{"id":7251,"date":"2026-09-07T14:16:54","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T14:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetirelab.com\/mag\/?p=7251"},"modified":"2026-10-02T18:17:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T16:17:11","slug":"auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/","title":{"rendered":"Auto Express winter tyre test 2026: Continental narrowly beats Pirelli"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Auto Express tested 11 winter tyres in 205\/55 R16. Continental WinterContact TS 870 wins with 100%, followed by Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 (99.8%) and Hankook W462 Winter i*cept RS3 (99.4%). Bridgestone and Michelin share fourth place.<\/p>\n<p>Continental leads wet braking but ranks ninth in snow traction. Hankook wins snow braking, Goodyear wins snow handling, and Michelin has the lowest rolling resistance. Minerva finishes last overall despite sharing the best dry-handling score.<\/p>\n<p>Snow testing took place in Ivalo, Finland; wet and dry testing at the Contidrom in Germany. Wet performance contributes 50% of the overall score, snow and dry performance 20% each, and the remaining tests 10%. Category scores are percentages relative to the category winner, not braking distances.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">\u2630<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ac178353aa3d\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ac178353aa3d\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Overall_results\" title=\"Overall results\">Overall results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Continental_WinterContact_TS_870\" title=\"Continental WinterContact TS 870\">Continental WinterContact TS 870<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Pirelli_Cinturato_Winter_3\" title=\"Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3\">Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Hankook_W462_Winter_icept_RS3\" title=\"Hankook W462 Winter i*cept RS3\">Hankook W462 Winter i*cept RS3<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Bridgestone_Blizzak_6\" title=\"Bridgestone Blizzak 6\">Bridgestone Blizzak 6<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Michelin_ALPIN_7\" title=\"Michelin ALPIN 7\">Michelin ALPIN 7<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#GoodYear_UltraGrip_Performance_3\" title=\"GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3\">GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Falken_EuroWinter_HS02\" title=\"Falken EuroWinter HS02\">Falken EuroWinter HS02<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Dunlop_Winter\" title=\"Dunlop Winter\">Dunlop Winter<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Linglong_Sport_Master_Winter\" title=\"Linglong Sport Master Winter\">Linglong Sport Master Winter<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Maxxis_Premitra_Snow_WP6\" title=\"Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6\">Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/auto-express-winter-tyre-test-2026-continental-narrowly-beats-pirelli\/#Minerva_Frostrack_HP\" title=\"Minerva Frostrack HP\">Minerva Frostrack HP<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overall_results\"><\/span>Overall results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Position<\/th>\n<th>Tyre<\/th>\n<th>Score<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>Continental WinterContact TS 870<\/td>\n<td>100.0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2<\/td>\n<td>Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3<\/td>\n<td>99.8%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>3<\/td>\n<td>Hankook W462 Winter i*cept RS3<\/td>\n<td>99.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>4<\/td>\n<td>Bridgestone Blizzak 6<\/td>\n<td>99.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>4<\/td>\n<td>Michelin ALPIN 7<\/td>\n<td>99.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>6<\/td>\n<td>GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3<\/td>\n<td>98.9%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>7<\/td>\n<td>Falken EuroWinter HS02<\/td>\n<td>98.6%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>8<\/td>\n<td>Dunlop Winter<\/td>\n<td>97.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>9<\/td>\n<td>Linglong Sport Master Winter<\/td>\n<td>96.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>10<\/td>\n<td>Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6<\/td>\n<td>96.6%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>11<\/td>\n<td>Minerva Frostrack HP<\/td>\n<td>93.0%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autoexpress.co.uk\/product-group-tests\/93097\/best-winter-tyres-2026\">Auto Express, 2.9.2026<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autoexpress.co.uk\/product-group-tests\/93097\/best-winter-tyres\/results\">Auto Express \u2014 Overall results<\/a><\/p>\n<div data-tirelab-test-summaries=\"autoexpress-winter-2026\">\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Continental_WinterContact_TS_870\"><\/span>Continental WinterContact TS 870<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Overall winner on 100%; first in wet braking and wet cornering, and joint first in wet handling.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Strong wet grip; lowest cabin noise<\/li>\n<li>Ninth in snow traction<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pirelli_Cinturato_Winter_3\"><\/span>Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Second overall on 99.8%, only 0.2 percentage points behind Continental.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Best straight aquaplaning; joint best wet handling<\/li>\n<li>Seventh in snow braking<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hankook_W462_Winter_icept_RS3\"><\/span>Hankook W462 Winter i*cept RS3<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Third overall on 99.4%, with strong snow results and second place in wet braking.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Best snow braking; second in snow traction<\/li>\n<li>Last in cabin-noise score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bridgestone_Blizzak_6\"><\/span>Bridgestone Blizzak 6<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Shared fourth place on 99.3%; second in snow braking and joint second in cabin noise.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Joint best dry handling; second in rolling resistance<\/li>\n<li>Last in dry braking<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Michelin_ALPIN_7\"><\/span>Michelin ALPIN 7<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Shared fourth place on 99.3%; fourth in both snow and wet braking.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lowest rolling resistance; third in snow traction<\/li>\n<li>Tenth in cabin-noise score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"GoodYear_UltraGrip_Performance_3\"><\/span>GoodYear UltraGrip Performance 3<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sixth overall on 98.9%, combining category wins on snow and in deep water.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Best snow handling and curved aquaplaning<\/li>\n<li>Last in dry handling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Falken_EuroWinter_HS02\"><\/span>Falken EuroWinter HS02<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Seventh overall on 98.6%, with stronger wet and dry scores than snow performance.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Best dry braking; third in wet handling<\/li>\n<li>Tenth in all three snow categories<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dunlop_Winter\"><\/span>Dunlop Winter<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Eighth overall on 97.3%; its snow traction result was stronger than its wet performance.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Best snow traction; third in snow braking<\/li>\n<li>Ninth in wet braking and wet handling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Linglong_Sport_Master_Winter\"><\/span>Linglong Sport Master Winter<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ninth overall on 96.7%. Auto Express names this tyre Sport Master Winter HP.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Joint second in cabin-noise score<\/li>\n<li>Last in rolling resistance; tenth in both aquaplaning tests<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Maxxis_Premitra_Snow_WP6\"><\/span>Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Tenth overall on 96.6%, with eighth place in each snow category in the published ranking.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lowest published purchase price<\/li>\n<li>Tenth in wet braking and rolling resistance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Minerva_Frostrack_HP\"><\/span>Minerva Frostrack HP<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Eleventh overall on 93.0%; curved aquaplaning scored only 52.6% of the category leader.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Joint best dry handling; third in dry braking<\/li>\n<li>Last in all wet and snow categories<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Auto Express tested 11 winter tyres in 205\/55 R16. Continental WinterContact TS 870 wins with 100%, followed by Pirelli Cinturato Winter 3 (99.8%) and Hankook W462 Winter i*cept RS3 (99.4%). Bridgestone and Michelin share fourth place.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7251"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7273,"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7251\/revisions\/7273"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reifenlab.eu\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}