Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 1 road tests and 245 + 15 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Sport Contact 3 68, N'Fera AU7 69.
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests – · none yet Owners 65 · 245 reviews
“The SC3 didn't quite manage 10,000 miles on the front of my 406. On the rear they fared a little better. In fairness though I was asking them to put down well over 300lbft, in a FWD car with a hefty lump of a diesel engine sat above 'em”
Tests – · 1 test Owners 67 · 15 reviews
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 70 (est.) | ≈ 69 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 72 | 70 |
Sport Contact 3: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 72.4 = 71
N'Fera AU7: 60% × 68.8 (est.) + 40% × 69.7 = 69
No road tests of dry for Sport Contact 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
No road tests of dry for N'Fera AU7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 72 (est.) | ≈ 72 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 73 | 72 |
Sport Contact 3: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.6 = 72
N'Fera AU7: 60% × 71.6 (est.) + 40% × 72.3 = 72
No road tests of wet for Sport Contact 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
No road tests of wet for N'Fera AU7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | ≈ 67 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | – | 61 |
N'Fera AU7: 60% × 67.2 (est.) + 40% × 61.3 = 65
No road tests of snow for N'Fera AU7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 68 (est.) | ≈ 69 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 64 | 67 |
Sport Contact 3: 40% × 68.1 (est.) + 60% × 63.5 = 65
N'Fera AU7: 40% × 68.7 (est.) + 60% × 66.9 = 68
No road tests of comfort for Sport Contact 3 or N'Fera AU7. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | ≈ 67 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | – | 65 |
N'Fera AU7: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 65.1 = 66
No road tests of noise for N'Fera AU7. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests | ≈ 60 (est.) | 62 |
| Reviews found online | 48 | 62 |
Sport Contact 3: 60% × 59.9 (est.) + 40% × 48.3 = 55
N'Fera AU7: 60% × 62.4 + 40% × 62.2 = 62
No road tests of treadwear for Sport Contact 3. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 68 | 69 |
| Category | Continental Sport Contact 3 | Nexen N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 69 |
| Dry | 71 | 69 |
| Wet | 72 | 72 |
| Snow | – | 65 |
| Comfort | 65 | 68 |
| Noise | – | 66 |
| Treadwear | 55 | 62 |
| Handling (owners) | 68 | 69 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Sport Contact 3
N'Fera AU7
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 | Sport Contact 3 | N'Fera AU7 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #1/10 2012 EVO Max Performance Tyre Test | #11/19 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community sentiment regarding the Continental Sport Contact 3 is polarized. While several drivers praise its aesthetic appeal, ride comfort, and solid wet and dry grip, others express strong dissatisfaction with rapid tread wear, inconsistent traction across temperature ranges, and relatively high pricing compared to newer alternatives.
“Just had mine replaced. Ended up getting Contact 3's on the back, same as the front, to keep them all the same. Went to National tyres and they quoted me £518 + £6.50 valves + £11.50 balance for 2 rears. Said he'd have to do better than that, ended up paying £421 all in after a bit of haggling and they had 2 in stock.”
“Originally Posted By: edyvw Continental Sport Contact 3 What car and size? I had this tire on my '96 M3 in 245/40-17 all around on 8.5" wheels. I liked it, especially coming from the awful Kumhos and Falkens I had run before, but I remember it feeling a bit squishy for my taste. The PS2 was a better performer in every way, with only a slight NVH penalty IIRC.”
“I've got good news. SportContact 3 can be bought new in your size. I believe this is a legacy OE that is still in production. But they are 80 Euros more expensive than current PremiumContact 7 / SportContact 7 www.tyreleader.ie/car-tyres/continental/contisportcontact-3/235-45-r17-97w-805902”
Based on 38 community posts
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
| Attribute | A · Continental Sport Contact 3 | B · Nexen N'Fera AU7 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | All-Season Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 22 | 49 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 20″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 9/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 500 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | — | 50,000 mi |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
| Sizes in common | 12 | 12 |
Continental Sport Contact 3
Nexen N'Fera AU7
Too close to call: Continental Sport Contact 3 and Nexen N'Fera AU7 are within 2 points overall. Nexen N'Fera AU7 is stronger on treadwear and comfort. Nexen N'Fera AU7 rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 15 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Nexen N'Fera AU7 scores 62 vs 55 on treadwear.
Nexen N'Fera AU7 scores 68 vs 65 on comfort.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 72 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Neither, by our numbers: 71 vs 69 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Nexen N'Fera AU7, 68 vs 65 on our comfort score.
Nexen N'Fera AU7, 62 vs 55 on our treadwear score.
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
