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Continental Sport Contact 5 View Gallery (1)
195-315/35-65 R17-22 277 sizes

Continental Sport Contact 5

Previous Continental Tires Max Performance Summer Next

The Continental Sport Contact 5 is a premium max-performance summer tire that still feels highly capable and confidence-inspiring on the road. It's repeatedly praised for strong dry grip, sharp steering response and excellent wet-weather security, with professional tests historically rating it among the very best for braking and handling. The big compromise is longevity: many drivers report rapid wear, which can make it hard to justify on value if you do high mileage.

8.9
Tire Reviews Score Based on Professional Tests & User Reviews
High Confidence View Breakdown
Dry Grip
86%
Wet Grip
82%
Road Feedback
79%
Handling
76%
Wear
51%
Comfort
73%
Buy again
54%
224 Reviews
71% Average
2,732,460 miles driven
26 Tests (avg: 3rd)
Continental Sport Contact 5

Continental Sport Contact 5

Summer Premium
BETA
8.9 / 10
Based on Professional Tests & User Reviews · High Confidence · Updated 23 Feb 2026

The Tire Reviews Score is the most comprehensive tire scoring system available. It aggregates professional test data from multiple independent publications, user reviews, and consistency analysis using Bayesian statistical methods, weighted normalisation, and recency-adjusted scoring to produce a single, reliable performance rating.

Learn more about our methodology
Category Scores
Value
89.7
0.42x / 2 tests
Wet
82.3
2x / 8 tests
Dry
75.7
1.8x / 6 tests
Comfort
54.9
0.32x / 3 tests
Cross-Category Performance

Cross-category scores are derived metrics that combine data from multiple test disciplines to evaluate real-world performance characteristics.

