Tests 74 · 2 tests Owners 69 · 45 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental ExtremeContact Sport vs Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 2 + 1 road tests and 45 + 1,457 owner reviews. How we score
ExtremeContact Sport leads, 70–66 Narrow edge
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 63 · 1,457 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))
“I just put Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's on my NC2 and I like them and would recommend them. I paid about $635 with installation at Costco but you might even be able to find them for less elsewhere.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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76
Dry
ExtremeContact Sport +373Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 74 ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 79 77 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 73.8 + 40% × 79.4 = 76
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 71.3 (est.) + 40% × 76.5 = 73
No road tests of dry for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
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78
Wet
ExtremeContact Sport +1167Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 79 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 78 66 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 78.9 + 40% × 77.6 = 78
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 67.6 (est.) + 40% × 65.9 = 67
No road tests of wet for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
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46
Snow
ExtremeContact Sport +244Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 57 (est.) ≈ 55 (est.) Reviews found online 31 26 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 56.9 (est.) + 40% × 30.5 = 46
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 55.3 (est.) + 40% × 25.9 = 44
No road tests of snow for ExtremeContact Sport. 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 Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.33).
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72
Comfort
ExtremeContact Sport +567Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 74 65 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 70 (est.) + 40% × 73.9 = 72
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 68.5 (est.) + 40% × 65.2 = 67
No road tests of comfort for ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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72
Noise
ExtremeContact Sport +567Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 73 ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 70 67 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 72.8 + 40% × 69.8 = 72
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 67 = 67
No road tests of noise for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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69
Treadwear
ExtremeContact Sport +267Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 70 70 Reviews found online 68 62 Tested Tread Life (Miles) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 62% 62% ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 67.8 = 69
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 61.9 = 67
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74
Handling (owners)
ExtremeContact Sport +371Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Reviews found online 74 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental ExtremeContact Sport | Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 66 |
| Dry | 76 | 73 |
| Wet | 78 | 67 |
| Snow | 46 | 44 |
| Comfort | 72 | 67 |
| Noise | 72 | 67 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 67 |
| Handling (owners) | 74 | 71 |
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.
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Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
ExtremeContact Sport
66
/ 100
Firehawk Indy 500
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, Continental ExtremeContact Sport finished ahead 1 times and Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | ExtremeContact Sport | Firehawk Indy 500 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tested Tread Life (Miles) | Treadwear | 62% | 62% | 0.0 | 0–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires · 215/60R18 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/22 | #9/22 | – | 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires · 215/60R18 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A ExtremeContact Sport
Pros
- Exceptional dry and wet traction with high confidence in the rain
- High value for money compared to primary competitors like Michelin
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality for an ultra-high-performance tire
Cons
- Softer sidewalls leading to a slight delay or lack of immediate steering feedback and precision
- Requires a brief warm-up period in colder temperatures, sometimes causing temporary vibrations
- Stiff ride over sharp road imperfections noted by some users
Tire B Firehawk Indy 500
Pros
- Exceptional value and affordability compared to premium tier brands like Michelin
- Outstanding dry grip and confident, responsive cornering capabilities
- Surprisingly quiet and comfortable ride quality on the highway
Cons
- Accelerated tread wear and shorter overall lifespan
- Poor performance and loss of traction in cold temperatures (below 40°F)
- Vulnerability to hydroplaning or reduced traction in heavy standing water
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
Community sentiment toward the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is overwhelmingly positive, with drivers frequently praising it as an exceptional value and budget-friendly alternative to premium summer tires. Owners report strong dry grip, solid wet-weather traction, good comfort, and predictable handling, though some note reduced performance in cold temperatures, softer sidewalls, and a tendency to get greasy during aggressive track sessions. Interest is also growing around the newer V2 version and its updated compound and tread design.
bobistheoilguy.com
·2022-07-14
“At autocross, as a passenger in my main rivals car(in the slow fwd crap cars on UHP's division), my heart sank as these firehawks would take all sorts of hamfisted overdriving and still grip very well with all sorts of fwd full throttle understeer.... Granted his were new and my sport comp2's had one season on them, but it was shocking how they gripped better with lots of slip angle or wheelspin, compared to my tires... I did manage to beat him still, but I think I was much more on a knife edge than him for the whole run....”
fiestastforum.com
·2022-11-30
“I should walk back on my comment about there being numerous other tires I would choose. I forget about many tires getting damaged by cold weather. Like others I've had good luck with Firehawk Indy 500's. They are usually very competitvely priced. I actually got caught in a snowstorm with my CTS-V and made it home safely without a scare, with that being said you probably would be better off with something in the UHPAS class. I've had insanely good luck with Continental DWS06. They barely give up much performance to the Sport Contacts that I'm currently running, but the Continentals are only sold in 205/45R17, so you have to ask yourself if you are okay with a slightly taller sidewall. The continentals have a rebate going on too, but I think it ends today. Not sure if it is going to be renewed for next month.”
r/Mustang
·7 upvotes ·2025-02-13
“Will I regret buying Firestone Firehawk Indy 500s? I have a stock '21 GT Premium convertible with the black appearance package. It came with the upgraded Pirelli P Zero 255/40-19 tires, but with 35,000 miles, they are really worn, and I need new tires. I live in North Florida. We don't have a lot of cold weather (I missed the snow last month), but I do get a lot of rain. I don't track the car, and mostly drive on country roads and the interstate. The Pirelli's have treated me well as far as traction, dry and wet. I like the aggressive look of the Firehawks, but I am concerned about wet weather traction. Will the Firehawks be at least comparable to the Pirelli's for wet weather and general handling? If not, it sounds like the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 is the way to go. Also, the car is all black, with black rims, and the tires look wimpy. I'm not up for new rims this go-round, and I won't lower it because I like the clearance for potholes, etc., that I see a lot of in my area. I'm hoping the tires will help the look a little bit. Read more”
Top themes
#value and pricing#dry grip and traction#wet weather handling#track and autocross use#cold temperature limitations#ride comfort and road noise#Firehawk Indy 500 V2
Based on 146 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental ExtremeContact Sport | B · Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 1 | 47 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | 9 - 10/32″ |
| UTQG | 340 AA A | 340 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | 30,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | 50 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
66
/ 100
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
Narrow edge: Continental ExtremeContact Sport — better wet, comfort and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 78 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 72 vs 67 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 72 vs 67 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 76 vs 73 on dry.
Tire A · Continental ExtremeContact Sport
Tire B · Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
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ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Which is better in the wet, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 78 vs 67 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 76 vs 73 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Neither, by our numbers: 46 vs 44 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 72 vs 67 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 72 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 67 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.
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