With the SUV sector booming, tire manufacturers are starting to merge their car and SUV lines into one product. The latest, and according to this test by the Swedish magazine Vi Bilägare, greatest example of this, is the new Continental Premium Contact 6.
While only five patterns of tires were tested, it was a good mix of 235/40 R18 tires which are usually fitted to vehicles like the VW Tiguan and Volvo XC70.
The premium manufacturers were represented by Continental and Dunlop, the mid range by Hankook and Nokian, and the quickly improving Nexen represented the cheapest end of the market.
The results were surprisingly close overall. Nokian took the overall wet victory, and while the Continental was close in the wet handling test, the Nokian was in a league of its own during the wet braking tests. Hankook dominated the aquaplaning tests, with Nokian, Dunlop and Nexen close, and Continental performing the worse in the deep water testing.
Wet Handling
Wet handling time in seconds
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
| 70.47 s | Best | |
| 71.5 s | +1.03 s | |
| 72.45 s | +1.98 s | |
| 72.52 s | +2.05 s | |
| 73.62 s | +3.15 s |
The difference between best and worst was 4.5% (3.15 s).
Wet Braking
Wet braking in feet
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
| 141 ft | Best | |
| 153 ft | +12 ft | |
| 153 ft | +12 ft | |
| 156 ft | +15 ft | |
| 163 ft | +22 ft |
The difference between best and worst was 15.1% (22 ft ≈ 1.4 Car Lengths).
During the dry tests, the new Continental showed how sacrificing a little aquaplaning performance can drastically change the dry results, where it dominated in both the dry braking and dry handling tests.
Dry Handling
Dry handling time in seconds
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
| 93.65 s | Best | |
| 94.39 s | +0.74 s | |
| 94.39 s | +0.74 s | |
| 95.04 s | +1.39 s | |
| 95.25 s | +1.60 s |
All the tires in the Dry Handling test finished less than 3% apart.
Dry Braking
Dry braking in feet
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
| 117 ft | Best | |
| 121 ft | +4 ft | |
| 122 ft | +5 ft | |
| 123 ft | +6 ft | |
| 126 ft | +9 ft |
The difference between best and worst was 7% (9 ft ≈ 0.6 Car Lengths).
The difference in fuel consumption between the tires was only 0.15 liters per 100/km. While Nexen won this category, it wasn't enough of a difference to have the magazine recommend the Nexen above any other tire on test.
Lastly, all five tires had similar results in the noise tests, but the Continental struggled a little in the subjective comfort testing.
The Results
Continental Premium Contact 6
235/50 R18
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 20 |
| Wet | 43 |
| Comfort | 6 |
| Rolling Resistance | 10 |
| Noise | 4 |
Total: 83
Nokian Hakka Black
235/50 R18
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 16 |
| Wet | 46 |
| Comfort | 8 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8 |
| Noise | 4 |
Total: 82
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 SUV
235/50 R18
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 16 |
| Wet | 42 |
| Comfort | 8 |
| Rolling Resistance | 8 |
| Noise | 4 |
Total: 78
Dunlop SP QuattroMaxx
235/50 R18
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 16 |
| Wet | 32 |
| Comfort | 8 |
| Rolling Resistance | 4 |
| Noise | 4 |
Total: 64
Nexen N Fera RU1
235/50 R18
All discipline results (5)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Dry | 12 |
| Wet | 26 |
| Comfort | 8 |
| Rolling Resistance | 6 |
| Noise | 4 |
Total: 56
What exactly is the tire dimension? 235/40 R18 (as shown in the test) or 235/50 R18 (as shown in the menu)? I believe it's the latter since I can't find online the other dimension for SUV tires.
I don't have the original test to hand, but 235/50 r18 would make more sense for an SUV test
Why doesn't this test include the Continental 4x4Contact? Indeed, I can't find any test that you've ever done that includes this tire? I'm finding it very hard to choose between sticking with the original fit 4x4Contacts or switching to the Michelin CrossClimate (which is said not to be a traditional "all season" but based on a summer tire, as is the 4x4Contact, allegedly).
The Continental 4x4Contact isn't an all season tire in the way the Michelin CrossClimate is, so if you're looking for snow performance, it makes the choice much easier.
The Continental AllSeasonContact is Continentals first attempt at an all season tire in Europe, the 4x4Contact is more a traditional SUV tire which is M+S marked - I'm not even sure it's "three peak mountain and snowflake" marked (please let me know if you know!)