75
/ 100
Objective (60%)
70/100
7 professional tests
User signal (40%)
78/100
30 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Continental VikingContact 7 vs General Grabber Arctic — 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
88
/ 100
Objective (60%)
77/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
86/100
17 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: General Grabber Arctic — better dry, handling and treadwear. Pick the Continental VikingContact 7 if noise matters most to you.
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)
Grabber Arctic leads by 30
Why this score
| Source | VikingContact 7 | Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 48 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 87 | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | 92 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 15
Why this score
| Source | VikingContact 7 | Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 77 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 87 | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | 89 | 94 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | VikingContact 7 | Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 85 | 84 |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 95 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | 98 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 100% | 100% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 96% | 89% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) | 99% | 100% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | VikingContact 7 | Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 89 | 100 |
| Tire Rack owners | 89 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 90 |
| SimpleTire owners | 94 | 91 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
VikingContact 7 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | VikingContact 7 | Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | 87 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 17
Why this score
| Source | VikingContact 7 | Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 61 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | 93 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | VikingContact 7 | Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 71 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental VikingContact 7 | General Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 75 | 88 |
| Dry | 59 | 89 |
| Wet | 76 | 91 |
| Snow | 86 | 88 |
| Comfort | 88 | 95 |
| Noise | 84 | 80 |
| Treadwear | 68 | 85 |
| Handling | 71 | 89 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
75
/ 100
Tire A
88
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Braking | Ice | 79% #11/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | -20.9 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/9 · 2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 0 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 96% #4/9 · 2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter Tyre Test | 89% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | +6.6 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 99% #2/9 · 2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | -1.2 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 95% #4/8 · 2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | -5 | Different tests |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 100% #1/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 90% #2/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | +10 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Continental VikingContact 7 is widely regarded as a premium, well-rounded studless winter tire that excels in comfort, noise suppression, and slush performance. While it receives high praise for its predictable handling and stability on cold, dry, or wet pavement, user consensus suggests it may slightly trail dedicated ice-focused competitors like the Bridgestone Blizzak in extreme stopping grip on pure ice.
Pros
- Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Strong performance in slush and deep snow
- Stable and predictable handling at highway speeds
- Excellent dry and wet road manners for a winter tire
Cons
- Mixed reports regarding tread life and longevity
- Noticeable decline in ice-braking performance compared to top-tier ice specialists
- Compound may harden or performance may degrade after multiple seasons
- Potential for reduced traction if driven in warmer, non-winter conditions
Observations
- Users noted that the tire maintains excellent fuel economy and low noise levels even on electric vehicles like the Tesla Model 3 and Mazda MX-30.
- Drivers of rear-wheel-drive sports cars (e.g., Mazda Miata) reported that the tire's soft compound can feel overwhelmed during aggressive acceleration on dry pavement.
- Downsizing to a smaller wheel diameter (e.g., -2 from OE) was successfully used to improve the tire's profile and winter performance on hybrid SUVs.
The General Grabber Arctic is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that offers exceptional traction on snow and ice at a competitive price point. While some users note increased road noise and a slight impact on fuel economy, the consensus highlights its reliability and superior stopping power compared to all-season alternatives.
Pros
- Excellent traction on packed snow, ice, and unplowed surfaces
- Significant improvement in braking performance and vehicle stability
- High value-for-money proposition compared to premium competitors
- Effective performance when studded for heavy-duty or commercial plowing applications
Cons
- Noticeable road noise on dry or wet pavement
- Potential for decreased fuel economy
- Some users desire a more aggressive tread pattern for extreme conditions
Observations
- Heavy-duty truck owners (Chevy 2500, F-150) report significant improvements in winter capability, particularly when used for plowing.
- Users note that the tires can be a tight fit on stock rims for certain full-size trucks, though they maintain a good seal in cold temperatures.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental VikingContact 7 | B · General Grabber Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 18 | 6 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 22″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | 51 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
75
/ 100
Continental
88
/ 100
General
Winner: General Grabber Arctic — better dry, handling and treadwear. Pick the Continental VikingContact 7 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
General Grabber Arctic scores 89 vs 59 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General Grabber Arctic scores 89 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
General Grabber Arctic scores 85 vs 68 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
General Grabber Arctic scores 91 vs 76 on wet.
Tire A · Continental VikingContact 7
Tire B · General Grabber Arctic
More comparisons
Also compared with
Continental VikingContact 7 also compared with
General Grabber Arctic 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.