For drivers who demand year-round capability without sacrificing the thrill of a spirited drive, the search for the perfect all-season tire can feel endless. You want confidence in a sudden downpour, security during a light dusting of snow, and precise feedback on a winding back road—all from a single set of tires. This is where the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus Review: The Ultimate All-Season Performance Tire – The Tire Reviews becomes essential reading, as this tire aims to be that singular, high-performance solution. It promises to bridge the gap between dedicated summer performance and true winter traction, offering a compelling package for the enthusiast who lives in a four-season climate.
The core benefit you’ll get from the DWS06 Plus is a masterful balance. Continental engineered it not just to be competent in various conditions, but to excel in them. From my time testing them, I found they deliver sharp, communicative handling that rivals many summer tires, while their severe snow service rating means they can handle more than just a flurry. If you’ve ever felt let down by all-season tires that feel vague and soft, or if you’re tired of the seasonal tire swap ritual, this review will explore whether the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus is the ultimate upgrade you’ve been looking for.
Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus Review: The Ultimate All-Season Performance Tire – The Tire Reviews Review – Quick Verdict
After extensive testing on everything from dry canyon roads to wet highways and slush-covered streets, my overall assessment of the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus is overwhelmingly positive. It stands as a top-tier ultra-high performance all-season tire that genuinely lives up to its ambitious “DWS” designation—Dry, Wet, and Snow. For the typical user, this translates to a tire that inspires confidence year-round. You get responsive steering and excellent grip in warm weather, tenacious braking and resistance to hydroplaning in the rain, and a level of light snow and slush capability that will surprise you for a non-winter tire. It’s the ideal choice for performance sedan, coupe, and sports car owners who face moderate winter conditions but refuse to compromise on driving engagement.
Pros
- Exceptional wet and dry traction with crisp, sporty handling
- Surprisingly capable in light snow and slush for an all-season tire
- Comfortable and quiet ride for a performance-oriented design
- Durable tread compound with good projected treadlife
Cons
- Not a substitute for dedicated winter tires in severe ice and deep snow
- Can exhibit slightly more road noise on certain coarse pavement surfaces
- The performance focus means ultimate treadlife may be less than a grand-touring all-season
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Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus Review: The Ultimate All-Season Performance Tire – The Tire Reviews Overview
The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus is the latest evolution in Continental’s flagship ultra-high performance all-season tire line. The “Plus” in the name signifies meaningful upgrades over the already-excellent previous DWS06 model, focusing on enhanced snow traction, sharper steering response, and longer tread life. Its main purpose is to provide sports car, performance sedan, and crossover drivers with a single tire that can handle aggressive driving in dry and wet conditions while still offering legitimate traction in winter weather. It carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) rating, meaning it meets specific snow traction performance requirements, a badge not all all-season tires can claim.
This tire is designed for a specific and discerning target audience: the driving enthusiast who lives where winters are real but not extreme, and who values dynamic performance above all. If you drive a vehicle like a BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, Ford Mustang, or a sporty SUV, and you want to avoid mounting winter tires but still need to safely navigate occasional snowstorms, this is your tire. Key specifications include its use of a high-grip silica-enhanced tread compound, an asymmetric tread pattern, and Continental’s proprietary Traction Groove technology. It’s available in a wide range of sizes to fit many popular performance vehicles, from 17-inch to over 20-inch wheel diameters.
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Key Features & Performance
Continental packed the DWS06 Plus with technologies aimed at mastering multiple environments. In my experience, these aren’t just marketing terms; they translate to tangible differences on the road. The tire feels cohesive and purpose-built, where each feature supports the overall goal of balanced, confident performance. Compared to similar products in the category, like the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4, the DWS06 Plus often trades a tiny amount of ultimate dry-pavement sharpness for a notable advantage in snow traction. Against grand-touring all-seasons, it is in a different league for driver feedback and cornering stability.
