Continental Extremecontact DWS06 vs Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3: A 2021 Analysis

Comparing the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ versus the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 is not an easy task.

Both tires are aimed at ultra-high-performance vehicles that need tires capable of delivering predictable grip at high speeds and outstanding braking power.

If you are curious to know if Michelin and Continental have achieved that goal with these tires, then read on.

TL;DR: Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Ready to explore these two fabulous tires? Let’s first review their pros and cons.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

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PROS

  • Excellent durability
  • Unsurpassed snow/ice traction
  • Outstanding manufacturer’s warranty
  • Excellent grip in both wet and dry conditions

CONS

  • Slightly inferior dry grip to Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Best For:

Owners of high-end sports cars requiring durable tires that deliver uncompromising all-weather performance all year long.

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

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PROS

  • Unsurpassed dry grip
  • First-class ride quality
  • Excellent wet traction

CONS

  • No manufacturer’s road hazard warranty
  • Shorter tread life than Continental Extremecontact DWS06

Best For:

Owners of high-end sports cars requiring durable tires that deliver uncompromising all-weather performance all year long.

Performance Ratings: ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Pilot Sport A/S 3+

When it comes to the reliability of tire ratings, user-reported mileage plays a crucial role. The higher the number of user reviews, the higher the reported mileage to support those ratings. 

To that effect, both the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 and the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ have enough reviews/reported miles to consider their ratings highly reliable. This also means that the rankings for each tire in the Ultra High-Performance All-Season segment, 6 out of 29 in the case of the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 and 7 out of 29 in the case of the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+, should not vary much over time.

That said, below, we have provided several links to make it easier to navigate through this review.

Dry Performance Comparison

Dry Performance Ratings

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Dry Overall

9.0

9.3

Cornering Stability

8.9

9.3

Dry Traction

9.3

9.4

Steering Response

8.8

9.2

For ultra-high-performance tires, this is one of the most important categories. To that effect, we can see that although the differences in ratings are small, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ exhibits scores that are consistently higher than those of the Continental Extremecontact DWS06. For this reason, we feel confident in recommending the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ for drivers who want to get the most out of their high-end sports cars.

Wet Performance: ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Wet Performance Ratings

Continental Extremecontact DWS06

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3

Wet Overall

9.0

9.1

Hydroplaning Resistance

8.9

9.1

Wet Traction

9.0

9.1

Both the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 are designed with driver safety in mind. Proof of this is their tread patterns that feature a water-shedding design. That is why we are not at all surprised by the excellent wet traction and hydroplaning resistance ratings of both tires. If you are looking for a high-performance tire capable of giving you excellent braking in adverse weather conditions, then you can’t go wrong with either of these tires.

Snow / Ice Performance: ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Snow / Ice Performance Ratings

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Snow / Ice Overall

7.6

6.9

Light Snow Traction

8.4

7.8

Deep Snow Traction

7.5

6.5

Ice Traction

7.1

6.4

Both the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 and the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ are all-season tires, so both are expected to have an adequate level of grip at low temperatures. Basically, both manufacturers have used similar solutions for this purpose. 

Michelin’s Helio+ Technology makes use of sunflower oil and Extreme Silica Technology in the tread compound to maintain good traction during winter while Continental uses its SPORTPLUS+ Technology and +Saline additives in the tread for the same purpose. However, in this case, the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 comes out on top by beating the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ across all conditions in this category.

Comfort Performance: ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Comfort Performance Ratings

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Overall Comfort

8.5

8.4

Ride Quality

8.8

8.7

Noise

8.3

8.2

Both Continental and Michelin are renowned for providing an outstanding driving experience. The use of state-of-the-art materials and super-advanced tread design are aimed at that goal. So it’s no wonder that both the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and Continental Extremecontact DWS06 tires feature low noise levels and excellent ride quality. Therefore, if one of the factors in your decision-making is linked to tire ride quality, then rest assured that either of these tires will meet your expectations.

