Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus Review

Best budget all-season truck/SUV tire

 Pros

• Exceptional performance
• Excels at braking
• Quiet, comfortable ride

 Cons

• Average tread life
• Mediocre rolling resistance

                                   

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Bottom line

Reviewers say the Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus gives you almost the same performance as the Michelin LTX M/S2 (Est. $200), but at a cheaper price. Both have excellent traction on the snow and ice, low highway noise and a comfortable ride. The Continental even beats the Michelin in wet and dry braking abilities. They each carry a six-year, 70,000-mile warranty, but owners and experts say the Michelin wears for far longer than the Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus.

Performance

Outstanding stopping abilities. According to a leading consumer organization, the Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus delivers almost identical performance to the more expensive Michelin LTX M/S2 (Est. $200), with excellent grip, the ability to resist hydroplaning and good traction in the snow. The Continental even outperforms the Michelin in wet and dry braking trials. It displays "crisp handling and good stability during the abrupt maneuvers of our course," say editors with TireRack.com. In their comparison, which includes the Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia  (Est. $140), on wet pavement the Continental "showed its real strength with significantly more overall traction than the other two tires."

Comfort

Quiet and stable. Reviewers say the Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus delivers a smooth ride, though it doesn't quite match the comfort of the Michelin LTX M/S2 or the Bridgestone Dueler H/L/ 422 Ecopia. In their comparison test, editors of TireRack.com say the Continental's ride is a little stiffer than the Bridgestone, but rate the Continental higher overall. "The ride of this tire feels taut and well-controlled as it encounters rougher sections on our road," say editors of TireRack.com. They also note that there's "very little tread noise," with the Continental, which beats the Bridgestone for noise comfort. One TireRack.com owner review calls its ride "superlative, smooth, quiet and sure."

Durability

Long warranty doesn't translate to long life. Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus has one of the longest warranties in our report -- six years and 70,000 miles -- and includes the highest treadwear grade of 740. Owners at TireRack.com rate the Continental an 8.7 (out of 10) for treadwear. However, numerous reviews say that the Continental is ready for replacement far sooner than 70,000 miles, and one leading testing organization says the Continental's tread life is only mediocre. Continental sells the CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus as a fuel-friendly tire, but editors with TireRack.com say it averages about 18.3 mpg in their test SUV.