Tests 64 · 1 test Owners 70 · 31 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 — 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 + 5 road tests and 31 + 37 owner reviews. How we score
Too close to call: Altimax Arctic 12 66, Winter I cept iZ2 W616 65.
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Tests 65 · 5 tests Owners 64 · 37 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 17 in 2023 UTAC Large Winter Tire Test R16 (exterior noise)
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
Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +1667Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests 48 71 Reviews found online 56 60 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 47.8 + 40% × 55.6 = 51
Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 71.3 + 40% × 60.2 = 67
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69
Wet
Altimax Arctic 12 +663Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests 65 59 Reviews found online 75 67 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 65.2 + 40% × 74.9 = 69
Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 59.5 + 40% × 67.1 = 63
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77
Snow
Altimax Arctic 12 +1067Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests 74 58 Reviews found online 81 79 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 74 + 40% × 81.1 = 77
Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 58.1 + 40% × 79.1 = 67
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65
Comfort
Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +166Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests 68 ≈ 68 (est.) Reviews found online 63 64 Altimax Arctic 12: 40% × 68.5 + 60% × 63.4 = 65
Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 64.2 = 66
No road tests of comfort for Winter I cept iZ2 W616. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
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69
Noise
Winter I cept iZ2 W616 +271Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests 73 83 Reviews found online 63 53 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 72.5 + 40% × 63.4 = 69
Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 60% × 82.8 + 40% × 52.8 = 71
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70
Treadwear
Altimax Arctic 12 +1159Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 68 (est.) ≈ 62 (est.) Reviews found online 73 54 Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 68.5 (est.) + 40% × 72.8 = 70
Winter I cept iZ2 W616: 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 Winter I cept iZ2 W616. 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)
Level67Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Reviews found online 67 67 -
–
Efficiency
No comparison76Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winter I cept iZ2 W616 Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests – 76
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Arctic 12 | Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 65 |
| Dry | 51 | 67 |
| Wet | 69 | 63 |
| Snow | 77 | 67 |
| Comfort | 65 | 66 |
| Noise | 69 | 71 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 59 |
| Handling (owners) | 67 | 67 |
| Efficiency | – | 76 |
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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Recomputed
Headline score
66
/ 100
Altimax Arctic 12
65
/ 100
Winter I cept iZ2 W616
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.
In the overall rankings of 2 tests that ran both, General Altimax Arctic 12 finished ahead 0 times and Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 2 times.
| Discipline | Category | Altimax Arctic 12 | Winter I cept iZ2 W616 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 81% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 68% #5/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 76% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 80% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Snow | 84% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 68% #6/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Snow | 91% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 68% #5/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 75% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 98% #5/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 90% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 98% #5/7 · 2025 NAF Motor Studless Winter Tire Test R17 | – | Different tests |
| Noise (tester's mark) | Noise | 94% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 90% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #6/15 | #4/15 | – | 0–2 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 Winter I cept iZ2 W616
Pros
- Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, slush, and severe winter conditions
- Low road noise, offering a much quieter ride than typical winter tires
- High comfort levels and stable, predictable handling on cold dry or wet roads
Cons
- Subpar performance or reduced traction on wet roads and heavy rain
- Faster tread wear, particularly during aggressive driving or when used in warmer weather
- Softer sidewalls can feel slightly edgy or less precise when pushed to the limit
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Arctic 12 | B · Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 38 | 2 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | 16″ – 18″ |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | 10.5/32″ |
| Treadwear warranty | — | 40,000 mi |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | 50 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
General Altimax Arctic 12
65
/ 100
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616
Too close to call: General Altimax Arctic 12 and Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 are within 2 points overall. General Altimax Arctic 12 is stronger on treadwear, snow and wet. Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 is stronger on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616 scores 67 vs 51 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 70 vs 59 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 77 vs 67 on snow.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 69 vs 63 on wet.
Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
Tire B · Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616
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Altimax Arctic 12 or Winter I cept iZ2 W616?
Which is better in the wet, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winter I cept iZ2 W616?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 69 vs 63 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winter I cept iZ2 W616?
Hankook Winter I cept iZ2 W616, 67 vs 51 on our dry score.
Which is better in snow, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winter I cept iZ2 W616?
General Altimax Arctic 12, 77 vs 67 on our snow score.
Which is quieter, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winter I cept iZ2 W616?
Neither, by our numbers: 69 vs 71 on the noise score, within 3 points.
Which is more comfortable, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winter I cept iZ2 W616?
Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 66 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Altimax Arctic 12 or Winter I cept iZ2 W616?
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