Winter tire Winter Premium Touring tires Updated September 2026
Continental IceContact 3 review
The Continental IceContact 3 is highly regarded for its exceptional traction on packed snow and ice, offering a confidence-inspiring driving experience in severe winter conditions. While performance is competitive with top-tier rivals, some users have noted concerns regarding the long-term durability of the studs under regular highway use.
Relative score
74/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
76/100
3 reviews
Road tests
79/100
13 published tests
Scores
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
By owner reviews
76%
Would buy again
70%
Dry
Wet
Snow & ice
Comfort
Treadwear
Handling
By road tests
79.3%By discipline (% of best in test)
From owners
What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 3 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Continental IceContact 3 is highly regarded for its exceptional traction on packed snow and ice, offering a confidence-inspiring driving experience in severe winter conditions. While performance is competitive with top-tier rivals, some users have noted concerns regarding the long-term durability of the studs under regular highway use.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and braking performance on packed snow and ice
- Predictable handling in severe winter conditions
- Strong performance on lake ice tracks
- Good tread longevity for the rubber compound itself
Cons
- Premature stud wear or loss reported after moderate mileage
- Potential for reduced stability in deeper snow (4-5 cm) depending on tire width
- Unpredictable handling characteristics when paired with certain electronic stability control systems
Worth knowing
- Users noted that wider tire profiles may struggle to maintain contact with the road surface in deeper snow conditions.
- Performance is highly effective in coastal, mild-to-severe winter climates like Northern Norway.
Test results
13 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter tire Test · 235/45 R18
15th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2025 Friction and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
9th of 14
Best: Wet Handling · 8th
Weakest: Ice Braking · 14th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 9th of 14 | |
| Wet Handling | 8th of 14 | |
| Dry Braking | 8th of 14 | |
| Snow Braking | 8th of 14 | |
| Snow Traction | 10th of 14 | |
| Ice Braking | 14th of 14 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 10th of 14 | |
| Subj. Wet Handling | 10th of 14 | |
| Ice Traction | 14th of 14 | |
| Subj. Noise | 13th of 14 |
The BEST Studded tires for 2025 · 235/60 R18
3rd of 8
Best: Snow Traction · 1st
Weakest: Straight Aqua · 6th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 6th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 4th of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 1st of 8 |
2024 Studded tire Test · 225/45 R17
5th of 8
Best: Wet Handling · 1st
Weakest: Fuel Consumption · 8th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 4th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 5th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 6th of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 8th of 8 |
The Best Studded / Friction Winter tires for 2024 · 225/50 R17
16th of 17
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2023 Studded tire Test · 225/45 R17
5th of 8
Best: Wet Handling · 1st
Weakest: Straight Aqua · 7th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 4th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 4th of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 5th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 1st of 8 | |
| Noise | 1st of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 7th of 8 |
2022 Studded Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18
5th of 8
Best: Noise · 2nd
Weakest: Dry Braking · 8th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 8th of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 5th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 6th of 8 | |
| Price | 6th of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 4th of 8 |
2021 Nordic Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
5th of 8
Best: Wet Handling · 2nd
Weakest: Snow Traction · 7th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 7th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 7th of 8 | |
| Noise | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 6th of 8 |
2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
11th of 16
Best: Wet Handling · 4th
Weakest: Subj. Noise · 15th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 4th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 7th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 7th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 9th of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 11th of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 6th of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 7th of 16 | |
| Ice Traction | 5th of 16 | |
| Subj. Noise | 15th of 16 | |
| Price | 13th of 16 |
2020 Studded Winter tire Test · 205/60 R16
2nd of 8
Best: Wet Handling · 2nd
Weakest: Subj. Dry Handling · 5th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 3rd of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 4th of 8 | |
| Subj. Noise | 2nd of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 3rd of 8 |
The Best Winter tires for 2020 · 205/55 R16
7th of 19
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2020 Nordic and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
2nd of 20
Best: Snow Traction · 2nd
Weakest: Subj. Noise · 14th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 3rd of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 11th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 6th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 3rd of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 2nd of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 6th of 20 | |
| Ice Braking | 3rd of 20 | |
| Ice Handling | 4th of 20 | |
| Ice Traction | 3rd of 20 | |
| Subj. Noise | 14th of 20 |
2019 Studded Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
1st of 8
Best: Wet Braking · 1st
Weakest: Subj. Dry Handling · 7th
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 1st of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Braking | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Ice Braking | 1st of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 7th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 1st of 8 |
Head-to-head