Continental CrossContact LX Sport Review: A Game Changer for SUVs & Crossovers

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The Continental CrossContact LX Sport is an all-season tire designed for drivers of crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks who demand a balance of on-road performance and off-road capability. This tire is engineered to handle a variety of driving conditions, from dry and wet pavement to light off-road adventures.

Continental, a renowned German tire manufacturer, has crafted the CrossContact LX Sport to cater to the growing demand for versatile tires that can handle the rigors of daily commuting while also providing confidence when venturing off the beaten path. With its unique tread design and advanced compound technology, this tire aims to deliver a well-rounded driving experience for adventure-seeking families and outdoor enthusiasts.

Whether you’re navigating city streets, embarking on a weekend getaway, or exploring unpaved trails, the Continental CrossContact LX Sport promises a blend of reliable grip, responsive handling, and long-lasting treadwear. By combining on-road performance with off-road capability, this tire seeks to offer drivers the best of both worlds, making it a compelling choice for those with an active lifestyle.

Design and Construction

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport features an advanced tread design engineered for versatile performance on a variety of surfaces. The tread pattern incorporates large outer shoulder blocks and a continuous center rib, providing excellent grip and stability on dry pavement. Additionally, the tread features strategically placed sipes and grooves that enhance traction in wet conditions by evacuating water effectively.

The tire’s compound is a silica-enhanced rubber blend that balances dry and wet traction while promoting even wear characteristics. This advanced compound contributes to the tire’s impressive performance across a wide temperature range, ensuring consistent grip in various climates.

The internal construction of the CrossContact LX Sport utilizes a twin-ply casing with reinforced sidewalls, enhancing durability and resistance to punctures and impacts. This robust construction also aids in maintaining the tire’s shape and profile, contributing to precise handling and responsiveness.

Furthermore, the tire features Continental’s proprietary Tg-F polymers, which enhance the tire’s overall performance by optimizing the interaction between the tread and the road surface. This technology helps to improve traction, braking, and cornering capabilities, ensuring a confident and controlled driving experience.

Dry Performance

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport delivers impressive dry performance, thanks to its advanced tread compound and optimized tread design. On dry pavement, the tire provides excellent grip and handling, inspiring confidence in both everyday driving and more spirited situations.

During cornering, the CrossContact LX Sport exhibits minimal body roll and maintains a reassuring level of traction, even when pushing the limits. The tire’s stiff tread blocks and reinforced shoulder design help it maintain a consistent contact patch, ensuring predictable and responsive handling.

Braking performance on dry roads is also a strong suit for this tire. The CrossContact LX Sport’s tread compound features a high silica content, which enhances dry traction and shortens braking distances. Whether making an emergency stop or simply slowing down for a turn, the tire delivers reliable and consistent braking performance.

Overall, the Continental CrossContact LX Sport excels in dry conditions, offering a well-balanced combination of grip, handling, and braking capabilities. Whether navigating winding roads or tackling daily commutes, this tire provides a confident and engaging driving experience on dry pavement.

Wet Performance

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport demonstrates impressive wet performance, thanks to its advanced tread design and specialized rubber compound. This tire excels in rainy conditions, providing exceptional hydroplaning resistance and reliable wet traction.

One of the standout features of the CrossContact LX Sport is its ability to channel water away from the tread efficiently. The tire’s circumferential and lateral grooves work in tandem to evacuate water, reducing the risk of hydroplaning and ensuring a secure grip on wet surfaces. Even during heavy downpours, these tires maintain their composure, instilling confidence in the driver.

In terms of wet traction, the CrossContact LX Sport delivers remarkable performance. The tire’s unique tread pattern, combined with its silica-infused rubber compound, provides exceptional grip on wet roads. Whether navigating through tight corners or accelerating from a standstill, these tires maintain a tenacious hold on the pavement, ensuring predictable handling and responsive steering.

Braking performance in wet conditions is another area where the CrossContact LX Sport shines. The tire’s tread design and compound work in harmony to provide short stopping distances, even on slick surfaces. This characteristic can be invaluable in emergency situations, potentially preventing accidents and enhancing overall safety.

Overall, the Continental CrossContact LX Sport demonstrates exceptional wet performance, making it a reliable choice for drivers who frequently encounter rainy conditions. With its superior hydroplaning resistance, impressive wet traction, and confident braking capabilities, this tire offers peace of mind and a sense of security when driving on wet roads.

Off-Road Capabilities

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport is designed as an all-terrain tire, capable of handling light off-road conditions while maintaining excellent on-road performance. Its unique tread pattern and construction make it suitable for occasional adventures on gravel roads, dirt trails, or loose surfaces.

The tire’s sturdy construction and reinforced sidewalls provide resistance against cuts, punctures, and impacts from rocks or debris encountered during off-road driving. The tread features a combination of wide circumferential grooves and lateral notches, which enhance traction and evacuation of mud, gravel, and loose dirt.

