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General Altimax Arctic vs General Altimax Arctic 12 — 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 0 + 1 road tests and 32 + 33 owner reviews. How we score

Altimax Arctic 12 is ahead, 66–58

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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. 57

    Dry

    Altimax Arctic +8
    49
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticAltimax Arctic 12
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 61 (est.)47
    Reviews found online5153

    Altimax Arctic: 60% × 60.8 (est.) + 40% × 50.6 = 57

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

    No road tests of dry for Altimax Arctic. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 62

    Wet

    Altimax Arctic 12 +6
    68
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticAltimax Arctic 12
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 64 (est.)66
    Reviews found online5972

    Altimax Arctic: 60% × 64 (est.) + 40% × 58.5 = 62

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 65.9 + 40% × 72.2 = 68

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

  3. 60

    Snow

    Altimax Arctic 12 +16
    76
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticAltimax Arctic 12
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 65 (est.)74
    Reviews found online5280

    Altimax Arctic: 60% × 64.7 (est.) + 40% × 52.2 = 60

    Altimax Arctic 12: 60% × 74 + 40% × 79.9 = 76

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

  4. 53

    Comfort

    Altimax Arctic 12 +12
    65
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticAltimax Arctic 12
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 64 (est.)69
    Reviews found online4662

    Altimax Arctic: 40% × 64.1 (est.) + 60% × 46.2 = 53

    Altimax Arctic 12: 40% × 68.8 + 60% × 61.9 = 65

    No road tests of comfort for Altimax Arctic. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 59

    Noise

    Altimax Arctic 12 +9
    68
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticAltimax Arctic 12
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 1 tests≈ 66 (est.)72
    Reviews found online4963

    Altimax Arctic: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 48.9 = 59

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

    No road tests of noise for Altimax Arctic. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 57

    Treadwear

    Altimax Arctic 12 +14
    71
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticAltimax Arctic 12
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 61 (est.)≈ 69 (est.)
    Reviews found online5074

    Altimax Arctic: 60% × 60.8 (est.) + 40% × 50.4 = 57

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

    No road tests of treadwear for Altimax Arctic. 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 Altimax Arctic 12. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 47

    Handling (owners)

    Altimax Arctic 12 +18
    65
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticAltimax Arctic 12
    Reviews found online4765
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral Altimax ArcticGeneral Altimax Arctic 12
Relative Score 58 66
Dry 57 49
Wet 62 68
Snow 60 76
Comfort 53 65
Noise 59 68
Treadwear 57 71
Handling (owners) 47 65

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
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Altimax Arctic

± 7

Altimax Arctic 12

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Altimax Arctic

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, slush, and ice
  • High value and affordable price point compared to premium competitors
  • Reliable wet and dry handling during cold weather months

Cons

  • Handling and responsiveness drop off compared to dedicated summer or all-season tires
  • Some users report accelerated wear once the tire reaches 50% tread life
  • Minor tendencies toward understeer during hard cornering
All owner themes in the Altimax Arctic review

Tire B 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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General Altimax Arctic B · General Altimax Arctic 12
CategoryWinter Touring tiresWinter
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available138
Rim diameters17″15″ – 19″
Tread depth—12/32″
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

General Altimax Arctic

General Altimax Arctic 12

Winner: General Altimax Arctic 12 — better handling, snow and treadwear. Pick the General Altimax Arctic if dry matters most to you.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 65 vs 47 on handling.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 76 vs 60 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 71 vs 57 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 65 vs 53 on comfort.

Tire A · General Altimax Arctic
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Tire B · General Altimax Arctic 12
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Altimax Arctic or Altimax Arctic 12?

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

General Altimax Arctic 12, 68 vs 62 on our wet score.

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

General Altimax Arctic, 57 vs 49 on our dry score.

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

General Altimax Arctic 12, 76 vs 60 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Altimax Arctic or Altimax Arctic 12?

General Altimax Arctic 12, 68 vs 59 on our noise score.

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

General Altimax Arctic 12, 65 vs 53 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Altimax Arctic or Altimax Arctic 12?

General Altimax Arctic 12, 71 vs 57 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