Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Continental WinterContact TS 870
- TR Score
- 8.9/10
- Owners say
- 73% · 115
- TR Score
- 9.2/10
- Owners say
- 83% · 26
In the 11 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 6 times and the Blizzak LM005 4 times, with one level. The Blizzak LM005 stopped 5% shorter in the wet; the WinterContact TS 870 lasted 51% longer in the wear tests.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Choose the Continental WinterContact TS 870 if you want the most well-rounded winter tire with strong snow/ice capability and markedly better mileage/value over time. Choose the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 if your winters are mostly wet and above-freezing and you prioritize maximum wet braking and wet-road grip feel-accepting that it's likely to wear significantly faster and be less consistent when conditions turn properly wintry.
Where the Blizzak LM005 is stronger
- Consistently class-leading wet braking across tests (wins 7/7 head-to-head wet braking entries; e.g., ADAC 2026: 33.5 m vs 36.1 m)
- Strong wet handling/feel and confidence on soaked roads; frequently among the best subjective wet scores (e.g., Tire Reviews 2022/23: 100 vs 90 subjective wet handling)
- Competitive dry and wet handling pace in several magazine tests (wins in dry handling 3 times; wet handling 3 times), often feeling sporty/quick for a winter tire
Where the WinterContact TS 870 is stronger
- Best overall balance across dry, wet and winter surfaces with repeated top overall finishes (notably multiple ADAC wins and Auto Bild 2021 1st/20)
- Stronger and more dependable winter security on snow/ice on average (wins snow braking 5 times; wins ice braking 2 times including a big gap in ADAC 2023: 19.5 m vs 22.1 m)
- Far better wear/longevity and environmental metrics (e.g., ADAC 2026: 34,300 km vs 22,400 km; ADAC 2023: 55,900 km vs 36,100 km; consistently lower abrasion)
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
Blizzak LM005 vs WinterContact TS 870 at a glance
| Category | Blizzak LM005 | Gap | WinterContact TS 870 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won11 shared tests | 4 | 1 level | 6 |
| Dry12 measurements | 5 | 6 | |
| Wet27 measurements | 15 | The Blizzak LM005 stopped 5% shorter in the wet (7 tests) | 12 |
| Snow19 measurements | 7 | The WinterContact TS 870 stopped 1.4% shorter on snow (7 tests) | 10 |
| Ice2 measurements | 0 | The WinterContact TS 870 stopped 7% shorter on ice (2 tests) | 2 |
| Comfort8 measurements | 3 | The WinterContact TS 870 was 0.6 dB quieter (6 tests) | 4 |
| Value11 measurements | 2 | The WinterContact TS 870 lasted 51% longer in the wear tests (3 tests) | 7 |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 8.9/10 | The WinterContact TS 870 by 0.3 | 9.2/10 |
| Owner rating115 and 26 reviews | 73% | The WinterContact TS 870 by 10 points | 83% |
| Would buy againshare of owners | 56% | The WinterContact TS 870 by 27 points | 83% |
| Pricein the 6 tests that listed prices | Cheaper | The WinterContact TS 870 was dearer in 5 of 6 | +9.8% |
| Sizes madeEU label registrations | 165 | 31 sizes made in both | 44 |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tires; a tick marks the tire ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 11 tests, 2020 to 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Blizzak LM005 | Field | WinterContact TS 870 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P8 of 16 | P1 of 16 | |
| 2023 ADAC 17 inch Winter Tire Test | P15 of 15 | P1 of 15 | |
| 2022 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P7 of 15 | P1 of 15 | |
| 2022 ADAC SUV Winter Tire Test - 215/60 R16 | P5 of 17 | P1 of 17 | |
| 2022/23 Tire Reviews Winter Tire Test | P1 of 9 | P2 of 9 | |
| 2022 Auto Zeitung Winter Tire Test | P2 of 8 | P1 of 8 | |
| 2021 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P1 of 8 | P2 of 8 | |
| 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P5 of 20 | P1 of 20 | |
| 2021 AMS Winter Tire Test | P1 of 10 | P2 of 10 | |
| 2021 Winter Tire Market Overview | P1 of 50 | P4 of 50 | |
| 2020 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P1 of 9 | P1 of 9 |
Performance profile
22 measurements from the 11 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Blizzak LM005
WinterContact TS 870
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 94%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 3 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Blizzak LM005
WinterContact TS 870
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Blizzak LM005
WinterContact TS 870
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Blizzak LM005 73% from 115 reviews and the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tires 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. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | Blizzak LM005 | Gap | WinterContact TS 870 | Wins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 146 | 0.3% | 145 | 2-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 71.45 | 0.4% | 71.75 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 78.3 | 0.3% | 78.5 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 1.7% | scored | 0-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 122 | 5% | 128 | 7-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 121 | 6.3% | 129 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 93.6 | 0.1% | 93.7 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 45 | 1.8% | 44.2 | 2-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 2% | scored | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 12.59 | 1.4% | 12.77 | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 51.1 | 1.5% | 51.8 | 1-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 13.2 | 3.5% | 13.7 | 1-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 77 | 1.4% | 76 | 2-5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.1 | = | 5.1 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 389 | 0.6% | 386 | 2-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 100.3 | 1.4% | 99.15 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 34 | 1.2% | 34.4 | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 22.1% | scored | 1-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 72 | 7% | 67 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| scored | 5.6% | scored | 1-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 71.55 | 0.6 dB | 71 | 2-4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 18,600 | 51% | 28,086 | 0-3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 8.17 | 0.7% | 8.11 | 2-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.6 | = | 5.6 | 0-0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 107.8 | 31.8% | 73.65 | 0-2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 tires shared. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Blizzak LM005 scores 8.9 and the WinterContact TS 870 9.2 out of 10.
