Continental WinterContact TS 850 P vs Dunlop Winter Sport 5
In the 8 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P finished ahead 6 times and the Winter Sport 5 twice. The WinterContact TS 850 P was stronger in dry, wet and comfort, the Winter Sport 5 in snow and value.
Performance profile
10 measurements from the 8 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
WinterContact TS 850 P
Winter Sport 5
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 97%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow. 4 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
WinterContact TS 850 P
Winter Sport 5
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
WinterContact TS 850 P
Winter Sport 5
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the WinterContact TS 850 P 81% from 20 reviews and the Winter Sport 5 83% from 47. 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 | WinterContact TS 850 P | Gap | Winter Sport 5 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry WinterContact TS 850 P ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 146 | 0.3% | 146 | 2-2 |
| Dry Handling mph | 64.4 | 0.8% | 63.9 | 4-0 |
| Wet WinterContact TS 850 P ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 141 | 6.6% | 151 | 5-0 |
| Wet Handling mph | 45.7 | 2.1% | 44.8 | 4-0 |
| Wet Circle s | 12.44 | 2.3% | 12.73 | 1-0 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 54.3 | 0.2% | 54.2 | 2-2 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 11.9 | 6.1% | 12.6 | 0-1 |
| Snow Winter Sport 5 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 90 | 2.2% | 88 | 0-5 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 635 | 1.5% | 644 | 1-1 |
| Snow Handling mph | 35.2 | 1.6% | 35.7 | 0-4 |
| Snow Slalom ft/s² | 11.4 | 7.2% | 12.2 | 0-1 |
| Comfort WinterContact TS 850 P ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 72.63 | 1.6 dB | 74.25 | 3-1 |
| Value Winter Sport 5 ahead | ||||
| Wear miles | 27,005 | 1.9% | 26,495 | 1-0 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.59 | 4.2% | 8.22 | 1-3 |
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 8 tests, 2015 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 | WinterContact TS 850 P | Field | Winter Sport 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Auto Bild Sports Car Winter Tire Test | P7 of 13 | P5 of 13 | |
| 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tire Test | P7 of 20 | P8 of 20 | |
| 2020 Winter Tire Market Overview - 52 Tire Braking Test | P4 of 51 | P13 of 51 | |
| 2018 Autobild UHP Winter Tire Test | P2 of 10 | P4 of 10 | |
| 2017 AMS Performance 18 inch Winter Tire Test | P1 of 10 | P2 of 10 | |
| 2016 Sport Auto Winter Tire Test | P1 of 6 | P3 of 6 | |
| 2016 AutoBild Winter UHP Tire Test | P2 of 8 | P3 of 8 | |
| 2015 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tire Test | P2 of 8 | P1 of 8 |
WinterContact TS 850 P vs Winter Sport 5: your questions
Is the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P or the Dunlop Winter Sport 5 the better tire?
In the 8 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P finished ahead 6 times and the Winter Sport 5 twice. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the WinterContact TS 850 P scores 8.9 and the Winter Sport 5 8.9 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the WinterContact TS 850 P or the Winter Sport 5?
The WinterContact TS 850 P led 12 of the 15 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 6.6% shorter in the wet across 5 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The WinterContact TS 850 P led 6 of the 8 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it averaged a 0.8% higher speed on the dry handling course across 4 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The Winter Sport 5 led 11 of the 12 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.2% shorter on snow across 5 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The Winter Sport 5 had 4.2% lower rolling resistance (4 tests). Owners rate wear 8.2/10 for the WinterContact TS 850 P and 8.7/10 for the Winter Sport 5.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
The WinterContact TS 850 P was 1.6 dB quieter (4 tests). Owners rate comfort 7.9/10 for the WinterContact TS 850 P and 8.4/10 for the Winter Sport 5.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the WinterContact TS 850 P 81% from 20 reviews and the Winter Sport 5 83% from 47. 75% of WinterContact TS 850 P owners would buy it again, against 83% for the Winter Sport 5.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the WinterContact TS 850 P was the dearer tire in 2 of them, by 11.1% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The WinterContact TS 850 P is made in 122 sizes (15 to 22 inch) and the Winter Sport 5 in 49 (15 to 21 inch). 33 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the WinterContact TS 850 P is graded C for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter Sport 5 B and C.
Which is the newer tire?
The Winter Sport 5 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2021, the WinterContact TS 850 P in 2014. The WinterContact TS 850 P replaced the Continental WinterContact TS 830 P. The Winter Sport 5 replaced the Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D.
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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.