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Head-to-head Updated

Continental Cross Contact A/T vs Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 0 + 0 road tests and 14 + 800 owner reviews. How we score

Discoverer AT3 XLT is ahead, 76–62

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Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Tire BCooper

Discoverer AT3 XLT

All-Terrain tire

Tests – · none yet Owners 79 · 800 reviews

“New shoes this week, Cooper Discoverer At3 XLT. I’m really impressed so far.”

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 64

    Dry

    Discoverer AT3 XLT +14
    78
    Why this score
    SourceCross Contact A/TDiscoverer AT3 XLT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 74 (est.)
    Reviews found online6284

    Cross Contact A/T: 60% × 65.5 (est.) + 40% × 62.2 = 64

    Discoverer AT3 XLT: 60% × 74.3 (est.) + 40% × 84 = 78

    No road tests of dry for Cross Contact A/T. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).

    No road tests of dry for Discoverer AT3 XLT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).

  2. 64

    Wet

    Discoverer AT3 XLT +16
    80
    Why this score
    SourceCross Contact A/TDiscoverer AT3 XLT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 77 (est.)
    Reviews found online6384

    Cross Contact A/T: 60% × 65.7 (est.) + 40% × 62.5 = 64

    Discoverer AT3 XLT: 60% × 77.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.5 = 80

    No road tests of wet for Cross Contact A/T. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

    No road tests of wet for Discoverer AT3 XLT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

  3. 53

    Snow

    Discoverer AT3 XLT +17
    70
    Why this score
    SourceCross Contact A/TDiscoverer AT3 XLT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 60 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online4170

    Cross Contact A/T: 60% × 60.4 (est.) + 40% × 41.3 = 53

    Discoverer AT3 XLT: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 69.9 = 70

    No road tests of snow for Cross Contact A/T. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.33).

    No road tests of snow for Discoverer AT3 XLT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.33).

  4. 65

    Comfort

    Discoverer AT3 XLT +9
    74
    Why this score
    SourceCross Contact A/TDiscoverer AT3 XLT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online6079

    Cross Contact A/T: 60% × 67.6 (est.) + 40% × 60.4 = 65

    Discoverer AT3 XLT: 60% × 70.9 (est.) + 40% × 79.3 = 74

    No road tests of comfort for Cross Contact A/T or Discoverer AT3 XLT. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    73
    Why this score
    SourceCross Contact A/TDiscoverer AT3 XLT
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online–81

    Discoverer AT3 XLT: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 80.8 = 73

    No road tests of noise for Discoverer AT3 XLT. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 65

    Treadwear

    Discoverer AT3 XLT +7
    72
    Why this score
    SourceCross Contact A/TDiscoverer AT3 XLT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 65 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online6477

    Cross Contact A/T: 60% × 65.2 (est.) + 40% × 64.4 = 65

    Discoverer AT3 XLT: 60% × 69 (est.) + 40% × 76.5 = 72

    No road tests of treadwear for Cross Contact A/T. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).

    No road tests of treadwear for Discoverer AT3 XLT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).

  7. 62

    Handling (owners)

    Discoverer AT3 XLT +16
    78
    Why this score
    SourceCross Contact A/TDiscoverer AT3 XLT
    Reviews found online6278
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental Cross Contact A/TCooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Relative Score 62 76
Dry 64 78
Wet 64 80
Snow 53 70
Comfort 65 74
Noise – 73
Treadwear 65 72
Handling (owners) 62 78

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score

Cross Contact A/T

Discoverer AT3 XLT

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Cross Contact A/T

Pros

  • Excellent on-road comfort and handling with acceptable noise levels
  • High potential longevity and mileage for many users, with sets lasting upwards of 50,000 to 80,000 km/miles
  • Competent dry and wet performance on paved surfaces

Cons

  • Susceptibility to punctures and fragile sidewalls reported by some drivers
  • Rapid, premature tread wear experienced by certain users
  • Poor traction and spinning issues in winter conditions such as snow and ice
All owner themes in the Cross Contact A/T review

