Skip advert
Advertisement

Continental ContiSportContact 3

Our former champ is left half way down the field this time

Regular test winner Continental has to settle for a midfield place, a few percentage points behind the podium. Usually, its tyres are well balanced all-rounders, scoring in every area, but the ContiSportContact 3 was up and down.

As with the Bridgestone, it starred on dry roads, taking a clear win in the braking test and a close second on the handling track. It felt sharp, with good initial turn-in, but required more lock than the Potenza S001 as the loads built up. It was also the quietest tyre tested.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The sporty turn-in was evident on the wet track, too, but it lost grip as the power was applied in corners; although it remained well balanced, it was off the pace. This was reflected in the closely matched wet cornering test.

It struggled more in wet braking, taking over three metres longer to stop than the winning Pirelli. The aquaplaning results reflected its wet cornering problem: it was reasonable in a straight line, but trailed on the curve. Fourth for rolling resistance is impressive, though.

Our verdict

Strong choice in the dry, but has trouble on wet roads. Should be easy on the pocket.

On test…ScoreRanking
Wet braking86.6%8th
Wet handling97%=7th
Wet cornering96%10th
Straight aquaplaning96.1%=5th
Curved aquaplaning72.1%9th
Dry braking100%1st
Dry handling99.6%=2nd
Rolling resistance95.4%4th
Cabin noise100%1st
Overall98.2%6th

Contact

Continental: http://www.conti-online.com

 
 
Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £5,330 off RRP*
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,924 off RRP*Used from £12,300
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £3,343 off RRP*Used from £9,595
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,406 off RRP*Used from £10,195
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

MG Cyber X will morph into a mini-Mercedes within two years
MG Cyber X design render - front

MG Cyber X will morph into a mini-Mercedes within two years

Boxy small SUV is gearing up for production, and our exclusive images show how the model might look
News
30 Aug 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Ford Puma Gen-E granted ultra-low £132 monthly lease
Ford Puma Gen-E - front action

Car Deal of the Day: Ford Puma Gen-E granted ultra-low £132 monthly lease

The EV grant has made the Ford Puma Gen-E a lot cheaper, and lease customers can cash-in with today’s Deal of the Day
News
29 Aug 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Racy and retro Renault 5 for only £188 a month
Renault 5 - front full width

Car Deal of the Day: Racy and retro Renault 5 for only £188 a month

The Renault 5 is taking the market by storm – and at this price it’s easy to see why. It’s our Deal of the Day for August 30
News
30 Aug 2025