. On average the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 stopped the vehicle in 27.98% less distance than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Snow Braking: Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
See how the Snow Braking winner was calculated >>
Snow Traction
Looking at data from six tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during five snow traction tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P had 0.3% better snow traction than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Snow Traction: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Traction winner was calculated >>
Snow Handling [s]
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one snow handling [s] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 0.7% faster around a lap than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Snow Handling [s]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Snow Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from three tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three snow handling [km/h] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 2.65% faster around a lap than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Snow Handling [Km/H]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Subj. Snow Handling
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one subj. snow handling tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scored 33.33% more points than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Subj. Snow Handling: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Subj. Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Snow Circle
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one snow circle tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P provided 5.96% more lateral grip than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Snow Circle: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Circle winner was calculated >>
Snow Slalom
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during two snow slalom tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 2.54% faster through a slalom than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Snow Slalom: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Slalom winner was calculated >>
Ice Braking
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one ice braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle 3.61% shorter than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Ice Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Ice Braking winner was calculated >>
Subj. Comfort
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one subj. comfort tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scored 14.29% more points than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Subj. Comfort: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Subj. Comfort winner was calculated >>
Noise
Looking at data from five tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during two noise tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P measured 0.03% quieter than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Noise: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Noise winner was calculated >>
Wear
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 was better during two wear tests. On average the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 is predicted to cover 0.57% miles before reaching 1.6mm than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Wear: Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
See how the Wear winner was calculated >>
Value
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 was better during two value tests. On average the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 proved to have a 32.58% better value based on price/1000km than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Value: Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
See how the Value winner was calculated >>
Price
Looking at data from two tyre tests, the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 was better during two price tests. On average the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 cost 41.11% less than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Price: Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6
See how the Price winner was calculated >>
Rolling Resistance
Looking at data from four tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three rolling resistance tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P had a 13.78% lower rolling resistance than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Rolling Resistance: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Rolling Resistance winner was calculated >>
Fuel Consumption
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P and Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 performed equally well in fuel consumption tests.
Best In Fuel Consumption: Both tyres performed equally well
See how the Fuel Consumption winner was calculated >>
Abrasion
Looking at data from one tyre tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one abrasion tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P wore 28.57% less per 1000km driven than the Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
Best In Abrasion: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Abrasion winner was calculated >>
Real World Driver Reviews
Tyre Reviews also collects real world driver reviews for the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P and Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6.
In total the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P has been reviewed 25 times and drivers have given the tyre 87% overall.
The Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 has been reviewed 7 times and drivers have given the tyre 80% overall.
This means in real world driving, people prefer the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Conclusion
Maxxis' WP6 appeals on price and can deliver useful strengths: frequent straight-line aquaplaning wins, low external noise in some sizes, and in select tests better projected mileage or abrasion. However, its wet braking deficits are substantial and repeated, and subjective stability/precision trails the premium benchmark-consequences that testers repeatedly linked to reduced safety margins. For most drivers, the Continental is the safer, more confidence-inspiring choice. Budget-focused buyers in regions with frequent standing water but less persistent rain braking demands may consider the Maxxis, but only with full awareness of its wet stopping trade-offs.
Key Differences
- Wet braking: Continental consistently shorter stopping distances (often 7-13% better).
- Handling precision: Continental scores much higher subjectively in dry and wet; Maxxis shows delayed response and lower grip.
- Aquaplaning: Maxxis often leads straight-line; Continental usually leads curved aquaplaning and overall wet control.
- Dry braking: Continental shorter in every shared result.
- Snow/ice: Mixed-Maxxis occasionally wins single metrics, but Continental is more rounded across traction/handling.
- Efficiency and wear: Continental typically lower rolling resistance; Maxxis sometimes higher mileage/abrasion scores, varies by test.
Overall Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Based on the tyre test data and user reviews we have in our database, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P has demonstrated better overall performance in this comparison. However, as you can see from the spider diagram above, each tyre has its own strengths which should be considered in your final tyre buying choice.Similar Comparisons
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Footnote
This page has been developed using tyre industry testing best practices. This means we are only comparing tests which have had both tyres in the same test.
Why is this important? Tyre testing is heavily affected by things like surface grip levels and surface temperature, which means you can only compare values from the same day. During a tyre test external condition changes are calculated into the overall results, but it is not possible to calculate this between tyre tests performed on different days or at different locations.
As a result you will see other tests on Tyre Reviews which feature both the %s and %s, but as they weren't conducted on the same day, the results are not comparable.
Lots of other websites do this sort of tyre comparison, Tyre Reviews doesn't.