Hankook Winter i cept RS2 vs Continental WinterContact TS 860
In the 18 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 finished ahead 15 times and the Winter i cept RS2 once, with 2 level. The WinterContact TS 860 was stronger in dry, wet, comfort and value.
Performance profile
10 measurements from the 18 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Winter i cept RS2
WinterContact TS 860
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. 5 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Winter i cept RS2
Not ahead in any category
WinterContact TS 860
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
Winter i cept RS2
WinterContact TS 860
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Winter i cept RS2 81% from 50 reviews and the WinterContact TS 860 86% from 50. 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 | Winter i cept RS2 | Gap | WinterContact TS 860 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry WinterContact TS 860 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 149 | 0.7% | 148 | 1-3 |
| Dry Handling mph | 63.5 | 0.1% | 63.4 | 1-1 |
| Subj. Dry Handling pts | scored | 33.3% | scored | 1-0 |
| Wet WinterContact TS 860 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 123 | 2% | 120 | 0-5 |
| Wet Handling mph | 44.7 | 2.4% | 45.8 | 0-3 |
| Subj. Wet Handling pts | scored | 100% | scored | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 49.7 | 1.3% | 50.2 | 2-2 |
| Snow Level | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 86 | 0.6% | 85 | 1-4 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 488 | 1.2% | 482 | 1-0 |
| Snow Handling mph | 38.9 | 1.5% | 38.3 | 3-0 |
| Subj. Snow Handling pts | scored | 50% | scored | 0-1 |
| Comfort WinterContact TS 860 ahead | ||||
| Subj. Comfort pts | scored | = | scored | 0-0 |
| Noise dB | 71.2 | 2.2 dB | 69.03 | 1-2 |
| Value WinterContact TS 860 ahead | ||||
| Wear miles | 31,587 | 8.4% | 28,947 | 1-1 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 9.26 | 11.4% | 8.2 | 0-4 |
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 18 tests, 2016 to 2020
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 | Winter i cept RS2 | Field | WinterContact TS 860 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Best Winter Tires for 2020 | P3 of 19 | P3 of 19 | |
| 2020 Auto Zeitung Winter Tire Test | P4 of 14 | P2 of 14 | |
| 2020 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 205/55 R16 | P4 of 15 | P7 of 15 | |
| 2019 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P9 of 12 | P2 of 12 | |
| 2019 Auto Bild Winter 17 inch Tire Test | P9 of 20 | P1 of 20 | |
| 2019 Winter Tire Test Market Overview | P12 of 53 | P5 of 53 | |
| 2019 ADAC 185/65 R15 Winter Tire Test | P4 of 16 | P4 of 16 | |
| 2018 AMS Winter Tire Test | P4 of 11 | P1 of 11 | |
| 2018 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P3 of 9 | P1 of 9 | |
| 2018 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P5 of 20 | P2 of 20 | |
| 2018 51 Winter Tire Shootout | P4 of 52 | P1 of 52 | |
| 2017 50 Winter Tire Shoot Out | P20 of 50 | P2 of 50 | |
| 2017 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 195/65 R15 | P6 of 16 | P1 of 16 | |
| 2017 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P2 of 8 | P1 of 8 | |
| 2016 Auto Express Winter Tire Test | P8 of 8 | P1 of 8 | |
| 2016 AutoBild Winter Tire Test | P8 of 20 | P1 of 20 | |
| 2016 Winter Tire Market Overview | P14 of 49 | P1 of 49 | |
| 2016 AZ Winter Tire Test - 205/55 R16 | P8 of 14 | P1 of 14 |
Winter i cept RS2 vs WinterContact TS 860: your questions
Is the Hankook Winter i cept RS2 or the Continental WinterContact TS 860 the better tire?
In the 18 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 860 finished ahead 15 times and the Winter i cept RS2 once, with 2 level. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winter i cept RS2 scores 9 and the WinterContact TS 860 9.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winter i cept RS2 or the WinterContact TS 860?
The WinterContact TS 860 led 11 of the 13 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2% shorter in the wet across 5 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The WinterContact TS 860 led 4 of the 8 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 0.7% shorter in the dry across 4 tests.
Which is better in snow?
Across the shared tests the snow measurements are split 5-5 between the Winter i cept RS2 and the WinterContact TS 860.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The WinterContact TS 860 had 11.4% lower rolling resistance (4 tests). Owners rate wear 8.5/10 for the Winter i cept RS2 and 8.4/10 for the WinterContact TS 860.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The WinterContact TS 860 was 2.2 dB quieter (3 tests). Owners rate comfort 7.5/10 for the Winter i cept RS2 and 8.6/10 for the WinterContact TS 860.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winter i cept RS2 81% from 50 reviews and the WinterContact TS 860 86% from 50. 80% of Winter i cept RS2 owners would buy it again, against 86% for the WinterContact TS 860.
Which is more expensive?
In the 4 tests that listed prices, the WinterContact TS 860 was the dearer tire in 4 of them, by 20.1% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Winter i cept RS2 is made in 43 sizes (13 to 17 inch) and the WinterContact TS 860 in 47 (13 to 17 inch). 33 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Winter i cept RS2 is graded C for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the WinterContact TS 860 B and C.
Which is the newer tire?
The Winter i cept RS2 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the WinterContact TS 860 in 2016. The WinterContact TS 860 replaced the Continental WinterContact TS 850.
More comparisons with these tires
Every Hankook vs Continental test → All comparisons → Compare three or more 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.
Review the Winter i cept RS2 Review the WinterContact TS 860
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.