Tests 64 · 1 test Owners 70 · 31 reviews
Best test result: #7 of 17 in 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Pirelli Ice Zero 2 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Too close to call: Altimax Arctic 12 and Ice Zero 2 are level at 67.
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Tests 77 · 6 tests Owners 58 · 3 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 8 in 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test (subj. noise)
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
52
Dry
Ice Zero 2 +2072Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 48 81 Reviews found online 58 58 Dry Braking (% of best) 81% 97% -
69
Wet
Ice Zero 2 +473Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 65 80 Reviews found online 75 61 Wet Braking (% of best) 76% 86% -
76
Snow
Altimax Arctic 12 +571Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 74 75 Reviews found online 79 64 Snow Braking (% of best) 75% 98% Snow Handling (% of best) 90% 99% -
68
Comfort
Altimax Arctic 12 +563Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 68 72 Reviews found online 67 50 -
69
Noise
Altimax Arctic 12 +366Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Ice Zero 2 Professional tests (TWG score) 72 65 Reviews found online 65 – -
70
Treadwear
Altimax Arctic 12 +1258Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Ice Zero 2 Reviews found online 72 52 -
69
Handling
Altimax Arctic 12 +1356Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Ice Zero 2 Reviews found online 69 56
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Arctic 12 | Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 67 |
| Dry | 52 | 72 |
| Wet | 69 | 73 |
| Snow | 76 | 71 |
| Comfort | 68 | 63 |
| Noise | 69 | 66 |
| Treadwear | 70 | 58 |
| Handling | 69 | 56 |
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
67
/ 100
Altimax Arctic 12
67
/ 100
Ice Zero 2
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 | Ice Zero 2 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 81% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 97% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −16.5 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 84% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 87% #7/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −2.7 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 91% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 68% #4/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | +23.2 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 14% #7/17 · 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test | 8% #12/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | +6.0 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 75% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 98% #6/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −23.8 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 90% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 99% #6/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | −8.9 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 94% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 60% #12/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | +33.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 94% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 80% #2/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test | +13.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Road Score | Subj | 76% #10/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 70% #12/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test | +5.8 | Different tests |
| Subj. Snow Handling | Subj | 58% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 90% #6/20 · 2025 Studded, Friction and European Winter Tyre Test | −31.9 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 76% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 86% #4/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | −10.0 | 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 Ice Zero 2
Pros
- Very good traction and performance on snow
- Reasonably quiet for a studded winter tire
- Adequate performance on wet and salty roads
Cons
- Dangerous slipping on ice at low speeds in cold climates
- Strong, intrusive howling noise at speeds above 95 km/h
- Poor overall handling compared to competing studded winter tires like the Nokian Hakkapeliitta
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Arctic 12 | B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 38 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | — |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
General Altimax Arctic 12
67
/ 100
Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Too close to call: General Altimax Arctic 12 and Pirelli Ice Zero 2 are within 2 points overall. General Altimax Arctic 12 is stronger on handling, treadwear and snow. Pirelli Ice Zero 2 is stronger on dry and wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Pirelli Ice Zero 2 scores 72 vs 52 on dry.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 69 vs 56 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 70 vs 58 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 76 vs 71 on snow.
Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
Tire B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
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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.