Tests – · none yet Owners 67 · 326 reviews
“Personally a huge fan of the Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx great on and offroad. Quite on road.”
Head-to-head
Updated
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx vs General AltiMAX RT43 — 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 326 + 1,371 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Discoverer S/T Maxx 67, AltiMAX RT43 68.
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 67 · 1,371 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 8 in 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires (tested tread life (miles))
“I have the General Altimax RT43 on 19s as my winter tires, and they are perfectly fine. For sure louder than oem, because there is no foam, but for wear, tear and handling, perfectly fine. I am not racing anyone or driving aggressively with those tires on anyway.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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71
Dry
Discoverer S/T Maxx +368Why this score
Source Discoverer S/T Maxx AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 73 68 Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 70.2 (est.) + 40% × 73.4 = 71
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 67.8 (est.) + 40% × 67.7 = 68
No road tests of dry for Discoverer S/T Maxx. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
No road tests of dry for AltiMAX RT43. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
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72
Wet
Discoverer S/T Maxx +270Why this score
Source Discoverer S/T Maxx AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 73 70 Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.7 = 72
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 70.4 (est.) + 40% × 70.1 = 70
No road tests of wet for Discoverer S/T Maxx. 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 RT43. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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69
Snow
Discoverer S/T Maxx +564Why this score
Source Discoverer S/T Maxx AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 67 60 Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 67.4 = 69
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 67.2 (est.) + 40% × 60 = 64
No road tests of snow for Discoverer S/T Maxx. 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 AltiMAX RT43. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
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59
Comfort
AltiMAX RT43 +564Why this score
Source Discoverer S/T Maxx AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 55 62 Discoverer S/T Maxx: 40% × 65.9 (est.) + 60% × 54.6 = 59
AltiMAX RT43: 40% × 67.3 (est.) + 60% × 61.9 = 64
No road tests of comfort for Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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59
Noise
AltiMAX RT43 +1069Why this score
Source Discoverer S/T Maxx AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 66 (est.) ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online 48 73 Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 47.5 = 59
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 73 = 69
No road tests of noise for Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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66
Treadwear
AltiMAX RT43 +369Why this score
Source Discoverer S/T Maxx AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 66 (est.) 71 Reviews found online 66 67 Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 66.2 = 66
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 67 = 69
No road tests of treadwear for Discoverer S/T Maxx. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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52
Handling (owners)
AltiMAX RT43 +1163Why this score
Source Discoverer S/T Maxx AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 52 63
Scores at a glance
| Category | Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx | General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 68 |
| Dry | 71 | 68 |
| Wet | 72 | 70 |
| Snow | 69 | 64 |
| Comfort | 59 | 64 |
| Noise | 59 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 69 |
| Handling (owners) | 52 | 63 |
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
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Discoverer S/T Maxx
68
/ 100
AltiMAX RT43
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Discoverer S/T Maxx
Pros
- Aggressive all-terrain tread pattern that excels in dirt, gravel, sand, and moderate mud
- Surprisingly quiet and smooth ride on the highway for such a rugged tire
- Exceptional sidewall strength and puncture resistance against sharp rocks and debris
Cons
- Faster-than-expected tread wear for some users, particularly on heavier duty or lighter vehicles
- Subpar wet pavement traction, specifically in cold or greasy conditions
- Stiff ride quality and potential handling vagueness or steering pull if pressures are not meticulously tuned
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
Positive
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx
The community generally praises the Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx for its exceptional dual-purpose performance, offering low road noise and strong traction across various off-road conditions like mud, rocks, and sand. Users note good handling while towing heavy loads, though some mention a slight softness or different feel during cornering that does not negatively impact overall safety. While initial purchase costs can be high, overall satisfaction is very high with many loyal repeat customers.
r/ToyotaTundra
·2 upvotes ·2026-10-10
“Personally a huge fan of the Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx great on and offroad. Quite on road.”
bobistheoilguy.com
·2019-06-30
“Interesting, I'm considering a Cooper Discoverer A/T3 Sport or Discoverer S/T Maxx in 245/70r16 for my Nissan. All of the reviews are excellent and have been recommended from friends using both types, one on little Suzuki Jimny and one on GC 2.7 diesel. According to them they are great both on pavement and off road, with GC driver being long time off roader.”
duramaxforum.com
·2012-09-10
“I have 285/75-r16 on my f-150 and love them. I've put them through hell (rocks, mud, sand, rim breaking in half and truck skidding down the road on it) and the have held up amazing. My old set of cooper st's last around 60k and still had a little life left. Ill never run any thing but coopers now. and for the record i had that tire checked out by 3 different tire shops and they all said it was fine.”
Top themes
#on and off road traction#low road noise#heavy towing performance#durability and toughness#cornering feel#aggressive appearance
Based on 11 community posts
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”
odyclub.com
·2013-12-21
“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.”
r/cars
·1 upvote ·2017-04-10
“I've personally installed the RT43's on my own family members cars. They were great. Great in the snow, rain, and they are quiet. I don't think they're in the same class as a Michelin Premiere, but for the price they are great tires.”
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 · Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx | B · General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 30 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 20″ | — |
| Tread depth | 19/32″ | 10 - 12/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 600 - 700 A A - B |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering |
| Max pressure | 35 - 80 psi | 44 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx
68
/ 100
General AltiMAX RT43
Too close to call: Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx and General AltiMAX RT43 are within 2 points overall. Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx is stronger on snow and dry. General AltiMAX RT43 is stronger on handling, noise and comfort.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 63 vs 52 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 69 vs 59 on noise.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx scores 69 vs 64 on snow.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 64 vs 59 on comfort.
Tire A · Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx
Tire B · General AltiMAX RT43
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Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43?
Which is better in the wet, Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43?
Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 70 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43?
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx, 71 vs 68 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43?
Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx, 69 vs 64 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43?
General AltiMAX RT43, 69 vs 59 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43?
General AltiMAX RT43, 64 vs 59 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Discoverer S/T Maxx or AltiMAX RT43?
General AltiMAX RT43, 69 vs 66 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