Firestone RoadHawk vs Continental PremiumContact 7
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental PremiumContact 7 finished ahead 3 times and the RoadHawk not once. The PremiumContact 7 was stronger in dry, wet and comfort.
Performance profile
10 measurements from the 3 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
RoadHawk
PremiumContact 7
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it. The scale stops at 94%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
RoadHawk
Not ahead in any category
PremiumContact 7
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
RoadHawk
Not ahead in any category
PremiumContact 7
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the RoadHawk 68% from 45 reviews and the PremiumContact 7 82% from 71. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tire did better.
| Measurement | RoadHawk | Gap | PremiumContact 7 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry PremiumContact 7 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 119 | 4.3% | 114 | 0-3 |
| Dry Handling mph | 71.9 | 0.2% | 71.8 | 1-0 |
| Wet PremiumContact 7 ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 114 | 12.8% | 100 | 0-3 |
| Wet Handling mph | 47 | 0.1% | 46.9 | 1-0 |
| Wet Circle mph | 13.9 | 5.2% | 14.6 | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 52.6 | 2.7% | 51.3 | 1-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 15.5 | 4.7% | 14.8 | 1-0 |
| Comfort PremiumContact 7 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 74.5 | 0.4 dB | 74.1 | 0-1 |
| Value Level | ||||
| Wear miles | 18,548 | 3% | 19,107 | 0-1 |
| Rolling Resistance kg / t | 7.67 | 5.1% | 8.08 | 1-0 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared.
Head to head in 3 tests, 2023 to 2024
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | RoadHawk | Field | PremiumContact 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 AutoBild Summer Tire Test | P6 of 20 | P2 of 20 | |
| 2024 Summer Tire Market Overview | P12 of 55 | P1 of 55 | |
| 2023 Summer Tire Market Overview | P31 of 50 | P5 of 50 |
RoadHawk vs PremiumContact 7: your questions
Is the Firestone RoadHawk or the Continental PremiumContact 7 the better tire?
In the 3 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental PremiumContact 7 finished ahead 3 times and the RoadHawk not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the RoadHawk scores 8 and the PremiumContact 7 9.5 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the RoadHawk or the PremiumContact 7?
The PremiumContact 7 led 4 of the 7 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 12.8% shorter in the wet across 3 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The PremiumContact 7 led 3 of the 4 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 4.3% shorter in the dry across 3 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.1/10 for the RoadHawk and 7.5/10 for the PremiumContact 7.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the RoadHawk 68% from 45 reviews and the PremiumContact 7 82% from 71. 42% of RoadHawk owners would buy it again, against 74% for the PremiumContact 7.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The RoadHawk is made in 116 sizes (15 to 21 inch) and the PremiumContact 7 in 56 (16 to 21 inch). 39 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the RoadHawk is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the PremiumContact 7 A and C.
Which is the newer tire?
The PremiumContact 7 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2022, the RoadHawk in 2017. The PremiumContact 7 replaced the Continental Premium Contact 6.
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Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.