Tests 75 · 8 tests Owners 60 · 32 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 16 in 2019 Teknikens Värld Large Winter Tire Test R17 (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Continental VikingContact 7 vs General AltiMAX RT43 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
AltiMAX RT43 leads, 68–66 Narrow edge
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 67 · 1,371 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 8 in 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires (overall ranking)
“Update -- in the middle of a snowstorm tonight, the Altimax RT43 did very well. The best description for the RT43 in snow would be "predictable" -- if there is a bit of slide the steering response is easy to control. Better handling overall than the Optimo H727, now over 800 miles and still very quiet.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
65
Dry
AltiMAX RT43 +368Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) 76 – Reviews found online 49 68 -
66
Wet
AltiMAX RT43 +470Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) 69 – Reviews found online 62 70 -
75
Snow
VikingContact 7 +1164Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) 79 – Reviews found online 70 60 -
70
Comfort
VikingContact 7 +367Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 – Reviews found online 71 65 -
79
Noise
VikingContact 7 +1069Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) 86 – Reviews found online 67 73 -
59
Treadwear
AltiMAX RT43 +1069Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) – 71 Reviews found online 54 67 -
60
Handling
AltiMAX RT43 +565Why this score
Source VikingContact 7 AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 60 65
Scores at a glance
| Category | Continental VikingContact 7 | General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 68 |
| Dry | 65 | 68 |
| Wet | 66 | 70 |
| Snow | 75 | 64 |
| Comfort | 70 | 67 |
| Noise | 79 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 59 | 69 |
| Handling | 60 | 65 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Neutral
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Less important
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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
66
/ 100
VikingContact 7
68
/ 100
AltiMAX RT43
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | VikingContact 7 | AltiMAX RT43 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 94% #2/16 · 2019 Teknikens Värld Large Winter Tire Test R17 | 86% #2/8 · 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires | +8.4 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A VikingContact 7
Pros
- Exceptionally quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Strong performance in slush and deep snow
- Stable and predictable handling at highway speeds
Cons
- Mixed reports regarding tread life and longevity
- Noticeable decline in ice-braking performance compared to top-tier ice specialists
- Compound may harden or performance may degrade after multiple seasons
Tire B AltiMAX RT43
Pros
- Excellent value and lower price point compared to premium brands like Michelin
- Quiet and smooth ride quality with minimal road noise
- Strong wet and dry traction with dependable hydroplaning resistance
Cons
- Occasional balancing difficulties or vibrations reported by some users
- Softer sidewalls can lead to slightly spongy handling or reduced cornering sharpness
- Winter and snow performance can diminish notably as the tread wears down
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Continental VikingContact 7
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
General AltiMAX RT43
Community sentiment for the General AltiMAX RT43 is predominantly positive, with reviewers praising its comfort, strong winter and wet weather capability, and solid value as a budget-to-midrange touring tire. However, critics frequently point out soft sidewalls, tramlining on grooved surfaces, and mediocre handling or dry grip under aggressive driving. Tread life reports are mixed, with many reaching 50,000 to 80,000 miles while others report premature wear around 30,000 miles.
vwvortex.com
·2017-12-12
“I keep seeing graphs like this with the off-brand tires and cannot be convinced that they would actually perform in a panic braking situation. The Laufenn takes 44 additional feet (three carlengths) to stop on a wet road from 50 MPH than the budget favorite, the General RT43; 77 feet (5 carlengths) longer than the Michelins . I am buying a set of the Michelin Premier A/Ss for my wife's car when the OE Continentals wear out (it came with the regular OEM-style ContiProContacts which are okay but kind of noisy - looks like they will last around 30-35k miles). Source = TireRack”
r/XVcrosstrek
·1 upvote ·2019-06-20
“I've had RT43s on for the past 35k or so. They've been pretty good. I will probably only get another 10-15k on them, but will probably replace with another set.”
forum.miata.net
“I had the RT43s on my 1996 NA for the last couple of years prior to sale. They worked really well on my car. I had the stock NA8 alloys.”
Top themes
#value and pricing#snow and winter traction#wet grip and hydroplaning#soft ride comfort#soft sidewalls and handling#tramlining on grooved roads#treadwear and longevity
Based on 261 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Continental VikingContact 7 | B · General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 134 | — |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 22″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10 - 11/32″ | 10 - 12/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 600 - 700 A A - B |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | 44 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
Continental VikingContact 7
68
/ 100
General AltiMAX RT43
Winner: General AltiMAX RT43 — better treadwear, handling and wet. Pick the Continental VikingContact 7 if snow, noise and comfort matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Continental VikingContact 7 scores 75 vs 64 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
Continental VikingContact 7 scores 79 vs 69 on noise.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 69 vs 59 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 65 vs 60 on handling.
Tire A · Continental VikingContact 7
Tire B · General AltiMAX RT43
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.