Continental VikingContact 7 Review: Unmatched Performance for Safe and Confident Driving in Severe Winter Conditions

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When driving in severe winter conditions, having winter tires on your vehicle is absolutely necessary to ensure your safety. It’s possible that your all-season tires will perform admirably on a dusting of snow, but they won’t have a chance in waist-deep snow or on ice. If you have all-season tires on your vehicle and these conditions arise, you will not be able to regulate it in any way.

But which winter tires currently available on the market are the best ones? It is difficult to provide an accurate response to that question given that each model has its own characteristics. There are, nevertheless, a select few that truly stand out, such as the Continental VikingContact 7. This tire may be pricey for some people, but German engineering almost usually comes at a premium price.

The VikingContact 7 is a winter tire that can be used on compact automobiles, mid-size sedans, coupes, minivans, and even crossovers. It is designed to provide traction in snow and ice. Let’s put it to the test and see how it performs in every conceivable winter environment, including snow, ice, dry and wet surfaces, and everything in between. In the following section, I will also discuss how comfy the tire is, so make sure that you read that section as well.

However, before we get into it, let’s have a look at the various features and cutting-edge technologies that Continental incorporated into the tire.

What are the features of the Continental VikingContact 7?

Continental claims that their Viking Contact 7 tire is a German-engineered product that has the safety features necessary to conquer the Nordic cold. In addition, the manufacturer asserts that its product has exceptional traction on all snowy and icy terrain and that it masters wintry situations with impeccable tracking stability.

Canola oil was combined with a particular Nordic ingredient that Continental utilized in order to make all of those things possible. This material maintains its flexibility and pliability even when exposed to freezing temperatures, which results in improved grip on snow and ice. In the meantime, the active grip silica improves performance in wet conditions as well as braking.

The compound was shaped by the engineers into a “intelligent” pattern, which consists of a network of grooves that generates a direct route for water to escape. The construction is helpful in conditions that are particularly wet and slushy. Meanwhile, the optimized void ratio ensures that there is excellent tire-to-road contact, which promotes high-speed stability. This is accomplished by ensuring that there is excellent tire-to-road contact.

In addition, the tread of the tire has strong links and interlocking block bridges, which serve to maintain the stability of the tread pattern while also keeping the grooves open for improved water evacuation. Additionally, the VikingContact 7 incorporates various sipes, some of which are bigger than others, which help to retain snow and improve snow-to-snow traction.

In the end, the Grip Edges that are located on the exterior tread blocks ensure that the tread blocks grasp into the snow, which not only increases traction on snow, but also increases it on ice.

What are the maintenance indicators?

On the Viking Contact 7, Continental installed the standard TWIs, which stand for tread wear indicators. The German tire manufacturer has developed some superior methods for measuring the depth of the tread, but at the moment, these methods can only be found in the company’s all-season tires.

Regarding the TWIs, they are thin rubber bars that are inserted into the grooves of the tire. These bars are hidden when the tire is fresh, but they emerge when the tread wears down and become more prominent.

The bars will be totally flush with the surface when the tread depth reaches 5/32 of an inch. At that point, you should quickly change your summer tires to your winter tires. To begin, that is the bare minimum required by law for the tread depth of winter tires.

Most significantly, though, at that point your tire will no longer be able to be used for driving on snow and ice, which completely negates the purpose of having a winter tire.

To our relief, the treadlife of the VikingContact 7 is exceptional. As is the case with the vast majority of Continental models, owners of these tires are extremely pleased with how long they last.

The German firm, on the other hand, does not offer any sort of treadwear warranty. At the moment, only Michelin offers a warranty on its winter tires; I really hope that Continental will start doing the same thing very soon.

How does it behave on a dry tarmac?

The VikingContact 7 is far superior to the majority of budget-friendly winter tires in terms of its performance on dry pavement. Although it cannot be compared to a performance tire, it is an outstanding choice for a winter tire.

This is primarily attributable to the interlocking block bridges and robust linkages, both of which contribute to an improved steering feel. It is astonishing how well the tire is able to communicate with the driver and how sensitive it feels behind the wheel. There is a possibility that the VikingContact 7 is overly sensitive and responsive in some respects. Not that I have any complaints, of course.

In addition, the driver benefits from an excellent overall grip and traction on dry pavement thanks to VikingContact 7’s application. Because of this, the handling continues to feel safe and surefooted even when more pressure is applied. An excellent performance for the Continental in this regard overall.

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

At the moment, Continental produces some of the greatest tires available for driving in the rain. I mean this in a complimentary meaning when I say that the company’s products always put on a show when it storms. The VikingContact 7 utilizes, without a doubt, the same methodology.