Treadwear Performance: ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Treadwear Performance Rating

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Treadwear

7.9

8.1

When it comes to tire longevity, both Michelin and Continental strive to offer the highest possible results. Technically speaking, it is difficult to describe the enormous investment of both brands in exclusive technologies that allow them to be at the forefront of tire durability. In the case of the Continental Extremecontact DWS06, this is evident with features such as its QuickView indicators that give you an easy way to know the tire tread condition

Because of this attention to detail, we are inclined to prefer the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 over the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ in this category, even though both offer virtually equal ratings.

Warranty: ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Warranty Type

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Treadlife Warranty

6-year warranty or 50,000 miles (whichever occurs first). This warranty is halved for rear tires when they are different in size from the front tires.

6-year warranty or 45,000 miles (whichever occurs first). This warranty is halved for rear tires when they are different in size from the front tires.

Uniformity Warranty

One year of use or the first 2/32″ of wear.

One year of use or the first 2/32″ of wear.

Workmanship / Materials Warranty

6-year warranty and free tire replacement for the first year, 2/32″ wear, or 25% wear.

6-year warranty and free tire replacement for the first year, 2/32″ wear, or 25% wear.

Road Hazard Warranty

One year of use or the first 2/32″ of wear.

None

Tire Rack Road Hazard Warranty

Refunds of up to $40 for repairs per tire per occurrence. Refund of the original purchase price or replacement purchase price (whichever is less) when the tire suffers non-repairable damage (valid within the first 2 years of use).

Refunds of up to $40 for repairs per tire per occurrence. Refund of the original purchase price or replacement purchase price (whichever is less) when the tire suffers non-repairable damage (valid within the first 2 years of use).

In terms of warranty, it is easy to declare a winner. The Continental Extremecontact DWS06 not only offers a better Treadlife Warranty than the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ but also provides a generous Road Hazard Warranty which together with the already excellent Tire Rack warranty makes it one of the tires in its segment.

Specs & Options: ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Pilot Sport A/S 3+

While both the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 are available in the most popular sizes for modern high-end sports cars, we must say that Continental has decided to go further by offering a much wider coverage. 

Thus, the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 is available in rim sizes ranging from 16 inches to 22 inches and tire widths from 195 to 315. On the other hand, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ is only available in rim sizes from 17 inches to 20 inches, with wheel widths ranging from 225 to 285.

Additionally, the UTQG of the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ is 500 AA A while that of the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 is 560 AA A. For more information on how to interpret these ratings, we suggest this article.

If you are looking for a tire with wide market coverage, then the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 is for you.

Reviews: ExtremeContact DWS06 vs Pilot Sport A/S 3+

The first thing to say is that user reviews of both the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 and the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ are highly positive. We did not get any complaints about either of these tires regarding dry, wet, or snow performance.

When it comes to the driving experience, both Continental Extremecontact DWS06 and Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ drivers describe it as top-notch for a tire of this type. In our opinion, this kind of feedback is an achievement for both Michelin and Continental, as high-performance tires often compromise ride quality to favor grip, especially in dry conditions.

Finally, in terms of tire durability, we did notice a difference in the comments and statistics reported by users. We have been able to appreciate how drivers using the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 have exceeded 50k miles more easily than drivers who preferred the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+. Since both tires have similar warranties and very similar Treadwear ratings, this aspect caught our attention. We hypothesize that the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ may require more care in maintaining proper air pressure and tire rotation than the Continental Extremecontact DWS06.

Based on the above, we must reiterate our opinion that both tires are an excellent choice.

Quick Recap

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Continental Extremecontact DWS06

Dry

9.0

Wet

9.0

Snow / Ice

7.6

Comfort

8.5

Treadwear

7.9

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Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

Dry

9.3

Wet

9.1

Snow / Ice

6.9

Comfort

8.4

Treadwear

8.1

End of the Road

Throughout this review, both the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 and the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ have proven to live up to expectations. Both tires offer formidable all-weather traction even under the most extreme driving conditions. However, all aspects considered, we feel that the Continental Extremecontact DWS06 has a slight advantage over the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ in terms of durability and snow grip, so depending on your particular needs, this tire could be a better choice.