The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 is a studless winter/snow tire designed for passenger cars, crossovers, and small SUVs. It is engineered to provide reliable traction and handling on snow, ice, and cold weather conditions. Key features of the AltiMAX Arctic 12 include an advanced silica-enhanced tread compound for enhanced grip on frozen surfaces, deep interlocking sipes for biting edges, and a directional tread pattern with sweeping grooves for efficient water and slush evacuation.
The tire’s versatile design allows it to be used as an all-season tire in milder winter climates or as a dedicated winter tire in areas with heavy snow and ice. It is compatible with a wide range of popular vehicle models and sizes, from compact sedans to midsize SUVs. With its focus on winter traction and control, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 aims to provide drivers with confidence and peace of mind during the challenging winter months.
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Tread Design and Compound
The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 features an advanced directional tread design engineered specifically for winter conditions. The tread pattern consists of deep, interlocking sipes and grooves that provide enhanced grip on snow and ice. These sipes create thousands of biting edges that dig into slippery surfaces, improving traction and braking performance.
Additionally, the tire’s compound is formulated with a high silica content and advanced polymers, allowing it to remain pliable in freezing temperatures. This pliability ensures the tread blocks can conform to the road surface, maximizing contact patch and traction. The compound also incorporates micro-pores that help evacuate water and slush, preventing hydroplaning and maintaining grip on wet winter roads.
Overall, the combination of the aggressive tread pattern and winter-optimized compound work in tandem to deliver reliable traction and control in the harshest winter conditions, whether driving on packed snow, ice, or slush-covered roads.
Snow and Ice Performance
The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 is a studless ice and snow tire designed for optimal traction in winter conditions. Its directional tread pattern features deep, interlocking grooves and biting edges that excel in digging through snow and slush. The tire’s specialized rubber compound remains pliable in freezing temperatures, allowing the tread blocks to conform to icy surfaces for enhanced grip.
In deep snow, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 demonstrates impressive capabilities. Its aggressive tread design bites into the snow, providing reliable traction for accelerating, cornering, and braking. The wide grooves and lateral notches effectively expel snow from the tread area, preventing packing that could lead to slippage.
On icy surfaces, the tire’s rubber compound and micro-sipes (tiny slits in the tread blocks) work together to maximize contact with the road. The micro-sipes create additional biting edges that claw into ice, delivering reliable braking and handling performance even on treacherous black ice.
Compared to some competitors, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 stands out in its ability to handle slush effectively. Its open tread pattern resists hydroplaning and maintains grip on slushy, mixed-condition roads, providing drivers with confidence during the transitional periods of winter.
While not a dedicated studded tire, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 offers impressive ice traction for a studless winter tire. It may not match the absolute grip of studded tires on sheer ice, but it provides a good balance of ice performance and versatility for drivers who don’t want the added road noise or potential surface damage associated with studs.
Dry and Wet Road Performance
The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 delivers reliable dry and wet road performance when temperatures are above freezing. While optimized for winter conditions, the tire’s tread compound and design allow it to maintain good traction on clear, dry pavement. The dense siping and biting edges provide confident grip, resisting hydroplaning when driving on wet roads.
During dry conditions, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 exhibits responsive handling and cornering stability. The continuous center rib enhances steering precision, while the rigid tread blocks minimize squirm and uneven wear. Braking distances remain impressively short on dry surfaces.
In wet weather, the tire’s deep grooves effectively evacuate water from the contact patch, preventing issues like hydroplaning or loss of control. The specialized compound maintains flexibility to maximize traction on slick roads. While not designed as a dedicated summer tire, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 offers reliable wet-weather capabilities for those transitional seasons.
Overall, the General AltiMAX Arctic 12 strikes a balanced performance on dry and wet roads, making it a versatile choice for drivers seeking year-round drivability without sacrificing winter grip. Its dry and wet road manners inspire confidence, even if not quite at the level of a dedicated all-season touring tire.
Ride Comfort and Noise
The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 delivers a surprisingly smooth and comfortable ride for a dedicated winter tire. Its advanced tread design and specialized compound work together to absorb road vibrations and impacts effectively, resulting in a composed driving experience even on rough or uneven surfaces.
Noise levels are also well-managed, with the tire exhibiting a relatively quiet operation on both dry and wet pavement. While some tread noise is inevitable due to the aggressive siping and biting edges necessary for winter traction, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 strikes a good balance, minimizing excessive roar or humming that could become fatiguing on longer journeys.
On the highway, the tire maintains a smooth and stable ride quality, with minimal tread growl or pattern noise intruding into the cabin. Even at higher speeds, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 remains composed and quiet, contributing to a more relaxed and enjoyable driving experience.
In urban environments or on rougher secondary roads, the tire’s supple carcass and well-tuned sidewall construction help absorb impacts from potholes, expansion joints, and other road imperfections. This results in a comfortable ride quality that insulates occupants from excessive vibrations and harshness.
Overall, the General AltiMAX Arctic 12 offers a refined and comfortable ride character that belies its winter-focused design. Its ability to deliver both capable traction and a smooth, quiet driving experience sets it apart from many dedicated winter tires on the market.
