Photo and description

Continental IceContact 2 is an asymmetric studded winter tire with long term service and excellent handling both on dry asphalt and on ice. Designed for use on passenger cars and SUVs “registered” in Russia, the Baltic countries and Scandinavia.

Commit to improvement technical parameters popular model ContiIceContact, which formed the basis of the future masterpiece, was forced by the developers from Hannover to be forced by the “new” European directive, which has been in force for more than a year and a half, obliging all manufacturers of studded tires to either reduce the number of “spines” by winter tires, or prove that their tires have minimal impact on the road surface.

German tire makers who chose the second option announced the release of the model in December 2014 Continental IceContact 2 (Continental Ice Contact 2).

Let's figure out what the difference is Ice Contact 2 from its predecessor, says Technical Specialist. In the course of studying the properties of the second-generation winter model, the following features were revealed: handling on a dry road was improved by nine percent in comparison with the ContiIceContact model, and handling on ice by two percent.

Handling on snow has been significantly improved. However, as the manufacturer himself notes, the most noticeable improvements were achieved in traction and braking performance on the ice, which were improved by eight percent.

The safety of the Continental IceContact 2 on winter roads is ensured not only by the non-directional asymmetric tread pattern, but also by the use of innovative extra-light CristallDubb studs. Compared to the studs used in the previous model, they are 25% lighter and have a smaller design. In addition, the studding process itself has been optimized. However, first things first.

A decrease in the mass of spines led to an increase in their number in Continental models Ice Contact 2 by an average of fifty percent, which significantly improves the tire's grip on ice. Another undeniable advantage of small, lightweight studs is the reduction in road noise. So, despite the seeming overkill with spikes, this tire still differs in acoustic comfort.

Interlocking sinusoidal sipes improve grip and increase lateral rigidity of the tire when cornering

To prevent the formation of ice layers around the studs, the developers of the Continental provided for the presence of “ice pockets” - small closed “reservoirs” around the studs, in which crushed ice is first collected, and then under the influence centrifugal force spreads out, giving IceContact 2 a competitive advantage when braking on icy surfaces.

Stepped sipes located inside the tread blocks significantly improve the traction characteristics of Ice Contact 2 when interacting with snow.

Another innovation Continental can be considered a technology for attaching “crystalline” studs, called StudOn Retention. After coating the surface of the studs, they are attached to the tire at a certain temperature, allowing the “spines” to fuse tightly into the tread and prevent them from falling out.

To summarize, it is worth noting that the universal premium model Continental ContiIceContact 2 is the key to excellent handling on almost any winter road, which will not be embarrassed by either the above-zero temperature or the smoothest ice. Your car will definitely thank you for these tires.

Updated. In 2019 German concern introduced tires to the market , which received a directional tread pattern and two types of anti-skid studs.

According to the manufacturer, the new product should surpass its predecessor in many respects. How were they able to achieve this? In studded tires, one of the leading roles is played by the studs themselves. But with them last years it became quite difficult. In Scandinavian countries, for several years now it has been prohibited to use winter tires with more than 50 studs per linear meter of tread. Tire manufacturers have two ways to develop studded tires. Or follow this prohibition exactly - this is what, for example, Michelin did with the model. Or try using alternative solution, that is, conduct special tests (the so-called Over-Run-Test) and prove that the studs harm the road surface within the permitted values. If the test is passed, the number of spikes can be safely increased. Here the Finns became pioneers with the model, and now Continental. To do this, the Germans, together with the University of Karlsruhe, conducted research, during which it was proven that more compact, lightweight studs cause significantly less damage to the road surface than heavier studs. An important bonus is also the reduction in noise when using lighter studs. As a result of research, new Kristall Stud studs were developed, which are 25% (0.7 g instead of 0.9) lighter than tires previous generation. This made it possible to increase the number of studs by 50% for some sizes.

German engineers did not forget about their technology of “gluing in” studs and improved it, increasing the degree of stud fixation by 4 times. In addition, the new studs are now arranged in such an order that each of the studs is in contact with “fresh” ice, and not with a surface that has already been broken by other studs. It is also worth mentioning the “ice pockets” to protect the studs from the accumulation of ice fragments around them - these are small closed reservoirs around the circumference of the studs in which crushed ice collects. Then, under the influence of centrifugal force, it is thrown to the sides, which improves traction on ice.

The tread pattern of the Continental IceContact 2, like its predecessor, is asymmetrical, but with significant changes that have improved both performance in ice disciplines and handling performance on snow (according to manufacturer estimates, the increase in this discipline was 2%) and on dry surfaces (an increase of 9%). Increasing the number of studs made it possible to reduce the number of sipes, which made the tread less pliable. And this fact should please residents major cities who may not encounter snow and ice on the road all winter, but who want to insure themselves in case of ice.

