Tests 73 · 2 tests Owners 68 · 2 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 10 in 2017 Autocenter Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)
Continental IceContact 2 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental IceContact 2 vs Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP — 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 + 2 road tests and 2 + 14 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: IceContact 2 70, Observe GSi-6 HP 71.
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Tests 69 · 2 tests Owners 73 · 14 reviews
Best test result: #5 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (dry braking)
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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69
Dry
Observe GSi-6 HP +675Why this score
Source IceContact 2 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 1 tests 71 73 Reviews found online 66 77 IceContact 2: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 65.8 = 69
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 73 + 40% × 76.9 = 75
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71
Wet
Observe GSi-6 HP +475Why this score
Source IceContact 2 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 2 tests 70 71 Reviews found online 72 81 IceContact 2: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 71.6 = 71
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 71.5 + 40% × 80.7 = 75
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76
Snow
IceContact 2 +1066Why this score
Source IceContact 2 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 2 / 2 tests 78 60 Reviews found online 73 75 IceContact 2: 60% × 77.9 + 40% × 72.7 = 76
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 59.5 + 40% × 74.7 = 66
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64
Comfort
Observe GSi-6 HP +1175Why this score
Source IceContact 2 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 67 (est.) 77 Reviews found online 62 74 IceContact 2: 40% × 67.3 (est.) + 60% × 61.9 = 64
Observe GSi-6 HP: 40% × 76.6 + 60% × 73.8 = 75
No road tests of comfort for IceContact 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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–
Noise
No comparison69Why this score
Source IceContact 2 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests – 72 Reviews found online – ≈ 66 (est.) Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 71.6 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 69
No owner ratings of noise for Observe GSi-6 HP. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
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65
Treadwear
IceContact 2 +362Why this score
Source IceContact 2 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 64 (est.) Reviews found online 65 59 IceContact 2: 60% × 65.8 (est.) + 40% × 64.5 = 65
Observe GSi-6 HP: 60% × 63.7 (est.) + 40% × 58.5 = 62
No road tests of treadwear for IceContact 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for Observe GSi-6 HP. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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69
Handling (owners)
Observe GSi-6 HP +675Why this score
Source IceContact 2 Observe GSi-6 HP Reviews found online 69 75 -
63
Efficiency
Observe GSi-6 HP +366Why this score
Source IceContact 2 Observe GSi-6 HP Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests 63 66
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental IceContact 2 | Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 71 |
| Dry | 69 | 75 |
| Wet | 71 | 75 |
| Snow | 76 | 66 |
| Comfort | 64 | 75 |
| Noise | – | 69 |
| Treadwear | 65 | 62 |
| Handling (owners) | 69 | 75 |
| Efficiency | 63 | 66 |
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
Important
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
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
IceContact 2
71
/ 100
Observe GSi-6 HP
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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.
| Discipline | Category | IceContact 2 | Observe GSi-6 HP | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 97% #5/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 99% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 81% #7/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 79% #18/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Snow | 99% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 85% #18/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 100% #2/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 57% #18/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 97% #5/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #8/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #12/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #16/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/5 2021 Test World Winter Studded Tire Test R17 | #12/20 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A IceContact 2
Pros
- Excellent traction on snow and ice-covered surfaces
- Surprisingly comfortable and quiet ride for a studded tire
- Reliable handling and stability in severe winter conditions
Cons
- Increased road noise when driving on dry or clean pavement
- Noticeable degradation in ice grip performance after two seasons of use
- Requires precise tire pressure maintenance to ensure optimal wet-weather handling
Tire B Observe GSi-6 HP
Pros
- Exceptional traction and stability in snow and slush
- Impressive wet-weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
- Remarkably quiet ride quality for a winter tire
Cons
- Inconsistent tread life reports, with some users experiencing premature wear
- Occasional reports of structural failure or tread separation
- Slightly vague steering feel at lower speeds
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental IceContact 2 | B · Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Sizes available | — | 39 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 21″ |
| Tread depth | — | 11 - 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | — | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Continental IceContact 2
71
/ 100
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP
Too close to call: Continental IceContact 2 and Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP are within 2 points overall. Continental IceContact 2 is stronger on snow and treadwear. Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP is stronger on comfort, dry and handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP scores 75 vs 64 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental IceContact 2 scores 76 vs 66 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP scores 75 vs 69 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP scores 75 vs 69 on handling.
Tire A · Continental IceContact 2
Tire B · Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP
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IceContact 2 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Which is better in the wet, IceContact 2 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP, 75 vs 71 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, IceContact 2 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP, 75 vs 69 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, IceContact 2 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Continental IceContact 2, 76 vs 66 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, IceContact 2 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP, 75 vs 64 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, IceContact 2 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Continental IceContact 2, 65 vs 62 on our treadwear score.
Which rolls more easily, IceContact 2 or Observe GSi-6 HP?
Toyo Observe GSi-6 HP, 66 vs 63 on our efficiency 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