Continental VikingContact 7 review
Continental VikingContact 7 is a directional winter tire with a studless tread, created by German developers for use in rough conditions of northern countries.
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
77.5%By road tests
70.5%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 30 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
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
Worth knowing
- 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.
9 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
The Best Studded / Friction Winter tires for 2024 · 225/50 R17
7th of 17
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2023 Studless Friction Winter tire Test · 225/45 R17
1st of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 3rd of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 3rd of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Noise | 3rd of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 3rd of 8 | |
| Fuel Consumption | 4th of 8 |
2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter tire Test · 235/55 R18
3rd of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 6th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 2nd of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Noise | 8th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 4th of 8 | |
| Price | 5th of 8 |
2022/23 Tyre Reviews Studless Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
1st of 9
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 2nd of 9 | |
| Dry Handling | 2nd of 9 | |
| Snow Traction | 2nd of 9 | |
| Snow Handling | 4th of 9 | |
| Ice Handling | 1st of 9 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 9 | |
| Straight Aqua | 7th of 9 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 4th of 9 | |
| Noise | 1st of 9 | |
| Ice Traction | 3rd of 9 | |
| Snow Circle | 6th of 9 |
2021 Studless and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
2nd of 16
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 6th of 16 | |
| Wet Handling | 11th of 16 | |
| Dry Braking | 13th of 16 | |
| Snow Braking | 5th of 16 | |
| Snow Traction | 5th of 16 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 16 | |
| Ice Braking | 11th of 16 | |
| Ice Handling | 10th of 16 | |
| Ice Traction | 10th of 16 | |
| Subj. Noise | 1st of 16 | |
| Price | 12th of 16 |
2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter tire Test · 205/60 R16
1st of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Handling | 5th of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 4th of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 4th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 3rd of 8 | |
| Subj. Noise | 1st of 8 | |
| Price | 8th of 8 |
The Best Winter tires for 2020 · 205/55 R16
4th of 19
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|
2020 Nordic and Studded Winter tire Test · 205/55 R16
6th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 13th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 6th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 12th of 20 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 20 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 20 | |
| Snow Handling | 1st of 20 | |
| Ice Braking | 9th of 20 | |
| Ice Handling | 7th of 20 | |
| Ice Traction | 9th of 20 | |
| Subj. Noise | 3rd of 20 |
2019 Studded Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17
3rd of 8
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 5th of 8 | |
| Wet Handling | 8th of 8 | |
| Dry Braking | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Braking | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Traction | 1st of 8 | |
| Snow Handling | 2nd of 8 | |
| Ice Braking | 4th of 8 | |
| Ice Handling | 1st of 8 | |
| Straight Aqua | 8th of 8 | |
| Subj. Dry Handling | 6th of 8 | |
| Ice Traction | 7th of 8 |
About the Continental VikingContact 7
They are notable for their reliable grip on icy and snowy roads, as well as steering stability and braking efficiency on wet snow and wet asphalt. New for the 2018/2019 winter season.
Better performance
Friction tires for Scandinavian winters Continental VikingContact 7 came to replace the model Continental VikingContact 6, in comparison with which they received a number of improvements in terms of stability on snow and wet surface. The manufacturer claims that aquaplaning resistance of the new Viking has been improved by 7%, the length of braking distance in wet conditions was reduced by 6%, while controllability on ice and soft snow increased by 4%. In addition, handling on snow and dry roads showed a 2% improvement while rolling resistance was reduced by 3%.
Optimized tread design
Working on creation of Continental Viking Contact 7 developers abandoned optimization of asymmetric tread pattern of its predecessor and endowed the model with a new directional design. A grid of deep draining grooves ensures fast dispersion of melted snow and water in the contact zone and helps to improve the safety of these tires on wet and snow-covered roads.
To increase the stiffness of the soft tread, which is vital for the tire's precision and responsiveness to steering turns, the tread blocks are linked together by special "bridges", which improve grip stability when cornering and changing lanes.
Driving on ice and snow
When driving the Continental VikingContact 7 on ice and snow, 3D sipes come into play. These not only increase the edge effect but also create snow pockets that, when filled with snow, provide additional traction resulting from snow to snow friction.
On ice, the sharp edges of the three-dimensional blades create an effect similar to the action of antiskid spikes. By grappling with the top layer of ice, they increase acceleration and help shorten braking distances.
To enhance the tire's "sticking" to winter coatings, German engineers provided the presence of two types of blades - V-shaped in the center and U-shaped in the shoulder areas.
Innovative rubber ingredients
In addition to silicic acid (silica) the composition of VikingContact 7 rubber compound includes rapeseed oil. This ensures good low-temperature elasticity of the tread, allowing the tire to hold a firm grip in all weather conditions of northern winters.
The Continental VikingContact 7 is the perfect all-rounder for northern winters.
Continental VikingContact 7 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi |
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