Continental TerrainContact A/T2: A First Look at the New All-Terrain Tire

The Continental TerrainContact A/T2 brings more aggressive tread, Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification and a 65,000-mile limited mileage warranty to Continental’s premium all-terrain tire lineup. But can a tougher-looking truck and SUV tire keep the quiet ride drivers want for their daily commute?

That’s the question Tire Review’s David Sickels takes to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a launch featuring Tyler Hubbard, the MLS All-Star Game and plenty of conversation about what drivers actually want from an all-terrain tire.

David talks with Continental’s Brian Beierwaltes, head of marketing for U.S. passenger and light truck tires, and Bjoern Glaeser, head of product management, about the TerrainContact A/T2’s changes from the original TerrainContact A/T and the customers Continental designed it for.

Features of the TerrainContact A/T2 include:

• Ride comfort and noise: Continental says the A/T2 stays as quiet as its predecessor despite its more aggressive tread.
• Tread design: A bolder shoulder, deeper tread, thicker blocks and more outer-shoulder rubber aim to support traction and durability.
• Snow capability: High-density siping adds biting edges, and the A/T2 carries Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification.
• Wet and snow performance: Continental reports a 3% improvement in wet braking and a 10% improvement in snow performance over the predecessor.
• Mileage warranty: The limited mileage warranty increases from 60,000 miles on the original A/T to 65,000 miles on the A/T2.
• Sizes and fitments: Continental is launching 28 new A/T2 sizes while retaining 11 original A/T sizes for certain OE trail packages and niche fitments. Continental says the combined 39-size offering covers more than 90% of premium all-terrain buyers.

For tire dealers, the conversation centers on a familiar customer: someone who wants off-road capability and a tougher look, but spends most of the week commuting, running errands and driving on pavement.

What are your all-terrain customers asking for? Quiet comfort, off-road traction or the aggressive look? Tell us in the comments, and subscribe to Tire Review for more What’s Treading.

www.tirereview.com
www.hunter.com