Continental PureContact LS vs Bridgestone WeatherPeak: All season tires have always been the go to tires for the American market and this segment has been well established across the years. We have written quite extensively about Michelin’s Cross Climate 2 as the gold standard for all season tires with an incredible all round balance portfolio in addition to the 3 peak mountain certification.
This time around we picked up 2 other competitors in this all season landscape in the form of Continental’s PureContact LS & Bridgestone’s all new WeatherPeak. PureContact LS was launched in 2018 and covers a large range of passenger cars and crossovers. WeatherPeak on the other hand was launched in 2022 and boosted a comprehensive line up covering most A to C segment cars in the replacement market. Let’s put them head to head and see who comes out on top !
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from the Tire Rack’s “Testing Grand Touring All-Season Tires 2022” test. A total of 3 tires were tested this time around. The graph below shows the comparison between Continental PureContact LS vs Bridgestone WeatherPeak based on the relevant performance category. The PureContact LS was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark. Note that for subjective evaluation, we equate 1 point as 5%. Hence for example if tire A is graded 7 while tire B is graded 6, A is better than B by 5%.
As both tires are categorized as all season tires, Tire Rack has conducted the snow & ice tests. The tire size of interest is a 225/45R17 which is a common tire size for Audi A3 and Hyundai Elantra. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a powerful 2022 Subaru BRZ Limited.
Wet
The friction of coefficient of the tire/road dramatically decreases in wet roads compared to dry roads. Hence it is more likely to get into a road accident during wet conditions rather than on a sunny day. It was so important that the EU label has wet braking as one of its three criteria. With regards to our comparison, PureContact LS has the slight edge in wet braking compared to WeatherPeak with a 2.5 feet (0.76 m) advantage in stopping distance.
While in wet handling, PureContact LS maintained its advantage with a higher subjective rating of 6.47/10 compared to 5.81/10 for WeatherPeak. The lap times were also in favor of PureContact LS as it was 0.46 seconds faster per lap relative to WeatherPeak.
PureContact LS:
It possesses good wet traction & while it is capable through the turns, the tire’s steering was a little vague, with a tendency to understeer through most corners
Test driver feedback on PureContact LS
Overall PureContact LS showed clear strengths in wet in comparison with WeatherPeak.
WeatherPeak :
- -1.9% in wet braking
- -3.3% in wet handling (subj)
- -1.2% in wet handling (lap time)
Dry
As for dry, safety is usually not an issue as the braking distance is much longer than wet. However this is the default daily usage and the tires have to perform at a very consistent level. We saw the largest advantage so far in the test as PureContact LS had a 7.5 feet (2.3m) shorter braking distance compared to WeatherPeak.
PureContact LS maintained its dry braking advantage by having a much higher subjective rating in dry handling 7.39/10 against the 6.85/10 of WeatherPeak. This was also evident in lap times as PureContact LS was 0.78 seconds faster per lap relative to WeatherPeak.
PureContact LS:
Our team found the PureContact LS as the subjective favorite by a very tight margin in the dry. Its higher ultimate lateral traction and bubbly, athletic feel through the turns yielded the quickest times of the test.
Test driver feedback on PureContact LS
Similar to the wet results, PureContact LS showed clear dominance in dry braking & handling and clearly is the better tire in dry.
WeatherPeak :
- -7.7% in dry braking
- -2.7% in dry handling (subj)
- -2.5% in dry handling (lap time)
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
Ride comfort, noise & comfort was tested and WeatherPeak was ahead against PureContact LS especially in noise & steering/road handling. The WeatherPeak came out ahead at 7.92/10 rating compared to the 7.46/10 rating of PureContact LS.
WeatherPeak :
- +2.3% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality.
Snow
When comparing the snow performance between the Continental PureContact LS and the Bridgestone WeatherPeak tires, several differences emerge.
In snow braking, the Bridgestone WeatherPeak demonstrates a superior performance, with a stopping distance of 54.30 feet compared to the 64.10 feet of the Continental PureContact LS. This is a significant 9.8 feet shorter stopping distance for the WeatherPeak, indicating better efficiency in snowy conditions.
Regarding snow acceleration, the PureContact LS takes the lead. It requires only 33.06 feet to accelerate with traction control from 0 to 12 mph, whereas the WeatherPeak needs 30.21 feet. This suggests that the PureContact LS offers better traction and quicker acceleration in snow, outperforming the WeatherPeak by 2.85 feet.
For snow handling, the subjective scores further distinguish the two. The WeatherPeak scores 7.33 out of 10, which is noticeably higher than the 6.00 rating for the PureContact LS. This indicates that drivers generally feel more confident and in control with the WeatherPeak tires when maneuvering in snowy conditions.
A notable factor in these performance differences is the certification each tire holds. The Bridgestone WeatherPeak is equipped with the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) certification, indicating a specific standard for snow performance. The Continental PureContact LS does not have this certification. This 3PMSF certification likely contributes to the WeatherPeak’s more dominant performance in certain aspects of snow driving, particularly in braking and handling.
WeatherPeak :
- +18% in snow braking
- +9% in snow acceleration
- +7% in snow handling (subj)
Ice
In ice performance, the Bridgestone WeatherPeak outperforms the Continental PureContact LS slightly in both braking and acceleration. The WeatherPeak stops 2.2 feet shorter on ice, with a stopping distance of 53.50 feet compared to the PureContact’s 55.70 feet. Additionally, it accelerates marginally quicker, taking 6.05 seconds to reach 60 feet, which is 0.09 seconds faster than the 6.14 seconds of the PureContact LS. These differences, although small, indicate the WeatherPeak’s better efficiency on ice.
WeatherPeak :
- +4% in ice braking
- +1% in ice acceleration
UTQG rating
We have previously shown that UTQG tread wear rating can be a good indication of your expected mileage. Below are the UTQG values of both of the tirelines.
| Brand | Tireline | Size | Tread Wear | Traction | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgestone | WeatherPeak | All | 700 | A | A |
| Continental | PureContact LS | All | 700 | A | A |
The mileage warranty for both tires are at 70,000 miles. This was in line with its UTQG tread wear rating of the products as they were both rated at 700 UTQG tread wear. Overall we can expect both tirelines to have a similar expected mileage. For more in depth information about UTQG, please check out this article here. We even have a free download on the latest UTQG values from the leading tire manufacturers.
Price
Being the new technological advance product with a 3 peak mountain logo on it, WeatherPeak was priced 22 dollars more than PureContact LS.
Tire size: 225/45R17
- WeatherPeak : $196
- PureContact LS : $174
Difference: +11% more expensive for WeatherPeak .
Summary
In conclusion, considering the wet and dry performance results, the PureContact LS excels. However, when we factor in the snow and ice results, the scenario shifts. The Bridgestone WeatherPeak, while slightly more expensive and marginally better in noise and comfort, demonstrates superior performance in winter conditions. It has a marginal edge in ice performance and significantly better efficiency in snow. Thus, with its far more superior snow performance and marginally better ice results, the Bridgestone WeatherPeak emerges as the winner of this comparison, especially for winter conditions. This shows how crucial it is to consider seasonal performances, as the best tire for summer may not necessarily be the top choice for winter.