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Continental PureContact LS vs General G-MAX AS-05 — 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 0 + 1 road tests and 25 + 805 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: PureContact LS and G-MAX AS-05 are level at 69.

Check price on Amazon · PureContact LS Check price on Amazon · G-MAX AS-05
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General G-MAX AS-05
Tire BGeneral

G-MAX AS-05

All Season

± 7

Tests – · 1 test Owners 68 · 805 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 19 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires (tested tread life (miles))

“18 ST on freshly refinished snowflakes and general g-max as-05 tires. Tire rack mobile install is awesome.”

Category by category

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

  1. 69

    Dry

    G-MAX AS-05 +1
    70
    Why this score
    SourcePureContact LSG-MAX AS-05
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online6971

    PureContact LS: 60% × 68.3 (est.) + 40% × 68.9 = 69

    G-MAX AS-05: 60% × 69.3 (est.) + 40% × 71.2 = 70

    No road tests of dry for PureContact LS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

    No road tests of dry for G-MAX AS-05. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 72

    Wet

    PureContact LS +1
    71
    Why this score
    SourcePureContact LSG-MAX AS-05
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 72 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online7271

    PureContact LS: 60% × 71.6 (est.) + 40% × 72.2 = 72

    G-MAX AS-05: 60% × 70.7 (est.) + 40% × 70.7 = 71

    No road tests of wet for PureContact LS. 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 G-MAX AS-05. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 67

    Snow

    PureContact LS +8
    59
    Why this score
    SourcePureContact LSG-MAX AS-05
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 64 (est.)
    Reviews found online6451

    PureContact LS: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 63.9 = 67

    G-MAX AS-05: 60% × 64.3 (est.) + 40% × 51 = 59

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

    No road tests of snow for G-MAX AS-05. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 59

    Comfort

    G-MAX AS-05 +8
    67
    Why this score
    SourcePureContact LSG-MAX AS-05
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online5466

    PureContact LS: 40% × 65.7 (est.) + 60% × 53.9 = 59

    G-MAX AS-05: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 65.8 = 67

    No road tests of comfort for PureContact LS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.21).

    No road tests of comfort for G-MAX AS-05. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.21).

  5. 68

    Noise

    PureContact LS +1
    67
    Why this score
    SourcePureContact LSG-MAX AS-05
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online7068

    PureContact LS: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 70.3 = 68

    G-MAX AS-05: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 67.7 = 67

    No road tests of noise for PureContact LS or G-MAX AS-05. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 68

    Treadwear

    G-MAX AS-05 +7
    75
    Why this score
    SourcePureContact LSG-MAX AS-05
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 67 (est.)77
    Reviews found online6973

    PureContact LS: 60% × 67.4 (est.) + 40% × 68.8 = 68

    G-MAX AS-05: 60% × 77 + 40% × 72.7 = 75

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

  7. 70

    Handling (owners)

    Level
    70
    Why this score
    SourcePureContact LSG-MAX AS-05
    Reviews found online7070
Scores at a glance
CategoryContinental PureContact LSGeneral G-MAX AS-05
Relative Score 69 69
Dry 69 70
Wet 72 71
Snow 67 59
Comfort 59 67
Noise 68 67
Treadwear 68 75
Handling (owners) 70 70

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
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

PureContact LS

± 7

G-MAX AS-05

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A PureContact LS

Pros

  • Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Strong wet and dry traction with reliable handling
  • Good balance of everyday comfort and long treadlife

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls can lead to less responsive or wandering handling during aggressive cornering
  • Develops temporary flat spotting when parked, causing morning vibrations
  • Poor winter performance, particularly lacking traction on snow and ice despite being an all-season tire
All owner themes in the PureContact LS review

Tire B G-MAX AS-05

Pros

  • Exceptional value and price point compared to premium brands
  • Low road noise and quiet operation
  • Sharp steering response and sporty handling

Cons

  • Slightly mushy or delayed response at the absolute cornering limit for aggressive drivers
  • Mediocre performance in deep snow
  • Occasional reports of highway tramlining or a firmer ride due to stiff sidewalls
All owner themes in the G-MAX AS-05 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Continental PureContact LS

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

Tire B

General G-MAX AS-05

Positive

Community members widely regard the General G-Max AS-05 as an outstanding value for an ultra-high performance all-season tire, often praising its responsive steering, strong dry handling, and wet grip as a cheaper alternative to Continental and Michelin. However, opinions on road noise are polarized, ranging from quiet to noticeably loud, and snow/winter performance is frequently cited as mediocre or limited to light conditions.

bobistheoilguy.com ·2018-05-16

“I had the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3's on my GTI and didn't care for them much. Overrated, period. The + version might be better? I have 4 Continental SureContact RX's on my GTI and they are the best UHP all-season tires I've had. They aren't known for being superb in class in the snow like the Conti DWS06's are. But they grip excellent in the rain and perform great cold or hot. Every other all-season I've had gave up traction in hot summer weather except for the Conti's on my car and the Generals Gmax AS-05 on my wifes Audi. Those Generals are made in Portugal by Continental. They have a tad more road noise than my tires but are better otherwise. I'm done assuming Michelin and top tier high dollar tires are always better.”
r/BoltEV ·7 upvotes ·2019-03-16

“General Tire G-MAX AS-05 I just ordered a set of General Tire G-MAX AS-05 for my Bolt. Tirerack.com says that this is an "Ultra High Performance All-Season" tire. With 28,000 miles of wear on the factory tires, I can feel it starting to hydroplane in heavy rain. I'm swapping before something worse than "starting to hydroplane" happens. And I'm looking forward to it being a lot more fun to drive. :-) General Tire G-MAX AS-05”
forum.miata.net

“Have them on now. Will buy again for an all season tire. Mine are worn literally almost slick and have been smooth riding with no vibrations or any problems. Cant really comment on noise level because I drive like a maniac, am half deaf, and the Miata is loud anyway. They have good grip and the more worn they are the better they handle.”
Top themes
#value and pricing#wet traction performance#road noise levels#light snow capability#steering response handling#Continental brand relationship#tread wear longevity

Based on 88 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Continental PureContact LS B · General G-MAX AS-05
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Tread depth10/32″10/32″
UTQG700 A A500 A - AA A
Treadwear warranty70,000 mi50,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side WallBlack Side Wall
Max pressure51 psi50 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Continental PureContact LS

General G-MAX AS-05

Too close to call: Continental PureContact LS and General G-MAX AS-05 are within 2 points overall. Continental PureContact LS is stronger on snow. General G-MAX AS-05 is stronger on comfort and treadwear.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Continental PureContact LS scores 67 vs 59 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

General G-MAX AS-05 scores 67 vs 59 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

General G-MAX AS-05 scores 75 vs 68 on treadwear.

Tire A · Continental PureContact LS
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Tire B · General G-MAX AS-05
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PureContact LS or G-MAX AS-05?

Which is better in the wet, PureContact LS or G-MAX AS-05?

Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 71 on the wet score, within 3 points.

Which grips better on dry roads, PureContact LS or G-MAX AS-05?

Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 70 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is better in snow, PureContact LS or G-MAX AS-05?

Continental PureContact LS, 67 vs 59 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, PureContact LS or G-MAX AS-05?

Neither, by our numbers: 68 vs 67 on the noise score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, PureContact LS or G-MAX AS-05?

General G-MAX AS-05, 67 vs 59 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, PureContact LS or G-MAX AS-05?

General G-MAX AS-05, 75 vs 68 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