Tests – · none yet Owners 53 · 2 reviews
Michelin Premier LTX vs General AltiMAX RT43 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
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Tests – · 1 test Owners 67 · 1,371 reviews
“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.”
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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Dry
No comparison68Why this score
Source Premier LTX AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online – 68 -
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Wet
No comparison70Why this score
Source Premier LTX AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online – 70 -
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Snow
No comparison64Why this score
Source Premier LTX AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online – 60 -
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Comfort
No comparison67Why this score
Source Premier LTX AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online – 65 -
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Noise
No comparison69Why this score
Source Premier LTX AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online – 73 -
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Treadwear
No comparison69Why this score
Source Premier LTX AltiMAX RT43 Professional tests (TWG score) – 71 Reviews found online – 67 -
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Handling
No comparison65Why this score
Source Premier LTX AltiMAX RT43 Reviews found online – 65
Scores at a glance
| Category | Michelin Premier LTX | General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | – | 68 |
| Dry | – | 68 |
| Wet | – | 70 |
| Snow | – | 64 |
| Comfort | – | 67 |
| Noise | – | 69 |
| Treadwear | – | 69 |
| Handling | – | 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.
Premier LTX
AltiMAX RT43
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Premier LTX
Pros
- High levels of overall performance and handling
- Strong brand reputation for quality and engineering
- Comfortable and refined ride characteristics
Cons
- Insufficient initial tread depth
- Concerns regarding premature tread wear
- Perceived lack of value due to limited lifespan
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
Michelin Premier LTX
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
General AltiMAX RT43
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 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”
“I've had RT43s on for the past 35k or so. They've been pretty good. I will probably only get another 10-15k on them, but will probably replace with another set.”
“I had the RT43s on my 1996 NA for the last couple of years prior to sale. They worked really well on my car. I had the stock NA8 alloys.”
Based on 261 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Michelin Premier LTX | B · General AltiMAX RT43 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring All Season tire | All Season |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | — | 10 - 12/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 600 - 700 A A - B |
| Sidewall | — | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering |
| Max pressure | — | 44 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
Michelin Premier LTX
General AltiMAX RT43
Only General AltiMAX RT43 has enough test and review data for a Relative Score, so there is no head-to-head winner yet.
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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.