Officially, the premiere of the new product took place as part of the 2015 “Behind the Wheel” Race of Stars, but at the end of 2014, Russian journalists were given the opportunity to personally test it on ice on the tracks of the Levi Rally Center racing school. Of course it's not full tests, But general impression We were able to obtain information about the ice qualities of the new product. On an ice track, the new “spikes” allow you to control the car very confidently in turns, literally “licking” the snowdrifts along the edges of the track. I was also pleased with the confidence of braking - the deceleration was higher than expected, which was soon confirmed not only subjectively, but also objectively: on an equipped measuring Volvo equipment V40 I performed 10 braking sessions on ice from a speed of 30 km/h on both the previous generation tires and the new ones. And, according to measurements, braking distances IceContact 2 was shorter by an average of 8%.

It remains to add that they are intended for the Baltic countries, Scandinavia and Russia. This year there will be 69 standard sizes on the market, from compact 175/65R14 to off-road 275/40R20.

Denis Berintsev

Country of origin: Germany, Russia.

Continental Ice Contact 2 SUV test from the Finnish Test World, conducted in 2016

In 2016, experts from the Finnish organization Test World tested the studded tire Continental Ice Contact 2 SUV at size 235/65 R17 and compared it with twelve budget, mid-range and premium tires.

To make the results clearer, the test involved both similar studded tires and Nordic-type friction tires.

Test results

According to the results Continental test IceContact 2 SUV took second place overall among studded tires. The only “weak” point of the tire was its behavior on wet asphalt, where it showed a relatively long braking distance (albeit with a slight lag behind its studded counterparts). Otherwise, Continental showed balanced high results in all disciplines.

Discipline		Place	A comment
	Braking on wet asphalt	12	a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 4.2 meters longer; b) with better friction tires - 3.3 meters longer.
	Braking on snow	7	Difference in braking distance: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - 3 meters longer; b) with better friction tires - 0.6 meters longer.
	Acceleration in the snow	1-2	One of best results. Difference in acceleration time to 35 km/h: a) with the best studded tire (test leader) - the same result. b) with a better friction tire - faster by 0.6 seconds.
	Braking on ice	4	Difference in braking distance: a) with a test leader (studded tire) - 3.1 meters longer; b) with better friction tires - 0.5 meters shorter.
	Acceleration on ice	2	Difference in acceleration time to 35 km/h: a) with the best studded tire - less by 0.5 seconds; b) with a better friction tire - faster by 0.2 seconds.
	Noisiness	8-12	Subjective assessment of noise level - 6 points.

Feedback from the experts who conducted the test:

On ice and snow provides good braking and predictable handling during extreme maneuvers. They behave well on wet asphalt. On dry conditions they provide good handling, but weak braking. Economical on the go. Relatively quiet, despite the large number of spikes.

List of tested tires:

But he didn’t know that tires are not only physics, but also chemistry, with all the ensuing consequences (this, by the way, also applies to the fact of tire aging). The chemical component of this product was discussed at the Continental technical seminar.

TASK

The location chosen for the seminar was the most northern one - a training ground near the Finnish town of Levi. And the main topic of the seminar was the principle of creating an optimal, from a chemical point of view, winter tire. It is the optimal one (as we know, there are no ideal tires), focused on a particular region of use. And above all, taking into account temperature conditions in the same region. To begin with, everyone was asked to hit two rubber samples with a hammer, just taken out of the refrigeration chamber. The first sample passed the test without a hint of residual deformation, but the second, like glass, shattered into pieces. The thing is that in the first sample a rubber mixture was used, “designed” to a temperature of –60° C, and the temperature threshold of the mixture of the second sample did not exceed –20° C. By the way, this good example why, when the appropriate season begins and at a stable temperature below +7° C, it is already worth changing summer tires to winter ones.

These are the ingredients for success: the components involved in creating a tire

It is the rubber compound that is the most important variable factor, on which approximately 50% of changes in tire quality depend. In total, Continental developers use 15 chemical components created using about 1,500 various materials, various combinations of which determine the characteristics of the tires. And general technical specifications for the creators rubber compound formulated quite simply - to ensure maximum possible clutch tires with the road under specific weather and temperature conditions.

SOLUTION

And then, based on the same technical assignments, the assembly of a kind of chemical puzzle begins. Does the compound provide elasticity and, accordingly, good adhesion? But won't the wear resistance of the tire suffer? Try to ensure increased mileage? But how much then will a tire, the tread of which is prone to “tanning”, lose in its adhesion properties? Carbon black has been used as so-called “fillers” in the tire industry for a very long time, and 20 years ago engineers began using silicon dioxide (silica) - they seriously affect both the tire’s grip characteristics on wet surfaces and its wear resistance. And the optimal balance of these fillers in chemical composition The tread rubber compound can provide the specified characteristics. Polymers in the rubber mixture provide the rubber with the necessary elasticity, and oils (Continental products also use rapeseed oil) make the rubber softer. As with other ingredients, the amount of oil in a rubber compound can greatly change the performance of the product. And already at the vulcanization stage, the ratio of substances such as zinc oxide and sulfur has a significant impact on the characteristics.

Continental IceContact 2 studs withstand a pullout force of 500 N

As the seminar progressed, its participants were asked to use “components” to create a compound that was optimal for certain conditions, putting together the same chemical puzzle. As for the practical illustration of these chemical calculations, the following figures can be given: if the braking distance winter tires on snow cover from a speed of 50 km/h is 31 meters, then the braking distance of tires with the same compound, but with a summer tread pattern will be 42 meters. But just summer tires will go 62 meters. As they say, feel the difference.

PRODUCT

New products from Continental were also presented at the technical seminar. For example, the studded model IceContact 2. Regarding main topic seminar, the recipe for the tread rubber compound in this tire was aimed at more low temperatures. As with its predecessor, the ContiIce Contact bus, here asymmetrical pattern tread, but the main feature is in the studs. Firstly, there are significantly more of them - 190 instead of 130! But what about the legislation regulating the installation of no more than 50 studs per linear meter, you ask. In this case, the Continental developers did the same as their colleagues from the company Nokian Tires, who have proven through special tests that increasing the number of spikes in their product does not have a greater destructive effect on road surface than tires with the permitted number of studs. The spike itself IceContact tires 2 has become smaller in size and lighter by almost 25%, and tires are also used to secure it in the tread new technology. The stud is installed in the tire along with a small amount of a special compound, which, when vulcanized, securely fixes the stud.

This is how the studs of Continental winter tires have evolved

According to the developers, such an innovation has improved the degree of stud fastening by 400%. The first impressions of the new tires received at the test site are the most positive. Firstly, very good braking performance on ice. Secondly, when maneuvering on ice and compacted snow, the behavior of the tires is quite understandable, without surprises, they have a clear response to steering. As for comfort, including sound, it was not possible to test them on asphalt. But the developers themselves said that they did not forget about this parameter.

Review statistics for Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tires

Displayed on the right summary characteristics tires based on reviews and ratings from car owners from all over the world.

Taking into account the overall rating summer tires its performance on snow and ice is not taken into account.

The number of reviews for Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tires is 105; The average rating of Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tires by site users is 4.62 out of 5;

Second L200 (driver wife). The first L200 rode on a Conti 4x4 icecontact for 5 winters, and my wife was pleased. Therefore, the choice was predetermined.

Experience of use for 1 season - no lost studs, although a car with a new engine “encourages” abrupt starts. Handling and braking distance allow (with 50 kg of ballast in the body) to feel like spring and autumn.

Before Christmas, near Pallasovka Volgograd region on a swept track, when some wheels were on snow and snowy edges, and the other on icy, barely cleared asphalt, it allowed me to go 40-80 km/h without stress.

We believe that for the city in winter, and with trips out of town, it is the best choice

Car: Mitsubishi L200

Will you buy it again? Definitely yes

Rating: 4.85

In short, in my opinion the tire is very successful, especially for big city and trips out of town, whether regular or not. Excellent braking on any asphalt (whether wet or dry), good maneuverability and confident movement on snow and slush, confident movement and good braking on ice and compacted snow, very quiet for studs, completely insensitive to ruts on the asphalt, and not subject to lateral stalls. There are very minor issues with braking on loose snow - it brakes well in principle, but it could be better (although this is more a matter of my high expectations, given its brilliant characteristics for other types of surfaces).

Now in more detail, for those who are still interested and who, having read the reviews of others (I mean all the reviews, both for the SUV and non-SUV versions) still have doubts, as I did just recently.

I installed it after 7 years in a row on non-studded tires (popularly “Velcro”), drove about 1000 km, but it just so happened that I tried it in cold, thaw, and in the snow, and on the highway. Everything is already clear to me, that’s why I’m writing. So, first of all, the tire is perfectly suited for asphalt. I didn't even expect it. The behavior on asphalt is generally very similar to studless tires; I hardly noticed any difference. At the same time, it has a lot of spikes, and due to this, it holds both ice and packed snow perfectly. Crossing a rut on the asphalt is practically not felt; when driving in the rut itself, the steering wheel does not jerk. Brakes perfectly on both dry and wet asphalt. I still can’t understand why people write about bad braking. They probably just psychologically conditioned themselves that the tire was in run-in mode and did not brake themselves, for fear of damaging it expensive tire. Do not be afraid!!! I didn’t bother with any break-in at all, I rode the “non-studded” tire as before, except that for the first two days I kept a couple of meters more distance than usual. Then I realized the tire and stopped fooling around altogether. The tire is excellent on asphalt, but for studded tires it is simply unexpectedly good.

They wrote that this tire allegedly does not hold up well on lateral drift. For me it important point and I paid significant attention to him. Specially tried to achieve a breakdown rear axle to understand the limits. For two weeks, in the same unpleasant turn, with different weather conditions tried to rip it off. I brought the speed to the limits of reason (in my understanding), but still did not achieve a breakdown. There was no point in increasing the speed in this turn further, since I would not have entered it faster on any tires. It was possible to pick it once underground parking, on bare and very wet concrete, in a 90-degree turn. But can this be called a breakdown? In my opinion, 3-5 cm is nothing at all. But there is one effect - the car seems to float in a turn, the feeling that it is about to break loose, that it is already on the verge of a breakdown, but it does not break away anywhere. But the feeling, especially at first, that the butt is going away is present. But I repeat, there is no stall, just a feeling, and at any speed, even 5 km/h. Most likely due to the soft sides. And they are really soft, this is true, but this is not at all a reason to give the tires a rating of 1, as one person did in the reviews, without even driving a meter on them, but simply feeling the sidewall with his finger... I also fell into holes (and even very seriously), and already managed to hit the curb, and managed to run into it too :-). Nothing, not even a hint of a hernia... So, although their sidewall is soft, it turned out to be quite durable.

It drives very well in the snow, but I would say it usually slows down in the snow. After its performance on the asphalt, you clearly expect more, here just be more careful, the feeling that it could have been better remains. Although, most likely, this is more a matter of my perfectionism and, as a result, high expectations...

Well, about the noise - I don’t understand people who write about noise. Now you take a ride on breeches, then we will discuss which tires are noisy and which are not. These tires are not noisy at all. Noisier than my previous non-studded ones, of course, but I wouldn’t say it’s really critical.

As a result: the tire is simply magnificent. Finally, the feeling of reliability and comfort that the legendary, in my opinion, GoodYear Ultra Grip 500 gave has returned.

P.S.: My even incomplete experience with winter tires: not Yokohama stud (I don’t remember exactly, something like IceGuard 35), GoodYear Ultra Grip 500 stud, Bridgestone spike IceCruiser 5000, not Nokian spike Hakapellitta R, not thorn Dunlop Grandtrek M3. Of this entire set, only GoodYear UG500 (spike) and Dunlop M3 (non-spike) left good impressions. I parted with them with great regret, and only because some were being torn down, and new ones like them were no longer being produced. There were a lot of questions about the rest. After driving Yokohama (2 seasons, but that was enough for me, as they say), now I’m “shy” from this brand in principle - I’ve never been so scared, Hakkapeliitta R - while it’s water and porridge, everything is fine, but in the snow all-wheel drive BMW became almost completely uncontrollable, since then I look very carefully at the tread itself and don’t rely simply on the name (for this reason I didn’t even consider Hakkapeliitta 7, it very much reminded me of R in the design). Breeches are just like breeches - noisy, oaky, with very average characteristics - such a compromise... Why is this? Perhaps someone will see familiar names, compare them with their feelings and understand whether they should trust my opinion...

Automobile: Mercedes GL-Class(X164)

Will you buy it again? Definitely yes

Dmitry about the Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tire

If you compare with Yokogama, Gislaved, Dunlop - then the choice is definitely Conti. Very confident on almost any surface! It’s a little worse on bare ice, there are side slips, but it’s quite predictable, you just need to understand it. The price is certainly not small, but it is well worth it! It doesn’t slip either on dry asphalt or on Moscow porridge, it paddles confidently in loose snow, and handles like a glove on a snowy road. Very soft! Noisiness is a subjective thing, but the Dunlop in my wife’s car simply roars in comparison with the Conti. One cylinder (apparently due to storage problems) had to be balanced for a long time and painfully. But I think this is a complaint against the sellers!

