Continental Tires Review: Brand Guide

About Continental Tires

Founded in 1871, Continental is the fourth-largest tire manufacturer across the globe. While it’s headquartered in Germany, Continental also has tire manufacturing plants in several locations throughout North America and South America.

Some of its manufacturing locations in the Americas include Fort Mill in South Carolina, Sumter in South Carolina, Mount Vernon in Illinois, Mississauga in Ontario, San Luis Potosi in Mexico, Guayaquil and Quito in Ecuador, as well as Camacari in Brazil.

Unlike other tire brands, Continental also produces auto parts for the whole vehicle like interior electronics, brake systems, chassis components, and powertrains, among others.

Continental has established a strong relationship with some of the leading vehicle manufacturers, making it a popular choice for OE tires.

Some of the vehicle manufacturers that use Continental tires as OE tires include Porsche, Maserati, AMG, Maybach, Volkswagen, BMW, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Volvo, Landrover Tesla, Porsche and Audi.

Besides that, this company also produces replacement tires, which are available in a wide range of sizes.

Most Popular Continental Tires

Continental manufactures tires for almost all types of vehicles. Its tires are divided into 4 main categories. These are ultra-high performance tires, touring tires, all-terrain tires and winter tires. Here are some of the most popular tires from this brand.

ExtremeContact DWS06

The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 is an ultra-high performance, all-season tire, which can be used on a wide range of conditions. The DWS designation on the tire refers to dry, wet and snow. So, how does this tire perform in different conditions?

Wet Performance

The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 outshines most of the other tires in its category when it comes to wet weather driving.

It delivers a powerful grip on the surface, even when you encounter extremely wet roads.

According to drivers who have already used this tire for wet driving, it feels stable and composed when you are rolling over wet roads, even when moving at high speeds.

Furthermore, its braking is also powerful. As you may expect, your vehicle will stop with unmatched assuredness, without excessive sliding or slipping.

Most ultra-high performance tires tend to struggle in wet weather driving. But with the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06, you are assured of confident driving in wet weather conditions.

Dry Performance

When it comes to dry pavements, the ExtremeContact DWS06 performs equally well. Its steering feels accurate and precise while its handling is secure and stable.

Also, its braking feels strong, since its grips the road like an adhesive. However, it’s important to note that this tire will only deliver maximum dry traction if the tires are hot enough.

Snow Performance

As noted earlier, the S marking on this tire refers to snow, meaning you can use the tire in snowy conditions. So, how is it snow performance like?

Unlike some all-season tires that tend to lose traction in snow, the ExtremeContact DWS06 will continue to deliver dependable traction even when you encounter roads or surfaces covered with an inch of ice or snow.

However, if you live in places that experience heavy snowfall, then you should just use a winter tire or snow tire.

Ride Quality

As much as ultra-high performance may deliver outstanding performance on wet, dry and snowy roads, they normally tend to sacrifice ride quality, leading to road noise.

But with the ExtremeContact DWS06, such issues are non-existent. It delivers a comfortable, quiet and smooth ride, even when you are cruising at highway speeds.

It’s among the few tires on the market that is capable of delivering a soft and refined ride on uneven tarmac and harsh concrete.

Also, it absorbs surface bumps, potholes and other surface imperfections, without affecting, the vehicle’s stability and balance.

Overall, the ExtremeContact DWS06 delivers a great performance, if not the best in the category.

However, you should note that this tire is slightly pricier than other ultra-high-performance all-season tires.

But if you take into account its outstanding handling performance and its all-season capabilities, you are assured of getting value for your money.  

ContiProContact

Designed for European luxury vehicles sold in North America, the Continental ContiProContact aims to deliver where other tires have failed.

This grand-touring all-season tire offers great all-season performance, combined with a comfortable and quiet ride.

When it was initially launched, the ContiProContact was only available in a few sizes. However, it became such a huge success that Continental was left with no choice but to produce additional sizes.

So, what features make this tire such a capable performer in the grand touring all-season class? Here are a few:

PROactive EDGE Technology

The ContiProContact comes with Continental’s exclusive PROactive EDGE technology, designed to enhance the tire’s all-weather traction.

