Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2 vs Continental PremiumContact 7: Presenting a comparison of two remarkably advanced and high-performance tires in the industry – the Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2 and the Continental PremiumContact 7. These distinguished tires, introduced in 2020 and 2022 respectively, have been meticulously designed to accommodate motorists in pursuit of exceptional handling, comfort, and safety.
Behold the inaugural display of Continental’s latest touring segment tire, Premium Contact 7, unveiled in late 2022. The Cinturato P7 C2, on the other hand, has been available since 2020 and has earned a commendable reputation in various press tests. Without further delay, let us juxtapose these two tires to determine which emerges as the superior contender!
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.
Results
Results below were taken from the 2023 Tyre Reviews Best Summer Tyres Test which includes 13 top tires in the market. The graph below shows the comparison between Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2 vs Continental PremiumContact 7 based on the relevant performance category. The Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2 was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark.
The tire size of interest is 205/55R16 which is a common tire size for Volkswagen Golf (2018) and the Toyota Corolla Altis (2018). You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a standard VW Golf.
Wet
Safety has perennially remained the paramount concern in relation to wet performance requirements. Wet conditions being the quintessential prerequisite for the touring segment, Tyre Review has conducted rigorous evaluations, encompassing six distinct wet tests! The PremiumContact 7 surpassed the Cinturato P7 C2 in wet braking, stopping a remarkable 1.3 meters shorter. This achievement is noteworthy, as both tires ranked among the top three in the test, yet the PremiumContact 7 still managed to secure a 1.3-meter lead over the Cinturato P7 C2, claiming the pinnacle position. Bolstered by its superior wet braking, the PremiumContact 7 maintained a 0.46-second faster lap time. A similar advantage was observed in the wet circle, with the PremiumContact 7 registering higher lateral acceleration. Nevertheless, in terms of subjective handling, both tires were deemed equivalent.
Regarding aquaplaning, the Cinturato P7 C2 demonstrated a marginally better performance, with a 0.4 km/h higher slipping speed compared to the PremiumContact 7. However, the advantage reverted to the PremiumContact 7 in aquaplaning, as it was 0.11 m/s2 swifter in terms of lateral acceleration. In summary, the PremiumContact 7 undeniably outperformed the Cinturato P7 C2 in wet braking, while the remaining criteria were remarkably close, without a definitive victor.
PremiumContact 7 :
- +4.2% in wet braking
- +0.5% in wet handling (lap time)
- 0% in wet handling (subj)
- +1.6% in wet circle
- -0.6% in straight aquaplaning
- +3.4% in curved aquaplaning
Dry
In dry conditions, safety typically presents fewer concerns, as braking distances are considerably lengthier than in wet situations. Nevertheless, this constitutes the standard daily usage, and tires must consistently perform at an elevated level. Once more, the PremiumContact 7 excelled in dry braking, surpassing the Cinturato P7 C2 by a 0.5-meter margin.
Regarding dry handling performance, the PremiumContact 7 proved to be 0.53 seconds swifter than the Cinturato P7 C2, translating to a subjective advantage of +5 points in its favor. Overall, on dry surfaces, the PremiumContact 7 maintains the lead in the dry domain, displaying particularly robust subjective dry performance.
PremiumContact 7 :
- +1.3% in dry braking
- +1% in dry handling (lap time)
- +2.5% in dry handling (subj)
Noise & Comfort
Although noise and comfort may not be the foremost considerations within the touring segment, Tyre Review has duly assessed these factors. The Cinturato P7 C2 exhibits a clear advantage in exterior noise, outperforming the PremiumContact 7 by 1.8 dB. In terms of subjective comfort, the Cinturato P7 C2 was rated 3 points higher than the PremiumContact 7. In conclusion, the Cinturato P7 C2 proves to be a quieter and more comfortable tire in comparison to the PremiumContact 7.
PremiumContact 7 :
- -2.5% in exterior noise (+1.8 dB)
- -1.5% in subjective comfort
Rolling Resistance
While wet braking reigns supreme in the touring segment, rolling resistance does not always command utmost priority, as engineers must grapple with more pressing target conflicts. However, with the increasing prominence of sustainability, rolling resistance has emerged as a competitive marketing instrument, readily discernible in label values.
The Cinturato P7 C2 boasted a marginally lower rolling resistance coefficient value of 8.22 N/kN, compared to the PremiumContact 7’s 8.38 N/kN coefficient. These figures are strikingly close, and in our assessment, both tires are essentially on par.
PremiumContact 7 :
- -1.9% in rolling resistance
Price
Given that Pirelli and Continental both occupy the premium segment, one might anticipate equivalent pricing for these high-end touring tires. Nonetheless, it was discovered that the Cinturato P7 C2 carried a £15 higher price tag compared to the PremiumContact 7, a revelation that proved genuinely surprising to us.
Tire size: 205/55 R16
Cinturato P7 C2 : £108
PremiumContact 7: £93
Difference: +14% more expensive for Cinturato P7 C2.
Summary
To summarize, the PremiumContact 7 triumphs in both wet and dry performance, whereas the Cinturato P7 C2 prevails in noise/comfort and rolling resistance. Given the paramount significance of wet performance within the touring segment, the PremiumContact 7 emerges as the victor in this closely contested duel!