Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Review

With the ExtremeContact DWS 06, Continental Tire has designed a performance all-season tire that’s made specifically to optimize grip in the wet.

PROS

  • Wet weather grip
  • All-around performance
  • Roadside assistance plan
  • Perfect for premium SUVs and crossovers

CONS

  • A touch pricey
  • Mediocre snow grip

   

An extremely unique looking tire, this model is built with purpose. Most all-season tires rely on four circumferential grooves to evacuate water from the contact patch, but here there are only three. You’d think that would limit the tire’s water-clearing capabilities but it doesn’t. In fact, if you look closely at the largest tread section, there are swooping curves running up and away from one of the grooves, helping to disperse water rapidly. At the same time, this large contact patch allows for excellent grip and immediate response.

The tread compound uses is also designed specifically for wet weather grip and delivers as promised. For the majority of drivers wet roads are the most common low-traction surface they face and pose the most frequent possibility of an accident. This tire really helps you fight back with amazing wet weather grip.

The tire compound used also resists premature wearing. The ExtremeContact DWS 06 does come with a 50,000 mile tread life warranty which is decent. There are plenty of tires that offer more, but they few, if any, provide the level of grip and outright performance shown here.

The “DWS” in the tire’s name means it’s designed for Dry, Wet and Snow, and while there is some siping that’s designed to grip snow, we’d still recommend proper winter tires if you live somewhere where winter is a real season. Continental equips the tire with wear indicators marked D, W and S stamped right into the tread. When these markings disappear, that’s n indication that the tire’s optimal capability in the dry, wet or snow have now come and gone.

As a high-performance all-season, this tire is ideal for premium or performance sedans and crossovers. While we’ve talked at length about wet wether grip, dry grip is also first-rate with big exterior shoulder blocks to handle aggressive cornering and, as mentioned before, that large contact patch to enable immediate responsiveness and excellent braking.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Price

With such a vast number of sizes, pricing for the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 ranges significantly from just over $100 per tire for a 16-inch diameter to around $330 per tire for a 22-inch diameter fitment.

   

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Warranty

Continental backs the ExtremeContact DWS 06 with a 50,000 mile tread wear warranty. It also comes with the brand’s Total Confidence Plan. This includes the brand’s limited warranty, covering potential defects in the tires. It also includes three years of roadside assistance in the case of a flat tire or a tow for up to 150 miles. And our favorite coverage point is a 12 month road hazard warranty where Conti will replace your tire in the case of a road hazard incident (like running over a nail) for free. And finally Continental also backs this tire with a 60 day satisfaction guarantee.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Sizes

Continental offer the ExtremeContact DWS 06 in both an extensive and diverse range of sizes.

16-inch sizes
195/50/R16
205/50/R16
205/55/R16
205/45/R16
215/55/R16
225/50/R16
225/55/R16

17-inch sizes
225/45/R17
215/45/R17
215/55/R17
235/45/R17
225/50/R17
215/50/R17
225/55/R17
205/45/R17
205/50/R17
235/55/R17
245/40/R17
235/50/R17
255/40/R17
245/45/R17
255/45/R17
245/50/R17

18-inch sizes
215/45/R18
225/40/R18
225/50/R18
215/40/R18
225/45/R18
235/50/R18
245/45/R18
235/40/R18
245/35/R18
235/55/R18
255/40/R18
255/45/R18
235/45/R18
245/40/R18
265/35/R18
265/40/R18
255/35/R18
235/60/R18
245/50/R18
245/55/R18
255/55/R18
275/35/R18
285/35/R18
275/40/R18
295/35/R18

19-inch sizes
225/45/R19
225/40/R19
245/50/R19
235/35/R19
245/45/R19
255/35/R19
245/40/R19
235/55/R19
255/40/R19
245/35/R19
275/35/R19
275/30/R19
265/35/R19
255/45/R19
255/50/R19
265/30/R19
275/40/R19
275/45/R19
285/30/R19
285/35/R19

20-inch sizes
255/45/R20
255/35/R20
275/35/R20
245/45/R20
245/40/R20
245/35/R20
275/30/R20
275/40/R20
275/45/R20
285/30/R20
255/50/R20
265/45/R20
315/35/R20
265/35/R20
295/40/R20
295/45/R20

21-inch sizes
295/35/R21
295/40/R21

22-inch sizes
265/35/R22
255/30/R22
265/40/R22
285/30/R22
275/40/R22
285/35/R22
265/30/R22
295/25/R22

What Does DWS Mean on Continental Tires?

The DWS stamping on select Continental Tires stands for Dry, Wet and Sow. Found imprinted onto and into the actual tread of the tire, these letters act as wear indicators for ideal traction in different conditions. An all-season tire, the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 will lose grip as it wears, with the S wearing off first, indicating the tire is no longer idea for winter use. From there, the W will wear off as an indication that the tire’s wet weather capability is no longer optimal. And finally, once the D wears off, it’s an indicator that it’s time to change your tires.

Is the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Good in Snow?

As a high performance tire, there isn’t much expectation that the DWS 06 has any true winter grip. And it’s good to keep that in mind, because it doesn’t really. There’s some mild capability in colder temperatures, but we wouldn’t recommend it for snow. And even then, that grip only lasts for the first year or two of use.

As mentioned above the D, W, S markers on the tire wear away as the tire no longer becomes ideal for performance in the Dry, Wet and Snow. And the S wears off first.