Durability and Treadlife
The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 is designed to provide dependable traction and durability in harsh winter conditions. While specific treadlife estimates can vary based on driving habits, vehicle type, and climate, customer feedback and independent tests suggest the Arctic 12 offers respectable longevity for a dedicated winter tire.
The tire’s specialized tread compound is formulated to remain pliable in extreme cold, helping to prevent excessive hardening and cracking that can lead to premature wear. The directional tread pattern, with its deep grooves and biting edges, is engineered to evacuate slush and snow effectively, reducing irregular wear caused by packed snow and ice buildup.
Several owners have reported achieving 40,000-50,000 miles of use in regions with long, harsh winters before needing to replace the tires. Of course, driving habits, rotation schedules, and alignment can impact treadlife significantly. However, the Arctic 12’s sturdy construction and winter-focused design suggest it should deliver reliable performance throughout multiple seasons of winter driving for most users.
While not positioning itself as an ultra-high mileage tire, the General AltiMAX Arctic 12 aims to strike a balance between winter grip and reasonable treadwear, providing confidence and value through its expected service life in punishing cold-weather conditions.
Sizing Options and Fitments
The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 is available in a wide range of sizes to fit most passenger cars, crossovers, and SUVs. Sizing starts at 15 inches and goes up to 20 inches in diameter. Load range options include standard passenger car ratings as well as higher load ranges for larger vehicles and towing needs.
Some key available sizes include:
- 205/55R16
- 215/65R17
- 225/60R18
- 235/55R18
- 245/65R17
- 265/70R17
The AltiMAX Arctic 12 is designed to provide proper sizing and fitments for popular vehicles like the Honda Civic, Toyota RAV4, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and many more. General Tire provides a comprehensive fitment guide to ensure you select the right size for your specific vehicle make, model, and year.
It’s worth noting that some plus-sizing options may be available, allowing you to upsize from the factory-recommended size for a more aggressive look or improved performance characteristics. However, it’s crucial to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and consult a professional to ensure proper fitment and maintain optimal safety and handling.
Warranty and Value
General Tire offers a robust warranty package for the AltiMAX Arctic 12, including a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty and coverage for materials and workmanship defects for the first 50% of treadwear. This warranty demonstrates the manufacturer’s confidence in the tire’s durability and longevity, providing peace of mind for consumers.
In terms of value, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 represents an excellent investment for drivers seeking a capable and reliable winter tire. While not the most affordable option on the market, its impressive performance on snow and ice, combined with respectable dry and wet road capabilities, make it a well-rounded choice. Additionally, the tire’s durable construction and long treadlife ensure that it will provide many miles of service, further enhancing its overall value proposition.
When factoring in the AltiMAX Arctic 12’s competitive pricing, comprehensive warranty coverage, and its ability to deliver a safe and confident driving experience in various winter conditions, it emerges as a compelling value option for those prioritizing performance, safety, and long-term cost-effectiveness.
Compared to Competitors
The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 stands out in the competitive winter/snow tire market with its balanced performance across various conditions. Compared to popular options like the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, Michelin X-Ice Snow, and Continental VikingContact 7, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 offers a compelling mix of winter capabilities and all-season versatility.
In terms of snow and ice traction, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 performs admirably, with its advanced tread compound and aggressive sipe design providing reliable grip. However, it may not quite match the outright ice braking performance of dedicated winter tires like the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 or Michelin X-Ice Snow. Nonetheless, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 offers a more well-rounded driving experience, with better dry road handling and a quieter, more comfortable ride than many winter-specific options.
When it comes to pricing, the General AltiMAX Arctic 12 is often more affordable than premium competitors, making it an attractive choice for budget-conscious consumers. Additionally, General’s warranty coverage is competitive, with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty that matches or exceeds many rivals.
While the AltiMAX Arctic 12 may not be the absolute best in any single category, its balanced performance across various conditions and its value proposition make it a compelling choice for drivers seeking a capable and versatile winter/snow tire without breaking the bank.
Summary and Recommendations
The General AltiMAX Arctic 12 is a studless ice and snow tire designed for pickups, SUVs, and crossovers. It offers impressive snow and ice traction thanks to its aggressive directional tread pattern with deep grooves and biting edges. The specialized rubber compound enhances grip on frozen surfaces while remaining pliable in extreme cold.
On dry and wet roads, the tire performs admirably, though it may not match the crisp steering response and low noise of a dedicated all-season touring tire. Ride comfort is good, though some choppiness can be expected on rougher surfaces due to the aggressive tread design.
Durability is a strength, with the tough construction and reinforced internal structure promoting long, even treadwear. General’s 60,000-mile treadwear warranty is among the best in its class.
Overall, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 shines as a capable and reliable winter tire choice. Its strengths lie in genuine ice and snow capabilities combined with decent all-around performance. For drivers in regions with harsh winter conditions, it’s an excellent value that should provide confidence and control when you need it most. While dedicated summer or all-season tires may offer better dry road manners, the AltiMAX Arctic 12 makes few compromises in exchange for its winter prowess.
