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It is every driver’s dream to have an ultra-high-performing all-season tire. A tire that will serve all their needs both on and off-road. Well, the battle for supremacy narrows down to two names: Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 VS. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3.
Which is the better performing tire in 2021? We went on a quest to find the answer to this question. Here is an in-depth comparison of the two giants.
Comparison of their features on a scale of 1- 10(where 10 is the highest score)
SPECS | DWS 06 | SPORT 4 S |
Suitable For | Passenger vehicle and Crossovers | |
Overall | 8.0 | 8.8 |
Dry | 8.8 | 9.0 |
Wet | 8.9 | 9.0 |
Steering Response | 8.4 | 8.8 |
Corner Stability | 8.9 | 8.9 |
Aquaplaning | 8.9 | 9.0 |
Traction | 9.1 | 9.3 |
Snow | 7.7 | 8.0 |
Ice | 7.1 | 7.5 |
Comfort | 7.9 | 8.8 |
Noise | 8.2 | 8.5 |
Wear | 7.8 | 8.6 |
German tires are as good as their machines. And the Continental Extremecontact DWS 06 is an excellent example. This is a maximum-performance summer tire designed for crossovers, sedans, and sports cars. It is noise-free with exceptional grip on both dry and wet surfaces.
The tires feature four black rings used to connect the vehicle to the pavement. This makes it suitable for all conditions, whether dry, wet, or snow; hence its name DWS.
DWS 06 is the sixth model of the Extremecontact series. This version comes with better and upgraded features for a better consumer experience. Its tread life is longer, it is less noisy and it performs equally well in wet and snowy conditions.
It is every car enthusiast’s dream to own a high-performing all-season tire. This is because such tires work tremendously well in all conditions, are easy to corner on dry and wet roads and have the best grips. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 is a good example of such a tire.
Coming from a French company, Michelin is one of the oldest companies in the business and develops products for Formula 1. You would wantF1 technology in your vehicle, wouldn’t you?
This tire remains one of the most versatile for both on and off-road performances. Its traction and handling are fabulous with minimal noise and an exceptionally smooth ride.
Like most Michelin tires, the A/S 3 is relatively expensive, but it’s always quality over price for us here. There is no harm in spending a few extra bucks for premium and unique features.
Given that Michelin is responsible for F1 cars, you can expect nothing short of excellence when it comes to the durability of their tires. You’ll be surprised how far you can push the tires without crashing or wearing them out. The company offers a 45,000-mile tread warranty for the tire. Out of a possible 10, the tire scoops a solid 8 for its durability.
DWS 06 provides their customers with a better warranty. The tire has a 50,000-mile tread warranty. It is available in sizes 16 to 22 inches.
Michelin brought something new to the game with the treads of this tire. They used a Helio+ compound that is infused with high amounts of silica to come up with an aggressive asymmetric tread pattern. This is for all year-round wet and dry handling and traction.
The company also induced the Variable Contact Patch 3.0 Tech to reduce heat distortion in the tire. The level of grip and responsiveness while cornering also increases.
DWS 06 also matched our expectations with their treads. The tire has W and Y-rated rubbers for better performance. There are integrated X-sipes in the treads for better off-road performance. The manufacturers also added traction grooves that prevent snow, dirt and debris from building up in the tire.
The DWS 06 tires aren’t the fastest on road, but they might as well be the most aggressive. While testing them out, we weren’t really concerned at how fast they could go, but to what limits we could push them before they caved in. Expect full confidence with these tires while on the road. The steering, braking and acceleration are all breath-taking.
Pilot Sport A/S 3 isn’t left behind in this category. The steering response of the tires is outstanding, kudos to the manufacturers. They will immediately react to your input, making it one of the best ultra-high-performing all-season tires in the game.
On-road, it will feel like a summer performance tire. Its grip and traction are excellent and the steering is positive. In short, the tire’s performance on-road performance is exceptional.
We loved the performance of Pilot Sport A/S 3 on snow. The Helio+ found in its tread grooves helps to deliver 28% better snow traction than the previous models. On wet pavements, you have outstanding hydroplaning resistance and exceptional traction.
The tires are well balanced on wet conditions; no over-steering, no understeering. It should accelerate without any issues and handle corners sweetly.
The manufacturers of the continental extremecontact DWS O6 induced the New Sportplus Tech, +Silane additives and Silica into their tire. The result? Enhanced traction on wet road surfaces, longer tread life and more precise handling.
It’s worth noting that these tires aren’t the best in snowy conditions, but their performance is still relatively good. There is room for improvement though.
Both these tires are relatively quiet, which increases their driving experience. Out of a possible 10, DWS 06 scoops a solid 8.2 in its noise performance while Pilot Sport A/S 3 8.5. You will hardly hear of their noise and vibration unless you are driving in a very quiet environment.
The previous versions of the Continental Extremecontact tires weren’t the best in terms of traction and handling. The manufacturers resorted to solving this by adding the X-sipe technology and traction grooves to the DWS O6.
This combo gives the tire noticeable improvements in its grip, handling, cornering performance and braking in the rain and snow as well as on-road. Even if you push the tire to the limits, you’ll still find it very crisp and responsive.
The tire also has unique sport sidewalls to assist quicken its steering response. The sidewalls provide 35% more stiffness than the original DWS.
Combine the silica used in Michelin’s Sport A/S 3 to its large grooves and thick sipes and the result is outstanding acceleration, braking and wet traction. The company claims that this tire model will stop on both dry and wet surfaces quicker than other competing tires. This here says a lot on the kind of traction you should expect.
Both the DWS 06 and Pilot Sport A/S 3 are good tires, great, in fact. Their build quality, performance both on and off-road, grip, and steering response are all excellent. So, which one should you purchase? It all depends on your needs.
Which of the two tires are you purchasing?
Go for the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 if you:
On the other hand, purchase the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 if you:
Do you have any questions? Send us a message