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Continental IceContact 3 - Test Results

Test Statistics

13

Tests Completed

3rd

Average Position

1st

Best Result

6th

Worst Result

Performance Analysis

Continental IceContact 3 - Official Image

Across 13 winter-focused tests, the Continental IceContact 3 delivers consistently strong, well-rounded performance with standout results on snow, solid wet-road capability, and frequent top-tier overall finishes (average position 3.5; wins in 2019, 2020, and 2020 Test World; multiple podiums in 2025 and 2020). It regularly tops or places near the top in snow braking/traction/handling and often performs very well in subjective handling and comfort, making it a balanced choice for mixed Nordic conditions.
Its main weakness is variable ice performance in recent SUV/compact tests, where it trends mid-pack to lower mid-pack despite earlier wins, and occasional average aquaplaning/rolling resistance and higher noise in some categories. Still, the tyre's aggregate shows reliable competence on snow and wet with good dry manners, offset by inconsistent ice metrics and some efficiency/noise trade-offs.

Performance Strengths
  • Snow Performance Strong
    • 1st place snow braking and traction in 2025 Vi Bilägare SUV (11.13 m; 1.77 s)
    • 1st place snow handling in 2024 Vi Bilägare (75.1 s)
    • Top-3 snow braking/traction in 2025 Tekniikan Maailma (3rd braking 49.8 m; 2nd traction 5.9 s)
    • 1st/2nd/2nd in snow metrics in 2020 Vi Bilägare (braking 1st 10.5 m; traction 2nd 3.67 s; handling 2nd 75.04 s)
    • 1st snow handling in 2019 (83.75 s)
  • Wet Road Performance Strong
    • 2nd wet braking and 3rd wet handling in 2025 Tekniikan Maailma (35.5 m; 40.1 s +0.5%)
    • 1st wet braking in 2019 (28.8 m)
    • 2nd wet braking and 1st wet handling in 2024 Vi Bilägare (34.74 m; 40.7 s)
    • 2nd wet handling in 2020 Vi Bilägare (43.77 s +1.5%)
  • Dry Handling/Braking and Subjective Control Strong
    • 1st subjective dry handling in 2025 Vi Bilägare SUV
    • 1st subjective dry handling in 2024 and 2023 Vi Bilägare
    • 2nd dry braking in 2025 Vi Bilägare SUV (45 m +1.6%)
    • Competitive dry braking 2020 Vi Bilägare (2nd, 30.75 m)
  • Overall Awards/Consistency Strong
    • Overall 1st in 2020 Test World (1/20)
    • Overall 1st in 2019 (1/8)
    • Overall 2nd in 2020 Vi Bilägare (2/8)
    • Overall 2nd in 2025 Tekniikan Maailma (2/14)
    • Overall 3rd in 2025 Teknikens Värld (3/20)
  • Comfort/Noise (Subjective) Moderate
    • 1st subjective comfort in 2023 Vi Bilägare
    • Low noise ranking 1st in 2023 (75 dB) and 2nd in 2024/2025 SUV (73.6 dB)
Performance Weaknesses
  • Ice Performance Strong
    • 4th-6th in multiple 2023-2025 ice metrics (e.g., 2025 SUV: ice braking 4/8 +38.6%, traction 4/8 +19.9%; 2024: ice braking/traction/handling all 6/8 with +43.9%/+47.7%/+5%)
    • 7th in ice braking and traction in 2025 Tekniikan Maailma (+31.6%/+32.6%)
  • Aquaplaning Resistance Moderate
    • 2025 Teknikens Värld straight aquaplaning 11/20 (+17.7%)
    • Mid-pack aquaplaning in 2024 Vi Bilägare (5/8 +7.7%) and 2025 SUV (6/8 +4.8%)
  • Noise (Objective)/Rolling Resistance/Efficiency Moderate
    • Subjective noise low score 13/14 in 2025 Tekniikan Maailma
    • Rolling resistance mid-pack in 2020 Test World (11/20)
    • Fuel consumption 8/8 in 2024 Vi Bilägare (+9.5%)
  • Value/Pricing Minor
    • High price in 2023 (7/7, +78.1%) and 2021 mixed test (12/16, +100%)
Performance Over Time

