Tests 63 · 1 test Owners 70 · 31 reviews
Best test result: #6 of 15 in 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Michelin Primacy MXM4 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Altimax Arctic 12 leads, 66–62 Narrow edge
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Tests 69 · 1 test Owners 57 · 10 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 3 in 2024 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 (wet braking)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
51
Dry
Primacy MXM4 +2172Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Primacy MXM4 Professional tests (TWG score) 46 83 Reviews found online 58 57 -
69
Wet
Altimax Arctic 12 +1158Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Primacy MXM4 Professional tests (TWG score) 65 56 Reviews found online 75 61 Wet Braking (% of best) 76% 88% -
76
Snow
Altimax Arctic 12 +2056Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Primacy MXM4 Professional tests (TWG score) 74 – Reviews found online 79 47 -
68
Comfort
Altimax Arctic 12 +860Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Primacy MXM4 Professional tests (TWG score) 68 64 Reviews found online 67 53 -
69
Noise
Altimax Arctic 12 +465Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Primacy MXM4 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 69 Reviews found online 65 58 -
70
Treadwear
Altimax Arctic 12 +763Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Primacy MXM4 Reviews found online 72 61 -
69
Handling
Altimax Arctic 12 +1554Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Primacy MXM4 Reviews found online 69 54
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Arctic 12 | Michelin Primacy MXM4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 66 | 62 |
| Dry | 51 | 72 |
| Wet | 69 | 58 |
| Snow | 76 | 56 |
| Comfort | 68 | 60 |
| Noise | 69 | 65 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 63 |
| Handling | 69 | 54 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
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Recomputed
Headline score
66
/ 100
Altimax Arctic 12
62
/ 100
Primacy MXM4
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Altimax Arctic 12 | Primacy MXM4 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 67% #6/15 · 2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires | 0% #4/3 · 2024 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 | +66.7 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 94% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 70% #4/3 · 2024 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 | +23.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 76% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 88% #3/3 · 2024 AutoView All-Season Tire Test R18 | −11.5 | Different tests |
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 Primacy MXM4
Pros
- Exceptional ride comfort and vibration dampening
- Strong tread life and durability
- High fuel efficiency
Cons
- Mediocre dry grip and handling precision
- Noticeable understeer when cornering
- Soft sidewalls that lack steering feedback
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Arctic 12 | B · Michelin Primacy MXM4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 38 | 2 |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | 18″ |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
66
/ 100
General Altimax Arctic 12
62
/ 100
Michelin Primacy MXM4
Winner: General Altimax Arctic 12 — better snow, handling and wet. Pick the Michelin Primacy MXM4 if dry matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Michelin Primacy MXM4 scores 72 vs 51 on dry.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 76 vs 56 on snow.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 69 vs 54 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 69 vs 58 on wet.
Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
Tire B · Michelin Primacy MXM4
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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.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.