Continental TerrainContact A/T vs Firestone Destination A/T2: The last time we looked into the all terrain segment, we show how Goodyear’s Wrangler AT Adventure showed clear competency in off-road & dry performances over the highly popular BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO. As these 2 products are more focused on off road properties, we would like to introduce 2 other products which have a more on road focus (60%) compared to off road (40%). Continental’s TerrainContact A/T was launched in 2015 and has been a staple in this segment for many years while its competitor Firestone’s Destination A/T2 was launched 4 years later in 2019. Without further ado, let’s bring these 2 tires head to head and see who comes out on top!
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from Tire Rack’s Testing On/-Off-Road All-Terrain Tires 2022 test. A total of 4 tires were tested on Tire Rack’s proving ground. The graph below shows the comparison between Continental TerrainContact A/T vs Firestone Destination A/T2 based on the relevant performance category. The TerrainContact A/T was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark.
As both tires are classified as an all season tire, Tire Rack will include snow & ice in its testing portfolio. A detailed testing on snow including acceleration, braking & handling will be available after the 2022 winter season. The tire size of interest is a 265/60R18 which is a common tire size for Toyota Hilux 1500 & Ford Ranger. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a powerful 2022 Ford Explorer ST.
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. In regards to wet braking, TerrainContact A/T managed to out brake Destination A/T2 by 9.5 feet (2.9m) which is a big enough margin not to ignore.
With the advantage gained in wet braking, TerrainContact A/T did not manage to continue its dominance in wet handling as it finished with the same lap time against Destination A/T2. For the subjective wet handling rating, TerrainContact A/T fared only a tiny margin better with a subjective score of 6.69/10 compared to 6.58/10 of Destination A/T2. Below is some of the feedback from the test driver.
TerrainContact A/T:
In the end, the Continental’s considerable increase in braking performance inspired confidence in our drivers and combined with more mid-corner feedback to become the subjective favorite in the wet.
Test driver feedback on TerrainContact A/T
Destination A/T2:
The Destination A/T2 was right on its heels, however, with similar lateral traction figures but a sharper front-end eagerness and heft that was satisfying in the tighter transitions.
Test driver feedback on Destination A/T2
Destination A/T2:
- -7% in wet braking
- -0.6% in wet handling (subj)
- 0% 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. While things favored TerrainContact A/T in wet, dry was a mixture of mixed results. TerrainContact A/T managed to brake 2.2 feet (0.67m) earlier compared to Destination A/T2 from a speed of 50mph (80km/h) down to 0.
While in dry handling, Destination A/T2 managed to edge in front of TerrainContact A/T by being 0.21 seconds quicker in lap times and also having a higher subjective rating of 6.55 vs 6.41 of TerrainContact A/T.
Destination A/T2:
- -2.6% in dry braking
- +0.7% in dry handling (subj)
- +0.7% in dry handling (lap time)
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
Ride comfort, noise & comfort was tested and TerrainContact A/T came out only slightly ahead at 6.75/10 rating compared to the 6.63/10 rating of Destination A/T2 with steering and road handling & ride quality being the main differences.
Destination A/T2:
- -0.6% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality
Snow
The Continental TerrainContact A/T and Firestone Destination A/T2 tires both offer capabilities suited for snowy conditions, but they perform differently in specific aspects. When it comes to snow braking, the Continental stops slightly shorter at 64.90 feet from 25 mph, compared to the Firestone’s 65.30 feet, indicating a marginally better performance in urgent stopping scenarios.
In snow acceleration, from 0 to 12 mph, the Continental takes 16.50 feet to get going, whereas the Firestone needs a bit more at 17.00 feet, suggesting the Continental has a slight edge in getting traction and moving from a standstill in snow. Subjectively, when handling is considered, the Continental scores 6.08 out of 10, reflecting a more favorable response in snowy conditions compared to the Firestone, which scores lower at 4.92 out of 10. This suggests drivers might find the Continental more responsive and confident to maneuver on snowy roads.
Destination A/T2:
- -0.6% in snow braking
- -2.9% in snow acceleration
- -5.8% in snow handling (subj)
Ice
The Continental TerrainContact A/T and Firestone Destination A/T2 tires both have capabilities for ice performance, yet they show different results in ice braking. The Continental tire requires 56.00 feet to come to a complete stop from 12 mph on ice, while the Firestone tire performs slightly better, needing only 53.50 feet for the same task. This means that on ice, the Firestone tire can stop 2.50 feet shorter than the Continental, suggesting it might provide a bit more security and control when braking urgently in icy conditions.
Destination A/T2:
- +4.7% in ice braking
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firestone | Destination A/T2 | All | 540 | A | B |
| Continental | TerrainContact A/T | All | 680 | A | A(B) |
The mileage warranty for Destination A/T2 is at 90,000 miles while for TerrainContact A/T it is at 60,000 miles. Even though TerrainContact A/T has a higher UTQG tread wear rating of 680 compared to 540 of Destination A/T2, it still provided 30,000 miles less warranty than Destination A/T2 4S. As the differences in mileage warranty were so huge, it is quite safe to say Destination A/T2 has a higher expected mileage compared to TerrainContact A/T.
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
Destination A/T2 was found to be 4 dollars more expensive than TerrainContact A/T for the size 265/70R17 with both of them coming with an outlined sidewall white lettering.
Tire size: 265/70R17
Destination A/T2: $251
TerrainContact A/T: $245
Difference: +2% more expensive for Destination A/T2.
Summary
Overall, while the Destination A/T2 shows its strengths primarily in ice braking, the TerrainContact A/T impressively outperforms in wet, dry, and noise criteria, establishing itself as the superior summer tire. The surprising performance of the TerrainContact A/T was particularly noteworthy, as it managed to outshine the 3 peak mountain certified Firestone Destination A/T2 in snow tests.
Although the Firestone took the lead in ice braking, the Continental’s overall prowess in both snow and ice conditions makes it the standout contender. Despite the 3 peak mountain logo on the Destination A/T2, suggesting winter proficiency, the TerrainContact A/T’s unexpected superiority in these tests. Without a doubt, the TerrainContact A/T emerges as the better tire overall in this duel, defying expectations and setting a high standard for performance.