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Head-to-head Updated

General AltiMAX RT43 vs Michelin CrossClimate 2 — Compared

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

CrossClimate 2 is ahead, 84–68

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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 2

All Season

Tests 86 · 32 tests Owners 82 · 21,504 reviews

Best test result: #7 of 16 in 2021 Auto Bild All-Season Tire Test R17 (overall ranking)

“I live in Vancouver,WA and the CC2 are great for our climate even the light snowfall. I have an SR+, so they’re the 18” version. I have about 22K miles on them after 2 years and have averaged 240Wh/mi since installation, and I don’t drive conservatively. They did increase power usage by about 15-20Wh/mi. I’ve also been lazy and haven’t rotated them and they still are wearing very well. Got about 8/32nd up front and 6/32 in rear. Much better than the stock tires that were almost worn out at 22K. Note that places like Costco will not install these on your Tesla because they don’t meet the factory speed rating. It’s a CYA thing.”

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 2 +24
    92
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–98
    Reviews found online6884
  2. 70

    Wet

    CrossClimate 2 +15
    85
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–83
    Reviews found online7087
  3. 64

    Snow

    CrossClimate 2 +25
    89
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–97
    Reviews found online6076
  4. 67

    Comfort

    CrossClimate 2 +5
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–65
    Reviews found online6583
  5. 69

    Noise

    CrossClimate 2 +11
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)–79
    Reviews found online7380
  6. 69

    Treadwear

    CrossClimate 2 +11
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate 2
    Professional tests (TWG score)7179
    Reviews found online6781
  7. 65

    Handling

    CrossClimate 2 +15
    80
    Why this score
    SourceAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate 2
    Reviews found online6580
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral AltiMAX RT43Michelin CrossClimate 2
Relative Score 68 84
Dry 68 92
Wet 70 85
Snow 64 89
Comfort 67 72
Noise 69 80
Treadwear 69 80
Handling 65 80

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

AltiMAX RT43

CrossClimate 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.

DisciplineCategoryAltiMAX RT43CrossClimate 2ΔBoth?
Overall Ranking Overall 86% #2/8 · 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires 60% #7/16 · 2021 Auto Bild All-Season Tire Test R17 +25.7 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 2

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in snow, slush, and winter weather conditions
  • Strong braking and handling performance on dry and wet pavement
  • Long-lasting tread wear and durability

Cons

  • Higher initial purchase price
  • Slight negative impact on fuel economy / EV range for some drivers
  • Potential for increased road noise or harshness as the tires wear down
All owner themes in the CrossClimate 2 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 2

Positive

Community opinion on the Michelin CrossClimate 2 is overwhelmingly positive, with drivers frequently praising its exceptional wet-weather grip, impressive winter and snow performance, and comfortable ride quality. While a minority of users report mixed experiences regarding road noise, potential MPG/efficiency drops, or limited benefits in mild climates without snow, the vast majority consider it a gold-standard all-weather tire.

r/KiaEV9 ·2 upvotes ·2026-06-25

“We downsized from 21” stock on GTline to 20” rims and put on the CC2s—can’t stand the ugly stock rims and plastic covers. It got so much quieter that we noticed we could turn the radio down from 6 to 4 on the secondary roads, and down from 8 to 5 on the highway. Efficiency improved slightly, possibly due to lighter weight wheels.”
r/KiaEV6 ·15 upvotes ·2026-07-17

“Just Had Michelin CrossClimate2 Tires Installed Had a screw in my driver’s side rear tire this past week, and have had a slow leak in my passenger side rear since I bought the car a little over two years ago. The tires had worn down significantly through the years, and with my car being rear wheel drive, I noticed the lack of all-wheel-drive when we had some significant snow and ice here in Philadelphia this past winter. I’m hoping these new tires will improve traction for me in any future snow. Paid about $1,250 for the tires at tirerack.com, and had them delivered to a nearby Firestone where they were installed for about $150, and aligned for another $120. Here’s a couple pictures. Read more”
r/Ioniq5 ·2 upvotes ·2025-07-26

“I got my new to me 2022 Ultimate RWD in May this year, the tyres were all crap so I went to CrossClimate 2s on all 4 wheels. I can’t tell you what it was doing beforehand but I get 3.7mi/kWh around town and 3.2mi/kWh on the motorway now. I have a fairly heavy right foot, but at 100% charge it shows 270ish miles but mine is an early 72kWh battery so bear that in mind.”
Top themes
#Snow and Winter Traction#Wet Weather Performance#Road Noise and Ride Comfort#Tread Wear and Longevity#Fuel Economy and Range Impact#Price and Value

Based on 404 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General AltiMAX RT43 B · Michelin CrossClimate 2
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—92
Rim diameters—15″ – 21″
Tread depth10 - 12/32″9 - 10/32″
UTQG600 - 700 A A - B640 B A
Treadwear warranty—60,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlack Side Wall
Max pressure44 - 51 psi50 - 51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

General AltiMAX RT43

Michelin CrossClimate 2

Winner: Michelin CrossClimate 2 — better snow, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You drive through snowy winters

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 89 vs 64 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 92 vs 68 on dry.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 85 vs 70 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Michelin CrossClimate 2 scores 80 vs 65 on handling.

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

84

Leads

CrossClimate 2

Amazon