Braking
81.4
6 tests
Handling
75.6
6 tests
Score Components
Professional Tests
Weight: 80%
Tests: 26
Publications: 11
Period: 2012 - 2020
User Reviews
Weight: 15%
Reviews: 224
Avg Rating: 71.5%
Min Required: 5
Consistency
Weight: 5%
Score Std Dev: 0.37
History Points: 10
Methodology & Configuration
Scoring Process
  1. Collect Test Data: Gather results from professional tire tests across multiple publications. Minimum 1 test(s) required.
  2. Normalize Positions: Convert test positions to percentile scores using exponential weighting (factor: 1.2).
  3. Apply Recency Weighting: More recent tests are weighted higher with a decay rate of 0.95.
  4. Incorporate User Reviews: Factor in user review data (minimum 5 reviews). Weight: 15%.
  5. Bayesian Smoothing: Apply Bayesian prior (score: 7, weight: 1.5) to prevent extreme scores with limited data.
  6. Calculate Final Score: Combine all components using normalization factor of 1.1. Max score with limited data: 9.5.
Component Weights
Test Data
80%
User Reviews
15%
Consistency
5%
All Configuration Parameters
ParameterValueDescription
safety_weight 0.7 Weight multiplier for safety-related metrics
performance_weight 0.55 Weight multiplier for performance metrics
comfort_weight 0.4 Weight multiplier for comfort metrics
value_weight 0.45 Weight multiplier for value-for-money metrics
user_reviews_weight 0.15 How much user reviews contribute to the final score
test_data_weight 0.8 How much professional test data contributes to the final score
consistency_weight 0.05 How much score consistency contributes to the final score
recency_decay_rate 0.95 Rate at which older test results lose influence (higher = slower decay)
min_test_count 1 Minimum number of professional tests required
min_review_count 5 Minimum number of user reviews required
score_version 1.9 Current version of the scoring algorithm
score_normalization_factor 1.1 Factor used to normalize raw scores to the 0-10 scale
confidence_factor_weight 0.2 How much data confidence affects the final score
position_penalty_weight 0.2 Penalty applied for poor test positions
gap_penalty_threshold 12 Score gap (%) that triggers additional penalties
min_metrics_count 2 Minimum number of test metrics needed per test
limited_data_threshold 2 Number of tests below which data is considered limited
single_test_penalty 0.75 Score multiplier when only one test is available
critical_metric_penalty 0.7 Penalty for poor performance on critical safety metrics
critical_metric_threshold 70 Score below which a critical metric penalty applies
position_exponential_factor 1.2 Exponent used to amplify position-based scoring
position_exponential_threshold 0.9 Position percentile below which exponential scoring applies
gap_multiplier_critical 3 Multiplier for critical gap penalties
max_category_weight 2 Maximum weight any single category can have
max_score_limited_data 9.5 Score cap when data is limited
bayesian_prior_weight 1.5 Weight of the Bayesian prior in smoothing
bayesian_prior_score 7 Prior score used for Bayesian smoothing
evidence_test_multiplier 1.9 Multiplier for test evidence in confidence calculation
evidence_metric_divisor 3 Divisor for metric count in evidence calculation
evidence_review_divisor 10 Divisor for review count in evidence calculation
combined_penalty_floor 0.2
Data Sources
TestPublicationDateSizePositionMetrics
2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tire Test Tire Reviews 2020 215/50 R18 2/8 9 metrics
2017 Auto Bild UHP Tire Test Auto Bild Sportscars 2017 245/40 R18 8/9 6 metrics
2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test Sport Auto 2017 225/40 R18 4/10 4 metrics
2016 Auto Express Summer Tire Test Auto Express 2016 225/40 R18 3/9 0 metrics
2016 Test World Performance Tire Test Test World 2016 225/40 R18 1/13 0 metrics
2016 GTU Performance Summer Tire Test 2016 225/45 R17 1/14 0 metrics
2016 ADAC Tire Test - 225/45 R17 ADAC 2016 225/45 R17 1/16 0 metrics
2015 EVO Magazine Performance Tire Test EVO 2015 225/40 R18 1/10 0 metrics
2015 Auto Express Tire Test Auto Express 2015 225/45 R17 1/11 0 metrics
2015 Auto Review Summer Tire Test 2015 225/45 R17 1/9 0 metrics
2015 AMS Performance Tire Test Auto Motor Und Sport 2015 225/50 R17 1/9 0 metrics
2015 AZ 225/40 R18 Summer Tire Test Auto Zeitung 2015 225/40 R18 3/14 0 metrics
2014 EVO Max Performance Summer Tire Test EVO 2014 225/45 R17 1/10 0 metrics
2014 Auto Zeitung Summer Tire Test Auto Zeitung 2014 225/50 R17 1/12 0 metrics
2014 ACE Summer Tire Test ACE 2014 225/45 R17 1/11 0 metrics
2014 Auto Bild Top 15 Summer Tire Test Auto Bild 2014 225/50 R17 3/15 0 metrics
2014 Auto Bild 50 Summer Tire Shootout Auto Bild 2014 225/50 R17 4/50 0 metrics
2013 Auto Express Summer Tire Test Auto Express 2013 225/45 R17 1/10 0 metrics
2013 Auto Review Performance Summer Tire Test 2013 225/45 R17 3/9 0 metrics
2013 Sport Auto Max Performance Summer Tire Test Sport Auto 2013 225/40 R18 4/10 0 metrics
2013 Auto Bild Performance Summer Tire Test Auto Bild 2013 225/35 R18 1/8 0 metrics
2013 European Summer Sports Tire Test ADAC 2013 225/45 R17 1/18 0 metrics
2012 EVO Summer Tire Test EVO 2012 225/45 R17 4/10 0 metrics
2012 Auto Bild Max Performance Tire Test Auto Bild 2012 225/45 R17 6/15 0 metrics
2012 Subjective Shootout - Battle of the heavyweights 2012 245/40 R18 2/2 0 metrics
2012 Autobild 50 Tire Braking Test Auto Bild 2012 225/45 R17 6/45 0 metrics
All Tests
View Test Results
26
Tests
3rd
Average
1st
Best
8th
Worst
Latest Tire Test Results
2020 Gute Fahrt SUV Summer Tire Test
215/50 R18 • 2020
2nd/8
No real weaknesses in the dry or wet handling or braking.
Average aquaplaning resistance, average comfort levels.
Very good - Continental win more tests than any other brand in Europe, and this was apparent with the excellent SportContact 5 even though it has now been replaced by the newer PremiumContact 6.
2017 Auto Bild UHP Tire Test
245/40 R18 • 2017
8th/9
Good resistance to aquaplaning, low rolling resistance, good levels of comfort
Average braking, slow steering, low stability on wet roads
Average
2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test
225/40 R18 • 2017
4th/10
Excellent in the wet, high resistance to aquaplaning, short braking and good handling in the dry
Poor comfort, high noise
Recommended
View Test Results
Size Fuel Wet Noise
17 inch
225/45 R 17 91 W C B 71
225/45 R 17 91 W D B 71
225/45 R 17 91 Y D B 71
205/50 R 17 89 V C A 71
225/45 R 17 91 V C B 71
225/45 R 17 91 Y C B 71
225/50 R 17 94 W D A 71
225/50 R 17 98 Y XL C A 72
215/45 R 17 91 W XL C A 72
215/45 R 17 91 W XL C A 72
225/50 R 17 94 W C B 71
225/50 R 17 94 Y C A 71
225/50 R 17 94 W B B 71
225/45R17 91 Y C B 71
225/50R17 94 W C A 71
225/50R17 94 Y C A 71
225/50R17 98 Y XL C A 72
225/45R17 91 Y C B 71
18 inch
225/40 R 18 92 Y XL C B 72
235/60 R 18 103 W C A 71
255/35 R 18 94 Y XL D B 73
245/45 R 18 96 Y D A 71
245/40 R 18 97 Y XL C A 72
225/40 R 18 92 Y XL D A 72
245/40 R 18 93 Y C A 71
245/45 R 18 96 W C A 71
245/45 R 18 96 W C A 71
245/40 R 18 97 Y XL D A 72
235/60 R 18 103 V C B 71
225/40 R 18 92 Y XL D B 72
245/45 R 18 100 W XL C B 72
235/60 R 18 103 V C B 71
245/45 R 18 96 W D A 71
245/40 R 18 93 Y D A 71
235/60 R 18 103 V C B 71
225/40 R 18 92 W XL C B 72
235/60 R 18 103 H C A 71
245/45 R 18 96 W D A 71
225/40R18 92 Y XL C B 72
235/60R18 103 W C A 71
235/60R18 103 H C A 71
245/40R18 93 Y C A 71
245/45R18 96 W C A 71
245/45R18 96 W C A 71
245/40R18 97 Y XL D A 72
20 inch
255/45 R 20 101 W C A 72
255/45 R 20 101 W D A 72
255/45R20 101 W C A 72
View All Sizes and EU Label Scores for the Continental Sport Contact 5 >>