This tire features approximately 800 arched edges on its shoulder. And as you may expect, the higher the number of edges on a tire, the better the grip it will provide.

Thanks to this tire, you can drive through wet, slippery, icy or snowy weather conditions, without worrying about your vehicle getting stuck.

Distinctive Notched Center Rib

If you take a closer look at the ContiProContact, you will notice that its center rib design is unique.

In the majority of all-season tires, their center rib is usually wide and smooth, to offer precise vehicle handling and a precise steering feel.

But with the ContiProContact, the center rib features some siping and notches, which help to enhance the tire’s traction, without compromising responsive steering and handling.

With the ContiProContact, you are assured of top-notch traction, precise steering and great handling on dry, wet and snowy roads.

It also delivers a quiet and smooth ride, making it one of the best performing tires in the grand touring all-season category. Simply put, it delivers impressive all-season versatility, without sacrificing ride quality.

ExtremeContact Sport

The Continental ExtremeContact Sport is an ultra-high summer-performance tire, which performs excellently in almost all areas.

It delivers super grip and handling on dry pavement as well as confident wet traction, in case it happens to rain during the summer.

It’s also comfortable, smooth and quiet, making it a great tire both for long cruises and daily commutes. Some of the standout features of this tire include:

SportPlus Technology

The tread compound is one of the most important factors when it comes to performance tires.

In short, it will determine how the performance tire will deliver in different weather conditions and terrains.

Continental has furnished the ExtremeContact Sport with its exclusive SportPlus compound technology, resulting in agile handling on dry pavement, impressive wet traction as well as long-wearing tread.

Excellent Wet Performance

As much as the ExtremeContact Sport is basically a summer tire, it’s also a highly competent performer when it comes to wet conditions.

It features deep circumferential grooves, which help to channel water away, thus preventing hydroplaning. So, if you live in an area that experiences torrential rain storms occasionally, then this performance tire is just what you need.

Long Tread Life Warranty

Most of the performance tires you will find on the market, especially those that tend to prioritize traction over functionality, tend to wear out quite fast.

However, that’s not the case with the ExtremeContact Sport. It’s backed by a 30,000 mile or 6-year tread life.

It’s also covered under the company’s Total Confidence Plan, featuring road hazard coverage and flat tire roadside assistance.

It also comes with a 60-day customer satisfaction guarantee. Therefore, if this tire doesn’t meet your expectations, then you can return it for a free replacement.

Overall, if you are looking for a high-performance summer tire that delivers maximum dry and wet traction combined with a refined, quiet and comfortable ride, then the ExtremeContact Sport should be on your list.

VikingContact 7

As much as all-season tires can perform well on light snow, they tend to lose most of their traction when they encounter heavy snow or ice.

And this is where the VikingContact 7 comes in. Designed for crossovers, minivans, coupes, and mid-size sedans, this studless winter tire is built to deliver excellent performance in harsh winter conditions.

It can fit a wide range of cars. Also, it’s available in a vast selection of sizes, ranging from 15 inches to 20 inches. So, why is the VikingContact 7 such a popular winter tire? Here are some reasons:

Specifically Built for Harsh Scandinavian Winters

The VikingContact 7 has been specifically engineered with the harsh Scandinavian winters in mind.

So, it can comfortably endure the sub-zero temperatures that are common in winter, without losing traction.

It comes with a softer rubber compound, which remains soft and pliable even in sub-zero temperatures, thus providing a strong, dependable grip on wintry and icy roads.

Doesn’t Sacrifice Ride Quality

Some snow and winter tires tend to focus more on functionality, thus sacrificing ride quality.

But with the VikingContact 7, road noise will never be an issue, even when you are driving at highway speeds.

It comes with Continental’s ContiSilent technology, which helps to prevent road noise, resulting in a quiet and cozy ride.

Versatile Tread Pattern

If you have driven a vehicle during winter, then you probably know that road conditions change quite fast. One minute, you are driving on a snowy road and the next minute, the surface becomes slushy.