While not intended for extreme off-road use, the CrossContact LX Sport performs admirably on light off-road terrain. Its tread design and compound provide reliable grip and traction on loose surfaces, ensuring confident handling and control. Whether navigating a gravel driveway or exploring a scenic dirt road, these tires offer a reassuring and stable driving experience.

It’s important to note that the CrossContact LX Sport is not a dedicated off-road tire, and its off-road capabilities are limited compared to specialized all-terrain or mud-terrain tires. However, for drivers who occasionally venture onto unpaved surfaces or need to navigate through loose terrain, these tires provide a capable and versatile solution without compromising on-road performance.

Snow and Ice Performance

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport delivers impressive snow and ice traction for an all-season tire. Its specialized tread compound remains pliable in cold temperatures, allowing the tire to conform to the road surface and maintain grip. The tread design features deep, interlocking sipes and grooves that bite into snow and slush, providing reliable traction during winter weather.

In icy conditions, the CrossContact LX Sport performs admirably. The tire’s silica-enhanced compound improves traction on icy surfaces, while the directional tread pattern helps channel water and slush away from the contact patch. While dedicated winter tires will always outperform all-season options in extreme cold and snow, the CrossContact LX Sport offers confidence-inspiring performance when driving on snowy or icy roads.

Handling in winter conditions is also a strength of this tire. The stiff internal construction and continuous center rib help maintain stability and steering response, even on slippery surfaces. The tire’s wide footprint and enhanced sidewall reinforcement contribute to solid cornering grip in snowy or icy turns. Overall, the CrossContact LX Sport provides a reassuring balance of traction, handling, and control when driving in winter weather conditions.

Comfort and Noise

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport delivers a comfortable and refined ride quality, striking an excellent balance between performance and everyday drivability. On smooth highways and well-maintained roads, the tire provides a plush and composed ride, effectively isolating occupants from road imperfections and minimizing vibrations.

Noise levels are impressively low across various surfaces, contributing to a serene cabin experience. Even at higher speeds, the CrossContact LX Sport maintains a quiet demeanor, with minimal road roar or tread pattern noise intruding into the cabin. This trait is particularly appreciated during long-distance journeys, reducing fatigue and enhancing overall comfort.

When traversing rougher surfaces or encountering potholes and expansion joints, the tire’s advanced construction and sophisticated tread design work in tandem to mitigate harsh impacts. While some firmness is noticeable, the CrossContact LX Sport never feels overly jarring or unsettled, maintaining composure and providing a sense of confidence and control.

Furthermore, the tire’s ability to effectively dissipate road noise is commendable, contributing to a quieter and more relaxing driving experience, even on coarse surfaces like concrete highways or rough asphalt. This characteristic is especially beneficial for luxury vehicles or those seeking a more refined and upscale driving experience.

Treadwear and Durability

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport delivers impressive treadwear and durability, thanks to its advanced compound and construction. With a tread life warranty of 60,000 miles, this tire is designed to provide long-lasting performance on the road.

One of the key features contributing to its durability is the use of Continental’s proprietary TruckPlus Silica compound. This specially formulated rubber compound offers enhanced cut and chip resistance, ensuring that the tire can withstand the rigors of daily driving, including encounters with road debris, potholes, and other hazards.

Additionally, the tire’s reinforced internal structure and optimized tread design work together to distribute stress evenly across the tread surface, minimizing the risk of irregular wear patterns and premature tread degradation.

In real-world driving conditions, the CrossContact LX Sport has proven its mettle, with many drivers reporting excellent treadwear even after tens of thousands of miles. The tire’s resistance to cuts and chips is particularly noteworthy, with minimal instances of sidewall damage or tread punctures reported.

Overall, the Continental CrossContact LX Sport strikes an impressive balance between durability and performance, offering drivers a tire that can withstand the demands of daily driving while delivering reliable traction and handling characteristics throughout its lifespan.

Sizes and Compatibility of Continental CrossContact LX Sport

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport tire is available in a wide range of sizes, making it compatible with various vehicle types and models. Let’s explore the options and help you identify the right size for your vehicle.

The CrossContact LX Sport is designed for use on a variety of vehicles, including SUVs, CUVs, and light trucks. The tire’s sizes range from 17-inch to 22-inch diameters. Some of the sizes available include:

• 235/65R17
• 235/60R18
• 275/45R20
• 255/50R19
• 295/40R21
• 265/45R20
• 275/40R22

Please note that this list does not encompass all sizes; a comprehensive list can be found on Continental’s official website or through authorized dealers.

When determining the appropriate tire size for your vehicle, it’s essential to consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual and the information found on the tire placard(Label) located on the driver’s side door jamb, glove box, fuel door, or within the owner’s manual. Using the recommended tire size for your vehicle ensures proper fit, vehicle performance, and safety.

