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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Continental ExtremeContact Sport vs Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 — 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.

Tire A Continental

Continental ExtremeContact Sport

Summer Max Performance tires

Continental ExtremeContact Sport tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
90/100
43 owner reviews
Dry
95
Wet
90
Snow
87
Comfort
91
Noise
91
Treadwear
87
Handling
80

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Firestone

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
87/100
1,452 owner reviews
Dry
93
Wet
84
Snow
63
Comfort
85
Noise
87
Treadwear
81
Handling
83

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Continental ExtremeContact Sport — better snow, wet and comfort. Pick the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 if handling matters most to you.
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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

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) ExtremeContact Sport leads by 2
A — Continental ExtremeContact Sport
95
B — Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
93
Why this score
SourceExtremeContact SportFirehawk Indy 500
Tire Rack owners 92 93
Tyre Reviews owners 92 84
SimpleTire owners – 96

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) ExtremeContact Sport leads by 6
A — Continental ExtremeContact Sport
90
B — Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
84
Why this score
SourceExtremeContact SportFirehawk Indy 500
Tire Rack owners 87 84
Tyre Reviews owners 85 69
SimpleTire owners – 85

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) ExtremeContact Sport leads by 24
A — Continental ExtremeContact Sport
87
B — Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
63
Why this score
SourceExtremeContact SportFirehawk Indy 500
SimpleTire owners – 63

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) ExtremeContact Sport leads by 6
A — Continental ExtremeContact Sport
91
B — Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
85
Why this score
SourceExtremeContact SportFirehawk Indy 500
Tire Rack owners 87 85
Tyre Reviews owners 86 75
SimpleTire owners – 91

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) ExtremeContact Sport leads by 4
A — Continental ExtremeContact Sport
91
B — Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
87
Why this score
SourceExtremeContact SportFirehawk Indy 500
SimpleTire owners – 87

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) ExtremeContact Sport leads by 6
A — Continental ExtremeContact Sport
87
B — Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
81
Why this score
SourceExtremeContact SportFirehawk Indy 500
Tire Rack owners 80 81
Tyre Reviews owners 83 65
SimpleTire owners – 86

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Firehawk Indy 500 leads by 3
A — Continental ExtremeContact Sport
80
B — Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
83
Why this score
SourceExtremeContact SportFirehawk Indy 500
Tyre Reviews owners 80 83

Scores at a glance

Continental ExtremeContact Sport vs Firestone Firehawk Indy 500: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryContinental ExtremeContact SportFirestone Firehawk Indy 500
Relative Score 89 82
Dry 95 93
Wet 90 84
Snow 87 63
Comfort 91 85
Noise 91 87
Treadwear 87 81
Handling 80 83

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

Tire A

Tire B

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Continental ExtremeContact Sport

The Continental ExtremeContact Sport is widely regarded as a premier ultra-high-performance summer tire that excels in balancing daily driving comfort with aggressive handling capabilities. Users consistently praise its superior wet and dry grip, low noise levels, and excellent value compared to more expensive competitors, though some enthusiasts note a softer sidewall that can slightly compromise steering precision.

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction
  • High level of ride comfort and low road noise
  • Excellent value-to-performance ratio
  • Strong performance even as tread wears down

Cons

  • Softer sidewall can lead to a slight delay in steering response
  • Tendency to become 'greasy' or lose performance during sustained high-heat track sessions
  • Poor performance in cold temperatures (below 50°F)
  • Potential for flat-spotting if left stationary in cold weather

Observations

  • Owners of lightweight sports cars like the Mazda MX-5 report excellent synergy with the tire's handling characteristics, though some BRZ owners found the sidewall too soft for their specific suspension geometry.
  • Drivers transitioning from factory run-flat tires on vehicles like the BMW Z4 noted a transformative improvement in ride quality and stability.
  • EV owners noted that the tire handles the high torque and weight of electric vehicles well, though they remain mindful of accelerated tread wear under enthusiastic driving.
Tire B Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is widely regarded as a premier 'bang-for-the-buck' ultra-high-performance summer tire. Users consistently praise its exceptional dry grip, sharp steering response, and aggressive aesthetic, often noting that it performs at a level comparable to significantly more expensive premium tires. While some users report concerns regarding tread life and wet-weather hydroplaning resistance, the general consensus is that it offers an unbeatable value proposition for spirited daily driving.

Pros

  • Exceptional dry traction and cornering grip
  • High value-to-performance ratio compared to premium competitors
  • Aggressive, sporty tread design
  • Responsive steering and predictable handling characteristics
  • Surprisingly quiet and comfortable ride for a performance tire

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear, especially with aggressive driving
  • Reduced hydroplaning resistance in heavy rain or deep standing water
  • Poor performance and potential for flat-spotting in cold temperatures
  • Some reports of sidewall softness or 'mushy' feel under extreme load

Observations

  • Users with high-horsepower RWD vehicles (e.g., Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers) frequently report improved launch traction compared to OEM tires.
  • Drivers of smaller, lightweight sports cars (e.g., Miata, BRZ, Mini) often highlight the tire's ability to transform handling and steering precision.
  • Some users noted that the tire runs slightly narrow for its stated size, leading to less rim protection and a 'stretched' look on wider wheels.
Community buzz

