General Altimax Arctic 12 review
Relative score 60% tests + 40% owners
Owners 70 · 31 reviews analysed Road tests 64 · 3 tests
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The General Altimax Arctic 12 is widely praised by users as an exceptional, budget-friendly dedicated winter tire that delivers outstanding traction in snow, slush, and ice. While reviewers note some expected winter tire traits such as increased road noise and slightly softer dry handling, the overall consensus highlights its reliability, impressive tread life, and excellent value compared to more expensive alternatives.
Two scoring systems, side by side
Owner scores come from reviews found online; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.
How scores work
- Relative score
- 0–100. Blends road tests (60%) and owner reviews (40%) category by category, the same way on every TireWheelGuide page. With only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from it, so the score stays closer to average. It needs at least one road test or five owner reviews.
- Road tests
- 0–100 per score, from published tests, newer tests counting more. Each result is compared with every other tire in the same test, so a win against a strong field counts for more. The average tested tire gets 70, the best 100; with only one or two tests a tire stays nearer 70. The discipline rows show % of the best tire in that test.
- Owner reviews
- 0–100 from the owner reviews we found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates and scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70. With only a few reviews a tire stays near the average.
By owner reviews
70/100From 31 owner reviews analysed, scaled like the road tests: the average tested tire gets 70.
By road tests
64/100Scaled across every tested tire: the average gets 70, the best 100.
General Altimax Arctic 12 specs & sizes
Prices vary by size, so each one links out separately.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Tread depth | 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 51 psi |
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What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 31 owner reviews found online.
The General Altimax Arctic 12 is widely praised by users as an exceptional, budget-friendly dedicated winter tire that delivers outstanding traction in snow, slush, and ice. While reviewers note some expected winter tire traits such as increased road noise and slightly softer dry handling, the overall consensus highlights its reliability, impressive tread life, and excellent value compared to more expensive alternatives.
Pros
- Outstanding grip and traction in heavy snow, slush, and ice
- Excellent value and affordable price point compared to premium winter tires
- Impressive tread life and long-term durability across multiple winter seasons
- Reliable cold-weather wet traction and stability
Cons
- Noticeable road noise, which can increase as the tires wear
- Slightly soft, squishy, or vague handling characteristics on dry pavement
- Higher rolling resistance resulting in a minor decrease in fuel economy
Worth knowing
- Successfully utilized on a variety of vehicles ranging from light trucks and SUVs (like the Ford F-150, Chevy HHR, and Ram pickup) to front-wheel-drive sedans (Civic) and even rear-wheel-drive performance/sports cars (BMW Z4) in harsh winter conditions.
- Users noting XL ratings appreciated the beefy sidewalls on sport-suspended trucks.
Reviews from our readers
Drivers who have these tires on their car, in their own words. We check every review before it goes live.
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3 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter tire Test · 215/55 R17
9th of 10
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Wet Circle | 7th of 10 | |
| Dry Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Snow Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Snow Handling | 9th of 10 | |
| Ice Braking | 9th of 10 | |
| Subj. Comfort | 9th of 10 | |
| Ice Traction | 9th of 10 | |
| Subj. Noise | 7th of 10 | |
| Subj. Road Score | 10th of 10 | |
| Subj. Snow Handling | 9th of 10 | |
| Dry Circle | 8th of 10 |
Source: Tire Rack
2022 Consumer Reports Winter Tires · 215/60R16
6th of 15
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Consumer Reports
2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter tire Test · 215/60 R16
7th of 17
Only the final ranking was published for this test, not the results per discipline.
Source: Consumer Reports
General Altimax Arctic 12 compared
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