Questions and Answers for the Continental Sport Contact 5

Ask a question
April 22, 2016

What is difference between Continental SC-5 and SC-5 XL? I drive BMW F10 528i.

The XL denotes eXtra Load. The Sport Contact 5 XL will be a higher load rating than the non-XL tire and designed to carry extra loads at higher tire pressures.
May 11, 2016

With run-flats, not necessary for a spare. If intending to change to non run-flats, does that mean I would require 5 wheels/tires? If so, no location for the spare wheel.

When switching from runflat tires (in the case of Continental the SSR range) to non runflats, it is a good idea to get a space saver wheel for your boot. An alternative option is a compressor and tire "slime", but these only temporarily fix very small punctures so aren't applicable in every deflation scenario.
October 21, 2016

Is it safe to mix Continental Sport Contact 5 M0 and Continental SportContact5 on the front wheels of my Mercedes C220 cdi? Are they compatible?

While it is safe, it is not advised. Tires should always be matching pairs across the axle, and there could be modifications to the structure or compound of the MO version of the Sport Contact 5.
October 20, 2016

Is there a difference between Continental SportContact5 and Sport Contact 5 M0

The MO version of the Sport Contact 5 has been specifically tweaked for Mercedes.
July 2, 2022

Hello! I’ve just bought an audi q3 40 tfsi quattro stronic with black line trim (sport suspension) with 40.000km and 3 years. Front tires are hankook ventus s1 evo3 XL AO (coming from factory-3 years old) and rear tires are continental sport contact 5 XL AO (new). With this configuration, ride is top notch with good roads but if it is in worse condition, suspension is too harsh and road noise is too high. What change do you advice me to do in front tires to have more confort and less noise? Maybe goodyear? Is true thar there is no problem with quattro traction in changing tires of only one axle? Thanks in advance!!!

You didn't mention what wheel size you have but the SportContact 5 is a reasonably comfortable UHP tire so it's unlikely you'll see a huge improvement in comfort without changing wheel sizes.
December 23, 2022

Is the sport contact 5 have good grip for the dessert sand?

As a summer tire it's unlikely the Sportcontact 5 will offer any meaningful grip on sand.
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Review Summary

Based on 194 user reviews

Drivers generally describe the Continental Sport Contact 5 as a confidence-inspiring UHP tire with strong dry handling and braking, and frequently praised wet-road grip/aquaplaning resistance when new or with adequate tread. Steering response and feedback are commonly rated as sharp and sporty, with many owners enjoying the “on rails” feel. The dominant complaint is very rapid wear (often 6k-15k miles/10k-25k km on fronts for heavier or driven-hard cars), which also makes the tire poor value for many; road noise and a firmer/harsh ride (sometimes worsening as the tire wears) are the other recurring downsides.

