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Continental Sport Contact 5 - Test Results

Test Statistics

26

Tests Completed

3rd

Average Position

1st

Best Result

8th

Worst Result

Performance Analysis

Continental Sport Contact 5 - Official Image

Across 26 summer tests, the Continental Sport Contact 5 delivers consistently high all-round performance with an average overall position of 2.5 and numerous test wins from 2013-2016. It repeatedly excels in wet and dry handling/braking, often topping subjective driving feel and objective lap/brake metrics. Awards and wins in ADAC (2016, 2013), Auto Express (2015, 2013), EVO (2015, 2014), and multiple other European tests underline a broadly superior dynamic capability.
Weaknesses are limited but include elevated noise and fuel use/rolling resistance versus the best, and clear aging in later, more demanding UHP comparisons (notably 2017), where it fell to lower rankings versus newer rivals. Still, the pattern shows a tyre that was class-leading for several years and remains competitive, especially in wet performance and overall balance.

Performance Strengths
  • Wet Weather Performance Strong
    • 1st overall ADAC 2016 (data-driven test emphasis on wet safety)
    • 1st overall European/ADAC 2013 citing 'clearly the best in the wet'
    • 3rd/8 wet braking +0.7% from best in 2020 Gute Fahrt
    • 3rd/8 wet circle +2.6% from best; 3rd/8 straight aquaplaning +1.5% from best in 2020 Gute Fahrt
  • Dry Handling and Braking Strong
    • 1st place EVO 2015 overall (noted class-leading dry lap times/feel within 1%)
    • 2016 Auto Express: won dry handling laps (article)
    • 2020 Gute Fahrt: 1/8 dry braking; 1/8 subjective dry handling
  • Overall Balance/All-Round Ability Strong
    • Multiple overall wins: 2016 Test World 1/13; 2016 GTU 1/14; 2016 ADAC 1/16; 2015 Auto Express 1/11; 2015 Auto Review 1/9; 2015 AMS 1/9; 2014 EVO 1/10; 2014 Auto Zeitung 1/12; 2014 ACE 1/11; 2013 Auto Bild 1/8; 2013 European test 1/18
    • Average overall position 2.5 across 26 tests
  • Subjective Driving Feel Strong
    • 2014 EVO: excelled in subjective feel and objective handling
    • 2016 Auto Express: won wet and dry handling laps (article)
    • 2020 Gute Fahrt: 1/8 subjective wet handling; 1/8 subjective dry handling
  • Rolling Resistance (relative competitiveness in some tests) Minor
    • 2016 GTU article: only area Goodyear beat Continental was rolling resistance
    • 2020 Gute Fahrt: rolling resistance 3/8, +4.1% from best
Performance Weaknesses
  • Aging Performance vs Newer UHP Rivals Strong
    • 2017 Auto Bild UHP: 8/9 with large deficits (wet braking +9%, wet handling +6.8%, dry braking +3.9%)
    • 2017 Sport Auto: 4/10 overall with mid-pack wet/dry braking (6/10)
  • Noise/Comfort Moderate
    • 2012 Auto Bild: lost points for being very noisy
    • 2020 Gute Fahrt: subjective noise 4/8 (+33.3% from best), comfort 4/8 (+33.3% from best)
  • Fuel Use / Rolling Resistance (vs class leaders) Moderate
    • 2016 Auto Express: 'only really struggling with fuel use' (article)
    • 2016 GTU: Goodyear/Dunlop had extremely impressive rolling resistance beating Continental
  • Price/Value Minor
    • 2012 Auto Bild: most expensive tyre on test affected result (6/15)
Performance Over Time

Test History

2
of 8
2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tyre Test

2020
Winner: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5

Very good - Continental win more tests than any other brand in Europe, and this was apparent with the excellent SportContact 5 even though it has now been replaced by the newer PremiumContact 6.
Strong:
Dry Braking, Subj. Dry Handling, Subj. Wet Handling
View Test
8
of 9
2017 Auto Bild UHP Tyre Test