Regardless of the conditions that you encounter, you will not experience traction issues of loss of handling, as long as your vehicle is fitted with Continental’s VikingContact 7.

Its soft tread compound can comfortably adjust to different winter conditions, thus maintaining superior traction at all times.

Overall, the VikingContact 7 remains a highly reliable winter tire. It will keep you safe when you are driving during harsh winter conditions. Its traction on ice and snow is simply outstanding.

CrossContact LX25

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If you drive a crossover or an SUV, you will need a set of high-quality tires, which can deliver excellent cornering stability and safe handling, as well as long-lasting treadlife. And that tire is none other than the CrossContact LX25.

The LX25 replaces the LX20, which is renowned for its superb traction and handling on dry roads, combined with decent grip during hard cornering.

And the LX 25 promises to deliver an even better performance. Continental has equipped this tire with several features and technologies, to ensure it can deliver excellent all-year-round performance. These features and technologies include:

All-Season Tread Compound

The CrossContact LX25 comes with a Tri-net silica tread compound, designed to enhance the tire’s performance in dry, wet and snowy conditions.

Also, this tread compound is engineered to reduce the tire’s rolling resistance, for higher fuel efficiency.

On the other hand, the tire’s asymmetric tread pattern helps to enhance its handling capabilities even further while its continuous center rib promotes responsive steering and stability.

Continental has further outfitted this tire with notched outer shoulders, which help to increase its cornering grip, thus keeping your vehicle in control even at high speeds.

Deep Circumferential Grooves

Its tread pattern features wide and deep circumferential grooves, which help to channel water away, thus reducing the risk of hydroplaning.

Its tread blocks feature interlocking sipes, designed to provide assured traction and control, especially when you are driving on roads with light snow.

Acoustic Alterra Technology

Continental has also equipped this tire with its proprietary Acoustic Alterra Technology, which helps to minimize road noise, thus creating a quiet, comfortable and refined ride.

With the Continental CrossContact LX25, you are getting a tire that will not let you down, whether you are driving on dry roads, wet weather conditions or roads covered with light snow.

You can expect reliable cornering performance, great steering response, as well as decent stability even at high speeds.

TerrainContact H/T

The Continental Terrain Contact H/T is an all-terrain tire, specifically built for trucks and SUVs.

With this tire, Continental aims to provide drivers with a tire that can deliver great on-road performance, robust towing capabilities, as well as long tread wear life. So how does this tire perform in different situations?

Dry Tarmac

The Terrain Contact H/T is a no-frills tire, which does what’s expected of it. Its straight-line tracking is outstanding and its steering response is decent for highway driving.

It also delivers high levels of dry traction and grip, even when you are driving a heavily loaded truck.

While its dry performance may not be the best in the class, you can always rely on this tire to get the job done.

Wet and Slippery Roads

Continental tires are renowned for their exceptional wet performance. And the Terrain Contact H/T is no exception.

It’s probably one of the safest all-season tires when it comes to wet and slippery roads. Its hydroplaning resistance is outstanding and its braking distances are among the shortest in the class.

Hence, if you own a truck or SUV and you live in an area that rains frequently, then this tire will be a solid choice for your vehicle.

Snowy Roads

Compared to other all-season highway tires, the Terrain Contact H/T is one of the best for roads covered with light snow.

It features numerous sipes, which help to enhance the tire’s grip and traction on snowy roads. However, its performance tends to drop when it encounters ice-covered roads.

Off-road Driving

While the Terrain Contact H/T is primarily engineered to be used on highways, it can also handle some light off-roading.

Continental has furnished this tire with a cut-resistant and chip-resistant tread compound, which means it will not be easily damaged by rocks, roots, tree stumps and other types of debris.

Furthermore, its tread pattern will also provide you with decent traction on light off-road trails.

Overall, if you are looking for a no-frills all-season highway tire for your truck or SUV, then the Terrain Contact H/T ticks all the boxes. It’s one of the most accomplished tires in its class.

Warranties and Guarantees

Continental’s tires are backed by strong warranties and guarantees, offered under the Total Confidence Plan. This plan provides the buyer with several levels of protection and assurance. It features the following:

Roadside Assistance

Continental’s Total Confidence Plan features a 3-year roadside assistance service. To qualify for this service, you just need to buy a set of Continental tires and then activate the company’s roadside assistance program.

In case you get a tire puncture, Continental’s roadside assistance service will send a professional to your location, who will fit a spare tire to your vehicle.

In case you don’t have a spare tire or have several flats, your vehicle will be towed to the nearest repair shop, as long as it’s a 150-mile range.

All these services are offered free. But in case the tire repair costs are more than $200 or the repair shop is outside the 150-mile radius, then you will be responsible for the additional costs.

Road Hazard Coverage

Continental also offers a road hazard coverage warranty for the first 12 months or the first 2/32-inch of treadwear, whichever comes first.

So, if your tires experience a puncture, cut, impact, bruise or other similar issues, Continental will replace the tire with a comparable new one for free.

Material and Workmanship Warranty

If your Continental tire becomes unserviceable due to materials or workmanship defects, Continental will give you a discount on the cost of purchasing a replacement tire.

The discount offered is done via a pro-rated basis, up to 6 years or 72 months, from the date of purchase.

Mileage Warranty

Just like other leading tire manufacturers, Continental tires also come with a mileage warranty.

The mileage warranty varies from one tire to the other. If a tire’s tread reaches the minimum depth tread of 2/32-inch before attaining the promised mileage, then you should receive a new set of tires from this brand.

The replacement is also done via a pro-rated basis, which is the difference between the mileage promised and the mileage achieved by the tire.

Customer Satisfaction Guarantee

Continental tires also come with a 60-day customer satisfaction guarantee. So, if you are not satisfied with your tires, then you are free to return them for a replacement, within 60 days of purchase.

Continental Tires versus Other Brands

Continental is renowned for its practical approach when it comes to tire design. Its tires are mainly built for the daily driver, who is looking for a practical and reliable tire.

As of 2019, Continental is the 4th largest tire company in the world, only ranking behind the usual suspects like Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear. So, what makes Continental tires so popular?

Superior German Engineering

Continental is renowned for its detailed and precise approach when it comes to tire engineering.

And this is made possible by its team of more than 14,000 engineers, designers and scientists, based at their engineering center in the city of Hanover in Germany.

All its tires are subjected to a thorough design and testing process before they hit the market. When manufacturing a tire, Continentals engineers usually focus on 3 main goals: traction, braking performance and fuel efficiency.

So, while its tires may not be extravagant, hyper-premium, sporty or flashy, they will deliver what’s expected of them.

Guaranteed Quality

Most tires don’t hit the promised treadwear mileage, despite their manufacturers labeling them as high quality.

But Continental backs up its quality promise. As noted above, all its tires are taken through a rigorous testing process, to ensure they meet the highest quality standards possible.

Furthermore, its tires are equipped with a wide range of advanced technologies like TractionPlus, ContiSilent, ContiAdapt, ContiSense and EcoPlus. All of these technologies help to enhance the tire’s performance, reliability and durability.

And once the tires have been produced, Continental tests them again, to determine how they perform under different conditions and terrains. With all this testing, you can rest assured that you are getting a high-quality product that will offer value for your money.

Cost of Continental Tires

Continental tires are slightly more expensive, compared to other mid-range tire options. For instance, if you were to purchase the Continental CrossContact LX Sport all-season tire, you will spend approximately $120 to $515 per tire.

On the other hand, if you were to buy a similar all-season tire from Cooper, then it will cost you approximately $94 to $112.

Continental Tires Pros

• Excellent grip on both wet and dry surfaces
• High quality and durable tires
• Exceptional ride comfort
• Class-leading warranties and guarantees

Continental Tires Cons

• A bit expensive compared to similar options from other brands

Our Take

Continental tires are a good choice for someone looking for premium quality tires, which will get the job done. Its tires are known for excellent grip on both dry and wet surfaces, exceptional ride quality, minimal road noise as well as long-lasting durability. That being said, all these great features and capabilities come at an additional cost. So, if you are on a budget, then Continental may not be the right tire brand for your vehicle.