Strengths
  • Strong dry grip and cornering stability
  • Very good wet grip and confidence in rain
  • Good resistance to aquaplaning/standing water (when tread is healthy)
  • Responsive steering and good feedback/handling precision
  • Strong braking performance
Areas for Improvement
  • Very fast tread wear/short mileage (especially on front axle/heavier cars)
  • Road noise (often increases as the tire wears
  • Especially on coarse/concrete surfaces)
  • Firm/harsh ride or reduced comfort (more noticeable on low-profile fitments)
  • Soft sidewalls leading to tramlining/uneven wear or vulnerability to pothole/kerb damage
  • Performance can drop notably as tread gets low (especially wet grip) and in colder temperatures

Top 3 Continental Sport Contact 5 Reviews

Given 54% while driving a Audi A5 2.0TFSI Quattro (265/30 R20) on a combination of roads for 18,000 average miles
I had them on my 2023 Audi A5 45 TFSI Quattro, but i didn't like them!
The wear was awful and they were pretty noisy compared to the SportContact7.
Also, the grip wasn't that great in dry conditions and i had an insecure feeling at the wheel!
Helpful 882
March 19, 2025
Given 53% while driving a Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TDi R Line Estate (235/45 R18) on mostly town for 120,000 easy going miles
I had these tire on my two cars
VWPassat B7 1.6D sedan and Passat B8 estate, they performed well on the B7, on the B8 they lasted 11 months or around 12k miles, after had to replace the front set, as worn out
Helpful 856
October 5, 2024
Given 80% while driving a Skoda Koadiaq RS (235/45 R20) on a combination of roads for 10,000 spirited miles
Have had them as standard fitment on my Kodiaq vRS. Owned a diesel for 4 years which I traded in for a petrol vRS. On the diesel which is heavier by I guess 65 kgs (at the front), the tires lasted abt 26k kms and were down to 3mm. No track usage but driven spiritedly whenever possible. The grip is great, the breaking and feedback is great in both dry and wet. Inspires a lot of confidence to drive quick. Past the 4mm mark, the wet grip/handling starts getting compromised but can be fun aswell - the tail steps out easier. On the petrol too, the tires have the same characteristics. Have used them on track. Down to 5mm now after 16k kms. I did feel the wear is on higher side but given the other characteristics, its an even trade-off. Cannot comment how it compares to other high performance tires. Will probably try something else like Pilot Sport just to know the difference once the current set wears off.
Helpful 805
October 25, 2024

How would you rate the Continental Sport Contact 5?

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Latest Continental Sport Contact 5 Reviews

Initial Impressions Review
Given 87% while driving a Renault Megane 4 GT TcE 205 (225/45 R18) on for 103,000 miles
I have Megane GT. Use Sport Contact 5 from inicial buy of the car. Always secure in dry ir wet conditions, but wear is short... Never less... Still use the same. Very good tires
Helpful 30
March 26, 2026
Initial Impressions Review
Given 80% while driving a Suzuki Swift Sport 1.4 ZC33S (195/45 R17) on for 18,750 miles
Used up my first set and now on my second set.
Due to the cars relatively uncommon tire sizing, 195/45R17, these are both OEM and best aftermarket fits for the car.
Surprisingly long lasting on a lightweight car, some more pronounced aquaplaning, but all in all a very good sporty road tire.
Helpful 23
March 16, 2026
Initial Impressions Review
Given 63% while driving a Land Rover Discovery 3 (255/55 R19) on for 11,500 miles
I found the tire a little noisy compared with the last brand, I was very disappointed with the wear on these tires, 11500 miles (18000 km) on exactly the same road surface as my last set of tires of which I had 26,000k the continental is not a cheap tire, it was recommended by Norauto in Lugo, Spain.
It is not a tire i would recommend after this use, I am a careful driver 70 years of age, the vehicle has never been off road and it is used as my daily commute i do not exceed speed limits.
Helpful 88
February 7, 2026
Given 77% while driving a Suzuki Swift Sport 1.4 ZC33S (195/45 R17) on mostly town for 30,000 spirited miles
Very good sporty tire, with decent life span and consistent performance and behavior.

