In order to choose the perfect tire, the first thing you need to do is research trustworthy brands in the field.
Currently, there are so many outstanding brands competing in the tire industry. So, to narrow down your options, we suggest you check the qualities of the tires produced by Falken and Continental.
This post will cover the concise comparison between Falken vs Continental tires. Are Falken tires good? Are Continental tires really great at all? Read on to find out!
But first, below is a quick comparison of the two.
| Characteristics | Falken | Continental |
| Wet Performance | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Dry Performance | 4/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Year Started | 1983 | 1871 |
| Country of Origin | Japan | Germany |
| Price | Cheaper | More expensive |
| Max Treadlife Warranty | 80,000 miles | 70,000 miles |
| Tire Variety | Passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, crossovers, and commercial trucks. | Passenger cars, bicycles, motorcycles, vans, commercial trucks, buses, underground trucks, porter vehicles, and agricultural vehicles |
Table of Contents
About the Falken Company
Established in 1983, Falken is a tire company under the operations of Ohtsu Tire Co. It mainly produces performance tires for professional motorsports programs, gradually gaining recognition outside its home country, Japan.
Through time, Falken has developed more tire varieties, including tires for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, crossovers, and commercial trucks.
Today, Sumitomo Rubber North America, Inc. is the parent company of Falken Tires. The brand is now based in California, and it also has distribution centers in other states, such as Florida, New Jersey, Texas, and Tennessee.
About the Continental Company
Originally known as Continental Caoutchouc & Gutta-Percha Company, Continental Tire was established in October 1871. Initially, the brand only produced tires for bicycles and carriages. In fact, this tire business was the first one ever to produce pneumatic tires for bicycles in Germany.
It was in the 1900s when Continental finally ventured into manufacturing automobile tires. From inventing detachable rims to winter tires, this company has proven the product quality it can provide for the ever-changing needs of its consumers.
Even until now, Continental still continues to create tires that deliver innovative features beneficial to every driver in this modern era.
Comparing Falken vs Continental
1. Dry performance
To assess the dry performance of these two brands, we will have a comparison between their renowned summer tires: Falken Azenis FK510 vs Continental PremiumContact 6.
The Continental Premium Contact 6 has a shorter braking distance and better grip compared to the Falken Azenis FK510 due to its optimized pattern design. And although there’s only a marginal disparity between the two tires’ handling, Premium Contact 6 is still the better option.
2. Wet performance
In this category, we will examine the brands’ all-season tires, namely Falken EuroALL Season AS210 and Continental AllSeasonContact SUV.
In this regard, the Continental AllSeason is the clear winner, considering it excels at aquaplaning resistance, wet handling, cornering, and braking. This superb performance is thanks to the tire’s open shoulders, stiff patterns, and directional tread pattern.
Meanwhile, although the Falken EuroALL has decent wet braking, its wet handling is rather disappointing due to its lack of traction and front grip. Despite its V-shaped groove patterns, the tire’s aquaplaning resistance is average at best.
3. Winter performance
When it comes to superior tires that can withstand harsh wintertime conditions, the most outstanding products from two brands are Falken EuroWinter HS01 and Continental WinterContact TS 860.
Based on tire tests, Continental has a better overall wintertime performance on average. Again, it surpasses Falken in terms of snow traction, handling, and braking due to its Snow Curve+ technology and the Liquid Layer Drainage.
Meanwhile, although the Falken EuroWinter is stable and responsive on snowy roads, its lack of grip results in a long braking distance and subpar traction.
4. Noise and comfort
By simply using the mentioned tires above in different categories, the majority of the Falken tires are engineered with better ride quality and low road noise input compared with Continental tires.
Take the Falken Azenis FK510 as an example. Compared with the Continental Premium Contact 6, Falken has a slightly lower noise level than Continental.
5. Price
When it comes to prices between Continental vs Falken tires, the disparity is quite noticeable, which really isn’t that surprising, given how much the former outperforms the latter.
Continental tires’ price point comes at $90 to $430. Meanwhile, Falken tires cost between $120 to $250.
6. Warranty
When comparing the highest guaranteed warranty mileage offered by these two companies, Falken offers up to 80,000 miles while Continental offers up to 70,000 miles.
7. Pros and Cons
Enumerated below are the highlights of both tire’s advantages and disadvantages.
1. Falken
- Cheaper cost
- Longer warranty mileage support
- Lower road noises
- Competitor’s tire options are generally better
2. Continental
- Better dry performance
- Better wet performance
- Better wintertime performance
- Pricey
- Slightly shorter warranted mileage
Which is Better?
Generally speaking, although Falken tires are indeed impressive, their dry, wet, and snow performance pales in comparison with Continental tires. As such, Continental should be the go-to choice if you’re concerned with braking distance, cornering, and handling.
However, in terms of ride quality, Falken tires stand out since they are quieter and more comfortable than Continental tires.
No matter what, any brand among these two will undoubtedly offer tires of the finest quality, given their rich history and phenomenal track record in the tire industry.
Conclusion
You made it! You are now aware of the overall difference between Falken vs Continental tires.
With that being said, take your time to reflect and consider prioritizing your driving needs, and for sure, you will be able to determine the perfect tire brand replacement for your vehicle.
We are so glad that we are part of your decision-making process. Stay tuned for more tire-related articles coming!
