81
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
83/100
27 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Firestone Winterforce 2 vs General Altimax Arctic 12 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
74
/ 100
Objective (60%)
60/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
87/100
56 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Firestone Winterforce 2 — better dry, wet and snow. Pick the General Altimax Arctic 12 if handling, comfort and noise matter most to you.
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Winterforce 2 leads by 38
Why this score
| Source | Winterforce 2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 17 |
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | 86 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 58 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | 87 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Winterforce 2 leads by 28
Why this score
| Source | Winterforce 2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 43 |
| Tire Rack owners | 87 | 88 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 48 | 85 |
| SimpleTire owners | 97 | 91 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Winterforce 2 leads by 22
Why this score
| Source | Winterforce 2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 59 |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 88 | 95 |
| SimpleTire owners | 97 | 96 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic 12 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Winterforce 2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 86 |
| Tire Rack owners | 80 | 82 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 58 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | 85 | 91 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic 12 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Winterforce 2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 78 | 85 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic 12 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Winterforce 2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 83 | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 63 | 100 |
| SimpleTire owners | 85 | 90 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic 12 leads by 30
Why this score
| Source | Winterforce 2 | Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 50 | 65 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Firestone Winterforce 2 | General Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 81 | 74 |
| Dry | 83 | 45 |
| Wet | 89 | 61 |
| Snow | 96 | 74 |
| Comfort | 81 | 86 |
| Noise | 78 | 83 |
| Treadwear | 82 | 86 |
| Handling | 50 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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
81
/ 100
Tire A
74
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
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 | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 6% #17/17 · 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test | 14% #7/17 · 2020 Consumer Reports North America Winter Tyre Test | -8.4 | Same test |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The Firestone WinterForce 2 is widely regarded as a high-value, budget-friendly winter tire that excels in deep snow and challenging winter conditions. While it earns high praise for its aggressive traction and affordability, users note compromises in dry-road handling, road noise, and ice performance compared to premium alternatives.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and capability in deep snow
- Highly competitive price point
- Reliable performance for daily winter commuting
- Effective water displacement in wet conditions
Cons
- Increased road noise compared to all-season tires
- Noticeable 'mushy' or soft handling feedback on dry pavement
- Limited performance on ice without studs
- Faster tread wear when used year-round
Observations
- Users with RWD vehicles report significant improvements in winter drivability, though some note a lack of dry-handling precision.
- Owners of smaller, lighter vehicles (e.g., Mazda Miata, Ford Focus) report high satisfaction with snow-clearing capabilities.
- Some users report a harsh ride quality on older SUVs, suggesting the tire's construction may be less forgiving on certain chassis types.
The General Altimax Arctic 12 is widely regarded as a high-value, top-tier winter tire that excels in deep snow, slush, and icy conditions. While users note some expected trade-offs in dry pavement handling and increased road noise, the consensus highlights its exceptional longevity and performance-to-price ratio compared to premium competitors.
Pros
- Outstanding traction and confidence in deep snow, slush, and ice
- Exceptional tread life and durability for a winter-specific tire
- High value-for-money proposition compared to premium brands like Nokian or Bridgestone
- Reliable performance across a diverse range of vehicles, from small sedans to heavy trucks
Cons
- Noticeable increase in road noise, particularly as the tire wears
- Softer sidewalls leading to 'squishy' or less precise handling on dry pavement
- Slightly higher rolling resistance resulting in a minor decrease in fuel economy
- Reduced grip on dry and wet pavement compared to dedicated all-season or summer tires
Observations
- Drivers of RWD vehicles, such as the BMW Z4, reported high satisfaction with the tire's ability to maintain control in harsh winter conditions.
- Users with light-weight vehicles (e.g., Chevy HHR) and heavy-duty trucks (e.g., Ram, F-150) both report consistent, reliable traction in deep snow.
- The XL-rated versions provide a robust, beefy sidewall that some users appreciate for sport-tuned suspensions.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Firestone Winterforce 2 | B · General Altimax Arctic 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Premium Touring Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 31 | 38 |
| Rim diameters | 14″ – 18″ | 15″ – 19″ |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | 12/32″ |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | 51 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
81
/ 100
Firestone
74
/ 100
General
Winner: Firestone Winterforce 2 — better dry, wet and snow. Pick the General Altimax Arctic 12 if handling, comfort and noise matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Firestone Winterforce 2 scores 83 vs 45 on dry.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 80 vs 50 on handling.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Firestone Winterforce 2 scores 89 vs 61 on wet.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
Firestone Winterforce 2 scores 96 vs 74 on snow.
Tire A · Firestone Winterforce 2
Tire B · General Altimax Arctic 12
More comparisons
Also compared with
Firestone Winterforce 2 also compared with
General Altimax Arctic 12 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.