Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 vs Continental SportContact 7
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental SportContact 7 finished ahead 2 times and the SportMaxx RT 2 not once. The SportContact 7 was stronger in dry, comfort and value.
Performance profile
9 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
SportMaxx RT 2
SportContact 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 85%: a point further in sits on the hub's edge, hollow.
Where each scores higher
SportMaxx RT 2
SportContact 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
SportMaxx RT 2
SportContact 7
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the SportMaxx RT 2 77% from 94 reviews and the SportContact 7 84% from 134. 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 | SportMaxx RT 2 | Gap | SportContact 7 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry SportContact 7 ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking ft | 122 | 5.6% | 115 | 0-1 |
| Wet Level | ||||
| Wet Braking ft | 103 | 9.8% | 93 | 0-1 |
| Wet Braking - Concrete ft | 125 | 10.2% | 112 | 0-1 |
| Straight Aqua mph | 50.5 | 2% | 49.5 | 1-0 |
| Curved Aquaplaning ft/s² | 11.5 | 20.7% | 9.5 | 1-0 |
| Comfort SportContact 7 ahead | ||||
| Noise dB | 72.8 | 0.5 dB | 72.3 | 0-1 |
| Value SportContact 7 ahead | ||||
| Wear miles | 25,911 | 4.1% | 26,968 | 0-1 |
| Fuel Consumption l/100km | 5.6 | 1.8% | 5.5 | 0-1 |
| Abrasion mg/km/t | 91 | 30.3% | 63.4 | 0-1 |
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 2 tests, 2023 to 2025
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 | SportMaxx RT 2 | Field | SportContact 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ADAC Summer Tire Test | P9 of 18 | P1 of 18 | |
| 2023 ACE / Gute Fahrt UHP Summer Tire Test | P5 of 7 | P1 of 7 |
SportMaxx RT 2 vs SportContact 7: your questions
Is the Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 or the Continental SportContact 7 the better tire?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Continental SportContact 7 finished ahead 2 times and the SportMaxx RT 2 not once. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the SportMaxx RT 2 scores 8.4 and the SportContact 7 9.7 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the SportMaxx RT 2 or the SportContact 7?
Across the shared tests the wet measurements are split 2-2 between the SportMaxx RT 2 and the SportContact 7.
Which is better in the dry?
The SportContact 7 led 1 of the 1 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 7.9/10 for the SportMaxx RT 2 and 7.7/10 for the SportContact 7.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the SportMaxx RT 2 77% from 94 reviews and the SportContact 7 84% from 134. 63% of SportMaxx RT 2 owners would buy it again, against 80% for the SportContact 7.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The SportMaxx RT 2 is made in 61 sizes (17 to 21 inch) and the SportContact 7 in 123 (18 to 24 inch). 34 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the SportMaxx RT 2 is graded A for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the SportContact 7 A and C.
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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.