Sportiva at a glance
Sportiva tyres arrived on the market in 1995 as the Continental group's first in-house budget brand. The idea was simple: offer a more affordable tyre that draws on a major manufacturer's know-how and production lines without carrying a premium-brand price tag. Unlike many cheap names, Sportiva is not backed by an unknown contract manufacturer. Behind it stands the Hanover tyre group that also owns Barum, Semperit and, in Europe, Uniroyal.
Today Sportiva is wholly owned by Continental, and the tyres are made in the group's own factories. The brand sits at the lower end of the price scale and is sold mainly through tyre shops and online retailers in Central Europe. Sportiva tyres suit drivers who drive calmly, cover an average annual mileage and prefer a product from a major group – without having to pay the price of a Continental or Uniroyal tyre.
The Sportiva range is narrow and focuses on common car sizes. The best-known summer tyre is the Sportiva Performance, which suits small cars and larger saloons alike. The brand also offers the Sportiva AllSeason for drivers who would rather not change tyres twice a year. In Estonian conditions this tyre is best suited to town driving and milder winters. On snowy main roads, a proper winter tyre is the safer bet.