Strengths: Direct steering, brake distance, both hot and cold, handling, responsiveness to inputs. For the tire type, decent level of noise and vibration. Long lasting ~ 25 000km.
Weaknesses: Can be easily overwhelmed on acceleration, on wet roads, some snap loss of grip on bad pavement, tendency to track tarmac irregularities. Sidewall easily damaged on potholes and curbs.

On my second set now.
Helpful 163
December 14, 2025
Given 77% while driving a Volkswagen Polo GTI (215/40 R18) on a combination of roads for 12,000 average miles
The tire grips very well on bends, and the car handles very stiffly. Grip on dry surfaces is very good, and slightly worse on wet surfaces.
Tire wear is quite low; after 20,000 km, the tread is about 5 mm thick, which is probably due to the weight of the car.
Helpful 175
December 2, 2025
Given 84% while driving a Mercedes Benz C180K Avantgarde (225/45 R17) on mostly motorways for 20 easy going miles
On the C-Class W204 with 185 hp, this is a very good tire. It's particularly direct when steering and provides a good, safe driving feel, even at higher speeds. You get the feeling the car is glued to the road. The car handles like it's on rails. There are more comfortable tires, but few that offer such a pleasant driving experience. They are a perfect match for this car.
Helpful 205
November 20, 2025
Given 83% while driving a MG ZT 135 CDTi (225/45 R18) on mostly motorways for 22,000 average miles
I used these for 22k miles on the front of my car in all weathers. Grip is excellent in all conditions. They were noticeably quieter than the Michelin tires they replaced too. The only fault I can find is that they wore out far short of what I would expect and see from other brands. The treadwear rating is very low.
Helpful 809
January 29, 2024
Given 43% while driving a Kia Motors Optima (235/45 R18) on mostly motorways for 10,000 easy going miles
These things will go empty your wallet like an addiction to flying a private jet.

We had pirelli tires, they lasted about 32000miles. These tires which are premium allegedly have lasted 12 months and 11000 miles.

They are not fitted to a drift car, but a kia diesel estate driven to work and back. Not used like a track car obviously.

Also they handling is nowhere near comparable to the pirelli

A genuine disgrace the length of time they have lasted.
Helpful 889
January 24, 2024
Given 66% while driving a Suzuki Swift Sport 1.4 ZC33S (195/45 R17) on mostly town for 6,500 spirited miles
Not the best tires to start on a Suzuki Swift Sport. (Zc33s)

Continental in this case really disappointed me with these tires on this car.

I used them mostly on town road, and sometimes on some mountain passes.

The handling was really good in dry conditions and they were a lot comfortable.
In wet conditions the tires didn't handle very well, in specific on roundabouts and some turns, they tend to understeer on wet conditions.

I also had a turn on track (Modena Circuit) and the tires are ready to dump.

Now I have Toyos Tr1 and they are much better (on 16 rims)

Totally a NOT buy.
Specially for the non-economic price.
Helpful 942
November 30, 2023
Given 89% while driving a Saab Automobile 93 Aero TTid Sportwagon (180) (235/45 R18) on mostly motorways for 20 spirited miles
Have used Conti Sp Contact 5's since I've had my Saab 10 years, I do mostly motorway miles, but I do drive both A and B roads. I'm a very enthusiastic driver who on occasions will go into a bend faster than you should, I'm still here because the car and tire combination is great especially in the wet, on motorways I pity people who get too close as amount of water displaced by tires is great, I change tires about every 16 months, or 15 - 18000 miles. I feel very confident using these tires, I have used other brands but these give me great confidence in any road/weather combination. I suppose tire choice is like car choice, you either love or hate them.
Helpful 838
November 12, 2023
Given 76% while driving a Mercedes Benz A210 (205/40 R17) on a combination of roads for 15,000 average miles
Gives confidence at speed and in the wet. Copes well with urban potholes. One of the best low profile tires for this vehicle in this less common size. Deals well with higher power outputs - the grip only drops off once the tread depth reaches the wear markers. Wears very evenly.
Helpful 856
March 2, 2023
Given 59% while driving a Mercedes Benz E350 (275/35 R20) on a combination of roads for 12,000 average miles
Both rear tires changed to Continental Sport Contact 5 in May 2021. Tread under 3mm by September 2022, only 12,000 miles. Premium brand that does not last. Never had a set of tires wear so quickly.
Helpful 942
September 15, 2022
Rate the Continental Sport Contact 5