Nokian WR SUV 3 vs Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV finished ahead 3 times and the WR SUV 3 not once. The WR SUV 3 was stronger in dry and snow, the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV in wet, comfort and value.
Performance profile
10 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
WR SUV 3
Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
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 96%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
WR SUV 3
Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
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
WR SUV 3
Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the WR SUV 3 83% from 17 reviews and the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV 84% from 5. 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 | WR SUV 3 | Gap | Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry WR SUV 3 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 151 | 0.4% | 151 | 1-0 |
| Dry Handling s | 65.8 | 1.3% | 66.7 | 1-0 |
| Wet Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 191 | 3.4% | 184 | 0-1 |
| Wet Handling s | 89.5 | 0.8% | 90.2 | 1-0 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 47.3 | 0.1% | 47.4 | 0-1 |
| Snow WR SUV 3 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 80 | 1.2% | 81 | 1-0 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 1,141 | 5% | 1,198 | 0-1 |
| Snow Handling s | 81.3 | 0.6% | 81.8 | 1-0 |
| Comfort Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 73 | 1 dB | 72 | 0-1 |
| Value Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV ahead | ||||
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.42 | 16.5% | 7.03 | 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, 2015 to 2018
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 | WR SUV 3 | Field | Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 AZ SUV Winter Tire Test | P3 of 9 | P2 of 9 | |
| 2016 AutoBild 4x4 Winter Tire Test | P7 of 8 | P2 of 8 | |
| 2015 Auto Bild SUV Winter Tire Test | P6 of 8 | P3 of 8 |
WR SUV 3 vs Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV: your questions
Is the Nokian WR SUV 3 or the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV finished ahead 3 times and the WR SUV 3 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the WR SUV 3 scores 8.5 and the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV 9.1 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the WR SUV 3 or the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV?
The Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV led 2 of the 3 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The WR SUV 3 led 2 of the 2 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The WR SUV 3 led 2 of the 3 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.8/10 for the WR SUV 3 and 9.6/10 for the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the WR SUV 3 83% from 17 reviews and the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV 84% from 5. 67% of WR SUV 3 owners would buy it again, against 80% for the Winter Contact TS 850 P SUV.
More comparisons with these tires
Run either of these?
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.