Continental PremiumContact 7 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5: Continental and Michelin are two of the most prominent tire manufacturers in the world, known for their quality products and innovative technologies. In this article, we will compare two of their latest products – the Continental PremiumContact 7 and the Michelin Pilot Sport 5. Both tires are designed for high-performance vehicles and offer exceptional grip, handling, and comfort.
We have seen from the previous duel how well the predecessor of PremiumContact 7 which is the PremiumContact 6 performed against the Pilot Sport 5 as Michelin dominated in wet handling & comfort while Continental was a beast in wet handling & dry handling. Continuing the battle, we will place the latest PremiumContact 7 vs Pilot Sport 5 head to head to see who will win this duel !
Table of Contents
New Feature Highlights:
Continental PremiumContact 7: RedChili
Continental’s PremiumContact 7 tire features a new RedChili compound that allows for optimal performance across a wide temperature range. This innovative compound enables the tire to achieve high grip even at low temperatures, without requiring a warm-up phase, making it ideal for use in transitional seasons like spring and fall. The compound is a mix of natural rubber and synthetic components, each of which requires a specific temperature to achieve optimum performance. By selecting and composing the materials in a targeted manner, Continental has been able to develop a tire that performs optimally across a broad temperature range.
Continental PremiumContact 7: Adaptive tread design
The PremiumContact 7 tire’s adaptive tread design enhances stability and ride comfort on both wet and dry roads. Wide lateral openings in the outer areas of the tread pattern allow for optimal drainage when driving straight ahead, while the ground contact surface shifts outward and the lateral openings close again during cornering, providing more rubber and better grip on the road. This design resolves the tradeoff between optimal water removal and perfect dry handling, resulting in excellent driving stability during braking, cornering, and accelerating on wet surfaces.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5: Enhanced spirited driving that lasts for more miles
The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tire offers a thrilling and responsive driving experience with high performance and increased longevity. It provides optimum responsiveness of steering instructions to the road with the use of Michelin Dynamic Response Technology. The MaxTouch Construction evenly distributes the forces of acceleration, braking, and cornering, providing a longer tread life and allowing for extended periods of high-performance driving.
Michelin Pilot Sport 5: Command the road confidently with long-lasting tire grip
The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tire provides maximum grip and reliable wet and dry braking, allowing drivers to confidently command the road. The Dual Sport Tread Design features an internal side with large longitudinal grooves that flush water away for better wet road traction, as well as an external side with rigid blocks for improved grip on dry roads. With this tire, drivers can enjoy a fun and confident driving experience.
Results
Results below were taken from the 2023 AutoBild Summer Test while includes an amazing 50 tires from its preliminary braking rounds. Only 20 tires made it through to the final round and a full detail evaluation was completed with these 20 tires. The wet & dry handling performances are evaluated objectively using the average lap speed rather than the preferred subjective ratings.
The graph above shows the comparison between Continental PremiumContact 7 vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 based on the relevant performance category. The PremiumContact 7 was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark. The tire size of interest is 225/45 R18 which is a common tire size for Mercedes-Benz C 200 and Kia Stinger . You can check out our latest tire size table for more information.
Wet
Safety has always been the main theme when it comes to the need for wet performances. In wet conditions, both the Continental PremiumContact 7 and the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 offer excellent braking performance. With both tires being labeled “A” in terms of EU wet label rating, the only way to differentiate their wet braking capabilities is through a test. Based on the test results, PremiumContact 7 recorded a braking distance of 25.3 meters from 80 km/h, while the Pilot Sport 5 recorded a further braking distance of 26 meters from the same speed. Even though this resulted in a difference of 0.7 meters, both tires were 3th and 7th respectively out of the 50 tires in the test. These results indicate that both tires perform well in wet conditions and provide excellent grip and traction.
Things were much closer when it came to wet handling, as PremiumContact 7 slightly edged out Pilot Sport 5 with an average lap speed of 76.3 km/h compared to the 75.5 km/h of the Pilot Sport 5. However, when it came to aquaplaning performance, the Pilot Sport 5 took the lead by having a higher slipping speed of 105.7 km/h compared to the 104 km/h achieved by PremiumContact 7. The same trend can be observed in lateral aquaplaning as Pilot Sport 5 had a +0.06 m/s2 advantage over PremiumContact 7. Overall, both tires excel differently with PremiumContact 7 showing a clear advantage in wet braking and handling while Pilot Sport 5 leads in the area of aquaplaning.
Pilot Sport 5:
- -2.7% in wet braking
- -1% in wet handling (lap speed)
- +1.6% in straight aquaplaning
- +1.6% in curved aquaplaning
Dry
In dry conditions, PremiumContact 7 performs slightly better than Pilot Sport 5 in braking performances. Based on the test results, the Pilot Sport 5 recorded a braking distance of 34.1 meters from 100 km/h, while the PremiumContact 7 recorded a shorter braking distance of 33.7 meters from the same speed. The difference of 0.4 meters is extremely close which would usually yield a photo finish. Similar to the wet braking results, both tires are in the top 10 ranking with PremiumContact 7 finishing 4th while Pilot Sport 5 finished 8th out of the 50 other tires.
The trend continues in dry handling as PremiumContact 7 finishes with a higher average lap speed of 120.3 km/h compared to 119.1 km/h of Pilot Sport 5. Overall, PremiumContact 7 excels slightly better than Pilot Sport 5 in dry performances.
Pilot Sport 5:
- -1.2% in dry braking
- -1% in dry handling
Noise
The Pilot Sport 5 was 0.2 dB quieter than the PremiumContact 7 as both tires finish in the lower end of the competition when it comes to exterior noise ranking.
Pilot Sport 5:
- +1% in exterior noise (-0.2 dB)
Rolling Resistance
When it comes to extreme sporty tires, rolling resistance is definitely not something the user has in mind when purchasing the tire. However with the sustainability topic being more prevalent, it is good to know where they stand. Both tires have roughly the same rolling resistance with Pilot Sport 5 recording a rolling resistance coefficient value of 8.09 N/kN while PremiumContact 7 had a coefficient value of 8.1 N/kN.
Pilot Sport 5:
- +0.1% in rolling resistance
Wear
As mentioned at the start, mileage tests are extremely rare, and we are pleased that Auto Bild decided to conduct it for all 20 tires who made it to the second round. The Pilot Sport 5 finished 2nd in the mileage test with a projected mileage of 55,600 KM, which is higher than the 3rd place finish of 51,600 KM achieved by the PremiumContact 7. Both tires showed a masterclass when it comes to target conflict management by having the best in class wet braking & mileage ratings. Only Goodyear’s Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 beat both of them to the mileage crown with an impressive 63,200 KM projected mileage.
Pilot Sport 5:
- +7.7% in mileage
Price
Michelin being the de facto technology leader rightfully commands one of the highest priced tires in the market as Pilot Sport 5 is €23 more compared to PremiumContact 7.
Tire size: 225/45 R18
Pilot Sport 5 : €170
PremiumContact 7: €147
Difference: +14% more expensive for Pilot Sport 5.
Summary
In conclusion, both the Continental PremiumContact 7 and the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 are excellent tires with amazing conflict management capabilities. When comparing them head-to-head, the PremiumContact 7 performs better in wet braking/handling and dry conditions, while the Pilot Sport 5 has better mileage and aquaplaning performance. Ultimately, the choice between the two tires will depend on the driver’s preferences and the conditions in which they will be driving.