Pirelli Cinturato Winter vs Continental WinterContact TS 870
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 3 times and the Cinturato Winter not once. The WinterContact TS 870 was stronger in wet, comfort and value.
Performance profile
11 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Cinturato Winter
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 95%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
Cinturato Winter
Not ahead in any category
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
Cinturato Winter
WinterContact TS 870
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Cinturato Winter 78% from 7 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. Wins count the tests in which each tire did better.
| Measurement | Cinturato Winter | Gap | WinterContact TS 870 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 147 | 0.7% | 148 | 1-0 |
| Dry Handling mph | 69.1 | 2.5% | 70.8 | 0-1 |
| Wet WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 118 | 8% | 109 | 0-2 |
| Wet Handling mph | 43.1 | 1.3% | 43.6 | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 54.5 | 4.5% | 52.1 | 1-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 10.7 | 1.2% | 10.8 | 0-1 |
| Snow Level | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 102 | 2.1% | 100 | 1-1 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 0 | 1.1% | 0 | 1-0 |
| Snow Handling mph | 32.6 | 1.9% | 33.2 | 0-1 |
| Comfort WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 71 | 0.2 dB | 70.8 | 0-1 |
| Value WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.9 | 10.1% | 8 | 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 tires shared.
Head to head in 3 tests, 2020 to 2021
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 | Cinturato Winter | Field | WinterContact TS 870 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 AMS Winter Tire Test | P6 of 10 | P2 of 10 | |
| 2021 Winter Tire Market Overview | P27 of 50 | P4 of 50 | |
| 2020 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P4 of 9 | P1 of 9 |
Cinturato Winter vs WinterContact TS 870: your questions
Is the Pirelli Cinturato Winter or the Continental WinterContact TS 870 the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 3 times and the Cinturato Winter not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Cinturato Winter scores 7.7 and the WinterContact TS 870 9.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Cinturato Winter or the WinterContact TS 870?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 4 of the 5 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 8% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 1-1 between the Cinturato Winter and the WinterContact TS 870.
Which is better in snow?
Across the shared tests the snow measurements are split 2-2 between the Cinturato Winter and the WinterContact TS 870.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.1/10 for the Cinturato Winter and 8.4/10 for the WinterContact TS 870.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Cinturato Winter 78% from 7 reviews and the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26. 83% of Cinturato Winter owners would buy it again, against 83% for the WinterContact TS 870.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Cinturato Winter is made in 33 sizes (14 to 17 inch) and the WinterContact TS 870 in 44 (14 to 19 inch). 25 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Cinturato Winter is graded B for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the WinterContact TS 870 B and C.
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Every Pirelli vs Continental test → All comparisons → Compare three or more tires →
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Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
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.