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 + 3 road tests and 245 + 164 owner reviews. How we score
Sport Contact 3 is ahead, 68–63
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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 63 · 3 tests Owners 63 · 164 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N Fera SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests | ≈ 70 (est.) | 55 |
| Reviews found online | 72 | 64 |
Sport Contact 3: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 72.4 = 71
N Fera SU1: 60% × 55 + 40% × 64.2 = 59
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).
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N Fera SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests | ≈ 72 (est.) | 62 |
| Reviews found online | 73 | 67 |
Sport Contact 3: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.6 = 72
N Fera SU1: 60% × 61.9 + 40% × 67.3 = 64
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).
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N Fera SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | ≈ 63 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | – | 50 |
N Fera SU1: 60% × 62.9 (est.) + 40% × 49.8 = 58
No road tests of snow for N Fera SU1. 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 SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests | ≈ 68 (est.) | 66 |
| Reviews found online | 64 | 66 |
Sport Contact 3: 40% × 68.1 (est.) + 60% × 63.5 = 65
N Fera SU1: 40% × 65.7 + 60% × 65.5 = 66
No road tests of comfort for Sport Contact 3. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N Fera SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests | – | 69 |
| Reviews found online | – | 70 |
N Fera SU1: 60% × 69.3 + 40% × 69.8 = 69
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N Fera SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests | ≈ 60 (est.) | 70 |
| Reviews found online | 48 | 59 |
Sport Contact 3: 60% × 59.9 (est.) + 40% × 48.3 = 55
N Fera SU1: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 59.3 = 66
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 SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 68 | 66 |
| Source | Sport Contact 3 | N Fera SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests | – | 76 |
| Category | Continental Sport Contact 3 | Nexen N Fera SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 63 |
| Dry | 71 | 59 |
| Wet | 72 | 64 |
| Snow | – | 58 |
| Comfort | 65 | 66 |
| Noise | – | 69 |
| Treadwear | 55 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 68 | 66 |
| Efficiency | – | 76 |
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.
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 SU1
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 SU1 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #1/10 2012 EVO Max Performance Tyre Test | #5/6 2023 APAC Tyre Test | – | 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 SU1 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 22 | 97 |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 20″ | 15″ – 24″ |
| Tread depth | — | 9/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 300 A A |
| Treadwear warranty | — | 25,000 mi |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 51 psi |
| Sizes in common | 17 | 17 |
Continental Sport Contact 3
Nexen N Fera SU1
Winner: Continental Sport Contact 3 — better dry and wet. Pick the Nexen N Fera SU1 if treadwear matters most to you.
Continental Sport Contact 3 scores 71 vs 59 on dry.
Nexen N Fera SU1 scores 66 vs 55 on treadwear.
Continental Sport Contact 3 scores 72 vs 64 on wet.
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Continental Sport Contact 3, 72 vs 64 on our wet score.
Continental Sport Contact 3, 71 vs 59 on our dry score.
Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 66 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Nexen N Fera SU1, 66 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
