Tests – · none yet Owners 49 · 30 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
Falken FK453 vs General G-MAX RS — 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 30 + 567 owner reviews. How we score
G-MAX RS is ahead, 69–55
Add your size for an exact match
/R
Both Amazon links then search this exact size.
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
Tests – · 1 test Owners 59 · 567 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 22 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires (tested tread life (miles))
“G-max rs I put 7k miles on these tires and this is the front how many miles would you say I have before problems occur I plan on replacing in a few weeks Read more”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
56
Dry
G-MAX RS +1268Why this score
Source FK453 G-MAX RS Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 61 (est.) ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 50 69 FK453: 60% × 60.5 (est.) + 40% × 50 = 56
G-MAX RS: 60% × 68.3 (est.) + 40% × 68.8 = 68
No road tests of dry for FK453. 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 G-MAX RS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).
-
60
Wet
G-MAX RS +1171Why this score
Source FK453 G-MAX RS Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 63 (est.) ≈ 71 (est.) Reviews found online 56 72 FK453: 60% × 62.6 (est.) + 40% × 55.9 = 60
G-MAX RS: 60% × 71.2 (est.) + 40% × 71.5 = 71
No road tests of wet for FK453. 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 RS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
-
–
Snow
No comparison35Why this score
Source FK453 G-MAX RS Professional tests (TWG score) – ≈ 51 (est.) Reviews found online – 10 G-MAX RS: 60% × 51.2 (est.) + 40% × 10 = 35
No road tests of snow for G-MAX RS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
-
55
Comfort
G-MAX RS +964Why this score
Source FK453 G-MAX RS Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 65 (est.) ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 49 62 FK453: 40% × 64.7 (est.) + 60% × 48.8 = 55
G-MAX RS: 40% × 67.2 (est.) + 60% × 61.5 = 64
No road tests of comfort for FK453. 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 G-MAX RS. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
-
–
Noise
No comparison61Why this score
Source FK453 G-MAX RS Professional tests (TWG score) – ≈ 66 (est.) Reviews found online – 54 G-MAX RS: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 54 = 61
No road tests of noise for G-MAX RS. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
-
51
Treadwear
G-MAX RS +1970Why this score
Source FK453 G-MAX RS Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests ≈ 57 (est.) 73 Reviews found online 41 65 FK453: 60% × 57.4 (est.) + 40% × 41 = 51
G-MAX RS: 60% × 73.4 + 40% × 64.7 = 70
No road tests of treadwear for FK453. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
-
45
Handling (owners)
G-MAX RS +1863Why this score
Source FK453 G-MAX RS Reviews found online 45 63
Scores at a glance
| Category | Falken FK453 | General G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 55 | 69 |
| Dry | 56 | 68 |
| Wet | 60 | 71 |
| Snow | – | 35 |
| Comfort | 55 | 64 |
| Noise | – | 61 |
| Treadwear | 51 | 70 |
| Handling (owners) | 45 | 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
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
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
55
/ 100
FK453
69
/ 100
G-MAX RS
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 | FK453 | G-MAX RS | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/8 2016 Sport Auto UHP Summer Tyre Test | #3/22 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires | – | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A FK453
Pros
- Strong dry weather traction and cornering grip
- Competitive price point offering good value for money
- Aesthetically pleasing sidewall design
Cons
- Rapid and uneven tread wear, particularly on rear axles
- Harsh ride quality and high road noise
- Unstable handling characteristics at high speeds
Tire B G-MAX RS
Pros
- Outstanding price-to-performance ratio compared to premium brands
- Strong dry and wet weather traction and hydroplaning resistance
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality for a performance tire
Cons
- Softer sidewalls can lead to some squirm or less crisp steering response during hard cornering
- Prone to temporary flat-spotting or vibration when sitting overnight in cooler weather
- Unpredictable or slippery performance if driven in cold temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Falken FK453
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
General G-MAX RS
Community sentiment toward the General G-MAX RS is broadly positive, with users frequently praising its exceptional value and strong dry and wet traction as a budget-friendly ultra-high-performance summer tire. While often favorably compared against premium alternatives like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S or Firestone Indy 500, some owners note compromises including elevated road noise and occasional handling inconsistencies on specific sports car platforms.
grassrootsmotorsports.com
“I've had General G-Max RS on the E36 M3 for the past two summers and have no complaints. Just normal/spirited driving. No actual performance driving. I know it's not the tire model but it's all I can offer.”
forum.miata.net
“I'm going to get the Firestones or General G-MAX RS tires when the previous owners Michelin all-season tires wear out. I want a summer performance tire. Leaning towards the Firestone since they have better dry performance than the Generals. The Generals do better in the wet according to the performance test they both were in.”
hellcat.org
·1 upvote ·2018-06-14
“I do the Indy 500's but was thinking about going with the General G-Max RS for the higher speed rating.. 305/35r20's on 10.5 wheels General’s G-Max RS May Change The Way UHP Tires Are Made! - Hot Rod Network”
Top themes
#value and pricing#dry and wet grip#comparison to Michelin PS4S#comparison to Indy 500#road noise levels#treadwear and longevity#Porsche and Corvette fitment
Based on 53 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Falken FK453 | B · General G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 1 | 48 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | 240 - 300 A - AA A | 360 - 700 A - AA A |
| Sidewall | — | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
55
/ 100
Falken FK453
69
/ 100
General G-MAX RS
Winner: General G-MAX RS — better treadwear, handling and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
General G-MAX RS scores 70 vs 51 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General G-MAX RS scores 63 vs 45 on handling.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
General G-MAX RS scores 68 vs 56 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
General G-MAX RS scores 71 vs 60 on wet.
Tire A · Falken FK453
Tire B · General G-MAX RS
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
FK453 or G-MAX RS?
Which is better in the wet, FK453 or G-MAX RS?
General G-MAX RS, 71 vs 60 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, FK453 or G-MAX RS?
General G-MAX RS, 68 vs 56 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, FK453 or G-MAX RS?
General G-MAX RS, 64 vs 55 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, FK453 or G-MAX RS?
General G-MAX RS, 70 vs 51 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