Tests – · 1 test Owners 67 · 165 reviews
Best test result: #7 of 19 in 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires (overall ranking)
Head-to-head
Updated
Kumho Ecsta PA51 vs General AltiMAX RT43 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Too close to call: Ecsta PA51 and AltiMAX RT43 are level at 68.
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 67 · 1,371 reviews
Best test result: #2 of 8 in 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires (overall ranking)
“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.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
69
Dry
Level69Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 69 69 -
67
Wet
AltiMAX RT43 +269Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 66 69 -
63
Snow
AltiMAX RT43 +265Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 58 61 -
66
Comfort
AltiMAX RT43 +167Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 63 65 -
70
Noise
Level70Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 73 73 -
71
Treadwear
Ecsta PA51 +170Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) 70 71 Reviews found online 72 68 -
66
Handling
Ecsta PA51 +165Why this score
Source Ecsta PA51 AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online 66 65
Scores at a glance
| Category | Kumho Ecsta PA51 | General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 68 |
| Dry | 69 | 69 |
| Wet | 67 | 69 |
| Snow | 63 | 65 |
| Comfort | 66 | 67 |
| Noise | 70 | 70 |
| Treadwear | 71 | 70 |
| Handling | 66 | 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 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
68
/ 100
Ecsta PA51
68
/ 100
AltiMAX RT43
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.
| Discipline | Category | Ecsta PA51 | AltiMAX RT43 | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tested Tread Life (Miles) | Other | 67% #11/19 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires | 82% #3/8 · 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires | −15.7 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 67% #7/19 · 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires | 86% #2/8 · 2022 Consumer Reports All-Season Tires | −19.0 | Different tests |
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Ecsta PA51
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Strong dry pavement traction and cornering grip
- Quiet and smooth ride quality
Cons
- Inconsistent performance in heavy rain or standing water
- Some reports of increased road noise over time
- Limited availability in certain niche sizes
Tire B 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
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Kumho Ecsta PA51
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
General AltiMAX RT43
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/CX5
·2 upvotes ·2026-03-18
“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”
r/TeslaModel3
·6 upvotes ·2020-01-02
“Replacement tires I have about 25k miles on my original tires (LR AWD, 18” Aeros) and evening though I have rotated then every 6-7000, I am not going to make it past 30k. So, anyone have any recommendations for replacements? Should I go for the standard Michelin’s? Anyone used anything else? For the record, Ian not concerned with the foam and road noise is fine. I’d like something less expensive, longer wearing, or both, without sacrificing much in the way of performance. For my usage, wet weather handling is more important than high performance. I drive it hard occasionally, but I am most concerned with how it performs on day-to-day commute and driving. (70 mile commute, round trip, 3-days/week). Thanks. Edit: thanks for the info everyone. I talked to my local tire guy and he recommended General Altimax RT43s. He also said the sound dampening foam is mostly a gimmick (which is what I suspected). He quoted me $198 (his prices include EVERYTHING). I could get them from Tire Rack for $152 and local install for $30 + 3 (disposal) which would save me a mere $13 per tire. But based on past experience with this tire shop, it is easily worth the extra $13 for convenience and peace of mind if I need flat repair or warranty claims. Related to that, he said the RT43 is a 60k tire but I should only expect 40-50 on my Model 3 and at best a $15 credit per tire. Frankly, I’d be happy with 40k. Probably going to keep the current rubber for another month, then get the Generals.”
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
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Kumho Ecsta PA51 | B · General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season | All Season |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 13 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 19″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10.5/32″ | 10 - 12/32″ |
| UTQG | 500 A A | 600 - 700 A A - B |
| Treadwear warranty | 45,000 mi | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | 44 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Kumho Ecsta PA51
68
/ 100
General AltiMAX RT43
Too close to call: Kumho Ecsta PA51 and General AltiMAX RT43 are within 2 points overall.
Tire A · Kumho Ecsta PA51
Tire B · General AltiMAX RT43
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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.