Continental CrossContact A/T² - A New Take on Adventure

Continental chose an unconventional classroom to introduce its newest all-terrain tyre to India. The CrossContact A/T² made its Indian debut, where an all-terrain tyre truly earns its stripes — on a forest trail, over rocks, roots, water crossings, and loose soil, at the Continental Tires Track Day 2026 held at Dot Goa 4X4.

Positioned as a new-generation all-terrain tyre for SUVs and 4x4s, the CrossContact A/T² promises genuine off-road ability without sacrificing everyday usability.

Continental also emphasised how the tyre’s visual presence matters to buyers — from aggressive tread blocks to bold sidewall branding and patterned detailing that signal toughness even before the vehicle leaves the tarmac. I drove a guided experiential route combining faster forest sections with slow, technical crawl zones in a Mahindra Thar fitted with the new tyres, while an instructor-led Toyota Hilux tackled a more demanding ‘expert track’ with steeper climbs and additional trails.

All-Terrain Traction in Wet and Rocky Conditions

While the course wasn’t extreme enough to stress modern 4x4 hardware, it offered enough variety to reveal the tyre’s character. One section stood out — a rocky river crossing where wet stones and flowing water reduced grip. Here, the CrossContact A/T² showed reassuring control, aided by Continental’s Traction Plus technology and rigid tread block geometry designed to maintain traction on inconsistent surfaces.

Even as the Thar experienced mild lateral movement on slick rocks, traction never felt compromised — reinforcing a simple truth: in real-world off-roading, predictability often matters more than outright aggression.

Sidewall confidence was another highlight. Driving over exposed roots, uneven rocks, and soft forest soil, the tyre never felt fragile or overly stiff. Impacts were absorbed cleanly, with no sense of the sidewall folding or protesting under load — a crucial trait on trails where surfaces change abruptly.

Continental CrossContact A/T²: All-Terrain Capability Without Extremes

Although the course didn’t include a dedicated slush pit — where self-cleaning tread patterns are usually most evident — the tyre’s grooves remained largely free of debris after repeated runs. Mud, leaves, stones, and loose soil were consistently cleared from the tread blocks, suggesting that Continental’s self-cleaning shoulder design is more than cosmetic.

There was no opportunity to assess on-road refinement, as the entire drive unfolded within the plantation. Still, that limitation underscored Continental’s intent with the CrossContact A/T² — this isn’t an extreme mud-terrain tyre built for spectacle, but a carefully engineered all-terrain solution aimed at how Indian SUV and 4x4 owners actually use their vehicles.

India-First Strategy and Market Relevance

That philosophy also explains why India has been chosen as the first global market for the CrossContact A/T². As Continental’s Managing Director for India, Samir Gupta, noted during the event, the country’s rapidly growing 4x4 and adventure-touring segment demands products engineered for local conditions, not adapted imports. Launching the tyre here allows Continental to price it more competitively against imported alternatives.

As off-road culture in India matures — moving beyond weekend novelty to long-distance exploration — tyres like the CrossContact A/T² signal an important shift. Capability is no longer about excess, but balance. And on this trail, Continental’s latest all-terrain offering proved it understands that distinction well.