In addition to size compatibility, consider factors like speed ratings and load capacity, which should match or exceed your vehicle’s requirements. The Continental CrossContact LX Sport provides multiple speed rating options, such as V-(up to 149 mph), W-(up to 168 mph), and Y-(up to 186 mph). Again, consult your owner’s manual to ensure your selected tire meets your vehicle’s speed requirements.

In summary, the Continental CrossContact LX Sport is available in numerous sizes and offers a good compatibility range for different SUVs, CUVs, and light trucks. Be sure to check your vehicle’s specific requirements and tire size recommendations while making your choice to ensure optimal performance and safety.

Warranty and Pricing

Continental offers a generous 60,000-mile tread life warranty on the CrossContact LX Sport, which is on par with most premium all-terrain tire warranties. This warranty coverage instills confidence in the tire’s durability and longevity, giving buyers peace of mind that their investment is protected.

In terms of pricing, the CrossContact LX Sport sits in the mid-to-upper range compared to its direct competitors. While not the most affordable option on the market, the tire’s performance capabilities and quality construction justify the slightly higher price point. Expect to pay between $180 and $300 per tire, depending on the size and retailer. When considering the tire’s versatile all-terrain performance and Continental’s reputation for excellence, the CrossContact LX Sport presents a compelling value proposition for drivers seeking a capable and reliable tire for their SUV or light truck.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Excellent dry and wet traction with confident handling and braking
• Impressive off-road capabilities for a highway all-season tire
• Respectable snow and ice traction for mild winter conditions
• Comfortable and quiet ride quality on the highway
• Backed by a strong treadwear warranty

Cons:

• Tread life may be shorter compared to some competitors
• Performance in deep snow and ice can be limited
• Slightly higher price point than some mainstream all-season tires
• Off-road traction may not match dedicated all-terrain tires

Continental CrossContact LX Sport Video Review

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Conclusion and Recommendations

The Continental CrossContact LX Sport is an impressive all-terrain tire that delivers exceptional performance across a wide range of conditions. Its advanced design and construction ensure a comfortable and quiet ride, while its rugged tread pattern provides excellent traction on various surfaces, including dry and wet roads, as well as light off-road terrains.

Overall, the CrossContact LX Sport earns a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, making it a highly recommended choice for drivers seeking a versatile and reliable tire for their SUVs or light trucks. Its well-balanced performance, durability, and reasonable pricing make it a standout option in its class.

For those seeking a tire that can handle both on-road and light off-road adventures with confidence, the Continental CrossContact LX Sport is an excellent choice. Its impressive dry and wet handling, combined with its capable off-road performance and decent snow and ice traction, make it a versatile option for drivers who encounter varying road conditions.

However, it’s important to note that while the CrossContact LX Sport performs admirably in most situations, it may not be the ideal choice for extreme off-road conditions or severe winter weather. In those cases, dedicated off-road or winter tires may be more suitable.

Overall, the Continental CrossContact LX Sport is a highly recommended tire for those seeking a well-rounded and capable all-terrain option that can handle a variety of driving scenarios with ease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Alternatives of Continental CrossContact LX Sport Tire

If you are exploring alternatives to the Continental CrossContact LX Sport tire, there are several options available in the market that are designed for all-season performance and cater to SUVs, CUVs, and light trucks. Here are some popular choices:

Michelin Premier LTX

This tire offers excellent all-season performance, exceptional wet grip, and a comfortable ride. Its EverGrip Technology prolongs the tire’s lifespan with expanding rain grooves and emerging grooves.

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus

Boasting a comfortable and quiet ride, this tire provides long-lasting tread life and a fuel-efficient design. It offers sound handling on dry and wet roads, making it a suitable alternative for all-season driving.

Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady

This is a top-performing all-weather tire designed to tackle dry, wet, and snowy conditions with ease. It utilizes a unique tread compound, offering confident handling and superb traction.

Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II

The Scorpion Verde is an eco-friendly tire that offers reduced rolling resistance for improved fuel efficiency. It is designed for a quiet and comfortable ride, with excellent handling and performance across multiple weather conditions.

Toyo Open Country Q/T

This all-season tire is designed for quiet operation, comfortable ride, and excellent handling in various road conditions. The tire’s unique tread design enhances traction on dry, wet, and light snow surfaces.

When considering an alternative tire, it’s crucial to evaluate your driving needs, vehicle type, road conditions, and climate to make an informed decision. Each tire offers unique features and benefits, so always consult manufacturer specifications and customer reviews to ensure the best match for your specific requirements.

List of Other Continental Tire Reviews

If you’re interested in exploring other Continental tire options, check out our comprehensive reviews of their various offerings. Continental’s commitment to quality and performance shines through in their diverse range of tires.

• Continental Extreme Contact Sport Review
• Continental Viking Contact 7 Review
• Continental Pure Contact LS Review
• Continental Control Contact Tour A/S Plus Review
• Continental Control Contact Sport SRS+ Review
• Continental TrueContact Tour Review
• Continental TerrainContact A/T Review
• Continental CrossContact LX Sport Review