90
/ 100
Objective (60%)
74/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
92/100
19 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental CrossContact LX25 vs Falken ZIEX CT50 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
62
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
52/100
3 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Continental CrossContact LX25 — better snow, comfort and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
CrossContact LX25 leads by 3
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 71 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 93 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 77 |
| SimpleTire owners | 99 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
CrossContact LX25 leads by 30
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 92 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 60 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
CrossContact LX25 leads by 57
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 100 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 83 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 86 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
CrossContact LX25 leads by 36
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 90 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 97 | 53 |
| SimpleTire owners | 95 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 94 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
CrossContact LX25 leads by 26
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 91 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 93 | 65 |
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
CrossContact LX25 leads by 15
Why this score
| Source | CrossContact LX25 | ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 70 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental CrossContact LX25 | Falken ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 90 | 62 |
| Dry | 82 | 79 |
| Wet | 92 | 62 |
| Snow | 94 | 37 |
| Comfort | 94 | 58 |
| Noise | 93 | – |
| Treadwear | 89 | 63 |
| Handling | 85 | 70 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
90
/ 100
Tire A
62
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Continental CrossContact LX25 is highly regarded by users for its exceptional ride comfort, low noise levels, and reliable all-season traction. It is frequently cited as a superior replacement for factory-installed tires, offering a balanced performance profile that excels in daily driving conditions across various climates.
Pros
- Exceptional ride comfort and quiet operation
- Significantly improved braking performance
- Predictable and confident handling in light snow and wet conditions
- Strong value proposition compared to premium factory-installed alternatives
Cons
- Tendency to pick up and eject road gravel
- Occasional reports of premature tread wear in specific use cases
- Stiffer sidewall response when encountering sharp road imperfections or deep potholes
Observations
- Luxury SUV owners (Mercedes ML/GLE) report a significant improvement in ride quality and cabin noise when replacing factory run-flat tires with the LX25.
- Users with 19-inch wheel configurations on compact crossovers like the Mazda CX-5 find the tire to be a reliable solution for challenging New England weather conditions.
The Falken ZIEX CT50 receives mixed to negative feedback, primarily criticized for its excessive road noise and acoustic performance. While users acknowledge acceptable handling characteristics and reasonable tread longevity, the persistent noise issues significantly detract from the overall ownership experience.
Pros
- Acceptable tread wear longevity
- Competent handling performance
- Reliable dry road stability
Cons
- Excessive road noise and 'wooing' sounds on tarmac
- Low treadwear rating (300) compared to aftermarket alternatives
- Susceptibility to manufacturing defects such as slow leaks
Observations
- Mazda CX-9 owners consistently report that the tire compromises the vehicle's intended quiet cabin experience.
- Users note that the tire's performance and noise levels do not improve with consistent rotation or pressure adjustments.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental CrossContact LX25 | B · Falken ZIEX CT50 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | — | Summer Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | — | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 40 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10 - 12/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 740 A A - B | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
90
/ 100
Continental
62
/ 100
Falken
Winner: Continental CrossContact LX25 — better snow, comfort and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental CrossContact LX25 scores 94 vs 37 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental CrossContact LX25 scores 94 vs 58 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental CrossContact LX25 scores 92 vs 62 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Continental CrossContact LX25 scores 89 vs 63 on treadwear.
Tire A · Continental CrossContact LX25
Tire B · Falken ZIEX CT50
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental CrossContact LX25 also compared with
Falken ZIEX CT50 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.