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Continental VikingContact 7 - Test Results

Test Statistics

9

Tests Completed

2nd

Average Position

1st

Best Result

6th

Worst Result

Performance Analysis

Continental VikingContact 7 - Official Image

Continental VikingContact 7 consistently ranks at the top of Nordic friction winter tire tests, with an average overall position of 2.2 across nine winter-focused evaluations and multiple overall wins (2020, 2021, 2022/23, 2023). Its hallmark strengths are balanced snow and ice performance with excellent handling precision and low noise, often converting strong subtest results into overall victories. Wet and dry manners are generally competent for the category, though aquaplaning and certain wet braking metrics can lag versus class leaders.
Overall, the tire delivers a highly rounded, confidence-inspiring winter package, excelling particularly in snow and ice handling and comfort, with occasional weaknesses in aquaplaning and some wet/dry braking metrics. Pricing can be on the higher side, but test outcomes indicate strong value through all-round capability and repeated awards.

Performance Strengths
  • Snow Performance Strong
    • 1st place snow braking/traction/handling in 2020 Test World (1/20 across all three snow disciplines)
    • Snow handling 1/8 in 2020 Vi Bilagare and repeated top-4 snow results in 2022/23 Tire Reviews (2nd traction, 4th braking/handling)
  • Ice Handling and Control Strong
    • Ice handling 1/9 in 2022/23 Tire Reviews; 1/8 in 2020 Vi Bilagare
    • Ice handling 1/8 in 2019 auto motor & sport Sweden (studless vs studded mix)
  • Overall Consistency/Awards Strong
    • Overall winner 2023 Vi Bilagare (1/8)
    • Overall winner 2022/23 Tire Reviews (1/9)
    • Overall winner 2021 Tire Reviews (1/16)
    • Overall winner 2020 Vi Bilagare (1/8)
  • Noise/Comfort Strong
    • Noise 1/8 in 2022/23 Tire Reviews (61.9 dB)
    • Subjective noise 1/8 in 2020 Vi Bilagare; 1/20 subjective noise in 2020 Test World
  • Dry/Wet Handling Balance (for a Nordic tire) Moderate
    • Wet handling 2/8 in 2023 Vi Bilagare (+1% from best); 2/8 wet handling in 2022 Vi Bilagare
    • Dry handling 2/8 in 2022/23 Tire Reviews; dry braking 1/8 in 2019 AMS Sweden
  • Rolling Resistance (competitive within class) Minor
    • Rolling resistance 4/9 (+4.3% from best) in 2022/23 Tire Reviews
    • Rolling resistance 4/8 (+2.7% from best) in 2020 Vi Bilagare
Performance Weaknesses
  • Aquaplaning Resistance Strong
    • Straight aquaplaning 7/8 and curved 7/8 in 2022/23 Tire Reviews (both ~+25% from best)
    • Straight aquaplaning 8/8 in 2019 AMS Sweden
  • Wet Braking Moderate
    • Wet braking 5/8 (+11.6%) in 2020 Vi Bilagare; 6/8 (+7%) in 2022 Vi Bilagare
    • Wet braking 13/20 (+29.6%) in 2020 Test World
  • Ice Braking/Traction Variability Moderate
    • Ice braking 11/16 (+26.4%) and traction 10/16 (+41.7%) in 2021 Tire Reviews
    • Ice braking 4/9 (+34.3%) in 2022/23 Tire Reviews despite winning ice handling
  • Noise in SUV test Minor
    • Noise 8/8 (+2.9% from best) in 2022 Vi Bilagare SUV test
  • Price Minor
    • Price 8/8 (+137.7% from best) in 2020 Vi Bilagare
    • Price 12/16 (+100% from best) in 2021 Tire Reviews
Performance Over Time

Test History

3
of 17
The Best Studded / Friction Winter Tires for 2024

2024
Winner: Pirelli Ice Zero 2

The Continental ContiVikingContact 7, the previous year's winner, still showed strong performance, particularly in winter conditions. It maintained excellent grip on ice and snow, matching its succ...
View Test
1
of 8
2023 Studless Friction Winter Tire Test

2023

The VikingContact7, despite being one of the oldest tires on the market, still performs at the top. Following a third-place finish in last year's test of SUV sizes, Continental is once again number...
Strong:
Ice Braking, Ice Handling, Snow Handling, Wet Handling
View Test
3
of 8
2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tire Test

2022
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 SUV

VikingContact7 has several victories from our tests of traditional passenger car tires in the bag. Now it collects a bronze medal. To adapt to the higher weight of the SUVs, Continental has made a...
Strong:
Subj. Dry Handling, Ice Handling, Rolling Resistance, Wet Handling
Weak:
Noise, Snow Braking
View Test
1
of 9
2022/23 Tire Reviews Studless Winter Tire Test Recommended

2022

The Continental was the best in the dry and had a small advantage in the wet grip tests, but did struggle in the deeper water of the two aquaplaning tests. It was excellent in the snow and ice, had...
Strong:
Noise, Dry Braking, Dry Handling, Subj. Dry Handling, Ice Handling, Subj. Ice Handling, Snow Traction, Subj. Snow Handling, Wet Handling
Weak:
Curved Aquaplaning, Straight Aqua
View Test
1
of 16
2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tire Test

2021

Strong:
Subj. Noise, Snow Handling
View Test
1
of 8
2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter Tire Test

2020

Strong:
Subj. Noise, Ice Braking, Ice Handling, Snow Braking, Snow Handling
Weak:
Price
View Test
1
of 19
The Best Winter Tires for 2020

2020

View Test
6
of 20
2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tire Test

2020
Winner: Continental IceContact 3

Strong:
Subj. Noise, Snow Braking, Snow Handling, Snow Traction, Subj. Snow Handling
View Test
3
of 8
2019 Studded Winter Tire Test

2019
Winner: Continental IceContact 3

As the only non-studded tire on test, the Viking Contact 7 had an impressive all round ability.
Strong:
Dry Braking, Ice Handling, Snow Braking, Snow Handling, Snow Traction
Weak:
Ice Traction, Straight Aqua, Wet Handling
View Test