Continental ExtremeWinterContact

*Est. $85

Reviewed

November 2011

Pros

Very good grip on ice and snow
Quiet, comfortable ride
Inexpensive

Cons

Poor wet- and dry-road grip in some tests
Not as widely tested as Michelin X-Ice Xi2

Where to Buy

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Our Analysis

The Michelin X-Ice Xi2 (*Est. $100) remains unbeaten for a fourth straight year, but the cheaper Continental ExtremeWinterContact gives it a good run for its money in tests of standard winter tires for passenger cars. It displays great grip on snow and ice -- slightly better than the top-rated Michelin in one test, slightly worse in another. But the Continental doesn't appear at all in Scandinavian tests, unlike the Michelin, and its overall scores aren't quite as high in owner reviews (the Michelin has a lot more owner reviews, too). Neither of these tires is a top performer on bare dry or wet pavement. If your winters are mild, experts say a performance winter tire such as the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 (*Est. $155) may be a better choice.

ConsumerReports.org conducts the most extensive comparison test of the Continental ExtremeWinterContact, judging its performance on snow, ice, wet and dry roads and ranking it against 16 other standard winter passenger-car tires. TireRack.com's test is just as thorough, but it includes only four tires. Autos.ca's Haney Louka tests the ExtremeWinterContact on his personal car during a Winnipeg winter. TireRack.com owners provide full written reviews and detailed ratings of the ExtremeWinterContact, and it earns a brief mention in the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca winter tire roundup for 2010.

Where To Buy

Store Rating	Notes	Total Price
71 store reviews	In Stock.	$145.59	See It
7 store reviews	In Stock.	$67.00	See It
		See All Stores

Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

ConsumerReports.org includes the Continental ExtremeWinterContact in its latest winter tire tests. Thirty-six winter tires in all -- including 17 standard winter tires for passenger cars -- are tested and ranked according to their performance on snowy, icy, wet and dry roads; noise; comfort; and rolling resistance.

Review: Winter Tire Ratings, Editors of ConsumerReports.org

2. Tire Rack

The Continental ExtremeWinterContact beats three other contenders -- the Michelin X-Ice Xi2, Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 and Dunlop Graspic DS3 -- in this tire seller's latest thorough winter-tire test. Each tire gets numeric ratings on every measure, with tests on icy, wet and dry pavement.

Review: Testing Winter Weather Specialists: Studless Ice and Snow Tires, Editors of TireRack.com, Aug. 6, 2010

3. Autos.ca

Each year, Haney Louka affixes a different set of winter tires to his family station wagon and tests them through a Winnipeg winter. He says the Continental ExtremeWinterContact proved one of the two best tires he has ever tested; the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi is the other.

Review: Winter Tire Review: Continental ExtremeWinterContact, Haney Louka, Oct. 14, 2010

4. Tire Rack

The Continental ExtremeWinterContact takes fourth place in owner reviews of studless ice-and-snow tires, behind the Michelin X-Ice Xi2 and two Bridgestone Blizzak models. The Continental has far fewer reviews than the Michelin but still enough to give a good idea of the tire's real-life performance.

Review: Continental ExtremeWinterContact, Contributors to TireRack.com

5. Wheels.ca

Toronto Star tire expert John Mahler briefly mentions the Continental ExtremeWinterContact as a winter tire with extra ice traction.

Review: The Time to Buy Your Winter Tires Is Now, John Mahler, Oct. 25, 2010

Continental ExtremeWinterContact *Est. $85

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