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Last updated 3/21/2025 - Originally published 3/21/2025
Written by SimpleTire, Expertly reviewed by Brett Antosh
Firestone and Continental are two well-established tire manufacturers, known for their premium and performance-driven tire lineups. Founded in 1900 by Harvey Firestone, Firestone has become a trusted name in the industry and is now a part of the Bridgestone family, offering a variety of high-quality tires across different segments.
Continental, on the other hand, was founded in 1871 and is one of the tire industry’s leading manufacturers. The tire manufacturer also offers original equipment tires designed for performance and affordability. Both brands boast decades of experience and offer a wide selection of all-season, all-terrain, ultra-high-performance, winter, summer, and all-weather tires for various driving needs.
All-season tires are a go-to choice for many drivers, offering a balance of traction, handling, and durability in dry, wet, and light winter conditions. Their versatility makes them ideal for year-round driving, providing long-lasting tread life and reliable performance.
Today, we’re comparing two popular all-season highway tires from Firestone and Continental—the Firestone Transforce HT3 and Continental TerrainContact H/T. In this Transforce HT3 vs TerrainContact H/T tires comparison, we'll explore their key similarities and differences to help you determine which tire is the right fit for your vehicle.
Firestone Transforce HT3 tires
The Firestone Transforce HT3 is a durable all-season light truck tire, engineered for both on- and off-road performance. With its rugged construction, reinforced sidewalls, and wear-resistant tread compound, this tire provides the confidence to tackle unpaved roads while ensuring consistent grip and responsive handling on highways.
Built with heavy-duty durability and enhanced wet traction in mind, the Firestone Transforce HT3 earns a solid 8.2 out of 10 on the SimpleScore scale.
Get Firestone Transforce HT3 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here
Continental TerrainContact H/T tires
The Continental TerrainContact H/T is a highway-terrain tire featuring an all-season tread pattern crafted for CUVs, SUVs, and light trucks. This tire boasts enhanced durability, improved fuel efficiency, and a quiet ride and is backed by a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. Featuring advanced technologies like TractionPlus, which balances traction and durability, and Traction Grooves, which enhances grip in light snow, it ensures a reliable performance.
Additionally, the TerrainContact H/T is covered by Continental's Total Confidence Plan which includes a limited warranty, flat tire roadside assistance, customer satisfaction trial, and treadwear mileage warranty (restrictions and limitations apply). With all these features, the Continental TerrainContact H/T earned an impressive SimpleScore of 8.7 out of 10.
Get Continental TerrainContact H/T tires at the best deals for your vehicle here
Firestone Transforce HT3 vs Continental TerrainContact H/T tires on traction
Traction is a critical factor across all tire categories, influencing how well a tire grips both wet and dry surfaces. It plays a vital role in maintaining vehicle control, especially at high speeds or in challenging conditions like water, slush, mud, snow, and ice. A tire's traction is primarily shaped by its rubber compound and tread design.
The Firestone Transforce HT3 secures a solid traction score of 8.3, thanks to its advanced tread pattern that efficiently channels water away from the tread, ensuring confident wet traction.
In traction, the Continental TerrainContact H/T received an average SimpleScore of 8.5 out of 10, thanks to the TractionPlus Technology and Traction Grooves that boost grip in dry, wet, and light winter weather conditions.
As clear from the SimpleScores, the Continental tire delivers better traction on wet and dry paved roads.
ADVANTAGE: Continental TerrainContact H/T
Firestone Transforce HT3 vs Continental TerrainContact H/T tires on handling
When purchasing a tire, handling is a crucial factor, as it directly impacts vehicle control, especially at higher speeds. Superior handling ensures smooth maneuvering, effortless turns, and easy lane changes, significantly enhancing the driving experience. A tire’s tread design, rubber composition, and advanced technology all contribute to enhancing its handling performance.
The Firestone Transforce HT3 stands out with a strong handling score of 8.5. Built with a sturdy construction, it delivers responsive handling both on- and off-road. Its reinforced sidewalls offer protection against cuts and chips, while its robust design helps maintain the tire’s shape on rough terrains for enhanced stability.
The Continental TerrainContact H/T received an 8.5 in handling thanks to the symmetrical tread pattern with broad shoulders that improve handling, and cornering performance.
Both tires scored similarly, ending the handling battle in a tie.
ADVANTAGE: Tie
Firestone Transforce HT3 vs Continental TerrainContact H/T tires on longevity
When selecting tires, longevity is a crucial factor, as it determines how long a tire lasts before needing replacement. As the tread wears down over time, choosing a tire with enhanced durability is essential for consistent handling and traction. A tire's longevity is influenced by tread pattern, rubber compound, and overall design.
The Firestone Transforce HT3 delivers reliable longevity with its wear-resistant tread compound, earning a respectable 8.0 SimpleScore. However, it does not come with a limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
In longevity, the Continental TerrainContact H/T received an excellent score of 9.2 thanks to the wear-resistant rubber compound and durable construction. Additionally, the tire is backed by a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty and delivers a smooth, comfortable ride thanks to the noise-reducing tread patterns.
The Continental TerrainContact H/T outshines the Transforce HT3 in longevity with a much better SimpleScore and a mileage warrant of 70,000 miles, which is missing for the Firestone tire.
ADVANTAGE: Continental TerrainContact H/T
When to use each
Both Firestone Transforce HT3 and Continental TerrainContact H/T are high-quality all-season tires designed for year-round use in dry, wet, or light winter weather conditions. These tires deliver great traction on wet and dry roads and are most suited for driving on paved surfaces. Additionally, as these tires are not Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, they should not be used in moderate to severe winter weather conditions, where winter tires are more suitable.
The Transforce HT3 is also suited for light off-road use. However, if you are looking for a set of tires specifically for use on rough terrains, all-terrain tires or rugged-terrain tires might be a better fit.
Which one should you choose?
So, which all-season tire might be the right fit for you? Well, the answer solely depends on your personal preference as both tires have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the Continental TerrainContact H/T beats the Transforce HT3 in traction and longevity and has a mileage warranty. While the Firestone Transforce HT3 goes toe-to-toe with the TerrainContact H/T in handling. Another important factor to consider before purchasing a tire is its price, where the Continental tire justifies its performance.
The Firestone Transforce HT3 costs $196.99 per tire or $787.96 for a set of four. Conversely, the Continental TerrainContact H/T costs around $249.99 per tire or $999.96 for a set of four for the tire size LT235/80R17.
(Note - Prices may vary depending on the tire size.)
Based on SimpleScore, you should purchase the Firestone Transforce HT3 if you:
- Drive a vehicle like the Ford F-150 or something like the Nissan Frontier
- Want an equally good tire in handing (8.5 vs 8.5)
- Want a set of tires that can be used on paved and unpaved roads
- Want a tire with robust construction
- Want a more affordable set of tires
You can go for the Continental TerrainContact H/T if you:
- Drive a car like the Ford F-250, or a RAM 1500
- Want a tire with better traction (8.5 vs 8.3) and longevity (9.2 vs 8.0)
- Want a tire with a mileage warranty of 75,000 miles
- Are willing to pay more for a better set of tires
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.