Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Firestone Winterhawk 4
In this article we will be looking at independent tire test data, and real world driver reviews of the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P and the Firestone Winterhawk 4 to find out which tire is best for your own driving.
There are a few basic differences between the two tires. The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P is an Ultra-High-Performance Winter tire designed to be fitted to Passenger-Cars, and the Firestone Winterhawk 4 is an Touring Winter tire designed to be fitted to Passenger-Cars
Test Results
Independent comparison tire tests are the best source of data to get tire information from, and the good news is there have been twelve tests which compare both tires directly!
| Tire | Test Wins | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Continental WinterContact TS 870 P | ten | |
| Firestone Winterhawk 4 | two |
While it might look like the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P is better than the Firestone Winterhawk 4 purely based on the higher number of test wins, tires are very complicated objects which means where one tire is better than the other can be more important in real world use.
Let's look at how the two tires compare across multiple tire test categories.
Dry Braking
Looking at data from nine tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during nine dry braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 5.84% less distance than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Dry Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Dry Braking winner was calculated >>
Dry Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from six tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during five dry handling [km/h] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 1.95% faster around a lap than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Dry Handling [Km/H]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Dry Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking
Looking at data from twelve tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during six wet braking tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 stopped the vehicle in 0.26% less distance than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Wet Braking: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Wet Braking winner was calculated >>
Wet Braking - Concrete
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during two wet braking - concrete tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 0.26% less distance than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Wet Braking - Concrete: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Braking - Concrete winner was calculated >>
Wet Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from six tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during four wet handling [km/h] tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 0.67% faster around a wet lap than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Wet Handling [Km/H]: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Handling winner was calculated >>
Wet Circle
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one wet circle tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P had 14.81% higher lateral wet grip than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Wet Circle: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wet Circle winner was calculated >>
Straight Aqua
Looking at data from nine tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during six straight aqua tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 floated at a 2.16% higher speed than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Straight Aqua: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Straight Aqua winner was calculated >>
Curved Aquaplaning
Looking at data from eight tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during six curved aquaplaning tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P slipped out at a 6.17% higher speed than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Curved Aquaplaning: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Curved Aquaplaning winner was calculated >>
Snow Braking
Looking at data from twelve tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during seven snow braking tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P stopped the vehicle in 0.4% less distance than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Snow Braking: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Braking winner was calculated >>
Snow Traction
Looking at data from nine tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during four snow traction tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 had 0.65% better snow traction than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Snow Traction: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Snow Traction winner was calculated >>
Snow Handling [Km/H]
Looking at data from six tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during three snow handling [km/h] tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was 0.64% faster around a lap than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Snow Handling [Km/H]: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Snow Handling winner was calculated >>
Snow Circle
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one snow circle tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was 7.07% faster around a snow circle than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Snow Circle: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Snow Circle winner was calculated >>
Snow Slalom
Looking at data from five tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during three snow slalom tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was 0.52% faster through a slalom than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Snow Slalom: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Snow Slalom winner was calculated >>
Ice Braking
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during one ice braking tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 stopped the vehicle 2.51% shorter than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Ice Braking: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Ice Braking winner was calculated >>
Subj. Comfort
Looking at data from one tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one subj. comfort tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P scored 8.75% more points than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Subj. Comfort: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Subj. Comfort winner was calculated >>
Noise
Looking at data from eight tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during five noise tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 measured 0.13% quieter than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Noise: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Noise winner was calculated >>
Wear
Looking at data from six tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during four wear tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P is predicted to cover 2.59% miles before reaching 1.6mm than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Wear: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Wear winner was calculated >>
Value
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during three value tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 proved to have a 32.86% better value based on price/1000km than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Value: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Value winner was calculated >>
Price
Looking at data from four tire tests, the Firestone Winterhawk 4 was better during four price tests. On average the Firestone Winterhawk 4 cost 31.3% less than the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P.
Best In Price: Firestone Winterhawk 4
See how the Price winner was calculated >>
Rolling Resistance
Looking at data from six tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during six rolling resistance tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P had a 11.4% lower rolling resistance than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Rolling Resistance: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Rolling Resistance winner was calculated >>
Fuel Consumption
Looking at data from two tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during one fuel consumption tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P used 0.88% less fuel than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Fuel Consumption: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Fuel Consumption winner was calculated >>
Abrasion
Looking at data from three tire tests, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was better during three abrasion tests. On average the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P emitted 20.08% less particle wear matter than the Firestone Winterhawk 4.
Best In Abrasion: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
See how the Abrasion winner was calculated >>
Real World Driver Reviews
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P Driver Reviews
Most drivers rate the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P very highly, praising its outstanding wet grip and braking, strong snow traction, stable high-speed behavior, and quiet, comfortable ride. Many note predictable handling and good wear/longevity, with some EV owners highlighting low noise and rolling resistance. A minority mention softer steering feel and less sharp dry handling, and several point out a high price. One outlier reports poor snow/ice performance, which contrasts with the overwhelmingly positive winter feedback from others.
Based on 26 reviews with an average rating of 87%
Firestone Winterhawk 4 Driver Reviews
Drivers generally rate the Firestone Winterhawk 4 highly for everyday winter use, with strong confidence in snow and rain, short braking distances, and reassuring all-round performance. Many highlight its good value versus premium brands, along with a quiet, comfortable ride and responsive feel. Overall satisfaction is high across the majority of reviews.
Based on 5 reviews with an average rating of 79%
Conclusion
In conclusion the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P performed better in dry braking, dry handling [km/h], wet braking - concrete, wet handling [km/h], wet circle, curved aquaplaning, snow braking, snow circle, subj. comfort, wear, rolling resistance, fuel consumption and abrasion, while the Firestone Winterhawk 4 performed better in wet braking, straight aqua, snow traction, snow handling [km/h], snow slalom, ice braking, noise, value and price.
Interestingly, both tires performed equally well in dry handling, wet handling and snow handling, showing that they are closely matched in these areas.
Which tire is best for you depends a lot on your driving style and situation, plus what you want from the tire. Comparing all the data in the tire reviews database, on balance Continental WinterContact TS 870 P seems to be the best tire overall.
However, it's important to note that both tires have their strengths.
Remember, the best tire for you might depend on which of these factors are most important for your specific driving needs and conditions.
Overall Winner: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
Based on the tire test data and user reviews we have in our database, the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P has demonstrated better overall performance in this comparison. However, as you can see from the spider diagram above, each tire has its own strengths which should be considered in your final tire buying choice.Similar Comparisons
Looking for more tire comparisons? Here are other direct comparisons involving these tires:
Continental WinterContact TS 870 P Top Comparisons
No other comparisons available for this tire.
Firestone Winterhawk 4 Top Comparisons
No other comparisons available for this tire.
Footnote
This page has been developed using tire industry testing best practices. This means we are only comparing tests which have had both tires in the same test.
Why is this important? Tire testing is heavily affected by things like surface grip levels and surface temperature, which means you can only compare values from the same day. During a tire test external condition changes are calculated into the overall results, but it is not possible to calculate this between tire tests performed on different days or at different locations.
As a result you will see other tests on Tire Reviews which feature both the %s and %s, but as they weren't conducted on the same day, the results are not comparable.
Lots of other websites do this sort of tire comparison, Tire Reviews doesn't.