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Continental CrossContact LX25 vs General AltiMAX RT45 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 1 + 0 road tests and 26 + 1,078 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: CrossContact LX25 and AltiMAX RT45 are level at 73.

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General AltiMAX RT45
Tire BGeneral

AltiMAX RT45

All Season

± 7

Tests – · none yet Owners 76 · 1,078 reviews

“225/55R16 Update… General RT45 - they fit & ride wonderful. Quiet+ Comfy+ MPG+ Handling+ Beefy+ Girthy+ TireRack.com has 19 choices in this size. Wanted light summer tire but none…so light all season instead.”

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 75

    Dry

    Level
    75
    Why this score
    SourceCrossContact LX25AltiMAX RT45
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests70≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online8379

    CrossContact LX25: 60% × 70.4 + 40% × 82.7 = 75

    AltiMAX RT45: 60% × 72.3 (est.) + 40% × 78.5 = 75

    No road tests of dry for AltiMAX RT45. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 80

    Wet

    CrossContact LX25 +4
    76
    Why this score
    SourceCrossContact LX25AltiMAX RT45
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 77 (est.)≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online8378

    CrossContact LX25: 60% × 77.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.1 = 80

    AltiMAX RT45: 60% × 74.6 (est.) + 40% × 77.8 = 76

    No road tests of wet for CrossContact LX25. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for AltiMAX RT45. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 53

    Snow

    AltiMAX RT45 +13
    66
    Why this score
    SourceCrossContact LX25AltiMAX RT45
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests40≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online7263

    CrossContact LX25: 60% × 40.2 + 40% × 71.7 = 53

    AltiMAX RT45: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 62.9 = 66

    No road tests of snow for AltiMAX RT45. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 76

    Comfort

    CrossContact LX25 +1
    75
    Why this score
    SourceCrossContact LX25AltiMAX RT45
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online7978

    CrossContact LX25: 40% × 70.8 (est.) + 60% × 79.4 = 76

    AltiMAX RT45: 40% × 70.6 (est.) + 60% × 78.3 = 75

    No road tests of comfort for CrossContact LX25. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for AltiMAX RT45. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 71

    Noise

    CrossContact LX25 +3
    68
    Why this score
    SourceCrossContact LX25AltiMAX RT45
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online7870

    CrossContact LX25: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 77.5 = 71

    AltiMAX RT45: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 69.5 = 68

    No road tests of noise for CrossContact LX25 or AltiMAX RT45. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 72

    Treadwear

    AltiMAX RT45 +3
    75
    Why this score
    SourceCrossContact LX25AltiMAX RT45
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online7680

    CrossContact LX25: 60% × 69.8 (est.) + 40% × 75.5 = 72

    AltiMAX RT45: 60% × 71.2 (est.) + 40% × 79.5 = 75

    No road tests of treadwear for CrossContact LX25. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for AltiMAX RT45. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 79

    Handling (owners)

    CrossContact LX25 +7
    72
    Why this score
    SourceCrossContact LX25AltiMAX RT45
    Reviews found online7972
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental CrossContact LX25General AltiMAX RT45
Relative Score 73 73
Dry 75 75
Wet 80 76
Snow 53 66
Comfort 76 75
Noise 71 68
Treadwear 72 75
Handling (owners) 79 72

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

CrossContact LX25

± 7

AltiMAX RT45

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A CrossContact LX25

Pros

  • Extremely quiet and smooth ride quality at all speeds
  • Significantly improved wet and snow traction
  • Enhanced braking performance and responsiveness

Cons

  • Tends to pick up and throw gravel from the road surface
  • Can feel a bit harsh or firm when hitting deep potholes
  • Occasional reports of unexpectedly rapid treadwear in rare instances
All owner themes in the CrossContact LX25 review

Tire B AltiMAX RT45

Pros

  • Strong value for the price. Many reviewers say it matches or beats more expensive Michelin, Continental, Goodyear, and OEM tires, and many are on their 3rd to 8th set.
  • Quiet, smooth, comfortable ride, often described as a big improvement over OEM tires, run-flats, and competitors such as Goodyear Assurance and Continental.
  • Good wet and hydroplaning resistance. Reviewers report confidence in heavy rain and flooded roads.

