About Continental
Continental was founded in Hanover, Germany, in 1871 as a rubber goods company. In 1904 it produced the first car tyre with a moulded tread pattern, the basic idea behind every modern tread. The group later added General Tire, Semperit, Barum and the European Uniroyal brand. After spinning off its automotive electronics business in 2025, Continental is once again focused mainly on tyres and is a major original equipment supplier to Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Porsche and Land Rover.
Strengths
- Class-leading wet braking on PremiumContact and SportContact
- Very low road noise, ideal for luxury and electric cars
- OE fitments on most German brands, including marked sizes
- Predictable behaviour at the limit
- CrossContact ATR gives a road-friendly all-terrain option
Weaknesses
- Tread life is shorter than Michelin on some ranges
- Fewer heavy 4x4 sizes for Patrol and Land Cruiser than Japanese brands
- Some sizes are imported to order
Continental ranges and prices
| Model | Type | Rims | Price per tyre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continental PremiumContact 7 | Premium touring summer | 16–21 inch | AED 450 – AED 1,100 |
| Continental SportContact 7 | Ultra-high performance summer | 18–23 inch | AED 800 – AED 2,000 |
| Continental UltraContact UC6 SUV | SUV touring | 16–20 inch | AED 450 – AED 950 |
| Continental CrossContact LX Sport | Luxury SUV all-season / highway | 17–22 inch | AED 700 – AED 1,500 |
| Continental CrossContact ATR | All-terrain 4x4 | 15–20 inch | AED 550 – AED 1,050 |
Cars it suits
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class
- BMW 3 Series
- Volkswagen Tiguan
- Audi Q5
- Range Rover Sport
- Tesla Model Y
- Porsche Macan
- Nissan X-Trail
Our ratings out of 10
- Wet grip
- 10
- Dry grip
- 9
- Comfort
- 9
- Quietness
- 9
- Tread life
- 8
- Heat resistance
- 8
Performance
Continental's strength is braking. The PremiumContact 7 and SportContact 7 stop shorter on wet roads than almost anything else, which matters on the first rainy days of the UAE winter when roads are slick with oil and dust. Dry grip is excellent and the steering is natural rather than nervous. They are also among the quietest tyres you can buy, so they work well on EVs such as Tesla, Polestar and BYD, where there is no engine noise to mask tyre roar.
Durability and tread life
Continental's latest generations wear much better than older ones. A PremiumContact 7 on a C-Class or Tiguan typically lasts 40,000–50,000 km in the UAE, the SportContact 7 around 25,000–35,000 km, and the UltraContact UC6 SUV 45,000–55,000 km thanks to a harder compound designed for Asian and Middle East markets. Heavy EVs wear any tyre about 15–20% faster, so rotate every 8,000–10,000 km on a Tesla.
Continental in UAE conditions
If your Mercedes, BMW or Porsche came on Continental, check the sidewall for MO, star or N markings, and for ContiSilent (foam inside for EVs) or SSR (run-flat) labels, and buy the same version. UAE stock is made in Germany, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Malaysia and China. A typical DOT code reads 2125, meaning week 21 of 2025. In summer, check pressure at least every two weeks, because hot-weather pressure loss affects wet braking later in the year.
Alternatives in the same class
- Michelin — AED 450–AED 1,050, France
- Bridgestone — AED 400–AED 950, Japan
- Pirelli — AED 450–AED 1,100, Italy
- Goodyear — AED 380–AED 900, United States
