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Continental VikingContact 7 vs Continental VikingContact 8 — 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 8 + 8 road tests and 33 + 12 owner reviews. How we score

VikingContact 8 is ahead, 76–69

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Continental VikingContact 7
Tire AContinental

VikingContact 7

Winter

± 5

Tests 75 · 8 tests Owners 62 · 33 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow braking)

Continental VikingContact 8
Tire BContinental

VikingContact 8

Winter

± 5

Tests 74 · 8 tests Owners 79 · 12 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test (snow handling (tester's mark))

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 66

    Dry

    VikingContact 8 +9
    75
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7VikingContact 8
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 6 tests7775
    Reviews found online5175

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 76.6 + 40% × 50.8 = 66

    VikingContact 8: 60% × 74.6 + 40% × 75.3 = 75

  2. 67

    Wet

    VikingContact 8 +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7VikingContact 8
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 7 tests6963
    Reviews found online6685

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 68.7 + 40% × 65.7 = 67

    VikingContact 8: 60% × 62.9 + 40% × 84.9 = 72

  3. 76

    Snow

    VikingContact 8 +2
    78
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7VikingContact 8
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 8 / 6 tests7977
    Reviews found online7280

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 79 + 40% × 72.3 = 76

    VikingContact 8: 60% × 77.4 + 40% × 80.1 = 78

  4. 70

    Comfort

    VikingContact 8 +15
    85
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7VikingContact 8
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests7090
    Reviews found online7182

    VikingContact 7: 40% × 70 + 60% × 70.6 = 70

    VikingContact 8: 40% × 90.4 + 60% × 81.7 = 85

  5. 79

    Noise

    VikingContact 8 +1
    80
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7VikingContact 8
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 5 tests8779
    Reviews found online6881

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 87 + 40% × 68.2 = 79

    VikingContact 8: 60% × 78.5 + 40% × 81.1 = 80

  6. 60

    Treadwear

    VikingContact 8 +13
    73
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7VikingContact 8
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5677

    VikingContact 7: 60% × 62.7 (est.) + 40% × 55.8 = 60

    VikingContact 8: 60% × 70.3 (est.) + 40% × 77.1 = 73

    No road tests of treadwear for VikingContact 7. 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 VikingContact 8. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 64

    Handling (owners)

    VikingContact 8 +12
    76
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7VikingContact 8
    Reviews found online6476
  8. 77

    Efficiency

    VikingContact 8 +1
    78
    Why this score
    SourceVikingContact 7VikingContact 8
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 4 / 4 tests7778
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental VikingContact 7Continental VikingContact 8
Relative Score 69 76
Dry 66 75
Wet 67 72
Snow 76 78
Comfort 70 85
Noise 79 80
Treadwear 60 73
Handling (owners) 64 76
Efficiency 77 78

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 5

VikingContact 7

± 5

VikingContact 8

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 2 tests that ran both, Continental VikingContact 7 finished ahead 0 times and Continental VikingContact 8 2 times.

DisciplineCategoryVikingContact 7VikingContact 8ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/15 #1/15 – 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2025 Teknikens Värld Winter Tire Test R17 · 225/50R17

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
All owner themes in the VikingContact 7 review

Tire B VikingContact 8

Pros

  • Exceptional traction and grip on ice and hard-packed snow
  • High level of ride comfort, effectively soaking up potholes and rough roads
  • Remarkably quiet operation with minimal tread noise

Cons

  • Slightly soft cornering feel
  • Noticeable gap in steering response and lack of feel on straightaways
  • Occasional slip reported on really dry roads at low speeds
All owner themes in the VikingContact 8 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental VikingContact 7 B · Continental VikingContact 8
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available134123
Rim diameters14″ – 22″15″ – 22″
Tread depth10 - 11/32″10 - 11/32″
SidewallBlack Side WallBlack Side Wall
Max pressure44 - 51 psi50 - 51 psi
Sizes in common9090

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental VikingContact 7

Continental VikingContact 8

Winner: Continental VikingContact 8 — better comfort, treadwear and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Continental VikingContact 8 scores 85 vs 70 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Continental VikingContact 8 scores 73 vs 60 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental VikingContact 8 scores 76 vs 64 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental VikingContact 8 scores 75 vs 66 on dry.

Tire A · Continental VikingContact 7
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Tire B · Continental VikingContact 8
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VikingContact 7 or VikingContact 8?

Which is better in the wet, VikingContact 7 or VikingContact 8?

Continental VikingContact 8, 72 vs 67 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, VikingContact 7 or VikingContact 8?

Continental VikingContact 8, 75 vs 66 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, VikingContact 7 or VikingContact 8?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 78 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, VikingContact 7 or VikingContact 8?

Neither, by our numbers: 79 vs 80 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, VikingContact 7 or VikingContact 8?

Continental VikingContact 8, 85 vs 70 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, VikingContact 7 or VikingContact 8?

Continental VikingContact 8, 73 vs 60 on our treadwear score.

Which rolls more easily, VikingContact 7 or VikingContact 8?

Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 78 on the efficiency score, within 3 points.

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