| Test Summary | |
| Wet Braking |
Continental Premium Contact 6 |
| Dry Braking |
Nokian Hakka Black |
| Rolling Resistance |
Continental Premium Contact 6 |
| Noise |
Nokian Hakka Black Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 SUV Dunlop SP QuattroMaxx Nexen N Fera RU1 |
| Snow Handling |
Continental Premium Contact 6 Nokian Hakka Black Hankook Ventus S1 evo2 SUV Dunlop SP QuattroMaxx Nexen N Fera RU1 |
While only five patterns of tyres were tested, it was a good mix of 235/40 R18 tyres 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.
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.
The difference in fuel consumption between the tyres was only 0.15 litres 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 tyre on test.
Lastly, all five tyres had similar results in the noise tests, but the Continental struggled a little in the subjective comfort testing.
The Results
What exactly is the tyre 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 tyres.
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 tyre? 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 tyre, as is the 4x4Contact, allegedly).
The Continental 4x4Contact isn't an all season tyre 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 tyre in Europe, the 4x4Contact is more a traditional SUV tyre 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!)