Tests 75 · 8 tests Owners 60 · 32 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 17 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (exterior noise)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental VikingContact 7 vs Continental IceContact 3 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
IceContact 3 is ahead, 71–66
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Tests 79 · 13 tests Owners 66 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 6 in 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 (rolling resistance)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
65
Dry
IceContact 3 +873Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 IceContact 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 76 76 Reviews found online 49 69 Dry Braking (% of best) 80% 97% -
66
Wet
IceContact 3 +571Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 IceContact 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 69 74 Reviews found online 62 67 Longitudinal Aquaplaning (% of best) 80% 92% Wet Braking (% of best) 93% 86% Wet Handling (% of best) 95% 99% -
75
Snow
IceContact 3 +479Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 IceContact 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 79 83 Reviews found online 70 72 Snow Braking (% of best) 100% 99% Snow Handling (% of best) 100% 99% Snow Traction (% of best) 98% 98% -
70
Comfort
IceContact 3 +1383Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 IceContact 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 98 Reviews found online 71 60 -
79
Noise
VikingContact 7 +970Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 IceContact 3 Professional tests (TWG score) 86 72 Reviews found online 67 – Exterior Noise (% of best) 100% 97% -
59
Treadwear
Level59Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 IceContact 3 Reviews found online 54 54 -
60
Handling
IceContact 3 +969Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 IceContact 3 Reviews found online 60 69
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental VikingContact 7 | Continental IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 71 |
| Dry | 65 | 73 |
| Wet | 66 | 71 |
| Snow | 75 | 79 |
| Comfort | 70 | 83 |
| Noise | 79 | 70 |
| Treadwear | 59 | 59 |
| Handling | 60 | 69 |
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
66
/ 100
VikingContact 7
71
/ 100
IceContact 3
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | VikingContact 7 | IceContact 3 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 80% #3/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 97% #6/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −17.0 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 98% #2/8 · 2022 ViBilagare Nordic SUV Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | −2.3 | Different tests |
| Fuel Consumption | Fuel | 96% #4/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | −3.5 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 79% #11/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 90% #3/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | −10.9 | Different tests |
| Ice Handling | Ice | 94% #7/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 95% #6/8 · 2024 Studded Tyre Test | −1.3 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 80% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 68% #6/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | +12.5 | Different tests |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 100% #1/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 97% #2/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | +2.8 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 100% #3/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/8 · The BEST Studded Tyres for 2025 | +1.0 | Different tests |
| Price | Other | 50% #12/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 50% #13/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Same test |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test | 33% #3/8 · The BEST Studded Tyres for 2025 | +66.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #1/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +1.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 100% #2/8 · 2023 Studless Friction Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/8 · 2022 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +0.9 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 98% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 98% #9/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | 0.0 | Same test |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 92% #8/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 92% #5/8 · 2024 Studded Tyre Test | −0.7 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 100% #1/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | 60% #12/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | +40.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Dry Handling | Subj | 80% #3/8 · 2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 40% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +40.0 | Different tests |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 100% #1/8 · 2020 Vi Bilagare Nordic Friction Winter Tyre Test | 78% #14/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +22.2 | Different tests |
| Subj. Wet Handling | Subj | 70% #5/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 70% #5/17 · 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 | 0.0 | Same test |
| Longitudinal Aquaplaning | Wet | 80% #2/5 · 2023 Autoreview Studless Winter Tire Test R16 | 92% #5/6 · 2025 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 | −12.3 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 93% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 86% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +7.1 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 95% #8/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | 99% #3/8 · The BEST Studded Tyres for 2025 | −4.8 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A VikingContact 7
Pros
- Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Strong performance in slush and deep snow
- Stable and predictable handling at highway speeds
Cons
- Mixed reports regarding tread life and longevity
- Noticeable decline in ice-braking performance compared to top-tier ice specialists
- Compound may harden or performance may degrade after multiple seasons
Tire B IceContact 3
Pros
- Exceptional grip and braking performance on packed snow and ice
- Predictable handling in severe winter conditions
- Strong performance on lake ice tracks
Cons
- Premature stud wear or loss reported after moderate mileage
- Potential for reduced stability in deeper snow (4-5 cm) depending on tire width
- Unpredictable handling characteristics when paired with certain electronic stability control systems
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental VikingContact 7 | B · Continental IceContact 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 134 | — |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Continental VikingContact 7
71
/ 100
Continental IceContact 3
Winner: Continental IceContact 3 — better comfort, handling and dry. Pick the Continental VikingContact 7 if noise matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Continental IceContact 3 scores 83 vs 70 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental VikingContact 7 scores 79 vs 70 on noise.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Continental IceContact 3 scores 69 vs 60 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Continental IceContact 3 scores 73 vs 65 on dry.
Tire A · Continental VikingContact 7
Tire B · Continental IceContact 3
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.