Automobile: Hyundai Santa Fe

Size: 235/60 R18 107T XL

Will you buy it again? Definitely yes

Rating: 4.85

Gregory about the Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tire

Continental is great, as always. Best tire for winter, regardless of the drive (although this is the third winter set and all three on 4*4). Moderately noisy, rows well, is predictable on ice... Perhaps a little expensive, but it's worth it;)

Before this there were Dunlop, Michelin, GoodEar, Nokian, Gislaved... Only GoodEar was also pleasing, but that was a long time ago.

Automobile: Mitsubishi Pajero

Size: 265/65 R17 116T XL

Will you buy it again? Definitely yes

Rating: 4.85

Sergey about the Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tire

Not bad tires. I think they are worth the money. On some points I gave 4 stars only because this particular dimension 225/60, due to my fault, did not suit my full 5 points Nissan car Qashqai. It was necessary to listen to smart people and put narrower tires. But the brakes are great!

Car: Nissan Quashqai 2.0L 2007-

Rating: 4.77

Alexey about the Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tire

I purchased these tires on October 28 and immediately installed them, ordered them as expected, and immediately after 500 km I tested them at a speed of 170 km/h and was stunned by the fact that I didn’t notice any hum or rolliness, they brake clearly on bare asphalt, they don’t carry the car, but the tires don’t really likes rutting, or rather this is its only drawback in my opinion. On ice it goes very confidently and acceleration and braking are just super, snow is 5, but on virgin soil there are 20 centimeters and a temperature of 0 it’s not bad, but here, excuse me, it’s not the tires’ fault .before this I rode Hakka 7 and I can say that its rating is 3 compared to Kontik, Ekkagama is generally rare, this is again just my opinion. I live in Kislovodsk, our winter is mild and there was nothing at all snow and ice, but since I have to travel to neighboring regions for work, the choice was definitely in favor of studs. Over 8500 km, only 2 studs flew out on the front right and three on the left, respectively. So my choice is the continental! P.S. the price is 9k for a tire size 235/65/ 17

Car: Hyundai Santa Fe

Will you buy it again? Definitely yes

Rating: 4.85

Doronin Sergey about the Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tire

I spent a long time choosing which tires to put on my car. As a result, I purchased a Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV 225/75 R16 108T XL (spike). In principle, I am satisfied with the choice. A little expensive, yes. But it seems to me that the tires are worth it.

Among the advantages I would like to note the good braking properties on asphalt, noiselessness, good cross-country ability in snow. Well balanced on the discs. The spikes are still in place for 2500 km (I rolled the spikes for about 1000 km).

Among the disadvantages is that it does not hold up well on ice ruts in yards and drifts sideways. But it is possible that this is a feature short car- three-door Rav-4 in the first body.

Car: Toyota RAV4

Will you buy it again? More likely

Rating: 4.77

Alexander about the Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tire

Good day to all! We purchased this tire based on the recommendations of numerous friends and reviews on the Internet, at the time of writing the review, all the aspects with the tires are only positive, according to reviews they say that the stud on them lasts quite a long time, well, we’ll see what happens next, I can say that on a wet road, and it handles quite well on ice; on snow, in principle, the readings are not bad either, but if you still take the car mainly for driving on quite a bit of snow, I recommend Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic, on an icy road or on wet asphalt, its performance is a little worse, but on snow it has no equal among tires in this category, except mud tires. And one more piece of advice, I still recommend taking tires from the country of origin - Germany. In fact, there is a big difference in the durability of stud retention in rubber between the Russian rubber cast and the German one.

Car: Volkswagen Touareg

Will you buy it again? More likely

Rating: 4.85

Anton about the Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tire

Confident on wet roads, very good and predictable on snow and ice. Four times I fell into very bad pits with sharp edges, not a single hernia came out. Worth the money.

Car: Skoda Yeti

Size: 225/50 R17 98T

Will you buy it again? Definitely yes

Victor about the Continental ContiIceContact 2 SUV tire

Before this, there were no new specialized winter tires, there were studded off-road tires and bukhaka 7. Compared to them, the continental is simply a tale, an ideal of behavior on the road. I took 245/70R17 instead of the standard 265/65R17, the rolling resistance is lower, the pressure per unit area is higher, it’s optimal for winter. I was pleased with the silence; the sound of the studs is heard only when slipping, skidding and other situations when the studs begin to work. It paddles well in the snow and gets out of ruts. Increased confidence when driving on forest roads. It floats through the slush, but it’s predictable. It seems to me that the sidewall is a bit soft, but the tires are clearly not off-road, so this is not a minus. I definitely recommend buying it.

Car: Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Size: 245/70 R17 110T XL

Will you buy it again? Definitely yes