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Continental ExtremeContact Sport

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

Positive

Community opinion on the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is largely positive, praising it as an affordable, high-performing summer tire with great dry grip, impressive wet performance for its price class, and good ride comfort. While some enthusiasts note a slightly softer sidewall response compared to more expensive tier-one options like Michelins, the overwhelming consensus highlights its exceptional value.

r/FiestaST ·22 upvotes ·2018-04-09

“Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 Tire Review After my stock rubber wore down I decided to look into other (cheaper) options for this summer. I landed on getting a set of Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 205/40/17 tires and have been on them for about a week now in both rain and dry. The TLDR of this would be buy these tires! The longer version of it is that these tires to me at least feel much more comfortable than the stock tires both in terms of ride comfort and road noise. On top of that the grip in the wet is impressive to say the least! I got a lot of rain here in Oregon so wet performance was really important to me. On the stock tires I always left my TC on and was careful going around turns especially as the tires wore down further and further. These Indy 500 just keep on gripping in the wet and I haven't had any problems at all. The first day I had them out in the dry I would have sworn my car was actually faster accelerating! Probably because there was less wheel hopping or it simply just grabbed the road better. I haven't tried a launch on them yet but hope to do some auto-crossing and such in the Spring. If you have any questions about these things fire away. Read more”

r/MINI ·20 upvotes ·2025-05-02

“Firehawk Indy 500s As promised, some initial thoughts. These are extremely comfortable. They honestly made it hard to understand how fast I was going because I've come to gauge my speed based on how much I'm being jostled around. I felt almost nothing with these, and there's so much construction on my way to work from the tire place, including a road that hasn't been surfaced properly yet. Perfect testing run for comfort. In terms of performance these bite the road a lot better and it's a lot easier for me to get moving again. Granted, my run flats were almost bald and that's my most recent memory of how they performed, but it's shocking how much I can take a turn or even just accelerate without any risk of sliding or slipping. It feels like a completely different car honestly, and people aren't kidding when they say "just get better tires" on some of these posts asking about mods. It's not as sexy as a new intake, but it makes a much bigger difference. I mean I feel like I was missing out on at least half of my roadster's potential here. So yeah I definitely like them. I don't mean to insult the tire guys' ability to apply tire shine, but I need to redo that disaster when I'm home. I only have detailing spray right now.”

r/Mustang ·7 upvotes ·2025-02-13

“Will I regret buying Firestone Firehawk Indy 500s? I have a stock '21 GT Premium convertible with the black appearance package. It came with the upgraded Pirelli P Zero 255/40-19 tires, but with 35,000 miles, they are really worn, and I need new tires. I live in North Florida. We don't have a lot of cold weather (I missed the snow last month), but I do get a lot of rain. I don't track the car, and mostly drive on country roads and the interstate. The Pirelli's have treated me well as far as traction, dry and wet. I like the aggressive look of the Firehawks, but I am concerned about wet weather traction. Will the Firehawks be at least comparable to the Pirelli's for wet weather and general handling? If not, it sounds like the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 is the way to go. Also, the car is all black, with black rims, and the tires look wimpy. I'm not up for new rims this go-round, and I won't lower it because I like the clearance for potholes, etc., that I see a lot of in my area. I'm hoping the tires will help the look a little bit. Read more”

r/S2000 ·4 upvotes ·2025-06-04

“Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 reviews Hi all! First post here on Reddit for S2K. I have a 2002 with 80k (130 km's) that is 100% stock. I recently purchased some new tires moving from a Potenza RE-71 (rear) Potenza RE760 (front) I bought the Indy 500 Firehawk since a lot of S2K owners say they are an excellent tire, perfect for the S2K with a ton of great qualities. So far I am thinking a little bit of a mixxed bag. The tires are not as responsive as I thought and don't inspire the same level of cornering confidence. The seem a little mushy/soft and my rear end thus far doesn't seem as firmly planted as I would like. Almost kind of wobbly? Alignment is fine, tires are brand new with less than 100 miles on them and tire pressure is factory spec within 1 psi. The DOT code for the tires is late 2024 so brand new. I don't track the car and these days just baby it around town mostly so the tires use should fine for my use. Thanks! Leer más”

Top themes
#Value and Pricing#Dry and Wet Grip#Ride Comfort and Noise#Sidewall Response and Feel#Comparison to Premium Brands

Based on 27 community posts

Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental ExtremeContact Sport B · Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
CategorySummer Max Performance tiresSummer Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—47
Rim diameters—16″ – 20″
Tread depth10/32″9 - 10/32″
UTQG340 AA A340 A A
Treadwear warranty30,000 mi—
SidewallBlack Side WallBlack Side Wall
Max pressure44 - 51 psi50 - 51 psi
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental

Firestone

Winner: Continental ExtremeContact Sport — better snow, wet and comfort. Pick the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 if handling matters most to you.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 87 vs 63 on snow.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 90 vs 84 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 91 vs 85 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 87 vs 81 on treadwear.

Tire A · Continental ExtremeContact Sport
Tire B · Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

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.