Continental Launches CrossContact A/T2 Tyres In The Indian Market

When we are praising a car's capabilities, we often fail to recognise the critical role played by the tyres. Be it overcoming technical challenges out there in the wild or the comfort that you seek on a long drive, tyres are at the base of it all, scraping the road below to get you the much-needed traction and rolling tirelessly for you, munching miles relentlessly. The role of the tyre in a car’s performance is one of the most underrated things, as a matter of fact.

On a recent invitation from Continental Tyres, we headed out on an adventure trail hidden between a reserve forest on one side and the Goa-Karnataka state border on the other. Two hours of driving from the Dabolim airport, passing through a narrow road meandering through forest area and connecting remote villages in between, took us to the perfect setting for testing the new Continental CrossContact A/T² tyres.

We were welcomed by the thick foliage of wild vegetation, old trees with huge canopies and tyre tracks carved on soft mud, disappearing as you wade into a river stream or climb over a rocky patch. Ideal test track for testing a rugged off-road tyre with just mud, slush, rocks and water around and no sight of cement or tar for kilometres.

CrossContact Tyres were first launched by Continental in India in late 2023. It was subsequently made available in varying sizes to match the popular OEM fitment requirements. CrossContact AX6 is aimed at providing the best grip on off-road trails, offering comfort and low noise on tarmac at the same time. The latest generation CrossContact A/T² tyre is equipped with Traction Plus technology designed to tackle extreme off-roading. The grooves are wider and 14% deeper than the AX6, and the unique block geometry resists lodging of small stones and mud that usually cause traction loss on trails.

During our drive through the specially curated off-road trail, tyres stood on the ground well, even when the big SUVs leaned at 45 degrees on a side, putting all its weight on rubber. Navigating through narrow forest trails meant tackling small stones, pebbles, and loose soil, none of which could unsettle the vehicle's grip on the ground.

Bold, large block pattern looks promising and functionally superior with deep grooves acting as the gripping tooth for the tyre. The special treads on the shoulder give more volume to the tyre and make it look visually broader than it originally is.

On extremely steep climbs, our SUV kept crawling forward without the slightest slip or skid. Strong grip ensured easy movement on challenging inclines laden with loose gravel and mud.

This was followed by driving into a river with a muddy bed underneath, needing sure footing over a slippery surface. Traction Plus technology played an important role here by providing constant grip during the entire water wading experience and preventing a lateral slide while leaving the water and climbing up over the slushy riverbank.

CrossContact A/T² tyres performed as promised, giving both confidence and assurance in abundance while dealing with the difficult terrain.

Not every tyre can deliver everything that a vehicle in motion usually demands. The most important of all in an off roading set up is always providing a good grip on the ground, irrespective of what lies beneath the rubber. And on that ground, CrossContact A/T² is surely a strong offering.

We did not get an opportunity to test the tyres on a regular road, knowing Continental’s strong reputation for making tyres with the least road noise and offering utmost comfort, this could be the one SUV tyre you need for all your requirements.

Written by: Aashish Bhardwaj