The Continental WinterContact TS 860 S is a performance winter tyre with precise steering, good dry handling and favourable owner reports of longevity. Wet braking and aquaplaning resistance are its clearer test compromises, alongside a high purchase price.
The quick answer
Owners say87%from 16 owner reviews81% would buy againRead the reviews
Strengths & weaknessesValue, DryWet, SnowRelative to its rivals across every test we hold
Built from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold for this tyre - the evidence is all further down the page. Data updated October 2026.
How good is the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S in the wet?
Across the 1 wet-braking test it has featured in, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S stops 6.8% longer than premium rivals, 3.3% shorter than mid-range rivals and 6.6% longer than budget rivals. It has a Tyre Reviews wet score of 56/100, and owners rate it 8.4/10 in the wet from 16 reviews.
How good is the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S in the dry?
Across the 1 dry-braking test it has featured in, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S stops 2.1% shorter than premium rivals, 2.1% shorter than mid-range rivals and 12% longer than budget rivals. It has a Tyre Reviews dry score of 85/100, and owners rate it 8.6/10 in the dry from 16 reviews.
How good is the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S in the snow?
Across the 1 snow-braking test it has featured in, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S stops 2% longer than premium rivals, 1% shorter than mid-range rivals and 62.9% shorter than budget rivals. It has a Tyre Reviews snow score of 35/100, and owners rate it 9/10 in the snow from 16 reviews.
How fuel efficient is the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S?
Across the 1 test measuring rolling resistance, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S's rolling resistance is 14.9% lower than premium rivals, 13.1% lower than mid-range rivals and 8.4% lower than budget rivals.
How many miles does the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S last?
Based on test and owner data, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S is expected to last around 16,208 miles (26,084 km).
More questions about the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S(8)
What do owners say about the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S?
Across 16 owner ratings the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S averages 87%. Owners rate Comfort highest at 9 out of 10 and Wet Grip lowest at 8.4. 5 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 86% of owners score it 70% or better.
What is the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S's EU tyre label rating?
Across its range, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S most commonly carries EU label ratings of C for fuel efficiency, B for wet grip and 72 dB for noise.
How comfortable and quiet are the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S?
Owners rate the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S 9 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 14 reviews.
How well do the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S 8.7 out of 10 for wear across 14 reviews. 5 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 5,000 miles.
Would owners buy the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S again?
81% of owners say they would buy the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S again, based on the 16 owner reviews that answered the question. 63% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What does the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S replace?
Questions and Answers for the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S
Love the winter tyre review and found it very informative. My wife runs a e93 335i (225/35/19, 255/30/19) and I’d like to switch to the Conti ts860s for winter. Show moreLove the winter tyre review and found it very informative. My wife runs a e93 335i (225/35/19, 255/30/19) and I’d like to switch to the Conti ts860s for winter.
My question is, do these come in runflats? I like the ability for her to be not stranded should there be an issue, and it’s happened a few times, hence why I’ve continued with runflats on her car.
Alternatively, would you suggest some other run flat for London winter? Show less
November 4, 2018
The good news is the TS860 S is offered in runflat in certain sizes, you would have to check with Continental or your tyre retailer to see if you can get RFT versions for both your front and rear sizes!
Show all questions(2)
Would the new Continental WinterContact 860 S in 245/40/R19 be suitable for a Tesla Model S with a standard tyre size of 245/45/R19? Show moreWould the new Continental WinterContact 860 S in 245/40/R19 be suitable for a Tesla Model S with a standard tyre size of 245/45/R19? Is the new S tyre as suitable as an all seasons tyre as its predecessor 860? Show less
October 31, 2018
The TS860S moves the balance of performance back towards dry even more, so in theory it's probably as good an "all season" as a winter tyre gets but it will still be at a big dry braking disadvantage in the summer. As for changing the tyre size, you'll have to see what other Tesla owners are doing as that's not something I can give advice on.
The Continental WinterContact TS 860 S receives generally positive owner feedback, especially for tread life and snow handling. Five of 12 owners discussing specific aspects praise longevity and four snow handling, while wet and dry grip each attract more praise than criticism. Twelve of the 14 written reviews are positive overall, with none negative. Most experience extends beyond the initial stage, including several favourable longer-use accounts. Wet handling is more divided, but complaints about noise, aquaplaning and bedding-in are isolated rather than recurring faults in this small sample.
What owners mention most counted across 12 reviews
Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.
Owner ratings averaged from 16 ratings
Owner score87%
Comfort90%
Snow Grip90%
Handling89%
Road Feedback88%
Wear87%
Dry Grip86%
Ice Grip84%
Wet Grip84%
Featured reviews
Most helpful 58%
“Warning! Do not buy the standard tires if you have a staggered setup and RWD. Only OEM spec (star, MO, GO, etc). I had a combination of 225/40R19 front with 255/35R19 on the rear. This is the standard for my car. And...”
“Fitted on my car and driven for some 3 months, since I previously had WinterContact TS 860 (without S suffix) on my previous car. Not sure what changed between S and non S version of this tire, but it lost a bit of...”
“Bought it in December 2023 and for last 3 winters they are on my car. They have 40% on highway and 60% city drive. Comparing with regular wintercontact there is no standard noise when is temperature higher then 7 degC...”
Fitted on my car and driven for some 3 months, since I previously had WinterContact TS 860 (without S suffix) on my previous car.
Not sure what changed between S and non S version of this tire, but it lost a bit of ability in the snow and gained handling capabilities in the snow and ice.
Braking is still strong, but bellow Michelin Alpine5.
