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Continental is a well-established tire manufacturer. While Continental tires did not secure a top five spot in our best tires review, it did place in the top 10.
In this review, we’ll examine Continental tires in-depth, including industry ratings, popular models, costs, and more. We’ll also discuss two alternative tire brands to consider if Continental isn’t the right choice for you. You can start comparing tire costs for a variety of brands, including Continental, at TireRack.com.
Founded in 1915, Continental is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. The brand is the fourth-largest tire manufacturer worldwide, accounting for 12.9 percent of global sales in 2018, according to Statista. It’s held to similar industry regard as Michelin and Goodyear, two top-tier manufacturers.
Though Continental is a German manufacturer, it also has a North and South American headquarters in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The company has a strong relationship with both luxury and daily-driver car manufacturers, making it a popular choice for original equipment (OE) tires. However, Continental also produces replacement tires, auto safety systems, some electronics, and powertrain parts.
Used by luxury brands like Audi, Tesla, and Porsche, Continental produces well-regarded performance, touring, and standard all-season tire models. The brand also has put years of testing and innovation into its tire’s stopping abilities and sustainability.
Continental tires, similar to other passenger tire manufacturers’ products, follow an evaluation system created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This system is called Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG), and it rates tires – except specialized tires – based on their treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance.
Here’s an explanation of the UTQG grading system:
Treadwear: This grade estimates the longevity of your tires.
To calculate treadwear, tires are measured against a control tire given a rating of 100. If a tire has a 500 treadwear rating, that means it lasted five times longer than the control. Most passenger tires have between a 300 and 500 treadwear rating, according to data from SaferCar.gov.
Traction: This grade measures how well your tires “grip” a wet road. Traction grades are given on a scale of AA, A, B, or C. Good day-to-day passenger tires typically receive an A rating.
Temperature: This grade evaluates a tire’s heat resistance on a scale of A, B, or C. Tires need to withstand different temperatures based on their specialization. Performance tires, for example, usually move at much higher speeds than an all-season tire, and in turn, have higher temperature ratings.
It’s important to note that the NHTSA does not oversee UTQG tests. Manufacturers and independent companies hired by brands are responsible for tire testing and reporting.
Below, we listed a few highly rated Continental tire models and their treadwear, traction, and temperature scores using data from SaferCar.gov.
| Continental Tire Model | Tire Type | Treadwear Score | Traction Score | Temperature Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TerrainContact A/T | Light truck/SUV All-terrain | 680 | A | A |
ExtremeContact DWS 06 | Passenger All-season Ultra-high performance | 560 | AA | A |
TrueContact Tour | Passenger Standard touring All-season | 800 | A | A |
CrossContact LX | Crossover/SUV Touring All-season | 680 | A | B |
If you want to know more about a Continental tire you already own, you can check the tire’s sidewall for the UTQG grade.
Continental tires have been at the forefront of innovation, safety, and quality since the company’s founding in 1871.
Though many of its tire models are popular, a few Continental tire models stand out among the rest.
Here are some of the brand’s most popular tires, based on Continental tire reviews and customer satisfaction ratings on Tire Rack:
Each of these Continental tires received a 4.
0-star rating or above on Tire Rack and has similarly high ratings on other retailers’ sites.
Continental tire warranties are on par with competitors’ guarantees. The company offers a limited warranty for defective materials that lasts up to six years, which is standard. Its longest tread life warranty spans up to 80,000 miles, which is on the high end for the industry. We also like Continental’s 60-day replacement guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the tires you purchase.
Based on our research, Continental tires can range from about $70 to $420 per tire, but more popular models skew upward. For example, a replacement Continental TrueContact Touring tire for a popular commuter car like the 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid would cost just over $100.
Continental tires can be pricey, but they’re not as expensive as Michelin tires. And, at the end of the day, you get what you pay for. Many drivers find a higher price tag to be worth it after considering the company’s rigorous testing standards, quality materials, and tread life warranty.
Cost, reputation, and industry ratings are important factors to consider when purchasing a tire, but customer reviews can give you a better picture of how Continental tires actually perform on the road.
Below, we’ve outlined both positive and negative customer reviews of Continental tires to give you a complete view of the brand’s quality. Overall, Continental tire reviews are positive, with most models receiving high satisfaction ratings from customers.
“[The Continental PureContact LS has] top-notch wet weather performance, [is] reasonably quiet, [and has] pretty good handling when dry. A class-leading tire, [it’s a] very safe and predictable tire across many conditions. One tire survived a pothole hit that was hard enough to bend the underlying steel rim without a blowout.”
