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Head-to-head Updated

General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Pirelli Ice Zero 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 + 6 road tests and 33 + 3 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Altimax Arctic 12 66, Ice Zero 2 67.

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Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Tire BPirelli

Ice Zero 2

Winter

± 6

Tests 78 · 6 tests Owners 57 · 3 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 16 in 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test (snow traction)

Category by category

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

  1. 49

    Dry

    Ice Zero 2 +23
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests4782
    Reviews found online5357

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 47.2 + 40% × 52.9 = 49

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 81.8 + 40% × 56.8 = 72

  2. 68

    Wet

    Ice Zero 2 +5
    73
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 5 tests6681
    Reviews found online7261

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

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 81.1 + 40% × 60.9 = 73

  3. 76

    Snow

    Altimax Arctic 12 +6
    70
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests7476
    Reviews found online8063

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

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 75.6 + 40% × 62.8 = 70

  4. 65

    Comfort

    Altimax Arctic 12 +7
    58
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 2 tests6972
    Reviews found online6249

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

    Ice Zero 2: 40% × 72 + 60% × 49.2 = 58

  5. 69

    Noise

    Altimax Arctic 12 +4
    65
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 4 tests7265
    Reviews found online63≈ 66 (est.)

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 72.4 + 40% × 62.9 = 69

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 64.8 + 40% × 66.4 (est.) = 65

    No owner ratings of noise for Ice Zero 2. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.

  6. 71

    Treadwear

    Altimax Arctic 12 +15
    56
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 69 (est.)≈ 60 (est.)
    Reviews found online7449

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 69.2 (est.) + 40% × 73.9 = 71

    Ice Zero 2: 60% × 60.3 (est.) + 40% × 49.3 = 56

    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 Ice Zero 2. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 65

    Handling (owners)

    Altimax Arctic 12 +12
    53
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2
    Reviews found online6553
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    70
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 3 tests–70
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral Altimax Arctic 12Pirelli Ice Zero 2
Relative Score 66 67
Dry 49 72
Wet 68 73
Snow 76 70
Comfort 65 58
Noise 69 65
Treadwear 71 56
Handling (owners) 65 53
Efficiency – 70

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
± 7

Altimax Arctic 12

± 6

Ice Zero 2

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.

DisciplineCategoryAltimax Arctic 12Ice Zero 2ΔHead-to-head
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 – Different tests
Wet Braking Wet 76% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 100% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Ice Braking Snow 84% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 78% #13/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Ice Traction Snow 91% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 68% #4/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Braking Snow 75% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 99% #9/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling Snow 90% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 97% #5/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test – Different tests
Snow Handling (tester's mark) Snow 58% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 90% #16/18 · 2026 Teknikens Värld Studded, Nordic and Central European Winter Tyre Test – Different tests
Comfort (tester's mark) Comfort 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 – Different tests
Noise (tester's mark) Noise 94% #7/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test 80% #2/8 · 2026 Vi Bilagare Studded Tyre Test – Different tests
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Road Rating (tester's mark) Other 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 – Different tests
Overall Ranking Overall #9/10 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test #4/6 2027 NAF Motor Studded Winter Tire Test R17 – 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
All owner themes in the Altimax Arctic 12 review

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
All owner themes in the Ice Zero 2 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General Altimax Arctic 12 B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
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

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 treadwear, handling and comfort. 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 49 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 71 vs 56 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 65 vs 53 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 65 vs 58 on comfort.

Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
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Tire B · Pirelli Ice Zero 2
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Altimax Arctic 12 or Ice Zero 2?

Which is better in the wet, Altimax Arctic 12 or Ice Zero 2?

Pirelli Ice Zero 2, 73 vs 68 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Altimax Arctic 12 or Ice Zero 2?

Pirelli Ice Zero 2, 72 vs 49 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Altimax Arctic 12 or Ice Zero 2?

General Altimax Arctic 12, 76 vs 70 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Altimax Arctic 12 or Ice Zero 2?

General Altimax Arctic 12, 69 vs 65 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Altimax Arctic 12 or Ice Zero 2?

General Altimax Arctic 12, 65 vs 58 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Altimax Arctic 12 or Ice Zero 2?

General Altimax Arctic 12, 71 vs 56 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