Tire B Discoverer AT3 XLT

Pros

  • Significantly lower road noise than comparable aggressive all-terrain tires
  • Excellent wet weather, snow, and slush traction
  • Sturdy sidewalls and stable performance when towing heavy loads

Cons

  • Some users report difficulty with balancing, leading to vibrations or a rough ride
  • Tread life occasionally falls short of expectations for certain drivers
  • Can struggle or get gummed up in deep mud
All owner themes in the Discoverer AT3 XLT review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Continental Cross Contact A/T

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT

Positive

Community members report high satisfaction with the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, highlighting its quiet ride, long tread life, and strong winter performance. Several owners praise its smooth ride quality and durability under towing conditions compared to rival all-terrain tires. Discussion also commonly centers around sizing, fitment, and snow ratings.

clubfrontier.org ·2 upvotes ·2023-02-23

“COOPER DISCOVERER AT3 XLT / NO STUD / 32.56" / 54 LBS / 3 PEAK / $265.99 This is what I came here to suggest ^ BFG also has the KO3s coming out soon right? Pictures KO3s release for Spring 2023 Patagonia Milestars are also pretty great tires I hear, but I've never had them. They are a subsidiary company of Nankang, made in Taiwan.”
f150forum.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by Stadt This was while I was running a ReadyLift 2.25" level only. The ride was good with only the level, just normal body roll and bed hop. Upgrading to the Bilstein 6112 and 5160 made the truck handle much better. You can gain this same set up with Bilsteins as well. The 285/65R20 did not rub unless the suspension was flexed, but under normal driving conditions, no issues. This tire size is perfect for a 2" level while running the stock wheels. Aftermarket wheels will require a smaller size, 275/65R20 is typically largest before significant rubbing. Thanks for the reply. I actually read through your entire build thread last night. Wow. Awesome stuff there. I’m planning on keeping the OEM Platinum trim 20” wheels. So I could run the Discoverer AT3 XLT 275/65 R20 without any rub at all with either a 2” spacer level or something like this kit from Fox? I don’t want to trim anything and don’t want any rub even when suspension is flexed. It seems like most info online indicates a 33” tire is the max for a 2” level and no rubbing. I believe the 275/65 R20 is a 34” tire. Thanks for the advice!”
r/NissanTitan ·29 upvotes ·2023-03-29

“Put some new tires on the XD today. Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT in 275/70R18. I usually run BFG KO2s on my trucks but wanted to try something different this time.”
Top themes
#low road noise#tread longevity and wear#snow and winter traction#tire sizing and fitment#ride quality and comfort#towing performance

Based on 13 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental Cross Contact A/T B · Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
CategoryAll-Terrain tireAll-Terrain tire
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available—4
Rim diameters—16″ – 20″
Tread depth—16 - 18/32″
Treadwear warranty—60,000 mi
Sidewall—Black Side Wall - Raised White Lettering
Max pressure—35 - 80 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental Cross Contact A/T

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT

Winner: Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT — better snow, wet and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score. Continental Cross Contact A/T rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT scores 70 vs 53 on snow.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT scores 80 vs 64 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT scores 78 vs 62 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT scores 78 vs 64 on dry.

Tire A · Continental Cross Contact A/T
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Tire B · Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
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Cross Contact A/T or Discoverer AT3 XLT?

Which is better in the wet, Cross Contact A/T or Discoverer AT3 XLT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, 80 vs 64 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Cross Contact A/T or Discoverer AT3 XLT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, 78 vs 64 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Cross Contact A/T or Discoverer AT3 XLT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, 70 vs 53 on our snow score.

Which is more comfortable, Cross Contact A/T or Discoverer AT3 XLT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, 74 vs 65 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Cross Contact A/T or Discoverer AT3 XLT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, 72 vs 65 on our treadwear score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology