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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Continental Cross Contact A/T vs Sumitomo Encounter AT — Compared (May 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 Cross Contact A/T

All Season All Terrain and Off Road tires

Continental Cross Contact A/T tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
84/100
37 owner reviews
Dry
91
Wet
87
Snow
70
Comfort
88
Noise
92
Treadwear
86
Handling
73
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Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Sumitomo

Sumitomo Encounter AT

Sumitomo Encounter AT tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
82/100
Owner ratings
Dry
88
Wet
88
Snow
85
Comfort
86
Noise
86
Treadwear
79
Handling
85
Check price on Amazon

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictToo close to call: Continental Cross Contact A/T and Sumitomo Encounter AT are within 2 points overall. Continental Cross Contact A/T is stronger on treadwear, noise and dry. Sumitomo Encounter AT is stronger on snow and handling.
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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) Cross Contact A/T leads by 3
A
91
B
88
Why this score
SourceCross Contact A/TEncounter AT
Tyre Reviews owners 81 –
SimpleTire owners – 98

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Encounter AT leads by 1
A
87
B
88
Why this score
SourceCross Contact A/TEncounter AT
Tyre Reviews owners 70 –
SimpleTire owners – 95

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Encounter AT leads by 15
A
70
B
85
Why this score
SourceCross Contact A/TEncounter AT
Tyre Reviews owners 40 –
SimpleTire owners – 90

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Cross Contact A/T leads by 2
A
88
B
86
Why this score
SourceCross Contact A/TEncounter AT
Tyre Reviews owners 75 –
SimpleTire owners – 92

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Cross Contact A/T leads by 6
A
92
B
86
Why this score
SourceCross Contact A/TEncounter AT
SimpleTire owners – 89

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Cross Contact A/T leads by 7
A
86
B
79
Why this score
SourceCross Contact A/TEncounter AT
Tyre Reviews owners 79 –
SimpleTire owners – 89

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Encounter AT leads by 12
A
73
B
85
Why this score
SourceCross Contact A/TEncounter AT
Tyre Reviews owners 73 –

Scores at a glance

CategoryContinental Cross Contact A/TSumitomo Encounter AT
Relative Score 84 85
Dry 91 88
Wet 87 88
Snow 70 85
Comfort 88 86
Noise 92 86
Treadwear 86 79
Handling 73 85

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.

Neutral
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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 Cross Contact A/T

The Continental Cross Contact A/T is widely regarded as a highly capable, road-biased all-terrain tire that excels in comfort, low noise levels, and longevity for daily driving. While it performs reliably in mild off-road conditions and wet weather, users note it lacks the aggressive traction required for deep mud or severe ice, and some report concerns regarding sidewall durability in harsh off-road environments.

Pros

  • Exceptional ride comfort and low road noise levels
  • Impressive tread life and longevity for many users
  • Strong performance in dry and wet on-road conditions
  • Reliable handling for towing and heavy-duty highway use

Cons

  • Limited traction in deep mud and icy conditions
  • Reports of thin or vulnerable sidewalls in rugged terrain
  • Potential for a noticeable decrease in fuel economy
  • Tendency to trap and throw stones in the tread pattern

Observations

  • Land Rover Defender owners report polarized experiences, with some praising high mileage and others citing rapid wear and sidewall punctures.
  • Subaru Forester users appreciate the tire as a 'set-and-forget' solution for year-round use, though they note a slight 'thumping' sensation when cold.
  • Heavy-duty truck owners (F-250/Titan) report excellent towing stability but note significant drops in MPG compared to highway-terrain alternatives.
Tire B Sumitomo Encounter AT

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental Cross Contact A/T B · Sumitomo Encounter AT
CategoryAll Season All Terrain and Off Road tires—
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4—
Sizes available—15
Rim diameters—16″ – 20″
Tread depth—13/32″
UTQG—660 A B
Treadwear warranty—60,000 mi
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental

Sumitomo

Too close to call: Continental Cross Contact A/T and Sumitomo Encounter AT are within 2 points overall. Continental Cross Contact A/T is stronger on treadwear, noise and dry. Sumitomo Encounter AT is stronger on snow and handling.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Sumitomo Encounter AT scores 85 vs 70 on snow.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Sumitomo Encounter AT scores 85 vs 73 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Continental Cross Contact A/T scores 86 vs 79 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental Cross Contact A/T scores 92 vs 86 on noise.

Tire A · Continental Cross Contact A/T
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Sumitomo Encounter AT
Check price on Amazon

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.