Check out how the BEST all seasons tyres perform against premium summer and winter tyres!
Bought it in December 2023 and for last 3 winters they are on my car. They have 40% on highway and 60% city drive. Comparing with regular wintercontact there is no standard noise when is temperature higher then 7 degC. On highway they feel really confident and handling on snow and icy road is really sporty. I will buy them again. I think one more seasson they will be ok to use.
Which tyres do you drive?
Researching the Continental WinterContact TS 860 S? Rate the tyres you actually drive - and help the next buyer choose.
Warning! Do not buy the standard tires if you have a staggered setup and RWD. Only OEM spec (star, MO, GO, etc).
I had a combination of 225/40R19 front with 255/35R19 on the rear. This is the standard for my car. And yet, on dry roads, in a straight line, the TC would cut power under acceleration.
After measuring the circumference of fronts and rears I found a difference of more than 2% in circumference between fronts and rears. This means a difference of 3km/h between front and rear wheels at highway speed. And under acceleration the rears would slip just enough to trigger TC.
Continental did not care about this. They said it’s normal to have a tolerance between -2% and +1% in circumference in the normal tires. They only limit these differences for OEM tires.
If you have a RWD and care about your life, don’t buy these.
As a fan of winter tyres and a self confessed "Michelin fanboy" these are the best winter tires I've ever used. Mostly because snow and ice are quite rare even in Scotland. So it's wet and dry performance in cold conditions that matter most.
These tyres just hang on to the road and give significantly more grip than you can reasonably expect for the conditions. Breakaway is progressive and not just controllable but fun and exploitable.
Due to unforseen circumstances (and because I have a second car) I've ended up using these throughout the summer. Grip levels reduce as expected in high temperatures but the progression and fun remain.
I'm definitely staying loyal to Continental in winter now. Long to see what their new winter tyres can do
Fitted to a 2017 E Class Mercedes estate. Really impressed with the wet / dry weather performance at low temperatures. Handles very similar to a summer tyre and last season were left on until late spring. This is the second season running them and they have hardly worn at all. My car has different tyre sizes front and rear so I was limited on choice for manufactures that can provide for both fitments. They were expensive but I have no regrets as they have proven faultless in all conditions and do not go off in warmer conditions like previous winter tyres I have had on other vehicles. Highly recommended if you can find them as they have now been superseded by other models.
First and foremost if you buy these they can take an age to scrub in. Longer in the wet but quicker in the dry. Mine took 200 miles before grip improved. A previous reviewer commenter on grip failing in certain areas and that’s correct. Lateral grip is not their strong suit. In the wet, even accidental excitement in a corner can send you off track a little. Easy to correct with safety features such as traction control activated. It’s a progressive tyre otherwise with good feedback. You can tell when they are losing grip. The noise is above average but thankfully vibration is not too bad. Dry grip impressive. Not immune to aqua planing by any means but pretty good if driving steady. In conclusion, a good all round tyre, fails in some areas, excels in others, and not a sporty performance tyre by any stretch of the imagination. Probably won’t outdo a dedicated winter tyre but for occasional snow/ice/mud it is more than fine.
They are not for my rainy city...
90% of driving takes place in the city. The tires look great, good road feedback, they wear normally, but they slipped where none of my previous tires did (Dunlop, Michelin, Cont 860). Maybe that tire is for slightly heavier cars... I drove it for two (not really) winters.
Basically, my review is about the brand-new Continetal WinterContact TS 860 S vs old TS 850 P with less than 3mm of tread depth remaining. I felt no need to replace them earlier as we have not had much snow (i.e. no snaw at all) up until now. Today, with the snow depth measuring some 10 to 15 centimetres, I found it next to impossible to drive out of my apartment bloc to a high street (relatively well-groomed). I my put snow chains on, which gave me confidence in deep snow but were a nuisance on the more or less clean road.
In short, the TS 860 S is a real upgraded version of its predecessor. First, it is no-way as wobbly as TS 850 P used to be. When your drive a hot hatch brandishing 280 horse powers and then have to change from summer to winter tyres, you notice immediately that a part of those powers is suddenly gone at the expense of some added comfort. The TS 860 S is closer to a summer tyre. For me it is a much better trade-off (compared to 850 P) as far as its ability to navigate wintery roads is concerned.
The brand-new TS 860 S coped decently with snow, sleet and even occasional ice, let alone clean black tarmac. Quite importantly, it was manageable on ice (just drop you speed a bit to regain control).
Surprisingly, I could not notice any benefits of its much-advertised low rolling resistance. Subjectively, the same route (about 90km) has taken me as much fuel as when I had my good old Continental TS 850 Ps. To be consistent with winter tyre test results, I will assume that my driving style has become sportier 😊.
Otherwise, I am happy. Not least because I did not need snow chains to park my car at my apartment. We are expected to have a week of the real, pre-climate-change, winter!
Safe winter motoring to all!
What a tyre, extremely satisfied, mainly Iam driving on motorways 70% and 30% in the city. Till now I have done approx 9-11k Km.
Excellent handling on wet, dry or snow conditions, never worried or felt a fear, I am so comfortable that I really drove the same way like I have a summer tyre.
Exceptional performance on snow, usually going for a week at alps for skiing and have to say they shine, exceptional grip control and very good road feedback, you totally know when you can push more or you are pushing too much.
Few times I had to break hard on highways I felt comfortable and confident.
No wear issues till now.
Deff would buy it again and I would recommend it 100%
Please note, generally Iam an easy going driver with gentle foot.