2017
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Average
Weak:
Dry Braking, Dry Handling, Wet Braking, Wet Handling
View Test
4
of 10
2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test

2017
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Recommended
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3
of 9
2016 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test

2016
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4

View Test
1
of 13
2016 Test World Performance Tyre Test

2016

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1
of 14
2016 GTU Performance Summer Tyre Test

2016

Highly Recommended
View Test
1
of 16
2016 ADAC Tyre Test - 225/45 R17

2016

View Test
1
of 10
2015 EVO Magazine Performance Tyre Test

2015

The Continental managed its usual party piece by combining excellent dry and wet performance, two opposing qualities.
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1
of 11
2015 Auto Express Tyre Test

2015

The Continental Sport Contact 5 dominated the test with four wins and three runner-up spots. The Continental shone on all surfaces, and was particularly strong and consistent under wet and dry brak...
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1
of 9
2015 Auto Review Summer Tyre Test

2015

While the Sport Contact 5 was bettered in the the aquaplaning tests by Hankook and Nokian, the Continental proved to be the wet master, with good traction, the best braking and the quickest time on...
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1
of 9
2015 AMS Performance Tyre Test

2015

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3
of 14
2015 AZ 225/40 R18 Summer Tyre Test

2015
Winner: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2

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1
of 10
2014 EVO Max Performance Summer Tyre Test

2014

With four wins, and only twice dropping out of the top three, it was a convincing win for Continental with the Sport Contact 5. Both subjectively and objectively, the Sport Contact 5 is a joy to drive
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1
of 12
2014 Auto Zeitung Summer Tyre Test

2014

Whether the road is wet or dry, the winning Continental SportContact5 is not only fast, but also very safe
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1
of 11
2014 ACE Summer Tyre Test

2014

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3
of 15
2014 Auto Bild Top 15 Summer Tyre Test

2014
Winner: Michelin Primacy 3

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4
of 50
2014 Auto Bild 50 Summer Tyre Shootout

2014
Winner: Pirelli Cinturato P 7 Ecoimpact

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1
of 10
2013 Auto Express Summer Tyre Test

2013

The new ContiSportContact 5 scored an overall first place, by a small margin. During wet braking, the Conti was class leading, with the nearest rival requiring on average more than 3 metres to stop...
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3
of 9
2013 Auto Review Performance Summer Tyre Test

2013
Winner: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2

Not as sporty as the big brother Sport Contact 5P, the Sport Contact 5 still proved an excellent tyre on a wet track with a nice balanced behavior. Unfortunately in the dry the Continental isn't as...
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4
of 10
2013 Sport Auto Max Performance Summer Tyre Test

2013
Winner: Dunlop SportMaxx RT

The Continental Sport Contact 5 is the strongest tyre in the test for wet performance. Unfortunately, in the dry tests the Sport Contact 5 overheated fairly quickly, with dry laptimes degrading and...
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1
of 8
2013 Auto Bild Performance Summer Tyre Test

2013

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1
of 18
2013 European Summer Sports Tyre Test

2013

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4
of 10
2012 EVO Summer Tyre Test

2012
Winner: Pirelli P Zero

Overall the Sport Contact 5 is a tyre that seems to get better the faster you go. Strong in both the dry and wet, it was only slightly let down by subjective feel and a mid pack rolling resistance
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6
of 15
2012 Auto Bild Max Performance Tyre Test

2012
Winner: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2

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2
of 2
2012 Subjective Shootout - Battle of the heavyweights

2012
Winner: Dunlop SportMaxx RT

The Continental Sport Contact 5 is the replacement to the rather excellent Sport Contact 3, and is one of our all round favourite tyres. When we started this test, we didn't expect it to be bested,...
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6
of 45
2012 Autobild 50 Tyre Braking Test

2012
Winner: Nokian Z G2

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