Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Continental WinterContact TS 870
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 5 times and the Winterhawk 4 not once. The WinterContact TS 870 was stronger in dry, wet, snow and value.
Performance profile
13 measurements from the 5 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Winterhawk 4
WinterContact TS 870
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. 1 measurement recorded in only one shared test is left off; every measurement is in the table further down.
Where each scores higher
Winterhawk 4
WinterContact TS 870
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
Winterhawk 4
Not ahead in any category
WinterContact TS 870
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Winterhawk 4 72% from 6 reviews and the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26. 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 | Winterhawk 4 | Gap | WinterContact TS 870 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 157 | 4.5% | 150 | 0-2 |
| Dry Handling mph | 75.9 | 2.1% | 77.5 | 0-2 |
| Wet WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 145 | 3.1% | 150 | 4-0 |
| Wet Handling mph | 45.1 | 1.4% | 45.7 | 0-2 |
| Wet Circle s | 12.8 | 2.1% | 12.53 | 0-2 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 50.9 | 1.7% | 51.8 | 0-2 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 10.5 | 13% | 11.8 | 0-2 |
| Snow WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Snow Braking ft | 98 | 4.5% | 93 | 0-4 |
| Snow Traction lbf | 592 | 1.9% | 602 | 0-1 |
| Snow Handling mph | 36.1 | 0.9% | 36.4 | 0-2 |
| Snow Slalom ft/s² | 10.2 | 5.1% | 10.8 | 0-1 |
| Comfort Level | ||||
| Noise dB | 70.85 | 0.1 dB | 70.8 | 1-1 |
| Value WinterContact TS 870 ahead | ||||
| Wear miles | 22,835 | 27% | 29,009 | 0-2 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 8.05 | 2.1% | 7.89 | 0-2 |
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 5 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 | Winterhawk 4 | Field | WinterContact TS 870 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P18 of 20 | P1 of 20 | |
| 2024 Winter 55 Tire Braking Test | P10 of 55 | P8 of 55 | |
| 2022 ADAC Winter Tire Test - 185/65 R15 | P9 of 15 | P1 of 15 | |
| 2021 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test | P10 of 20 | P1 of 20 | |
| 2021 Winter Tire Market Overview | P5 of 50 | P4 of 50 |
Winterhawk 4 vs WinterContact TS 870: your questions
Is the Firestone Winterhawk 4 or the Continental WinterContact TS 870 the better tire?
In the 5 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 finished ahead 5 times and the Winterhawk 4 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Winterhawk 4 scores 8.1 and the WinterContact TS 870 9.2 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Winterhawk 4 or the WinterContact TS 870?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 8 of the 12 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it held 13% more grip in curved aquaplaning across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 4 of the 4 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 4.5% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is better in snow?
The WinterContact TS 870 led 8 of the 9 snow measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 4.5% shorter on snow across 4 tests.
Which lasts longer and costs less to run?
The WinterContact TS 870 lasted 27% longer in the wear tests (2 tests) and had 2.1% lower rolling resistance (2 tests). Owners rate wear 7.6/10 for the Winterhawk 4 and 8.8/10 for the WinterContact TS 870.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.7/10 for the Winterhawk 4 and 8.4/10 for the WinterContact TS 870.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Winterhawk 4 72% from 6 reviews and the WinterContact TS 870 83% from 26. 67% of Winterhawk 4 owners would buy it again, against 83% for the WinterContact TS 870.
Which is more expensive?
In the 2 tests that listed prices, the WinterContact TS 870 was the dearer tire in 2 of them, by 26.4% on average. Prices are the test's own at the time, in its own market.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Winterhawk 4 is made in 83 sizes (14 to 20 inch) and the WinterContact TS 870 in 44 (14 to 19 inch). 28 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Winterhawk 4 is graded B for wet grip and D for rolling resistance in most sizes; the WinterContact TS 870 B and C.
More comparisons with these tires
vs 
Bridgestone Blizzak 6 vs Continental WinterContact TS 870
1-6 in 7 shared tests
vs 
Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Hankook Winter I cept RS3
10-0 in 10 shared tests
vs 
Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
10-1 in 11 shared tests
vs
Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 vs Continental WinterContact TS 870
4-6 in 11 shared tests
vs 
Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Michelin Alpin 7
5-1 in 6 shared tests
vs 
Firestone Winterhawk 4 vs Kleber Krisalp HP3
5-10 in 15 shared tests
vs 
Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3
1-3 in 4 shared tests
vs 
Continental WinterContact TS 870 vs Dunlop Winter Sport 5
7-1 in 9 shared tests
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.