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Winter tyre: Continental Winter Contact TS 860

Despite reducing the emphasis on snow performance in our scoring system, this result suggests a winter tyre is arguably a better option than an all-season alternative

Despite reducing the emphasis on snow performance in our scoring system, this result suggests a winter tyre is arguably a better option than an all-season alternative. Surprisingly, the Goodyear had an advantage over this specialist tyre in Finland, as did the AllSeasonContact. 

The TS 860 was best in the wet thanks to those aquaplaning results, but the argument falls apart in the dry, where it was the worst option apart from the Nankang. The results also add weight to the theory that all-season tyres are essentially winter designs with a little more dry performance.

Results

Continental WinterContact TS 860 
Overall100.40%
Snow braking 95.20%
Snow traction96.70%
Snow handling101.30%
Straight aquaplaning101.70%
Curved aquaplaning101.00%
Wet braking94.00%
Wet handling100.60%
Dry braking84.50%
Dry handling98.50%
Rolling resistance 92.50%
Cabin noise103.40%
Price£85.70

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Products editor

Kim has worked for Auto Express for more than three decades and all but a year of that time in the Products section. His current role as products editor involves managing the section’s content and team of testers plus doing some of the tests himself. 

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