Test History

3
of 20
2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test

2025
Winner: Continental VikingContact 8

The Continental IceContact 3 delivers somewhat poorer ice grip than the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic 2 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10, but performs better in all test aspects on bare pavement. The st...
Strong:
Subj. Ice Handling
View Test
2
of 14
2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test

2025
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

The Continental IceContact 3 offers responsive and easy-to-control handling, behaving in a stable and unsurprising manner on snow. While its ice grip isn't at the very top of the test group, its pe...
Strong:
Snow Traction, Wet Braking
Weak:
Subj. Noise
View Test
3
of 8
The BEST Studded Tyres for 2025

2025
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 SUV

The Continental IceContact 3 may not lead in pure ice performance, but it compensates with exceptional road manners and predictable behavior that builds driver confidence. This tyre excels at commu...
Strong:
Noise, Dry Braking, Subj. Dry Handling, Snow Braking, Snow Handling, Snow Traction, Fuel Consumption
View Test
5
of 8
2024 Studded Tyre Test

2024
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

Continental IceContact 3 showed unusually poor ice performance for a studded tyre, with braking distances a full car length longer than the best at just 25 km/h. However, it excelled on asphalt wit...
Strong:
Noise, Subj. Dry Handling, Snow Braking, Snow Handling, Wet Braking, Wet Handling
Weak:
Fuel Consumption
View Test
6
of 17
The Best Studded / Friction Winter Tyres for 2024

2024
Winner: Pirelli Ice Zero 2

The Continental IceContact 3, a studded tyre, showed a decline in performance compared to previous years. Its ice performance was notably worse than expected, and it didn't show significant advanta...
View Test
5
of 8
2023 Studded Tyre Test

2023
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

Continental has failed at the most important aspect for a studded tyre: achieving grip on ice. The stopping distance on ice lags far behind other premium brands. Despite having the highest price, t...
Strong:
Noise, Subj. Comfort, Subj. Dry Handling, Snow Handling, Wet Handling
Weak:
Ice Traction, Price, Straight Aqua
View Test
5
of 8
2022 Studded Winter Tyre Test

2022
Winner: Michelin X Ice North 4 SUV

Continental has not quite got it right with "IC3". The general level of grip is a bit behind other premium brands in the price class on almost all surfaces. Above all, the IC3 lags behind in the co...
Strong:
Noise
Weak:
Dry Braking, Ice Braking
View Test
5
of 8
2021 Nordic Studded Winter Tyre Test

2021
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

Overall rating 8.4. Features on ice and snow- Safe driving on snow- Stops effectively on snow- Moderate ice grip. Properties on asphalt- Excellent lateral grip on wet- Weakest dry grip- Weakest ext...
Strong:
Noise, Wet Handling
Weak:
Dry Braking, Ice Handling, Snow Traction
View Test
6
of 16
2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test

2021
Winner: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

View Test
2
of 8
2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test

2020
Winner: Michelin X Ice North 4

Strong:
Subj. Noise, Dry Braking, Snow Braking, Snow Handling, Snow Traction, Wet Handling
View Test
1
of 19
The Best Winter Tyres for 2020

2020

View Test
1
of 20
2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test

2020

Strong:
Subj. Dry Handling, Ice Traction, Snow Braking, Snow Traction, Subj. Snow Handling
View Test
1
of 8
2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test

2019

The new rubberised studs in the IceContact 3 really work. Excellent grip in all conditions.
Strong:
Dry Braking, Ice Braking, Ice Handling, Ice Traction, Snow Braking, Snow Handling, Snow Traction, Wet Braking
View Test