Table of Contents
Continental CrossContact LX25 Tire Review
Specifications:
- Dry 80%
- Wet 90%
- Snow 70%
- Comfort 80%
- Noise 70%
- Treadwear 80%
- Multiple weather conditions provide plenty of grip and traction
- Warranty on treadwear for 70,000 miles
- Excellent resistance to aquaplaning
- Comfortable
- When you hit a bigger hole, you may hear a thump
- It’s not the best for spirited driving
The tire industry aims to meet the demand for tires designed for crossovers and SUVs in a world almost dominated by them. You are looking at tires that are similar to those found on sedans or hatchbacks, but with updated sizes.
Touring tires are among the most sought-after models because they are long-lasting and comfortable to drive.
Despite sacrificing some performance, which enthusiasts are after, you get a tire you can cruise with peacefully. Honestly, most crossovers and SUVs aren’t designed to drive on a track, so it’s not a huge issue.
In today’s market, all tire manufacturers offer a few touring models, and Continental is no exception. This German brand has been providing us with excellent tires for 150 years. With a premium brand, you’ll pay a premium price, and you should also get a premium tire.
One of Continental’s many models is the CrossContact LX25, a successor to the LX20. The tire is marketed as an all-season touring tire for crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks.
It’s a tire you can drive in various conditions throughout the year without worrying about longevity. Featuring a wide range of sizes, the brand has incorporated a lot of technology into the tire.
We’ll see today whether Continental was able to retain and improve the performance of the previous generation LX20.
Continental CrossContact LX25? Features
The first feature worth mentioning is the larger size range over its predecessor. You can find the tire in sizes ranging from 16 to 22 inches, so you can fit it on both smaller crossovers and larger trucks. LT-metric models are also available for truck owners who haul or tow heavy loads.
The Continental CrossContact LX25 is an all-season tire, so the rubber compound is not your typical summer tire. In colder temperatures, the company used advanced technologies to help the tire retain some of its properties.
The tread features a symmetrical pattern designed to improve tire performance. Continental claims the CrossContact LX25 will be more responsive to steering inputs. Moreover, the stiffened blocks combined with the treat pattern should improve highway stability.
With Continental’s Traction Grooves, the CrossContact LX25 performs well in wet and snow conditions. To provide traction in non-dry conditions, they provide the tire with more biting edges.
Heavy rain conditions weren’t forgotten by Continental. Four circumferential grooves channel water beneath the CrossContact LX25.
Similarly, the sipes and lateral grooves ensure that water doesn’t get between the tread blocks and the road. Consequently, the tire should be highly resistant to aquaplaning.
What is its behavior on dry tarmac?
The CrossContact LX25 performs well in dry conditions. You can expect a great deal of performance from a touring tire, more than you would need for normal driving.
The traction levels are pretty good, among the best in this class. Therefore, you can be a bit more aggressive without slipping. Despite pushing the tire harder into a corner, the tire will hold the line.
In terms of responsiveness, the CrossContact LX25 is decent, but don’t expect it to perform like a high-performance tire. As for steering wheel feedback, you won’t get much.
As a touring tire, the CrossContact LX25 is excellent.
What is its behavior on wet and slippery roads?
The CrossContact LX25 performs well in the rain, like most Continental tires in this category.
The Traction Grooves provide excellent traction by biting into the slippery road. If you are extra aggressive, you will notice the tire slip.
The tire has good grip and can hold a corner pretty well, too. In light of both of these factors, the CrossContact LX25 has very short braking distances.
As well as providing excellent aquaplaning resistance, the grooves and sipes also perform well.
What is its behavior on snow?
As long as you keep in mind that the CrossContact LX25 is an all-season tire, it’s pretty good in snow.
In light conditions, the result is decent traction and grip. As long as the snow isn’t too deep, the tire will find traction and provide a safe driving experience. When it comes to safety, the CrossContact LX25 has one of the shortest braking distances among all-season touring tires.
You won’t get the performance of a proper winter tire, but you won’t be caught off guard.
Does it feel comfortable and refined?
The CrossContact LX25 is a premium touring tire, so it will be comfortable and quiet.
Continental’s Comfort Ride Technology enabled the tire to provide a plush ride. It absorbs bumps very well and offers a very smooth ride. Most vibrations are muted even on bad roads.
In terms of noise levels, the tire is among the best in its class. I wouldn’t quite compare it to the Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack, but it’s almost as quiet. When you hit a bigger hole, you hear a lot of noise.
Can it be used on off-road?
The CrossContact LX25 is not a good off-roader. Having the tire on a vehicle capable of off-roading may make you tempted to take it off-road. Tires aren’t designed for that, so the performance will be poor.
Driving on a dirt road may be fine, but anything else will be problematic. Mud will get you stuck at the slightest whiff, and sharp rocks will damage it quite easily.
Can the Continental CrossContact LX25 handle sporty driving?
It’s not recommended for sporty driving since it’s a touring tire.
While there is plenty of grip and traction, it will be enough for regular driving or slightly aggressive driving. Any more than that, and the tire will struggle to keep up.
As with all touring tires, handling is also an issue for enthusiasts. The responsiveness is suitable for regular driving, but not for track days. You won’t be able to tell what’s going on with the front tires with muted feedback, which also kills the fun.
Warranty for Continental CrossContact LX25
A touring tire should last for a long time, and the CrossContact LX25 can deliver. Continental offers a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty on its tires.
In this class, the warranty falls between two close competitors. The Michelin Premier LTX comes with a 60,000-mile warranty. In contrast, the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus has an 80,000-mile warranty.
The Continental CrossContact LX25 pricing: Is it worth it?
The CrossContact LX25 is quite reasonably priced considering what you get. The starting price for a premium touring all-season is around $155.
If you compare it with the Dueler and Premier I mentioned in the warranty section, you are looking at a price difference of $20-30.
Is the Continental CrossContact LX25 worth buying?
Although the CrossContact LX25 may not seem like the absolute best at first glance, when you consider the entire package, it’s a tire I’d highly recommend.
Even though it’s not the best in every category, it’s pretty close to the leaders in some.
Performance-wise, you get a tire that is more than adequate for any driver in any condition. For winter, you’ll need a winter tire that can handle harsher conditions, since it’s lighter and can perform well in wet conditions.
Additionally, refinement is excellent, making the tire comfortable and almost noiseless. Occasionally, you’ll hear a thump when you hit a pothole, but it’s not too bad.
Adding a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty to this is a winning combination.
As things stand, I cannot think of a tire I would recommend more highly than the CrossContact LX25.
These Vehicles that can fit Continental CrossContact LX25?
The Continental CrossContact LX25 fits the following cars:
- Volkswagen Touareg, Tiguan, Amarok
- Mercedes GLC, GLE, GLS, G-Class
- BMW X3, X5, X6
- Hyundai Santa Fe, Palisade, Tucson
- Ford F150, Escape, Explorer, Ranger
- Audi Q3, Q5, A7
- Toyota 4Runner, Rav4, Highlander, Hilux, CH-r
- Subaru Forester, Outback, Ascent
- Acura MDX
Continental CrossContact LX25 tire sizes
19″ tire sizes
- 255/50R19
- 245/55R19
- 225/55R19
- 235/50R19
- 255/60R19
- 275/55R19
- 235/55R19
17″ tire sizes
- 225/55R17
- 245/65R17
- 235/65R17
- 225/65R17
- 235/55R17
- 235/60R17
- 225/65R17
16″ tire sizes
- 235/70R16
- 215/70R16
- 215/70R16
20″ tire sizes
- 265/45R20
- 265/50R20
- 235/55R20
- 275/45R20
- 245/50R20
- 275/50R20
22″ tire sizes
- 285/45R22
18″ tire sizes
- 225/60R18
- 235/60R18
- 245/60R18
- 265/60R18
- 215/55R18
- 255/55R18
- 235/65R18
- 245/60R18
- 235/55R18
- 235/60R18
- 235/65R18
- 255/65R18
- 235/55R18
- 235/50R18
- 225/55R18
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