Tests 64 · 1 test Owners 70 · 31 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Firestone Winterforce 2 — 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 1 + 0 road tests and 31 + 28 owner reviews. How we score
Altimax Arctic 12 is ahead, 66–61
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Tests – · none yet Owners 57 · 28 reviews
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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51
Dry
Level51Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winterforce 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 48 ≈ 57 (est.) Reviews found online 56 42 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 47.8 + 40% × 55.6 = 51
Winterforce 2: 60% × 57.1 (est.) + 40% × 42 = 51
No road tests of dry for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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69
Wet
Altimax Arctic 12 +465Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winterforce 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 65 ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 75 63 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 65.2 + 40% × 75 = 69
Winterforce 2: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 63.1 = 65
No road tests of wet for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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77
Snow
Altimax Arctic 12 +275Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winterforce 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 74 ≈ 73 (est.) Reviews found online 81 77 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 74 + 40% × 81.1 = 77
Winterforce 2: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 77.3 = 75
No road tests of snow for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
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65
Comfort
Altimax Arctic 12 +1352Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winterforce 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 68 ≈ 65 (est.) Reviews found online 64 44 Altimax Arctic 12: 40% × 68.5 + 60% × 63.5 = 65
Winterforce 2: 40% × 64.5 (est.) + 60% × 44.2 = 52
No road tests of comfort for Winterforce 2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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69
Noise
Altimax Arctic 12 +1059Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winterforce 2 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 73 ≈ 67 (est.) Reviews found online 64 47 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 72.5 + 40% × 63.5 = 69
Winterforce 2: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 46.7 = 59
No road tests of noise for Winterforce 2. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
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70
Treadwear
Altimax Arctic 12 +1159Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winterforce 2 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 68 (est.) ≈ 62 (est.) Reviews found online 73 54 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 68.5 (est.) + 40% × 72.9 = 70
Winterforce 2: 60% × 61.9 (est.) + 40% × 54 = 59
No road tests of treadwear for Altimax Arctic 12. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
No road tests of treadwear for Winterforce 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
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67
Handling (owners)
Altimax Arctic 12 +1849Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winterforce 2 Reviews found online 67 49
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Arctic 12 | Firestone Winterforce 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 61 |
| Dry | 51 | 51 |
| Wet | 69 | 65 |
| Snow | 77 | 75 |
| Comfort | 65 | 52 |
| Noise | 69 | 59 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 59 |
| Handling (owners) | 67 | 49 |
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
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Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Less important
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Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
66
/ 100
Altimax Arctic 12
61
/ 100
Winterforce 2
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.
In the overall rankings of 2 tests that ran both, General Altimax Arctic 12 finished ahead 2 times and Firestone Winterforce 2 0 times.
| Discipline | Category | Altimax Arctic 12 | Winterforce 2 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/15 | #16/15 | – | 2–0 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires · 215/60R16 |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Altimax Arctic 12
Pros
- Outstanding grip and traction in heavy snow, slush, and ice
- Excellent value and affordable price point compared to premium winter tires
- Impressive tread life and long-term durability across multiple winter seasons
Cons
- Noticeable road noise, which can increase as the tires wear
- Slightly soft, squishy, or vague handling characteristics on dry pavement
- Higher rolling resistance resulting in a minor decrease in fuel economy
Tire B Winterforce 2
Pros
- Exceptional traction and capability in deep snow
- Highly competitive price point
- Reliable performance for daily winter commuting
Cons
- Increased road noise compared to all-season tires
- Noticeable 'mushy' or soft handling feedback on dry pavement
- Limited performance on ice without studs
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Arctic 12 | B · Firestone Winterforce 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 38 | 31 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | 14″ – 18″ |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | 44 psi |
| Sizes in common | 23 | 23 |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
General Altimax Arctic 12
61
/ 100
Firestone Winterforce 2
Winner: General Altimax Arctic 12 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 67 vs 49 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 65 vs 52 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 70 vs 59 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 69 vs 59 on noise.
Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
Tire B · Firestone Winterforce 2
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Altimax Arctic 12 or Winterforce 2?
Which is better in the wet, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winterforce 2?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 69 vs 65 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winterforce 2?
Neither, by our numbers: 51 vs 51 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Which is better in snow, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winterforce 2?
Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 75 on the snow score, within 3 points.
Which is quieter, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winterforce 2?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 69 vs 59 on our noise score.
Which is more comfortable, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winterforce 2?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 65 vs 52 on our comfort score.
Which lasts longer, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winterforce 2?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 70 vs 59 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