Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2: The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, launched in 2021, takes on the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2, introduced in 2023, in a battle for dominance in the middle European SUV winter tire segment. With Continental leveraging years of press-test success and Pirelli boasting innovative new-generation tech, this clash promises to redefine winter SUV performance standards!
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Results: Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
Results below were taken from 2024 ADAC 17″ winter tire test with a total of 16 tires tested. The graph below shows the comparison between Continental WinterContact TS 870 P vs Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 based on the relevant performance category. The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark.
Since we are talking about winter segment with both tires having the converted 3 peak mountain logo, the snow & ice performance was tested. The tire size of interest is a 215/55 R17 which is a common tire size for Honda HR-V & Audi SQ2. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a Volkswagen T-Roc.
Wet
The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 outperforms the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P in wet braking, stopping 0.4 meters shorter at 34.2 meters. However, the Continental trails behind in straight-line aquaplaning resistance, where the Pirelli holds a 1.5 km/h advantage, achieving 77.3 km/h compared to Continental’s 75.8 km/h.
Cinturato Winter 2 :
- +1% in wet braking
- +2% in straight aquaplaning
Snow
The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 takes the lead in snow performance, stopping 0.3 meters shorter in snow braking at 9.8 meters compared to the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P’s 10.1 meters. In snow traction, Pirelli also excels with a pulling force of 234 N, outperforming Continental’s 222 N by 12 N.
Cinturato Winter 2 :
- +3% in snow braking
- +5% in snow traction
Ice
The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 outperforms the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P in ice braking, stopping 0.5 meters shorter at 16.1 meters compared to Continental’s 16.6 meters.
Cinturato Winter 2 :
- +3% in ice braking
Mileage & Abrasion
The Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 demonstrates better wear performance, lasting 3,300 km longer at 46,600 km compared to the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P’s 43,300 km. However, the Continental has superior abrasion resistance, with a lower abrasion rate of 64 mg/km/t versus Pirelli’s 73 mg/km/t.
Cinturato Winter 2 :
- +8% in mileage
- -12% in abrasion
Dry
The Continental WinterContact TS 870 P outperforms the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 in dry braking, stopping 0.7 meters shorter at 42.9 meters compared to Pirelli’s 43.6 meters.
Cinturato Winter 2 :
- -2% in dry braking
Price
In the 215/55R17 size, the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 is 2% cheaper at €154 compared to the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, which costs €157.
Tire size: 215/55R17
- WinterContact TS 870 P : € 157
- Cinturato Winter 2 : € 154
Difference: -2% more cheaper for Cinturato Winter 2
Expert Conclusion
As a tire expert, I can confidently say that both the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P and the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 bring strong performances to the table. The Continental excels in dry braking and abrasion resistance, showcasing its engineering precision. However, the Pirelli edges ahead in key areas like wet and snow braking, snow traction, ice braking, and overall longevity with better wear performance. Coupled with its slightly lower price, the Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2 emerges as the clear winner of this comparison.
Dr Edwin Pang