Has The Continental ExtremeContact DWS Been Replaced By The Continental ControlContact Sport AS

The Continental ExtremeContact DWS has been around for several years now and has proven itself to be among the higher rated tires in the ultra-high performance all-season class. In 2014, the Continental ControlContact Sport AS came onto the market through Discount Tire and caused a bit of confusion for many tire buyers and drivers alike.

As soon as the new model was released, message boards lit up with discussions on how the DWS was being discontinued and replaced by the newer ControlContact Sport AS. Naturally, people were wondering what was going on. Continental clarified the situation by stating that the DWS was NOT being discontinued and that the new model was simply a Discount Tire exclusive.

Actually, according to Discount Tire they are the ones replacing the DWS with the ControlContact Sport AS, not Continental. So the next question is whether there are any differences between these two tires? Are they actually both the same identical tires? The answer is kind of both a yes and a no.

At first glance, the tread pattern does look somewhat similar to the DWS to adegree. But it also looks fairly similar to Continental’s other best-selling touring all-season tire, the PureContact. If you look at all three side-by-side you’ll see what we mean.

Continental has said that despite the similarities, the DWS performs better in the snow than the ControlContact Sport AS, while also having a little better traction overall. Based on what we’ve seen over this winter that would appear to be correct.

What about cornering and handling? Over the years, one of the biggest knocks on the DWS is its softer sidewalls that easily flex do not stand up to harder cornering for more spirited driving. Compared to tires like the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3, the DWS fails miserably when it comes to cornering power.

The newer Control Contact Sport AS has a little extra stiffness in the sidewall that helps correct this issue somewhat. I say somewhat because I don’t feel it still holds equal footing with the Michelin, or even the General G-Max AS-03 in this department. But compared to the DWS, it seems to be a noticeable increase, and a welcome one at that!

In other areas we have found both tires to be extremely similar. Same tread compound, same ride comfort and road noise levels, and same treadlife. Both tires also have the same 540 UTQG ratings and 50,000 mile tread warranties as well.

Price is another area where both tires are pretty much in the same ballpark. For example, we found that for a size 215/55R16 91W, the DWS ran $113, while the ControlContact Sport was $119.

So which model is better? I believe that all depends on what you’re looking for in a new tire for your vehicle. While both models rate highly and make good choices in an all-season UHP tire, if you’re looking for a little extra traction on snow and slush, the DWS is your tire. However, if snow is not a big concern and you’re after a little extra cornering power, go with the ControlContact Sport AS.

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