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General AltiMAX RT43 vs Michelin CrossClimate — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

CrossClimate is ahead, 73–68

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Tire AGeneral

AltiMAX RT43

All Season

Tests – · 1 test Owners 67 · 1,371 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 8 in 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires (overall ranking)

“Anyone running General RT45? Looking to replace the shitastic Toyo A36 on my 2023 PP that I just picked up. Was going to try to make them last until fall, but having picked a screw in one, im probably going to bite the bullet and change them now. I ran the RT43 on both my NA Miata as well as my 5-GT and was happy with them. Tire Rack is running a $140 rebate on a set of 4 right now. Just curious as to people's thoughts. Or, should I just bite the bullet and go with Continental Cross Contacts? Read more”

Tire BMichelin

CrossClimate

All Season

Tests 74 · 2 tests Owners 72 · 152 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 10 in 2015 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test (overall ranking)

Category by category

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

  1. 68

    Dry

    CrossClimate +7
    75
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate
    Professional tests (TWG score)–77
    Reviews found online6873
  2. 70

    Wet

    CrossClimate +5
    75
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate
    Professional tests (TWG score)–75
    Reviews found online7076
  3. 64

    Snow

    CrossClimate +4
    68
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate
    Professional tests (TWG score)–71
    Reviews found online6064
  4. 67

    Comfort

    CrossClimate +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate
    Reviews found online6575
  5. 69

    Noise

    Level
    69
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate
    Professional tests (TWG score)–71
    Reviews found online73–
  6. 69

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate +3
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate
    Professional tests (TWG score)7173
    Reviews found online6771
  7. 65

    Handling

    CrossClimate +7
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate
    Reviews found online6572
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral AltiMAX RT43Michelin CrossClimate
Relative Score 68 73
Dry 68 75
Wet 70 75
Snow 64 68
Comfort 67 72
Noise 69 69
Treadwear 69 72
Handling 65 72

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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Neutral
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

AltiMAX RT43

CrossClimate

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.

DisciplineCategoryAltiMAX RT43CrossClimateΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 86% #2/8 · 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires 50% #2/10 · 2015 AutoBild All Season Tyre Test +35.7 Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A AltiMAX RT43

Pros

  • Excellent value and lower price point compared to premium brands like Michelin
  • Quiet and smooth ride quality with minimal road noise
  • Strong wet and dry traction with dependable hydroplaning resistance

Cons

  • Occasional balancing difficulties or vibrations reported by some users
  • Softer sidewalls can lead to slightly spongy handling or reduced cornering sharpness
  • Winter and snow performance can diminish notably as the tread wears down
All owner themes in the AltiMAX RT43 review

Tire B CrossClimate

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and durability
  • Strong wet-weather grip and hydroplaning resistance
  • Reliable traction in light snow and cold conditions

Cons

  • Tendency to pick up and retain small stones in the tread pattern
  • Noticeable drop in performance as tread depth decreases
  • Potential for reduced fuel economy compared to dedicated summer tires
All owner themes in the CrossClimate review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

General AltiMAX RT43

Positive

The General Altimax RT43 is widely praised by the community as an exceptional value-for-money all-season touring tire, often compared favorably to more expensive premium brands like Michelin. Users frequently highlight its strong wet-weather performance, solid tread life, and affordability, though some note it can become slightly noisier as it wears down.

r/XVcrosstrek ·42 upvotes ·2019-06-19

“New tires! General Altimax RT43”
r/cars ·1 upvote ·2017-04-10

“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.”
r/subaru ·2 upvotes ·2017-05-16

“General Altimax RT43 H-speed or T-speed? I'm about to replace tires and the reviews for the RT43 are great but I can't decide on T or H speed for my 2012 Outback 3.6R. H speed are about $15 more per tire, and the warranty is 65K. T speed (which the OEM tires had) is cheaper and warranty is 75k. I'm in northern california and most of my driving is dry road, some wet, and probably a few dozen miles of snow at most. I just want a reliable decently priced tire - is the increase from T to H noticeable on this care? I would say my driving is assertive but not aggressive. I very rarely drive above 80mph. Many thanks for the advice. Read more”
Top themes
#value for money#wet weather performance#tread life durability#comparison with michelin#winter and snow traction#road noise and comfort#successor rt45 transition

Based on 38 community posts

Tire B

Michelin CrossClimate

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General AltiMAX RT43 B · Michelin CrossClimate
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Tread depth10 - 12/32″—
UTQG600 - 700 A A - B—
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering—
Max pressure44 - 51 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

General AltiMAX RT43

Michelin CrossClimate

Winner: Michelin CrossClimate — better dry, handling and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate scores 75 vs 68 on dry.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin CrossClimate scores 72 vs 65 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin CrossClimate scores 75 vs 70 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Michelin CrossClimate scores 72 vs 67 on comfort.

Tire A · General AltiMAX RT43
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Tire B · Michelin CrossClimate
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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.

73

Leads

CrossClimate

Amazon