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Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Leao Winter Defender UHP

In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P finished ahead 4 times and the Winter Defender UHP not once. The WinterContact TS 870 P was stronger in dry, wet, snow, comfort and value.

Performance profile

15 measurements from the 4 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.

Dry BrakingDry Handling (s)Subj. Dry HandlingWet BrakingWet Handling (s)Subj. Wet HandlingStraight AquaCurved AquaplaningSnow BrakingSnow TractionSnow HandlingSubj. Snow HandlingSubj. ComfortNoiseRolling Resistance

Where each is furthest ahead

WinterContact TS 870 P

Winter Defender UHP

Not ahead on any measurement here

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. 6 measurements recorded in only one shared test are left off; every measurement is in the table further down.

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 870 P Gap Winter Defender UHP Wins
Dry WinterContact TS 870 P ahead
Dry Braking ft 138 2.4% 142 2-1
Dry Handling (s) 68.84 1.9% 70.18 2-0
Dry Handling (mph) 61.3 2.7% 59.7 1-0
Subj. Dry Handling pts scored 7.2% scored 2-0
Wet WinterContact TS 870 P ahead
Wet Braking ft 120 19.3% 152 4-0
Wet Handling (s) 65.77 7.8% 71.1 2-0
Wet Handling (mph) 43.7 10% 39.8 1-0
Subj. Wet Handling pts scored 18.8% scored 2-0
Straight Aqua mph 52 3.1% 50.6 2-1
Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² 10 5.1% 9.6 2-0
Snow WinterContact TS 870 P ahead
Snow Braking ft 66 7.5% 71 3-0
Snow Traction s 4.8 9.5% 5.23 2-0
Snow Traction (lbf) 580 0.3% 579 1-0
Snow Handling s 89.23 3.3% 92.28 2-0
Snow Handling (mph) 40.6 1.1% 40.2 1-0
Subj. Snow Handling pts scored 10.5% scored 2-0
Snow Slalom ft/s² 13.7 7.7% 12.7 1-0
Comfort WinterContact TS 870 P ahead
Subj. Comfort pts scored 8.5% scored 3-0
Subj. Noise pts scored 5.6% scored 1-0
Noise dB 70.9 0.7 dB 71.55 2-0
Value WinterContact TS 870 P ahead
Rolling Resistance kg / t 7.13 13.9% 8.27 3-0

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 4 tests, 2023 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 WinterContact TS 870 P Field Winter Defender UHP
2026 Auto Bild Sportscars Winter Tire Test Auto Bild Sportscars · 2026 · 225/45 R18 · BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupé and BMW M240i P4 of 12 P12 of 12
2026 Winter Tire Braking Test - 50 Sets Auto Bild · 2026 · 245/45 R19 · BMW 5 Series P2 of 50 P44 of 50
2023 Tire Reviews SUV Winter Tire Test Tire Reviews · 2023 · 235/60 R18 Tire Reviews test P1 of 9 P9 of 9
2023 Tire Reviews Winter Tire Test Tire Reviews · 2023 · 225/45 R18 Tire Reviews test P3 of 11 P11 of 11

WinterContact TS 870 P vs Winter Defender UHP: your questions

Is the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P or the Leao Winter Defender UHP the better tire?

In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P finished ahead 4 times and the Winter Defender UHP not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the WinterContact TS 870 P scores 9.3 and the Winter Defender UHP 3.2 out of 10.

Which is better in the wet, the WinterContact TS 870 P or the Winter Defender UHP?

The WinterContact TS 870 P led 13 of the 14 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 19.3% shorter in the wet across 4 tests.

Which is better in the dry?

The WinterContact TS 870 P led 7 of the 8 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 2.4% shorter in the dry across 3 tests.

Which is better in snow?

The WinterContact TS 870 P led 12 of the 12 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 7.5% shorter on snow across 3 tests.

Which lasts longer and costs less to run?

The WinterContact TS 870 P had 13.9% lower rolling resistance (3 tests).

Which is quieter and more comfortable?

The WinterContact TS 870 P was 0.7 dB quieter (2 tests).

What do owners say?

Owners rate the WinterContact TS 870 P 85% from 33 reviews; the Winter Defender UHP has no owner reviews yet.

Which is more expensive?

In the 3 tests that listed prices, the WinterContact TS 870 P was the dearer tire in 3 of them, by 89.7% 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 870 P is made in 121 sizes (16 to 23 inch) and the Winter Defender UHP in 38 (15 to 20 inch). 29 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the WinterContact TS 870 P is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winter Defender UHP C and C.

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 WinterContact TS 870 P Review the Winter Defender UHP

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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