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Last updated 4/12/2024 - Originally published 4/10/2024
Written by SimpleTire
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Century-old companies Continental and Cooper do not need any introduction in the US tire market. Both brands offer high-quality products in a wide range of categories from all-season, UHP, and winter to all-terrain. Whether you own a compact car or a light truck, their big portfolio is sure to have your vehicle’s tire size. The highly-popular all-terrain tire lines of the Conti and Cooper are TerrainContact A/T and Discoverer A/T3 4S, respectively.
Engineered for crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks, the Continental TerrainContact A/T and Cooper Discoverer A/T3 4S all-terrain tires offer superb grip, traction, and durability in tough driving conditions year-round. The competition is tough between the two as both offer superior traction and performance on challenging terrains. So, which one should you go for? Let’s compare Continental TerrainContact A/T vs Cooper Discoverer A/T3 4S using our indigenously developed scoring system – SimpleScore to let you know which one has an advantage over the other.
Introduced in 2016, the Continental TerrainContact A/T was the tire maker’s first attempt at all-terrain tires for light trucks and SUVs. It offers superior traction, grip, handling, and performance on rough terrains and paved roads.
Designed for CUVs, SUVs, and light trucks, the Conti tire is laced with TractionPlus Technology that boosts its off-road grip and traction along with ensuring excellent on-road performance, especially on wet surfaces. While the flat footprint and strong shoulder blocks put more rubber on the road to reduce uneven wear and promote a longer service life, the full-depth siping provides extra biting edges for enhanced grip. The Traction Grooves boost dry, wet, and light snow performance, while the special tread compound allows resistance to cuts and chips. It is backed by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
The TerrainContact A/T achieves an excellent SimpleScore of 9.1 courtesy of its long-lasting tread, superior traction, and fantastic all-terrain performance.
Launched a couple of years after the TerrainContact A/T, the Cooper Discoverer A/T3 4S features the company's Adaptive-Traction Technology that helps it overcome rocky and rough roads in dry, hot, or cold weather conditions.
Constructed by using a special silica tread compound and the company’s Sure-Grip, five-rib all-terrain pattern, the Discoverer A/T3 4S delivers an effective grip and excellent dry and wet traction. With a tough rubber compound resisting cuts and chips, the Cooper tire comes with a 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. It continues to deliver superior performance in severe winters too, thanks to the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification.
With excellent grip, traction, and handling, the Discoverer A/T3 4S scores an excellent 9.1 out of 10.
Whether it is a smooth, rough, or slippery surface, traction plays a vital role in ensuring the vehicle continues to cover distances without skidding. It becomes far more important when driving at high speeds, and the same is true when driving on tough terrains.
The TerrainContact A/T comes with a unique tread pattern that features circumferential grooves on the sides that help clear water from the tread and retain traction, while a broad contact patch in the center provides the necessary grip and traction for confident rides. Boasting Continental’s TractionPlus Technology, the all-terrain tire allows superb on and off-road durability and traction and returns an excellent traction score of 9.7 out of 10.
With a fantastic traction score of 9.7, the Discoverer A/T3 4S features a symmetric tread design and Adaptive-Traction Technology that provides superior grip and traction on difficult terrains. The tires can be used year-round and even in extreme winter conditions, thanks to the special tread compound that remains flexible in freezing temperatures. The Three Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol assures excellent performance in severe winter weather conditions.
With the same traction score of 9.7 out of 10, both tires are neck and neck here. However, the Discoverer may have a slight advantage due to the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification.
ADVANTAGE: Tied
The next critical aspect of a tire after traction is handling. Your control over your vehicle is defined by the steering feedback you get from the tires. All-terrain tires have to be good at handling as you head over to conquer difficult terrains.
The TerrainContact A/T achieves an exceptional handling score of 9.4 thanks to the flat footprint and strong shoulder blocks that put more rubber on the surface to limit uneven wear and boost its tread life. Deep tread and full-depth sipes aid in delivering superior handling performance to your CUV, SUV, or light truck in dry and wet conditions.
On the other hand, the Cooper tire is nearly as good as Conti, scoring 9.1 out of 10 for handling. While saw-shaped grooves help improve its braking performance on snowy surfaces, the five-rib tread pattern ensures you get a precise steering response for every move you take. The zigzag sipes improve stability and controllability as they eject stones out to maintain consistent traction.
Both tires fall in the excellent category for handling; it's the Continental that emerges as a winner with a better handling score.
ADVANTAGE: Continental TerrainContact A/T
After traction and handling, you need a dependable tire that lasts long and gives you optimum value for your investment. Longevity is what people seek for the products they purchase, and the same is true for all-terrain tires as well.
With a longevity score of 8.4 out of 10, the Continental TerrainContact A/T comes with a flat footprint that not only boosts grip and traction but also aids in promoting uniform wear throughout the lifecycle of the tire. The reinforced carcass and robust construction provide stability while assuring excellent wearability. The Continental tire is backed by a 60,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
With a superb durability score of 9.2 out of 10, the Discoverer A/T3 4S combines on-road comfort with all-terrain durability for a longer tread life. The special tread compound resists cuts, chips, and snags, while the strong shoulder design and robust sidewall construction boost internal structure, leading to enhanced tread life. It is backed by a 65,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
The Cooper is way ahead in durability than the Continental and is the winner of the longevity section.
ADVANTAGE: Cooper Discoverer A/T3 4S
If you want a tire that does it all and performs year-round on rough as well as paved roads, then you cannot go wrong with either of the two tires. For SUVs and light trucks, all-terrain tires are preferred in the US and can be used on highways and occasionally on unpaved roads.
Both the tires are excellent in traction, handling, and durability and assure superior all-terrain performance whether it’s too hot or cold. The special tread compound maintains flexibility in extreme temperatures and drives you home safely. While you can use them in extreme winters, it’s the Cooper that has a slight edge due to its Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification.
The ultimate question is, if both are good, which one should you go for? The SimpleScore of the TerrainContact A/T and Discoverer A/T3 4S are the same – 9.1 out of 10. However, there is a difference in their prices, which could be decisive for some buyers.
For a tire size of 245/70R17, the Conti is tagged at $234 for a single tire, and a set of 4 costs around $936, while a single unit of the Cooper costs $210, and 4 such tires cost $840 (a slight difference of $96).
Based on SimpleScore, you should pick the Continental TerrainContact A/T if you:
Similarly, the Cooper tire should be your preference if you:
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.
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