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 + 0 road tests and 1,371 + 42 owner reviews. How we score
EuroWinter HS449 leads, 71–68 Narrow edge
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 67 · 1,371 reviews
Best test result: #3 of 8 in 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires (tested tread life (miles))
“I have the General Altimax RT43 on 19s as my winter tires, and they are perfectly fine. For sure louder than oem, because there is no foam, but for wear, tear and handling, perfectly fine. I am not racing anyone or driving aggressively with those tires on anyway.”
Tests – · none yet Owners 70 · 42 reviews
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 68 (est.) | ≈ 68 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 68 | 68 |
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 68 = 68
EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 68.2 (est.) + 40% × 68.4 = 68
No road tests of dry for AltiMAX RT43. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
No road tests of dry for EuroWinter HS449. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 71 (est.) | ≈ 76 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 70 | 81 |
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 70.6 (est.) + 40% × 70.4 = 70
EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 76.2 (est.) + 40% × 80.6 = 78
No road tests of wet for AltiMAX RT43. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
No road tests of wet for EuroWinter HS449. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 67 (est.) | ≈ 71 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 60 | 72 |
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 66.9 (est.) + 40% × 60.3 = 64
EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 71.2 (est.) + 40% × 71.8 = 71
No road tests of snow for AltiMAX RT43. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
No road tests of snow for EuroWinter HS449. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 68 (est.) | ≈ 70 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 63 | 71 |
AltiMAX RT43: 40% × 67.9 (est.) + 60% × 62.6 = 65
EuroWinter HS449: 40% × 69.5 (est.) + 60% × 71.3 = 71
No road tests of comfort for AltiMAX RT43 or EuroWinter HS449. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 67 (est.) | ≈ 67 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 73 | 52 |
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 73.2 = 69
EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 52.3 = 61
No road tests of noise for AltiMAX RT43 or EuroWinter HS449. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / – tests | 71 | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Reviews found online | 67 | 65 |
AltiMAX RT43: 60% × 70.8 + 40% × 66.6 = 69
EuroWinter HS449: 60% × 65.8 (est.) + 40% × 65.2 = 66
No road tests of treadwear for EuroWinter HS449. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 64 | 72 |
| Category | General AltiMAX RT43 | Falken EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 71 |
| Dry | 68 | 68 |
| Wet | 70 | 78 |
| Snow | 64 | 71 |
| Comfort | 65 | 71 |
| Noise | 69 | 61 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 66 |
| Handling (owners) | 64 | 72 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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.
AltiMAX RT43
EuroWinter HS449
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.
| Discipline | Category | AltiMAX RT43 | EuroWinter HS449 | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #2/8 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires | #9/17 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test | – | Different tests |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community sentiment for the General AltiMAX RT43 is predominantly positive, with reviewers praising its comfort, strong winter and wet weather capability, and solid value as a budget-to-midrange touring tire. However, critics frequently point out soft sidewalls, tramlining on grooved surfaces, and mediocre handling or dry grip under aggressive driving. Tread life reports are mixed, with many reaching 50,000 to 80,000 miles while others report premature wear around 30,000 miles.
“I've personally installed the RT43's on my own family members cars. They were great. Great in the snow, rain, and they are quiet. I don't think they're in the same class as a Michelin Premiere, but for the price they are great tires.”
“Update -- in the middle of a snowstorm tonight, the Altimax RT43 did very well. The best description for the RT43 in snow would be "predictable" -- if there is a bit of slide the steering response is easy to control. Better handling overall than the Optimo H727, now over 800 miles and still very quiet.”
“I keep seeing graphs like this with the off-brand tires and cannot be convinced that they would actually perform in a panic braking situation. The Laufenn takes 44 additional feet (three carlengths) to stop on a wet road from 50 MPH than the budget favorite, the General RT43; 77 feet (5 carlengths) longer than the Michelins . I am buying a set of the Michelin Premier A/Ss for my wife's car when the OE Continentals wear out (it came with the regular OEM-style ContiProContacts which are okay but kind of noisy - looks like they will last around 30-35k miles). Source = TireRack”
Based on 261 community posts
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
| Attribute | A · General AltiMAX RT43 | B · Falken EuroWinter HS449 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | Winter |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 6 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 19″ |
| Tread depth | 10 - 12/32″ | 11/32″ |
| UTQG | 600 - 700 A A - B | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | 44 psi |
General AltiMAX RT43
Falken EuroWinter HS449
Narrow edge: Falken EuroWinter HS449 — better wet, handling and snow. Pick the General AltiMAX RT43 if noise and treadwear matter most to you.
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 69 vs 61 on noise.
Falken EuroWinter HS449 scores 78 vs 70 on wet.
Falken EuroWinter HS449 scores 72 vs 64 on handling.
Falken EuroWinter HS449 scores 71 vs 64 on snow.
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Falken EuroWinter HS449, 78 vs 70 on our wet score.
Neither, by our numbers: 68 vs 68 on the dry score, within 3 points.
Falken EuroWinter HS449, 71 vs 64 on our snow score.
General AltiMAX RT43, 69 vs 61 on our noise score.
Falken EuroWinter HS449, 71 vs 65 on our comfort score.
General AltiMAX RT43, 69 vs 66 on our treadwear score.
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
