Continental Tires Review

Speed Reads:

• Continental is the fourth-largest tire manufacturer in the world
• Continental produces tires for everything from commercial vehicles to bicycles
• Continental tires are some of the most popular in the industry, with more than 13,000 customer reviews on TireRack

Continental AG, commonly known as Continental and colloquially referred to as Conti, is a German tire manufacturer. Since 1871, Continental has produced tires for cars, bikes, motorcycles, commercial trucks, and even industrial equipment. Continental is currently the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tire for car manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen.

Despite being a German tire manufacturer, Continental boasts a state-of-the-art North American headquarters in Fort Mill, South Carolina. It should also be noted that Continental was the fourth largest tire manufacturer in the world as of the 2021 fiscal year, according to Statista.

While Continental offers a variety of tires for a wide range of driving scenarios, they’re particularly well-known for their Electric Vehicle (EV) tires. In fact, 9 out of the top 10 highest volume of OEM EVs around the world rely on Continental tires. In fact, car manufacturers in Europe opt for Continental tires in more than 200 different car models.

Continental doesn’t just focus on creating some of the highest quality tires on the market, they also focus on doing this in a sustainable fashion. Continental aims to be the most progressive tire manufacturer in the world, in terms of environmental and social responsibility by 2030. Material sourcing, tire production, tire use, and recycling is done with a holistic approach. Additionally, Continental strives for 100-percent carbon neutrality throughout the entirety of its chain of production.

*Because cost data fluctuates, the prices in the table above are approximate values that our team regularly updates.

For those interested in learning more, below are detailed reviews for each Continental tire that’s made it through our testing process:

Continental TerrainContact A/T Review

• Cost: Starts at $166/each
• 3PMSF: No
• Treadwear: 680
• Traction: A
• Temperature: B

1/5

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The Continental TerrainContact A/T is designed to combine quiet highway performance with off-road capabilities. The TerrainContact A/T features stable tread blocks and a closed shoulder design that help to resist uneven treadwear and optimize tread life. Our team considers the Terrain Contact A/T the Best All-Terrain Tire in 2023.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus Review

• Cost: Starts at $139
• 3PMSF: No
• Treadwear: 560
• Traction: A – AA
• Temperature: A
• Rolling resistance: 9.75 kg/T

1/5

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The Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus is an ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season tire designed for drivers of sports cars, sporty coupes, performance sedans, SUVs, and CUVs. Utilizing SPORTPLUS+ Technology, the ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus offers optimal braking and handling. Our team considers the ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus one of the best all-season performance tires on the market.

Continental VikingContact 7 Review

• Cost: Starts at $115
• 3PMSF: Yes
• Rolling resistance: 7.56 kg/T

1/5

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The Continental VikingContact 7 is a studless winter tire designed for those looking for enhanced confidence driving during the winter months. The 3D sipes present on this tire are of varying thickness, though all of the sipes present on this tire provide biting edges for optimal grip. Grip Edges on the outside of the tread blocks help to increase the overall contact area of the tire. 

For more information on the VikingContact 7 and some of the best snow and ice tires available, check out our review of the best winter tires.

Continental tires typically cost anywhere between $80 and $350. From a customer perspective, this disparity in price could raise some concerns. However, the wide price range of Continental tires is due to a number of different factors.

How Much Do Tires Cost

The average cost of a full set of tires is typically around $600 – or $150 per tire. As touched upon above, tires can greatly vary in price. But why?

Below are some reasons why tires may vary in price:

• Tire size: Larger tires require more rubber, more sipes, and more of just about everything. As larger tires require more materials, they cost more.
• Type of tire: Specialized tires will always cost more than daily driver tires. Performance and all-terrain tires will always be more expensive than all-season tires.
• Tire brand: Recognizable name brands will cost more than the average brands. Additionally, the level of research and development tire manufacturers put into a tire adds to overall price.

Regardless of which tire manufacturer or brand you purchase your tires from, there are a few things you should keep in mind. It’s important to understand a tire’s Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) and how to read a tire’s sidewall. Lastly, knowing how to maintain your tires is of utmost importance.

UTQG Standards

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the governing body that enforces federal safety standards for all tires sold in the United States. The NHTSA created the UTQG standards to allow customers to make more informed purchasing decisions. Specific categories of UTQG ratings include:

• Treadwear: This compares a tire’s tread against that of a control tire’s tread. A score of 100 indicates that the tested tire’s treads last as long as the control tire’s, 200 indicates that the tire lasts twice as long, and so on.
• Traction: Graded on a scale of AA, A, B, and C, this rating is based on a tire’s braking g-force.
• Temperature: Graded on a scale of A, B, or C, this tests a tire’s ability to withstand running at high speeds.

How To Read A Tire’s Sidewall

The myriad of markings and numbers on a tire’s sidewall can make it difficult to find information by simply looking at a tire. Below is an explanation of the types of information you can find from your tire’s sidewall:

• Tire size: Otherwise known as the width of the tire, this is the first set of numbers on the sidewall. Tire size is expressed in millimeters.
• Type of tire: You can identify which type of tire you have by the letters included before the size of the tire. A tire without letters or with a “P” before the tire size is a passenger tire with a standard load (a four-ply rating).
• Weight capacity: Tires with the letters “XL” after the tire size have a higher weight capacity than a standard load, but not higher than an “LT” tire. Tires with “LT” or “ST” before the tire size have a higher weight capacity, as “LT” stands for light truck and “ST” stands for special trailer.
• Aspect ratio: The second set of numbers on a tire’s sidewall indicates the aspect ratio. This is expressed in a percentage, which is ultimately calculated by dividing the tire’s height measured from the rim to the tread by the tire’s width.
• Type of construction: The type of construction is indicated directly after the aspect ratio on a tire’s sidewall. “R” stands for radial, which is the most common type of tire, “B” stands for bias, and “D” stands for diagonal. Plies run perpendicular to the tread in radial tires, while in bias and diagonal tires, plies overlap diagonally.
• Rim diameter: Following the type of construction is where the diameter of the rim is typically indicated. Rim diameter is expressed in inches.

Taking Care Of Your Tires

Regardless of your tire’s brand or price, if you don’t take care of your tires then you’ll end up spending a lot more than you need to. Below are three simple steps you can take to get the best out of your tires:

1. Wheel alignment: Wheels that are improperly aligned will cause your tires to wear unevenly. A proper wheel alignment can drastically improve the lifespan of your car’s tires.
2. Tire rotation: Regularly rotating your tires, either by the recommendation made by your vehicle manufacturer or every 5,000 miles, will reduce the likelihood of uneven treadwear.
3. Balance: Outside of unevenly worn tires, wheels that aren’t properly balanced can cause vibrations that make it unsafe to drive. Checking your wheels’ balance can ensure your tire lasts for its full life cycle.

Continental tires aren’t just good, they’re great. Continental is one of the most well-known tire brands in the industry and for good reason. Continental makes the Best All-Terrain Tire according to our independent tire tester, Jonathan Benson, and additionally offers some of the best performance all-season tires in the industry.

Below are some common frequently asked questions about Continental tires:

*Data accurate at time of publication.