Tests 68 · 1 test Owners 61 · 1,631 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 12 in 2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tyre Test (rolling resistance)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental Eco Contact 5 vs Firestone RoadHawk — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Eco Contact 5 leads, 64–61 Narrow edge
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
65
Dry
RoadHawk +570Why this score
Source Eco Contact 5 RoadHawk Professional tests (TWG score) 68 81 Reviews found online 60 53 Dry Braking (% of best) 94% 97% -
66
Wet
RoadHawk +268Why this score
Source Eco Contact 5 RoadHawk Professional tests (TWG score) 68 76 Reviews found online 63 56 Wet Braking (% of best) 97% 80% -
64
Comfort
Eco Contact 5 +559Why this score
Source Eco Contact 5 RoadHawk Professional tests (TWG score) – 67 Reviews found online 59 47 -
–
Noise
No comparison46Why this score
Source Eco Contact 5 RoadHawk Professional tests (TWG score) – 32 -
64
Treadwear
Eco Contact 5 +1054Why this score
Source Eco Contact 5 RoadHawk Professional tests (TWG score) – 65 Reviews found online 62 38 -
60
Handling
Eco Contact 5 +1743Why this score
Source Eco Contact 5 RoadHawk Reviews found online 60 43
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental Eco Contact 5 | Firestone RoadHawk |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 64 | 61 |
| Dry | 65 | 70 |
| Wet | 66 | 68 |
| Comfort | 64 | 59 |
| Noise | – | 46 |
| Treadwear | 64 | 54 |
| Handling | 60 | 43 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
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Important
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Less important
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Less important
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
64
/ 100
Eco Contact 5
61
/ 100
RoadHawk
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Eco Contact 5 | RoadHawk | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% #8/12 · 2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tyre Test | 97% #11/55 · 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview | −2.3 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 100% #1/12 · 2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tyre Test | 82% #9/12 · 2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tyre Test | +18.4 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/15 · 2012 European Summer Tyre Test - 165/70 R14 | 8% #13/45 · 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking Shootout | +92.3 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 90% #11/12 · 2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tyre Test | 96% #6/50 · 2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test | −6.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% #3/12 · 2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tyre Test | 80% #34/48 · 2023 Summer Tyre Market Overview | +16.3 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Eco Contact 5
Pros
- Exceptional fuel economy and low rolling resistance
- Strong dry pavement grip and handling stability
- Impressive longevity and tread wear mileage for many drivers
Cons
- Subpar wet weather grip and frequent wheel-spin in the rain
- Thin, delicate sidewalls susceptible to bulging and pothole damage
- Loud, intrusive road noise on coarse or rough asphalt
Tire B RoadHawk
Pros
- Exceptional wet weather performance, particularly in standing water and heavy rain
- Strong dry grip and confident cornering for daily driving
- Comfortable ride quality with good bump absorption
Cons
- Accelerated and sometimes uneven tread wear, resulting in shorter-than-expected lifespan
- Soft sidewalls that can cause a visual 'under-inflated' bulge and spongy cornering response
- Limited steering feedback and precision during spirited driving
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental Eco Contact 5 | B · Firestone RoadHawk |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 38 | 115 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 20″ | 15″ – 21″ |
Which one should you actually buy?
64
/ 100
Continental Eco Contact 5
61
/ 100
Firestone RoadHawk
Winner: Continental Eco Contact 5 — better handling, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Firestone RoadHawk if dry matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental Eco Contact 5 scores 60 vs 43 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Continental Eco Contact 5 scores 64 vs 54 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental Eco Contact 5 scores 64 vs 59 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Firestone RoadHawk scores 70 vs 65 on dry.
Tire A · Continental Eco Contact 5
Tire B · Firestone RoadHawk
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.