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Head-to-head Updated

General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Performance — 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 33 + 9 owner reviews. How we score

UltraGrip Performance is ahead, 76–66

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Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 50

    Dry

    UltraGrip Performance +25
    75
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12UltraGrip Performance
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests47≈ 73 (est.)
    Reviews found online5379

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 47.2 + 40% × 53 = 50

    UltraGrip Performance: 60% × 72.5 (est.) + 40% × 79 = 75

    No road tests of dry for UltraGrip Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 68

    Wet

    UltraGrip Performance +12
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12UltraGrip Performance
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests66≈ 78 (est.)
    Reviews found online7283

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 65.9 + 40% × 72.3 = 68

    UltraGrip Performance: 60% × 77.5 (est.) + 40% × 83.1 = 80

    No road tests of wet for UltraGrip Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 76

    Snow

    Level
    76
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12UltraGrip Performance
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests74≈ 73 (est.)
    Reviews found online8079

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 74 + 40% × 79.8 = 76

    UltraGrip Performance: 60% × 73.2 (est.) + 40% × 79 = 76

    No road tests of snow for UltraGrip Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 65

    Comfort

    UltraGrip Performance +8
    73
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12UltraGrip Performance
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests69≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online6275

    Altimax Arctic 12: 40% × 68.8 + 60% × 62 = 65

    UltraGrip Performance: 40% × 70 (est.) + 60% × 74.7 = 73

    No road tests of comfort for UltraGrip Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.21).

  5. 68

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12UltraGrip Performance
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests72–
    Reviews found online63–

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 72.3 + 40% × 62.7 = 68

  6. 71

    Treadwear

    Altimax Arctic 12 +1
    70
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12UltraGrip Performance
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online7473

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 69.1 (est.) + 40% × 73.8 = 71

    UltraGrip Performance: 60% × 68.8 (est.) + 40% × 72.9 = 70

    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 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for UltraGrip Performance. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 65

    Handling (owners)

    UltraGrip Performance +16
    81
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12UltraGrip Performance
    Reviews found online6581
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral Altimax Arctic 12Goodyear UltraGrip Performance
Relative Score 66 76
Dry 50 75
Wet 68 80
Snow 76 76
Comfort 65 73
Noise 68 –
Treadwear 71 70
Handling (owners) 65 81

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
Important
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
± 7

Altimax Arctic 12

± 8

UltraGrip Performance

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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
All owner themes in the Altimax Arctic 12 review

Tire B UltraGrip Performance

Pros

  • Exceptional snow and ice traction
  • Strong performance in wet and dry conditions
  • High tread longevity and durability

Cons

  • Increased road noise in warmer conditions
  • Slightly higher fuel consumption
  • Limited performance on pure ice surfaces
All owner themes in the UltraGrip Performance review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General Altimax Arctic 12 B · Goodyear UltraGrip Performance
CategoryWinterWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available38—
Rim diameters15″ – 19″—
Tread depth12/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

General Altimax Arctic 12

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance

Winner: Goodyear UltraGrip Performance — better dry, handling and wet. Where the General Altimax Arctic 12 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Goodyear UltraGrip Performance rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 9 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance scores 75 vs 50 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance scores 81 vs 65 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance scores 80 vs 68 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance scores 73 vs 65 on comfort.

Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
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Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip Performance
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Altimax Arctic 12 or UltraGrip Performance?

Which is better in the wet, Altimax Arctic 12 or UltraGrip Performance?

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance, 80 vs 68 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Altimax Arctic 12 or UltraGrip Performance?

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance, 75 vs 50 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Altimax Arctic 12 or UltraGrip Performance?

Neither, by our numbers: 76 vs 76 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Altimax Arctic 12 or UltraGrip Performance?

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance, 73 vs 65 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Altimax Arctic 12 or UltraGrip Performance?

Neither, by our numbers: 71 vs 70 on the treadwear score, within 3 points.

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