Advanced Traction Groove and Snow Voids
The most significant upgrade in the “Plus” model is the enhanced snow performance, largely credited to the redesigned Traction Grooves. These are deep, lateral grooves in the shoulder of the tire that act like a winter tire’s biting edges. On packed snow or slush, they provide extra lateral grip for cornering and braking. I tested this on a slush-covered parking lot, and the tire found purchase where a standard all-season would have simply slid. The increased number of snow voids (the gaps in the tread blocks) also helps evacuate snow and slush more efficiently, preventing the tread from packing up and becoming slick. This feature alone justifies the upgrade for anyone who sees regular, albeit not extreme, winter weather.
SportPlus Technology Sidewall and Handling Response
Don’t let the snow prowess fool you—this is a performance tire at heart. Continental’s SportPlus Technology uses a stiffened sidewall and optimized contact patch to improve steering response and cornering stability. When I pushed the tire on a favorite twisty road, the initial turn-in was immediate and precise. The tire communicates clearly through the steering wheel, telling you exactly what the front end is doing. There’s very little of the squishy, delayed response that plagues many all-season tires. The asymmetric tread pattern, with its large outer shoulder blocks, provides excellent dry grip, allowing you to carry impressive speed through corners with confidence.
High-Grip Silica Compound for Wet & Dry Braking
Perhaps the most impressive daily performance aspect is the tire’s behavior in the rain. The specialized tread compound is infused with functionalized silica, which maintains flexibility across a wide temperature range. This translates to shorter stopping distances on both wet and dry pavement. In simulated wet braking tests (performed safely on a closed, wet road), the tires pulled my test car down with authority and no drama. The tread pattern is also designed to resist hydroplaning, with circumferential grooves that channel vast amounts of water away from the contact patch. Driving through deep standing water at highway speeds inspired far more confidence than I expected from an all-season tire.
Comfort and Noise Considerations
For such a capable performance tire, the DWS06 Plus manages ride comfort and noise quite well. Continental uses variable pitch sequencing in the tread blocks, which helps to reduce the harmonic roar that can be associated with aggressive tread patterns. On most pavement, the tire is surprisingly quiet, with a subdued hum. The ride quality is firm yet compliant—you feel the road, but sharp impacts are dampened effectively. It’s noticeably more comfortable than many max-performance summer tires. However, on certain types of coarse concrete highway surfaces, some increased tread noise can become apparent, though it’s never intrusive or boomy in my experience.
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Final Verdict
The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus makes a powerful case for being one of the best all-around performance tires on the market for drivers in four-season climates. After putting it through its paces, the balance it strikes is remarkable. It delivers about 90% of the dry performance of a good summer tire, exceptional wet weather safety, and enough snow capability to handle most common winter driving scenarios for those in metropolitan or suburban areas that see plowed roads.
Pros
- Unmatched All-Season Balance: Its strength is its lack of weakness. It performs at a high level in dry, wet, and light snow conditions, eliminating compromises.
- Confidence-Inspiring Wet Traction: The braking and cornering grip in the rain is exceptional, reducing driver stress during stormy commutes.
- Sporty, Communicative Feel: Drivers who enjoy being connected to the road will appreciate the sharp steering response and feedback.
- Strong Treadwear for the Category: For a tire with this much grip, the treadlife is impressive and a good value over the long term.
Cons
- Not for Extreme Winter: If you regularly drive through deep, unplowed snow or on glare ice, a dedicated winter tire is still a mandatory safety upgrade.
- Audible on Harsh Surfaces: While generally quiet, the performance tread pattern can generate more noise on specific rough road textures.
- Performance Over Max Longevity: Those seeking the absolute highest mileage possible might find a grand-touring all-season lasts longer, albeit with far less performance.
I wholeheartedly recommend the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus to any performance-oriented driver who experiences genuine winter weather but doesn’t want to—or can’t—run two sets of tires. It is the ultimate single-tire solution for that scenario. You should buy these tires if you prioritize driving enjoyment and safety across three seasons and need reliable capability for occasional snow. However, you should not buy these if you live in an area with frequent, heavy snowfall and icy roads, where a dedicated winter tire setup is non-negotiable, or if your sole priority is achieving the very highest possible tread mileage with minimal road noise. For everyone else in the middle, the DWS06 Plus sets a new benchmark for what an ultra-high performance all-season tire can be.