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 (comfort 40/60). Based on 2 + 1 road tests and 45 + 1,457 owner reviews. How we score
ExtremeContact Sport is ahead, 71–65
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 62 · 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.
-
76
Dry
ExtremeContact Sport +274Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 74 ≈ 72 (est.) Reviews found online 80 77 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 74 + 40% × 79.7 = 76
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 77.2 = 74
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 0.41).
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80
Wet
ExtremeContact Sport +1466Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 79 ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 80 65 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 79.3 + 40% × 80.2 = 80
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 67.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.7 = 66
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 0.55).
-
48
Snow
ExtremeContact Sport +345Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 58 (est.) ≈ 57 (est.) Reviews found online 32 27 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 58.2 (est.) + 40% × 31.7 = 48
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 56.8 (est.) + 40% × 27.2 = 45
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 0.32).
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 0.32).
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72
Comfort
ExtremeContact Sport +765Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 74 64 ExtremeContact Sport: 40% × 69.8 (est.) + 60% × 73.6 = 72
Firehawk Indy 500: 40% × 67.7 (est.) + 60% × 63.6 = 65
No road tests of comfort for ExtremeContact Sport. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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71
Noise
ExtremeContact Sport +665Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 73 ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 67 64 ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 72.6 + 40% × 67.4 = 71
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 64.2 = 65
No road tests of noise for Firehawk Indy 500. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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69
Treadwear
ExtremeContact Sport +366Why this score
Source ExtremeContact Sport Firehawk Indy 500 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 70 70 Reviews found online 68 61 Tested Tread Life (Miles) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–0 62% 62% ExtremeContact Sport: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 67.9 = 69
Firehawk Indy 500: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 60.7 = 66
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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 | 71 | 65 |
| Dry | 76 | 74 |
| Wet | 80 | 66 |
| Snow | 48 | 45 |
| Comfort | 72 | 65 |
| Noise | 71 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 66 |
| 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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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
ExtremeContact Sport
65
/ 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
The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is overwhelmingly praised as an exceptional value and 'bang for your buck' summer performance tire. Drivers consistently highlight strong dry grip, commendable wet traction, comfortable ride quality, and progressive handling breakaway. Minor criticisms center on reduced performance in cold temperatures, softer steering feedback, and grease on hard track sessions.
r/Miata
·1 upvote ·2026-10-07
“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.”
civicx.com
·2019-10-08
“To say I'm not a fan of the stock tires is an under statement. I had these on my 2015 Si and loved them. I did some serious spirited driving on them. Extremely good grip for the price and never had an issue. I did have to go up 10 on the width on the Si as well. I think I'm going to go with 255/35/20 in them. Anyone ever try them? I know a good amount of Mustang GT guys use them and have no issues.”
r/tires
·5 upvotes ·2025-11-27
“Need recommendations for an All Season tire that's comparable to Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 in a 205 45 17 Live in Southern California. Car only gets about 3,000-4,000 Miles a year. Tire size is 205 45 17 Currently have Firehawk Indy 500 but I got them used for $150 a couple years ago and they're done now. Cheaper options would be nice for new.”
Top themes
#value for money#dry grip performance#wet road traction#ride comfort#cold temperature limitations#track and autocross use#sidewall and steering response
Based on 141 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?
71
/ 100
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
65
/ 100
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
Winner: 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 80 vs 66 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 72 vs 65 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 71 vs 65 on noise.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental ExtremeContact Sport scores 48 vs 45 on snow.
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, 80 vs 66 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 74 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 48 vs 45 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 71 vs 65 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 72 vs 65 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, ExtremeContact Sport or Firehawk Indy 500?
Continental ExtremeContact Sport, 69 vs 66 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