– via Tire Rack
“[The Continental WinterContact SI is] an excellent winter tire, [with] great grip in both winter conditions and dry roads.
Tire noise is slightly higher than the OE model, but nothing obnoxious like studded tires… Probably have two more winters left, so the wear is outstanding.”
– via Tire Rack
“[I’ve only driven this tire] 6,800 miles and it has 25% left (3/32nd). The [ContiSportContact 2] tires are the third brand I’ve had on this vehicle… I have a set of winter tires from Continental, which I really like, but I’ll pass on getting another set of these.”
– via Tire Rack
“[The Continental ContiTrac] came as OE on my 2017 Ford F-250 Super Duty. They were marginal even when they were new. Horrible wet weather performance, and I live in southern Alabama where we get an estimated average 70 inches of annual rainfall, so this is a huge disadvantage.”
– via Tire Rack
In our 2021 best tires review, we ranked Continental tires seventh overall and gave it a 4.
0 out of 5.0-star rating. Continental tires are an excellent option for all-season drivers and are notably safe in wet and dry conditions. The brand also offers a few reputable winter tires, which may be a good option for drivers looking for more affordability. However, Continental would not always be our first choice for some tire types.
To start shopping for Continental tires, visit TireRack.com
While Continental produces high-quality all-season tires and winter tires, you may be looking for a different specialty model or price point. Other top-recommended brands in our best tires review include Michelin and Cooper.
After reviewing every major brand in the industry, we determined Michelin to be the best overall tire company on the market today. As one of the largest manufacturers in the world, Michelin tires are almost synonymous with durability and quality.
Whether you need to fit your truck, SUV, crossover, or passenger car with a new set of tires, specialty or otherwise, you can count on Michelin to have an excellent selection.
However, do know that Michelin tires tend to be more expensive than average.
Learn more in our review of Michelin tires, or compare rates for Michelin tires right away at TireRack.com.
If Continental tires are out of your price range, Cooper tires are a smart alternative. While the company doesn’t have the long-standing reputation of other tire brands, Cooper balances affordability and quality quite well.
The manufacturer specializes in producing replacement tires at much lower prices than the industry average. It also offers decent treadwear warranties, it’s longest hitting the 80,000-mile mark, which is not far off from Goodyear or Michelin.
Read more in our full Cooper tires review, or start shopping for Cooper tires at TireRack.com.
A long time industry leader in the tire arena dating back to 1871, Continental produces a wide range of tires covering bicycles and motorcycles to commercial trucks and industrial equipment.
The passenger vehicle tire is their core business and they have achieved a great deal of success in the automotive world. Continental has collaborated directly with vehicle manufacturers such as Daimler-Benz, Porsche and Audi to develop race-winning competition tires. Headquartered in Hanover, Germany, Continental is currently a manufacturer of original equipment for many premium auto manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen Group.
Continental PureContact LS
Best for Passenger Cars
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With LS (Luxury Sport) in the name, this tire sets out to provide a quiet and comfortable ride over a wide-range of conditions while maximizing wet-condition braking. Consistently highly rated by buyers over a large range of different vehicle owners, the Pure Contact LS is a choice difficult to refute. Besides providing excellent traction in all kinds of weather, this all-season tire also provides a long-lasting quiet ride for you and your passengers.
Technological advances in construction, materials and design all converge to improve fuel efficiency and tread life over a very wide range of environmental conditions and road surfaces. When it comes to being able to handle almost all that can be thrown at you on the road, the PureContact LS is the top choice from Continental to ensure your confidence on the road ahead.
Specs:
ExtremeContact Sport
Best Performance Tire
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As the apt name suggests, the ExtremeContact Sport is specifically targeted as the go-to tire for a street-driven extreme performance machine - the Tomahawk Missile for the street. When deployed in temperatures well above freezing, the ExtremeContact Sport will provide the ultimate in dry and wet traction with little compromise in noise and harshness - thus the reason why it is provided as original equipment in BMW’s Motorsport Division on their halo M Cars.
Despite their extraordinary tenacity to the road, tread life is still good and on-par with other performance street tires. The highly specialized rubber compound, tread and carcass design allow for exceptional road feel, high-speed stability and consistent contact patch to be applied for maximum traction in both dry and wet conditions. These are much like track cleats - specialized shoes for very specific conditions, and when used in those conditions, they will provide precise handling and high limits of adhesion. Perfect for launching your land missile.
Specs:
CrossContact LX25
Best SUV Tire
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SUVs and CUVs are chosen for their ability to fill multiple roles in daily use in varying settings. It is for this very reason that a tire must complement these capabilities.
The CrossContact LX25 employs multiple technologies to provide a luxurious ride quality while providing all-season traction. From sound deadening integrated directly below the tread layer, continuous ribs to minimize the noise generated in the first place, and a tread compound designed to maximize fuel economy and tread life, Continental has achieved an elusive combination of sure-footed traction, confidence-inspiring handling and long-lasting and quiet tread - luxurious indeed.
Specs:
TerrainContact H/T
Best Truck Tire
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The ubiquitous truck has pretty wide-ranging responsibilities and tire needs.. Workhorses they are - from carrying bricks and steel to transporting the young ones to practice and back, they all have a commonality - the type of tires they’re shod with.
Because of their larger size and payload capacity, tires for these trucks must be equally capable not only for their traction but their ability to carry a heavy load. The TerrainContact H/T is perfectly suited to the task combining durability with a quiet, comfortable ride in all-weather conditions. Although it’s traction repertoire is wide-ranging, it is still considered an on-road tire and best used in those situations.
Specs:
ExtremeContact DWS 06
Best All Season Tire
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It seems that almost every model of vehicle has some sporting intentions baked in, whether that be due to the ever-increasing power and torque of today's power plants or manufacturers realizing that improved on-road performance need not be mutually exclusive to reliability and dependability.
With a vast range of sizes, the ExtremeContact DWS 06 is available to owners out there wanting to retain if not enhance that sporty character while maintaining the confidence to travel in all weather conditions. The DWS stands for “Dry,” “Wet,” and “Snow” and those letters are molded directly into the tread where it is visible so that you can easily determine what capabilities are left on the tires as they wear. The “S” is set to wear out before the “W”. The “D” is set to wear out at the shallowest tread depth. Although the tire still employs a traditional wear indicator system (consisting of wear bars set at 2/32” - indicating no usable life left) the DWS letters will quickly and easily indicate to you under what conditions you can more confidently traverse.
Engineered to be a high-performance tire, enhanced tread life is achieved through advanced rubber compounds and additives. Drivers of powerful and capable sedans, wagons, crossovers and SUVs can take advantage of the high-speed stability, performance and traction year-round.
Specs:
VikingContact 7
Best Winter Tire
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Continental calls this their Nordic tire. To allow safe travels over sub-freezing conditions covered in ice and snow, the VikingContact 7 is specifically engineered to thrive in these conditions. The winter-specific is the inverse of the summer-only tire - ideally suited for freezing temperatures through rubber compound, additives and specific tread designs. The tires are so specialized that Continental specifies that these tires are to be used only in a matching set of 4. The tire industry has a symbol that if a tire can achieve a certain set of performance criteria in snow it can be branded with that symbol. The Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (or 3PMSF) branded tire is expected to provide improved performance on snow than a standard M+S (Mud and Snow) branded all-season tire.
The Nordic people aren’t the only ones who recognize the need for a winter-specific tire - Canadian province of Quebec requires “"Between 15 December to 15 March, the owner of a taxi or passenger vehicle registered in Quebec may not put the vehicle into operation unless it is equipped with tires specifically designed for winter driving” and “Starting December 15, 2014, the Highway Safety Code regulation specifies only tires bearing the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol will be considered acceptable winter/snow tires in Quebec.” The VikingContact 7 has been awarded the 3PMSF symbol. If you require enhanced traction in inclement weather during the winter, it would be in your best interest to get a set.
Specs:
TerrainContact A/T
Best Off Road Tire
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Just as the passenger car summer and winter tires provide optimized traction in their respective categories, the A/T or All-Terrain tire for trucks provides the rugged, durable traction in off-road situations.
When the paved road gives way to dirt, sand, mud, snow and/or rocks, the TerrainContact A/T is specifically suited to keep you confidently moving through. If your destination is somewhere off the beaten path and you need the goat-like sure footedness, the TerrainContact A/T will help get you there and back. If you need that traction on your VERY heavy truck you have the option of choosing the Light Truck designation - it allows for significantly high air pressure to be run to help support that extra weight and the tire construction is also optimized for the extra load. Keep your business or adventure on the right track while off the beaten path with the TerrainContact A/T.
Specs:
Continental has a long history of developing and manufacturing tires - being able to draw upon 150 years of experience allows them to produce the perfect tire for you.
As an industry leader and as a business in excellent standing, you can trust in the brand to continually provide support and honor their exceptional warranty.