| Blizzak LM005 | Category | WinterContact TS 870 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | Dry | 84 | ||
| 99 | Wet | 98 | ||
| 64 | Comfort | 53 | ||
| 43 | Value | 68 | ||
| 66 | Snow | 70 | ||
| 13 | Ice | 16 | ||
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
What owners say
| Blizzak LM005 | Category | WinterContact TS 870 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | Dry Grip | 8.8 | ||
| 8.4 | Wet Grip | 9 | ||
| 7.5 | Road Feedback | 7.3 | ||
| 7.3 | Handling | 8.1 | ||
| 5.9 | Wear | 8.8 | ||
| 7.5 | Comfort | 8.4 | ||
| 7.4 | Snow Grip | 7.9 | ||
| 6.3 | Ice Grip | 7.3 | ||
Owners rate the Blizzak LM005 73% from 115 reviews and the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
- 73%from 115 reviews
- 56%would buy again
- 1,170,613 milesdriven by reviewers
Owners most consistently praise the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 for strong wet-road performance, with around half highlighting secure wet grip and only a handful disagreeing. Dry grip is also commonly rated better than expected for a winter tire, while opinion on snow traction is far more mixed, splitting owners almost evenly depending on conditions and expectations. The biggest drawback is durability: around two in five owners report fast wear (often with performance dropping as the tire ages), and roughly three in ten mention noticeable road noise, with a smaller group also finding it weak on ice.
- Very strong wet grip and confidence in heavy rain
- Impressive dry grip for a winter tire
- Comfortable, compliant ride
- Secure and predictable wet handling
- Fast tread wear and short overall life
- Grip drops off noticeably as the tire wears
- Uneven/abnormal wear reported by some owners
Summarised by AI from 102 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 115 Blizzak LM005 reviewsOverall very good tires for snow. I have a heavy vehicle with big tires (20 inch on sedan). Very good snow and ice grip. However they are quite noisy in the cabin despite BMW insulation.
Continental WinterContact TS 870
- 83%from 26 reviews
- 83%would buy again
- 166,321 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers generally rate the Continental WinterContact TS 870 very highly, highlighting strong wet-road grip, impressive aquaplaning resistance, and a secure, confidence-inspiring feel at speed. Many also report good comfort/low noise and solid all-round performance across typical European winter conditions, with several noting decent wear. A smaller but noticeable group reports weaker traction on hard-packed snow/ice (especially hill starts/climbing) and a few mention efficiency/range penalties and some wet-surface noise/whistling.
- Excellent wet grip and wet braking
- Strong resistance to aquaplaning/standing water
- High stability and confidence at motorway speeds
- Comfortable ride with generally low noise
- Hard-packed snow/ice traction and hill-start/climbing can be disappointing for some
- Efficiency/rolling resistance concerns (reduced EV range or worse fuel economy) mentioned by a few
- Some report noticeable noise/whistling, particularly on wet roads
Summarised by AI from 22 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 26 WinterContact TS 870 reviewsBeen a few years with these tires now and they are ok. Not as great as everyone makes them out to be, but a solid winter tire nonetheless.
The pros:
-Quiet
-Economic (no difference in fuel consumption compared to my summer tires)
- Good grip in all conditions but snow.The cons:
-Not very good on snow. I've had cheap tires that performed the same for half of the price. They are fine on Ice though.
-I got them on sale for 70ish Euros and that's a good price for what you are getting. But I have seen them go for 140 and more (same size and all) and that is honestly a rip-off. Check that you are getting a decent price.Would I buy them again? At 70 euros maybe. But I think I will opt for Nordic Winter Tires next time.
