Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 vs Continental TrueContact Tour 54 — Mileage Meets All-Season Mastery: In the world of mileage-focused all-season tires, two titans clash: the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3, engineered for long tread life with a smooth, comfortable ride, and the Continental TrueContact Tour 54, designed to deliver class-leading wear and dependable all-season grip. The question is: who can truly deliver the ultimate blend of mileage endurance and year-round superiority? Let’s find out.
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Results: Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 vs Continental TrueContact Tour 54
Results below were taken from the Tire Rack’s “Premium Touring Tires to Elevating the Journey – 2024” test. A total of 8 tires were tested this time around in Tire Rack’s own proving ground. The graph below shows the comparison between Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 vs Continental TrueContact Tour 54 based on the relevant performance category. The Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 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 included snow & ice in its testing portfolio. The tire size of interest is 215/55R17 which is a common tire size for Chevrolet Cruze Eco & Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a 2025 Toyota Camry.
Wet
In wet braking from 60 to 0 mph, the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 stops 9 feet shorter than the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3, which is about 6% better. In wet handling subjective scores, the Continental again leads with a 0.5-point advantage over the Pirelli, translating to roughly 2% higher rating. Looking at wet handling lap times, the Continental completes the course 1.36 seconds faster than the Pirelli, about 4% quicker.
Overall, the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 clearly outperforms the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 in all key wet performance areas.
TrueContact Tour 54 :
- +6% in wet braking
- +2% in wet handling (subj)
- +4% in wet handling (lap time)
Dry
In dry braking from 60 to 0 mph, the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 stops 4 feet shorter than the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3, giving it a 3% advantage.
TrueContact Tour 54 :
- +3% in dry braking
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
In terms of noise, comfort, and ride quality, the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 scores 8.08 out of 10, slightly higher than the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 at 7.75. This gives the Pirelli about a 2% advantage in overall ride refinement.
TrueContact Tour 54 :
- -2% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality.
Snow
In snow braking from 25 to 0 mph, the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 stops 1.5 feet shorter than the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3, about 2% better. In snow acceleration from 0 to 12 mph, the Continental is 2.2 feet quicker, giving it a 7% advantage. For snow handling subjective scores, the Continental rates 0.5 points higher, translating to roughly 2% better. In snow handling lap times, the Continental finishes the course 3.01 seconds faster than the Pirelli, about 5% quicker.
Overall, the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 shows clear superiority over the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 in snow performance.
TrueContact Tour 54 :
- +2% in Snow braking
- +7% in Snow Acceleration
- +2% in Snow handling (subj)
- +5% in Snow handling(lap time)
Ice
In ice braking from 12 to 0 mph, the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 stops 0.9 feet shorter than the Continental TrueContact Tour 54, giving it about a 2% advantage. In ice acceleration over 60 feet, the Pirelli is also quicker by 0.07 seconds, which is around 1% faster. Overall, on ice, the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 edges out the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 with slightly better braking and acceleration.
TrueContact Tour 54 :
- -2% in Ice braking
- -1% in Ice acceleration
Mileage
In real-world mileage based on Consumer Reports testing, the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 achieved 70,000 miles while the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 reached 75,000 miles. This means the Continental lasted 5,000 miles longer, about 7% better in actual tested mileage.
TrueContact Tour 54 :
- +7% in mileage
Price
For size 215/55R17, the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 costs $180, while the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 costs $165. This makes the Continental about 9% more expensive than the Pirelli.
Tire size: 215/55R17
- P7 AS Plus 3 : $165
- TrueContact Tour 54 : $180
Difference: +9% more expensive for TrueContact Tour 54.
Summary
From my perspective as a tire expert, the Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 impresses with slightly better performance on ice & noise while having a lower upfront price, making it a strong choice for drivers prioritizing ice grip and value. However, the Continental TrueContact Tour 54 consistently delivers stronger wet and dry performance, better snow capability, longer real-world mileage, and superior all-season reliability. In the end, while both are excellent tires, the Continental clearly stands out as the better overall choice.
Dr Edwin Pang