Tests – · none yet Owners 72 · 6 reviews
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS vs General AltiMAX RT43 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 0 + 1 road tests and 6 + 1,371 owner reviews. How we score
SP Sport 01 AS leads, 71–68 Narrow edge
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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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73
Dry
SP Sport 01 AS +568Why this score
Source SP Sport 01 AS AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 76 68 SP Sport 01 AS: 60% × 71.1 (est.) + 40% × 76.2 = 73
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 67.8 (est.) + 40% × 67.9 = 68
No road tests of dry for SP Sport 01 AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).
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 0.40).
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72
Wet
SP Sport 01 AS +270Why this score
Source SP Sport 01 AS AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 72 (est.) ≈ 70 (est.) Reviews found online 73 70 SP Sport 01 AS: 60% × 71.8 (est.) + 40% × 73.3 = 72
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 69.9 (est.) + 40% × 70 = 70
No road tests of wet for SP Sport 01 AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).
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 0.56).
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58
Snow
AltiMAX RT43 +664Why this score
Source SP Sport 01 AS AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 50 60 SP Sport 01 AS: 60% × 63.3 (est.) + 40% × 50.1 = 58
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 59.9 = 64
No road tests of snow for SP Sport 01 AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.33).
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 0.33).
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73
Comfort
SP Sport 01 AS +667Why this score
Source SP Sport 01 AS AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 70 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 77 65 SP Sport 01 AS: 60% × 70.4 (est.) + 40% × 76.5 = 73
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.7 = 67
No road tests of comfort for SP Sport 01 AS or AltiMAX RT43. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
–
Noise
No comparison70Why this score
Source SP Sport 01 AS AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) – ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online – 73 AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 73.1 = 70
No road tests of noise for AltiMAX RT43. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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72
Treadwear
SP Sport 01 AS +369Why this score
Source SP Sport 01 AS AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 69 (est.) 71 Reviews found online 77 67 SP Sport 01 AS: 60% × 69 (est.) + 40% × 76.5 = 72
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 70.6 + 40% × 67.3 = 69
No road tests of treadwear for SP Sport 01 AS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).
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78
Handling (owners)
SP Sport 01 AS +1365Why this score
Source SP Sport 01 AS AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 78 65
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS | General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 68 |
| Dry | 73 | 68 |
| Wet | 72 | 70 |
| Snow | 58 | 64 |
| Comfort | 73 | 67 |
| Noise | – | 70 |
| Treadwear | 72 | 69 |
| Handling (owners) | 78 | 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 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
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
71
/ 100
SP Sport 01 AS
68
/ 100
AltiMAX RT43
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
The professional test results behind the scores
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
| Discipline | Category | SP Sport 01 AS | AltiMAX RT43 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #5/10 2014 All Season Tyre Test | #2/8 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A SP Sport 01 AS
Pros
- Exceptionally quiet, smooth, and comfortable ride quality
- Surprising and reliable traction and handling in deep snow
- Good overall braking and grip performance compared to previous tires
Cons
- Reports of weak sidewalls leading to premature damage
- High cost relative to longevity when durability issues arise
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
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS
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.
forbbodiesonly.com
·2022-05-23
“While not a muscle car, my 96 Ford Ranger has 14x7 aluminum wheels. I ran a set of 225/70-14 Coopers on it with no problem. I got about 35K miles, if I remember correctly. I replaced them with General Altima RT43's when they wore out. Mainly just because the Generals were a few bucks cheaper on my little beater truck. But, I am liking these General tires pretty well too. They have white letters, but they don't look as "muscle car" as the Coopers. I will probably get a set of the Coopers in the near future for the 14"road wheels on my 67 Coronet. I currently have BFG's that look perfect. But, I bought them in 2003....”
bobistheoilguy.com
·5 upvotes ·2022-06-22
“I'll be passing on this; I was very disappointed in the RT43. Very soft sidewalls, dry grip was very subpar, wet grip was decent, hydroplane resistance was pretty good. It also tramlined and followed grooves like crazy - worse than the Yoko A13C that came OEM on the Evo - which was the previous top tramlining tire I used.”
fitfreak.net
“I will start by saying that I ordered a set of 4 from TireRack and although I found them just a little bit cheaper on other sites (after the fact), I have no complaints about it as I still only paid ~$70-ish per tire and received them within two days. Secondly, being that I live in New England, wet and snow traction is very high on my list of priorities and lucky for me, it snowed heavily 3 days after having them mounted. I was entering a parking lot that had not been plowed yet and know for a FACT my car would have just spun tires and left me stuck. But not with these. The car seemed to shake left and right a little until it made it to the pavement and easily made it through. I have never felt so confident in the snow before with my little Fit. And then last night. My wife and I went out to dinner and I decided to move my car as I spotted a better parking spot which required a fast and illegal u-turn. I pressed the accelerator hard which typically would squeal the tires but these gripped immediately and the Fit just took off. I strongly recommend them! Oh, and they're rated for a supposed 70,000 miles.”
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 · Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS | B · General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | — | 10 - 12/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 600 - 700 A A - B |
| Sidewall | — | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering |
| Max pressure | — | 44 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS
68
/ 100
General AltiMAX RT43
Narrow edge: Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS — better handling, comfort and dry. Pick the General AltiMAX RT43 if snow matters most to you. Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 6 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS scores 78 vs 65 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS scores 73 vs 67 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 64 vs 58 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS scores 73 vs 68 on dry.
Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS
Tire B · General AltiMAX RT43
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SP Sport 01 AS or AltiMAX RT43?
Which is better in the wet, SP Sport 01 AS or AltiMAX RT43?
Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 70 on the wet score, within 3 points.
Which grips better on dry roads, SP Sport 01 AS or AltiMAX RT43?
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS, 73 vs 68 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, SP Sport 01 AS or AltiMAX RT43?
General AltiMAX RT43, 64 vs 58 on our snow score.
Which is more comfortable, SP Sport 01 AS or AltiMAX RT43?
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS, 73 vs 67 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, SP Sport 01 AS or AltiMAX RT43?
Dunlop SP Sport 01 AS, 72 vs 69 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