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Comparison: Continental EcoContact 6 vs. Firestone Roadhawk vs. Pirelli P ZERO PZ4 vs. Pirelli Cinturato (C3) vs. GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2

EcoContact 6 saves fuel and lasts longer; Roadhawk drives sportier but wears faster.

Continental EcoContact 6 and the Firestone Roadhawk approach the summer tyre brief from opposite ends of the spectrum. The EcoContact 6 — successor to the ContiEcoContact 5 and itself now succeeded by the EcoContact 7 — is Continental's efficiency flagship: obsessively low rolling resistance, excellent mileage, and a quiet, refined character that suits relaxed, economy-minded drivers. The Roadhawk was Firestone's attempt at a sporty upper-middle tyre with dynamic dry handling at an accessible price — it has since been replaced by the Roadhawk 2, which is the version worth buying today. That context matters: the Roadhawk's test record deteriorated over its lifetime, picking up some poor wet-weather verdicts along the way.

Continental EcoContact 6
Good for
High-mileage drivers focused on fuel economy Motorway commuters prioritising quiet comfort Eco-conscious owners of EVs or hybrids Drivers wanting reliable all-round capability
Not ideal for
Drivers frequently navigating standing water Those wanting an engaging, sporty dry character
Firestone Roadhawk
Good for
Budget-conscious drivers wanting sporty dry feel Drivers in areas with good road drainage Those prioritising aquaplaning resistance
Not ideal for
High-mileage drivers — wears quickly Noise-sensitive drivers or long motorway users Anyone who can buy the newer Roadhawk 2 instead

Test Profile

Continental
EcoContact 6
Firestone
Roadhawk
Pirelli
P ZERO PZ4
Pirelli
Cinturato (C3)
GoodYear
Efficientgrip Performance 2
Number of tests
5
21
14
7
4
Best position
#7
#2
#2
#1
#2
Average position
13.0
11.9
5.5
2.7
3.3
Latest test
2022
2024
2025
2026
2026
Available sizes
680
165
700
31
40

Wet

Wet
Continental EcoContact 6
60%
Firestone Roadhawk
71%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
83%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
92%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
82%
Wet braking
Continental EcoContact 6
66%
Firestone Roadhawk
67%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
78%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
93%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
84%
Wet circle cornering
Continental EcoContact 6
69%
Firestone Roadhawk
78%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
89%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
92%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
81%
Wet handling
Continental EcoContact 6
57%
Firestone Roadhawk
74%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
90%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
94%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
81%
Aquaplaning - cross
Continental EcoContact 6
40%
Firestone Roadhawk
72%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
68%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
84%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
73%
Aquaplaning - longitudal
Continental EcoContact 6
61%
Firestone Roadhawk
79%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
76%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
88%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
71%

Wet performance is where this comparison gets complicated. In the Autobild 2022 head-to-head, both tyres stopped within a whisker of each other on wet — 32.7m versus 32.8m — which is essentially identical. But zoom out and the picture is murkier. The EcoContact 6 carries a known aquaplaning weakness: testers have repeatedly flagged limited aquaplaning reserves, and its aquaplaning score of 50.7 trails the Roadhawk's 75.6 significantly. That's a real-world concern on flooded or rapidly draining roads. The Roadhawk, on the other hand, handles standing water better, but has also attracted some damning wet-road verdicts in multiple ADAC tests — including a rating of "very weak on wet" in one edition. The truth is neither tyre is a wet-weather star, but for everyday rain the EcoContact 6's wet braking holds up, while drivers in flood-prone areas may still find the Roadhawk's aquaplaning resistance reassuring despite its inconsistency.

Dry

Dry
Continental EcoContact 6
77%
Firestone Roadhawk
85%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
77%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
92%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
79%
Dry braking
Continental EcoContact 6
78%
Firestone Roadhawk
83%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
80%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
94%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
82%
Dry handling
Continental EcoContact 6
70%
Firestone Roadhawk
88%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
82%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
87%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
80%
Dry driving behavior
Continental EcoContact 6
73%
Firestone Roadhawk
75%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
65%
Dry lane changing
Continental EcoContact 6
87%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
85%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
75%

On dry roads the Roadhawk is the more engaging driver, with its performance scores and handling character consistently praised for sports dynamism — short braking distances and direct responses suit those who want a more involving drive. In the one direct braking comparison available, however, the EcoContact 6 actually stopped shorter: 36.4m versus 37.7m across the Autobild 2022 215/55 R17 test. The EcoContact 6's dry braking is solid and confidence-inspiring, though its handling character leans toward safety and stability rather than outright driver engagement — some testers noted a slightly delayed turn-in and mild understeer tendency. Neither tyre embarrasses itself on dry tarmac, but the Roadhawk has the sportier feel while the Continental offers the more predictable, measured response.

Comfort

Comfort
Continental EcoContact 6
84%
Firestone Roadhawk
71%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
75%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
84%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
78%
Exterior noise
Continental EcoContact 6
85%
Firestone Roadhawk
62%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
77%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
74%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
80%
Interior noise
Continental EcoContact 6
83%
Firestone Roadhawk
77%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
73%
Comfort
Continental EcoContact 6
78%
Firestone Roadhawk
67%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
80%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
90%

This is the EcoContact 6's home turf, and it wins convincingly. Owners consistently cite quiet cabin behaviour — 20 separate mentions in customer reviews — and rolling resistance scores of 100/100 make it one of the most fuel-efficient summer tyres tested. Real-world owners also report strong mileage, consistent with test data showing an 88.5 mileage score versus just 63.9 for the Roadhawk. The Roadhawk was flagged as the loudest tyre in an ADAC group test and attracted noise complaints in Autobild testing too — owner reviews back this up, with short lifespan and tyre noise appearing repeatedly as criticisms. If you cover high kilometres on motorways and want your fuel bills and cabin experience kept in check, the Continental is the clear choice.

Costs

Costs
Continental EcoContact 6
93%
Firestone Roadhawk
70%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
52%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
75%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
88%
Fuel efficiency
Continental EcoContact 6
99%
Firestone Roadhawk
78%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
94%
Mileage
Continental EcoContact 6
89%
Firestone Roadhawk
64%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
49%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
77%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
99%
Rolling resistance
Continental EcoContact 6
100%
Firestone Roadhawk
74%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
59%
Pirelli Cinturato (C3)
74%
GoodYear Efficientgrip Performance 2
81%
Price/value
Continental EcoContact 6
71%
Firestone Roadhawk
61%
Pirelli P ZERO PZ4
28%

Verdict

For most drivers, the Continental EcoContact 6 is the more rounded and sensible long-term buy — quieter, more fuel-efficient, longer-lasting, and capable enough on both dry and wet surfaces. It earns its premium positioning. The Firestone Roadhawk has a more dynamic dry character and better aquaplaning scores, but its inconsistent wet performance across multiple test years and quicker wear rate undermine the value proposition — especially since it has been superseded by the Roadhawk 2, which is a meaningfully improved product. If you're considering the original Roadhawk purely on price, be aware of what you're trading away. The EcoContact 6 won both head-to-head test encounters and better suits the majority of everyday driving needs.

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