This winter tire has perhaps the best handling characteristics when it comes to driving in rainy conditions. It maintains the same level of responsiveness despite having sufficient traction to give the impression of being surefooted. Even when you turn the corner with a lot of force, you won’t have much trouble detecting any understeer or oversteer.

Acceleration, traction, and stability are all areas in which I have similarly positive things to say. When you apply enough forward force, you will very certainly observe significantly less wheel spin. In addition, because of the exceptional hydroplaning resistance, your car will feel steady even at greater speeds when driving through heavy rain thanks to this feature.

However, there is one area in which the VikingContact 7 is lacking, and that is in terms of how well it brakes. This came as a surprise given the fact that the tire performs so well in other respects. The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is the new leader in the winter category, and the braking distances are a long way behind what they are for this tire. They are still good for the category, but given the outstanding performance of the competition elsewhere, I expected more from them.

With that being said, how is it on snowy roads?

The VikingContact 7 is widely considered to be the best tire available for use on roads that are predominantly covered in snow and ice. Almost immediately, you’ll get the impression that you’re driving on wet pavement rather than snow-covered asphalt thanks to the tire’s surefootedness on the snow.

Acceleration is the point at which everything begins. The tire is one of the few things that can effectively transfer power to the ground. This indicates that even if there is significant snowfall, your vehicle will have little trouble getting out of any trouble. Because of this tire, you won’t have to worry about becoming stuck in the snow throughout the winter, even if the weather is quite severe.

Then, the way that this tire steers into the turns is something that truly impressed me. Both the steering and the front tires perform exceptionally well in the snow thanks to excellent grip. Back tires that behave in the same manner as front tires produce a ride that is extremely balanced and surefooted. The traction is so amazing that there will be occasions when you question whether or not you are actually driving on snow at all.

In addition, the stopping distances are extremely small in comparison to those of other vehicles in this category. This is possibly the single most crucial item to keep in mind if you want to have a safe driving experience throughout the winter.

However, what about the ice? However, the VikingContact 7 does not fail to deliver in this respect either. There is a sufficient amount of traction for quickening. In point of fact, when it comes to acceleration on ice, the Continental achieves the greatest results of any vehicle in the category. In addition to this, the tire performs exceptionally well on icy surfaces and has a very short stopping distance.

When it comes to winter tires that do not have studs, this model is perhaps the one that is ideal for driving on ice roads.

Is it suitable for off-road driving?

The aggressive tread design featured on the VikingContact 7 was created with the purpose of improving grip in adverse conditions, such as snow and ice. When compared to all-season or summer tires, it is obvious that they can be of assistance when driving through mud and gravel as well.

However, the rubber compound used in the construction of this tire is quite fragile, and it can be readily damaged by pointed things. Because of this, I do not advise driving on really challenging off-road terrains. In addition, there are tires that are designed specifically for use in such situations.

Is it comfortable and refined?

It is possible that the VikingContact 7 is the most comfortable winter tire available when used on a road that is perfectly smooth. Under these conditions, the stiff ride is actually beneficial in that it assists in preventing the car from wandering around. In addition, the tire is extremely quiet when driven on good pavement, and it may be the most relaxing option available in its particular category.

Nevertheless, things are going to be different once you get on a road that is textured or bumpy. The VikingContact 7 begins to make a harsh sound almost instantly, and the noise is able to readily spread around the cabin. On top of that, the stiff sidewalls are responsible for transmitting an excessive amount of vibrations throughout the cabin. The journey is especially unpleasant due to the damaged pavement portions and uneven surface of the roadway.

When it comes to comfort, I’ve never used a tire that behaves so differently from the others I’ve tested. It is one of the best in the category when driving on smooth roads, but it is one of the worst when driving on bumpy pavement. You should be sure to get a test drive in order to determine whether or not this is something that troubles you. I am sure that there are some people who will find this annoying!

You may read more of our evaluation of the Continental Viking Contact 7 here: Tirecraft is the creator of this video.

Should I buy the Continental VikingContact 7?

There is no doubt that the Continental VikingContact 7 is an outstanding choice for winter tires. It excels at the fundamentals, particularly when put to use in severe winter circumstances. On snow and ice, it performs extraordinarily well, well beyond the capabilities of almost all of its rivals. In addition to that, it has a lengthy lifespan and performs admirably both on dry and wet surfaces.

In spite of this, I believe that the Blizzak WS90 is now superior to the VikingContact 7 when it comes to overall performance, particularly in terms of comfort. However, the variations are not that significant, and as a result, any tire that you are able to get your hands on will provide you an excellent experience during the winter.

Which is why it should come as no surprise that I have the utmost confidence in recommending this tire to any driver who is looking for a secure and dependable ride during the winter months. Without a shadow of a doubt, the Continental VikingContact 7 is an excellent choice for tires.