Continental ContiSportContact 3

The Continental ContiSportContact 3 impresses both experts and owners with its sure-footed handling, but reviews say it can't quite measure up to the No. 1 performance summer tire, the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 (*est. $185). Owners give the ContiSportContact 3 high marks for comfort and traction on wet and dry roads, and several say it is impressively long-wearing; its government treadwear score surpasses the Michelin's. The ContiSportContact 3 runs neck-and-neck with the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 (*est. $175) in reviews by both experts and owners, with the Goodyear getting slightly better scores for hydroplaning resistance while the ContiSportContact 3 offers lower rolling resistance (which can lead to better gas mileage). None of these tires are appropriate for cold weather; for all-season high-performance driving, reviews say the Michelin Primacy MXV4 (*est. $130) is the best tire.

Consumer Reports and its British counterpart, Which? magazine, both perform expert, unbiased tests of the Continental ContiSportContact 3 and rank it against other high-performance summer tires. The Tire Rack, a retail site, also conducts an expert comparison test of the ContiSportContact 3, but it compares fewer models and its test is older than those at Which? magazine and Consumer Reports. We also found 36 owner-written reviews for the ContiSportContact 3 at The Tire Rack. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is the place to find government-required traction, heat-resistance and treadwear ratings for tires.