Sizes, EU label and lineage
From the EU label registrations for each tire: 165 sizes of the Blizzak LM005 and 44 of the WinterContact TS 870, 31 of them made in both.
| Category | Blizzak LM005 | WinterContact TS 870 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Winter | Winter |
| Sizes made | 165 sizes, 14 to 22 inch | 44 sizes, 14 to 19 inch |
| Made in both | 31 sizes 155/65 R14165/65 R14165/70 R14175/65 R14175/70 R14185/60 R14185/65 R14165/60 R15165/65 R15185/55 R15185/60 R15185/65 R15and 19 more | |
| EU label wet grip | A88%B12% | B82%C18% |
| EU label rolling resistance | C80%B19%D1% | C78%D22% |
| EU label noise | 70-75 dB B99%A1% | 69-72 dB B100% |
| Severe snow (3PMSF) sizes | 360 of 360 | 90 of 90 |
| On the market since | 2019 | - |
| Replaced | Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 EVO (2017) | Continental WinterContact TS 860 (2016) |
| Replaced by | Bridgestone Blizzak 6 | - |
| Awards | Commended: Best Winter SUV Tires (DriverReviews, 2024/25) Winner: Winter Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2023) Winner: Winter Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2022) Winner: Winter Tire of the Year (WhatTire, 2021) | Winner: Best Winter Tire (DriverReviews, 2025/26) Highly Recommended: Best Winter Tires (DriverReviews, 2024/25) |
| Price in the shared tests | The WinterContact TS 870 was the dearer tire in 5 of the 6 tests that listed prices, by 9.8% on average. Each test priced the tires in its own market at the time; only the gap is comparable. | |
Label grades are shown as the share of registered sizes carrying each grade, so "B (88%), C (12%)" means most sizes are B. Grades vary by size; check the label for yours.
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Bridgestone's Blizzak LM005 and Continental's WinterContact TS 870 sit in the same “premium touring winter” bracket, but their reputations are built on slightly different priorities. Across 11 shared group tests (ADAC, Auto Bild, Auto Express, Auto Zeitung, AMS and Tire Reviews), the LM005 repeatedly shows why it's often described as a wet-weather specialist, while the TS 870 keeps appearing at (or near) the top thanks to how few compromises it makes in any one area.
The data paints a clear theme: the LM005 tends to shine in pure wet-grip metrics (especially wet braking), whereas the TS 870 is the more rounded all-rounder with consistently strong winter performance and markedly better longevity and ownership value. Those differences matter depending on whether your winter is mostly rain and cold tarmac, or whether you also regularly face snow/ice and want a tire that stays competitive for many seasons.
Conclusion
If you want the “most complete” winter tire across changing conditions, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 is the safer bet on the evidence. It dominates the overall results in the bigger, weighting-heavy tests (e.g., ADAC 2026: TS 870 1st vs LM005 8th; ADAC 2023: TS 870 1st vs LM005 15th; ADAC 2022: TS 870 1st vs LM005 7th; ADAC SUV 2022: TS 870 1st vs LM005 5th), and it repeatedly pairs strong dry/wet competence with better snow/ice security. Crucially, it also wins hard on sustainability and cost-of-use: predicted wear gaps are huge in ADAC (e.g., 34,300 km vs 22,400 km in 2026; 55,900 km vs 36,100 km in 2023), with lower abrasion and better “value” metrics.
The Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 remains a compelling choice if your winter reality is predominantly wet roads and you prioritize maximum wet braking and wet handling feel. It wins wet braking in 7 of the shared test comparisons and in ADAC 2026 it's explicitly called “the best wet tire in the test by a clear margin” (33.5 m vs 36.1 m wet braking, plus stronger aquaplaning figures). The trade-off is that the LM005 is more uneven elsewhere-ADAC notes less precision/oversteer tendencies on dry maneuvers and only adequate snow handling-and, most importantly, it can be dramatically more expensive over time due to fast wear and high abrasion. Practical takeaway: pick LM005 for rain-dominant climates and shorter ownership cycles; pick TS 870 for an all-round winter set you can trust (and afford) for the long haul.
Blizzak LM005 vs WinterContact TS 870: your questions
Is the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 or the Continental WinterContact TS 870 the better tire?
In the 11 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 6 times and the Blizzak LM005 4 times, with one level. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Blizzak LM005 scores 8.9 and the WinterContact TS 870 9.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Blizzak LM005 or the WinterContact TS 870?
The Blizzak LM005 led 15 of the 27 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 5% shorter in the wet across 7 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 6 of the 12 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 10 of the 19 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.4% shorter on snow across 7 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The WinterContact TS 870 lasted 51% longer in the wear tests (3 tests) and shed 31.8% less rubber in the abrasion test (2 tests). Owners rate wear 5.9/10 for the Blizzak LM005 and 8.8/10 for the WinterContact TS 870.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The WinterContact TS 870 was 0.6 dB quieter (6 tests). Owners rate comfort 7.5/10 for the Blizzak LM005 and 8.4/10 for the WinterContact TS 870.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Blizzak LM005 73% from 115 reviews and the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26. 56% of Blizzak LM005 owners would buy it again, against 83% for the WinterContact TS 870.
Which is more expensive?
In the 6 tests that listed prices, the WinterContact TS 870 was the dearer tire in 5 of them, by 9.8% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Blizzak LM005 is made in 165 sizes (14 to 22 inch) and the WinterContact TS 870 in 44 (14 to 19 inch). 31 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Blizzak LM005 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the WinterContact TS 870 B and C.
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Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires 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 Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.
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