When vehicle manufacturers spend years and billions of dollars developing a line of cars, they have to put their faith in a tire manufacturer to be able to produce a tire that will be able to utilize all of the electronic and mechanical wizardry. Without a proper tire, some of the hard fought and earned progress in vehicle dynamics can be lost. The decision of a vehicle manufacturer to choose a particular tire manufacturer as the original equipment supplier is one not taken lightly - take their lead and know that what you are buying will be right for you too.
Quality and Warranty: The warranty is a testament to Continental's confidence in the quality of its product - they feel so strongly that their tires, no matter which model you choose, you will be satisfied with your choice or your money back.
Traction and Handling: The reason why you’re here, looking for better traction. Continental provides the handling you’re looking for through superior traction - traction that’s been achieved advancements in materials, construction and processes. Factors that all go towards making your vehicle do what and how you want it to - bottom line.
Quiet and Long-Lasting: Imagine a tire that lasts a long time, but is noisy and uncomfortable to drive in the meantime - you’ll have a prolonged sentence of angst and frustration. The trick is to get the tire to behave well during your time with it so you will not have to think about your tires until they’re worn out.
In the event of an incident - a flat tire, a vibration, a pull to one side - will the manufacturer be on your side to help you out or are you on your own? Can you readily get a replacement wherever you may be? Do retailers have the support and empowerment from the manufacturer to make things right? If your newly installed tires give you the ability to not think about them again, that is the ultimate testament to their quality.
You have chosen a brand of tires that has already done all of the thinking for you and you now have the confidence to pilot your vehicle on (and off) the streets.
Read more on the Best Tire Deals available here.
See our overall recommendations for Best Tires
See our recommendations for the 10 Best Tire Brands for 2022
Many of the tires Continental makes are expected to last anywhere from 15,000 miles (for the rear tires on a staggered fitment) to 70,000 miles. It all depends upon the tire and application it’s used in.
Depending upon the application, the smallest size they offer is a T115/70R15 (spare) to LT315/70R17.
Direct and worthy competitors to Continental are Michelin and Pirelli. Both companies provide a wide selection of tires that are considered comparable to Continental.
You can buy direct from online retailers such as SimpleTire, Tire Rack and Discount Tire. All of these retailers also have a network of tire installation shops that you may even be able to ship directly to them so that you don’t have to lift, transport and unload the heavy and bulky tires at the shop. Read more on the Best Places to Buy Tires Online and Save Hundreds here.
Yes, Continental offers a quality product highly-rated in customer reviews. Continental is also notable for its strong warranty package.
Editor's note and disclaimer: Car Talk is supported by our fans, readers and listeners. When you click on some of the links on our website, we may receive referral compensation. However, you should know that the recommendations we make are based on our independent editorial review and analyses.
Below is a summary of the characteristics of the tire, based on reviews and ratings from car owners around the world.
When taking into account the overall rating of a summer tire, its performance on snow and ice is not taken into account.
I bought a set of Continental tires in Mosavtoshin this spring - I am very satisfied with the price and quality!
Skated almost 7000 km on them in the summer!
Many thanks to one good person who advised me to buy these tires and it was in Mosavtoshine!
Sergey On the Continental WorldContact
Excessive and comfortable summer and comfortable, their costs justify their cost!
Pros: wear-resistant, I have not had hernias on any balloon.
Cons: rare in steel sales
Today, the Mosavtoshina online store offers the widest range of car tires. Often, such a variety does not facilitate, but makes it difficult to choose, because. in most cases, the buyer has to choose among tires that differ from each other only in nuances. Feedback from customers allows you to learn more about them. Often this is enough to reduce the number of applicants to a minimum.
It should also be noted that all reviews contain information that allows you to form your own opinion about certain features of a particular tire. At the same time, very often the shortcomings indicated in the reviews can be attributed to specific operating conditions.
Therefore, it is important to familiarize yourself with as many of them as possible. This will make it possible to more objectively assess the performance of the models you are interested in.
The existing reviews of Continental WorldContact, left by their customers, are individual and fully consistent with the real state of affairs. If not, then you can be the first to write them, which is extremely important, as this will help many car owners make the only right choice based on your experience. However, their correspondence to reality depends very much on the number of opinions left. Therefore, if you have already become the owner of this tire model, please leave a review about it even if there are no complaints about it. This action will not take much time, but it will be an excellent help when choosing other car owners. To leave a review, you just need to fill out a special form located directly on the page of the selected tire.
In cases where there are no reviews for a particular tire model, you can always count on the help of consultants from our store.
