Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Nexen Winguard Snow G3
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 4 times and the Winguard Snow G3 not once. The WinterContact TS 870 was stronger in wet, snow and value, the Winguard Snow G3 in comfort.
Performance profile
13 measurements from the 4 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
WinterContact TS 870
Winguard Snow G3
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 85%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
WinterContact TS 870
Winguard Snow G3
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 870
Winguard Snow G3
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26 reviews and the Winguard Snow G3 91% from 7. 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 870 | Gap | Winguard Snow G3 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Level | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 156 | 2.1% | 152 | 0-1 |
| Dry Handling mph | 86.2 | 1.6% | 84.9 | 1-0 |
| Wet WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 136 | 3.2% | 141 | 3-0 |
| Wet Handling mph | 44.7 | 3.6% | 43.2 | 1-0 |
| Wet Circle s | 12.77 | 2.2% | 13.06 | 1-0 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 51.1 | 10.5% | 46.3 | 1-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 11.1 | 31.5% | 8.4 | 1-0 |
| Snow WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 92 | 7.2% | 100 | 3-0 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 638 | 7.2% | 595 | 1-0 |
| Snow Handling mph | 35.6 | 2.3% | 34.8 | 1-0 |
| Comfort Winguard Snow G3 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 70.6 | 0.9 dB | 69.7 | 0-1 |
| Value WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Wear miles | 28,210 | 59.3% | 17,709 | 1-0 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 7.94 | 12.7% | 9.09 | 1-0 |
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, 2021 to 2024
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 | Field | Winguard Snow G3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Winter 55 Tire Braking Test | P8 of 55 | P26 of 55 | |
| 2022 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P1 of 15 | P10 of 15 | |
| 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P1 of 20 | P19 of 20 | |
| 2021 Winter Tire Market Overview | P4 of 50 | P16 of 50 |
WinterContact TS 870 vs Winguard Snow G3: your questions
Is the Continental WinterContact TS 870 or the Nexen Winguard Snow G3 the better tire?
In the 4 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 4 times and the Winguard Snow G3 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the WinterContact TS 870 scores 9.2 and the Winguard Snow G3 7.8 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the WinterContact TS 870 or the Winguard Snow G3?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 7 of the 7 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 3.2% shorter in the wet across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
Across the shared tests the dry measurements are split 1-1 between the WinterContact TS 870 and the Winguard Snow G3.
Which is better in snow?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 5 of the 5 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 7.2% shorter on snow across 3 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.4/10 for the WinterContact TS 870 and 9.3/10 for the Winguard Snow G3.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26 reviews and the Winguard Snow G3 91% from 7. 83% of WinterContact TS 870 owners would buy it again, against 100% for the Winguard Snow G3.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The WinterContact TS 870 is made in 44 sizes (14 to 19 inch) and the Winguard Snow G3 in 34 (14 to 16 inch). 27 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the WinterContact TS 870 is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Winguard Snow G3 C and D.
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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.