Cons

  • Road noise is the most frequent complaint. Some report a loud hum on the highway, tires that get louder as they wear (often around half-worn), and noise greater than the RT43.
  • Reduced fuel economy or EV range for some owners, such as a hybrid Camry dropping from 48 to 44 mpg and an Accord Hybrid dropping from about 42 to 30–34 mpg. Others reported no change.
  • Handling is less precise or sporty than premium or OEM tires, with squealing in hard cornering and tire spin from a stop.
All owner themes in the AltiMAX RT45 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Continental CrossContact LX25

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

General AltiMAX RT45

Positive

The community largely views the General AltiMAX RT45 as an exceptional value and a worthy successor to the RT43, frequently praising its quiet ride, comfort, tread life, and strong wet performance for the price. While many view it as a compelling mid-range alternative to premium options like the Michelin Defender 2, some users note trade-offs in steering responsiveness, soft sidewalls, or limitations in severe winter conditions compared to dedicated all-weather tires.

spyderlovers.com ·2022-08-27

“Amazon spammed me in regards to offering the general Altimax rt43 for $120 ($119.99), so just for grins and giggles, I looked up this tire size on tirerack.com (215/60/15) and they showed me their 12? Best selling tires in that size and Whaddya know, the rt43 was priced identical with Amazon, but even more interesting was, the rt45 (general altimax) was the same price. I’m guessing it’s smart for general/tire rack to price this replacement tire at the same price as old reliable Best, Jake Reddick Fla.”
subaruoutback.org ·1 upvote ·2023-08-08

“The OEM tires on my '21 OB were shot by 44K even with rotation every other oil change. When I went into the dealer in Wichita (I live on the coast of NJ) for an oil change they offered me a 75K mile set of tires and a 4-wheel alignment for $800. The General Altimax RT45 they put on have been an excellent tire and are now at 79K (35K on the tires ) with no issues. Based on rotating them every other oil change and the visual tire wear I feel confident they will go their rated 75K and I have zero complaints on their handling or comfort.”
r/Ioniq6 ·67 upvotes ·2026-09-03

“New wheels 18-inch wheels on my 2024 Ioniq 6 and General Altimax RT45 tires. These are quieter and grip better than the OEM Pirellis and I’m getting about 0.3mi/kWh better efficiency The wheels are from a 2016 Veloster turbo and I had them powder coated in BMW silver. Size is 18x7.5 ET54 and 225/55R18”
Top themes
#value and pricing#ride comfort and quietness#RT43 successor comparison#Michelin Defender comparison#winter and snow performance#tread life and durability#handling and turn response

Based on 131 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental CrossContact LX25 B · General AltiMAX RT45
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available4092
Rim diameters16″ – 22″14″ – 20″
Tread depth10 - 12/32″11/32″
UTQG740 A A - B560 - 700 A - AA A - B
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering
Max pressure44 - 51 psi44 - 51 psi
Sizes in common2020

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental CrossContact LX25

General AltiMAX RT45

Too close to call: Continental CrossContact LX25 and General AltiMAX RT45 are within 2 points overall. Continental CrossContact LX25 is stronger on handling, wet and noise. General AltiMAX RT45 is stronger on snow and treadwear.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

General AltiMAX RT45 scores 66 vs 53 on snow.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental CrossContact LX25 scores 79 vs 72 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental CrossContact LX25 scores 80 vs 76 on wet.

Pick tire A You want a quieter cabin

Continental CrossContact LX25 scores 71 vs 68 on noise.

Tire A · Continental CrossContact LX25
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · General AltiMAX RT45
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CrossContact LX25 or AltiMAX RT45?

Which is better in the wet, CrossContact LX25 or AltiMAX RT45?

Continental CrossContact LX25, 80 vs 76 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, CrossContact LX25 or AltiMAX RT45?

Neither, by our numbers: 75 vs 75 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, CrossContact LX25 or AltiMAX RT45?

General AltiMAX RT45, 66 vs 53 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, CrossContact LX25 or AltiMAX RT45?

Continental CrossContact LX25, 71 vs 68 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, CrossContact LX25 or AltiMAX RT45?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 75 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, CrossContact LX25 or AltiMAX RT45?

General AltiMAX RT45, 75 vs 72 on our treadwear score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology