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Last updated 7/05/2024 - Originally published 7/05/2024
Written by SimpleTire
Bridgestone and Continental are revered names in the tire manufacturing industry. They are not only an integral part of the same but also are credited for bringing several innovations and technological advancements that have shaped modern tire technology. They produce top-quality tires for passenger cars, minivans, CUVs, SUVs, light trucks, and many other vehicles in different categories such as all-season, UHP, all-weather, all-terrain, winter, and mud-terrain. The Ecopia EP422 Plus and PureContact LS belong to their all-season tire category.
Designed for passenger cars, minivans, and CUVs, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus and Continental PureContact LS are excellent all-season tires that offer exceptional performance in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions throughout the year. With either of them, you get superb grip, traction, handling, and a 70,000- mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. So, which is the perfect tire for your car? Let’s have a Ecopia EP422 Plus vs Continental PureContact LS tires comparison based on our proprietary SimpleScore to know which is the best.
Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus tires
Introduced in 2015, the Ecopia EP422 Plus belongs to the fuel-efficient Ecopia series and features a fuel-saver sidewall and an innovative tread compound that assists in controlling the rolling efficiency, leading to high fuel efficiency. While the circumferential grooves allow quick water dispersal to avoid the risk of hydroplaning, the optimized contact patch evenly distributes weight across the tire footprint for improved tread wear and longevity. Built with a durable compound, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus features a 70,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. The optimized tread pattern prevents soundwaves from penetrating the cabin so that you enjoy a quiet and comfortable ride.
With an excellent SimpleScore of 9.4 out of 10, the Bridgestone tire assures exceptional grip, traction, comfort, handling, and longevity.
Continental PureContact LS tires
Launched after 3 years of Ecopia EP422 Plus, the PureContact LS features improved wet traction and wearability compared to its predecessor. Advanced technologies such as EcoPlus Technology and ComfortRide Technology enhance fuel efficiency and reduce tread wear, noise, and vibrations for a long-lasting, comfortable ride. While the alignment verification system shows drivers when it’s time for an alignment, the quick view indicators (DWS) allow drivers to visually see whether the tire is fit for a particular driving condition (Dry, Wet, and Snow). Available in Outlined White Letter (OWL) and Black Sidewall (BSW) options, the Continental is covered by a 70,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. Best suited for passenger cars, CUVs, and electric cars, the PureContact LS is backed by Continental’s Total Confidence Plan, which includes a 60-day Customer Satisfaction Trial, 3-year Flat Tire Roadside Assistance, and Road Hazard.
Scoring 9.6 in its overall SimpleScore, the Continental tire promises superior traction, grip, comfort, steering response, and longevity on dry, wet, and light snow.
Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus vs Continental PureContact LS tires on traction
Traction is defined as the tire’s ability to maintain surface contact without skidding. The Bridgestone and Continental promise consistent traction in dry, wet, and light snow.
With an excellent traction score of 9.5, the Bridgestone tire features a symmetric tread pattern that offers enhanced grip and traction on different surfaces throughout the year. While circumferential and angled grooves allow quick water evacuation from the tread to boost wet performance, the multiple sipes provide extra biting edges for improved traction.
Scoring an exceptional 9.7 out of 10, the Continental provides enhanced wet performance thanks to the longitudinal grooves and solid shoulder blocks that help in quick water evacuation to mitigate the risk of hydroplaning. The Traction Grooves provide extra biting edges for enhanced snow performance and the asymmetric tread pattern boosts grip and traction across dry, wet, and light wintry conditions.
Despite showcasing valuable features, the Ecopia EP422 Plus falls short of the Continental PureContact LS in the traction challenge.
ADVANTAGE: Continental PureContact LS
Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus vs Continental PureContact LS tires on handling
Better steering response puts you in better control of your vehicle. The more precise the steering feedback, the more enjoyable the drive. Boasting a 9.2 handling score, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus features a strong center rib with zigzag sipes that provide superior steering response and excellent control over the vehicle. The solid shoulder design and strong sidewalls, too, allow increased stability and handling.
Surpassing Bridgestone’s handling score by 0.2 points, the Continental PureContact LS features an optimized tread pattern with a thick center rib that allows exceptional control and steering response for a confident ride around the year. Besides providing a quiet and comfortable ride, this Continental tire offers strong outer blocks for increased handling and stability. It offers the best-in-class wet braking performance due to an optimized footprint, enabling drivers to feel very confident.
With an exceptional handling score of 9.4, the PureContact LS wins the second round, too.
ADVANTAGE: Continental PureContact LS
Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus vs Continental PureContact LS tires on longevity
Longevity defines the ability of a tire to maintain its tread life. The longer the tread life, the better the longevity. All-season tires are known to offer exceptional tread life compared to other types of tires.
Boasting an impressive 9.4 for longevity, the Ecopia EP422 Plus features an optimized contact footprint for even weight distribution across the surface, leading to even wear and a longer service period. Backed by a 70,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Bridgestone tire’s unique tread pattern and strong sidewall construction resists any internal damage throughout the tire's lifecycle.
Riding on the EcoPlus Technology, the PureContact LS scores 9.7 out of 10 for longevity thanks to the innovative tread compound and optimized tread pattern. Though it also offers drivers a 70,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Continental tire ensures 23% longer life compared to its predecessor– PureContact.
ADVANTAGE: Continental PureContact LS
When to use each
All-season tires are engineered for consistent performance in dry, wet, and light snowy conditions. Their all-season rubber compounds make them suitable for year-round use, great handling, and a longer service life. Both the Ecopia EP422 Plus and the PureContact LS are premium all-season tires, offering drivers the same limited manufacturer tread life warranties. One look at the SimpleScores above would reveal that there’s not much to separate the two tires. Compared to the PureContact LS, the Ecopia EP422 Plus can be used on a wider variety of vehicles.
Remember that all-season tires, no matter how good, are suitable only for light snow. However, you’ll need special winter tires for optimum performance if the weather in your region remains below 45 degrees Fahrenheit for several months a year. These tires are made using special rubber compounds that maintain flexibility in low temperatures and high sipe density for extra traction and control on slippery surfaces.
Which one should you choose?
In a nutshell, the Continental PureContact LS turns out to be a better tire than the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus as it scores high in the overall SimpleScore (9.6 vs 9.3) and wins the individual sections, too. However, there is still a thing that may serve as a dealbreaker – the price. Let’s have a look at their prices.
For the tire size 215/55R17 94V, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus costs $191 per tire with four tires costing $764, while the same size Continental PureContact LS costs $172 per tire with four tires costing $688. The difference between the two is $76.
Based on the SimpleScore, you can go for the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Toyota Prius, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Element, Ford Escape, and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
- Want greater durability
- Want better fuel efficiency
You can pick the Continental PureContact LS if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Acura TSX, Nissan Altima, Audi S3, Buick Verano, and Dodge Neon
- Want superior traction
- Want better handling
- Want a longer-lasting tire
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.