72
/ 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.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic — 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
69
/ 100
Objective (60%)
72/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
65/100
4 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: General Altimax Arctic 12 — better comfort, treadwear and handling. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic if wet, dry and snow 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)
UltraGrip Ice Arctic leads by 19
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 17 | 67 |
| Tire Rack owners | 86 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 60 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 81% | 93% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip Ice Arctic leads by 21
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 43 | 93 |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 65 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 76% | 100% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
UltraGrip Ice Arctic leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 59 | 79 |
| Tire Rack owners | 91 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 90 |
| SimpleTire owners | 96 | – |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 92% | 97% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 90% | 95% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic 12 leads by 33
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 86 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 82 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 53 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 85 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic 12 leads by 26
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 87 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 60 |
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic 12 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 68 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Arctic 12 | Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 69 |
| Dry | 45 | 64 |
| Wet | 61 | 82 |
| Snow | 74 | 83 |
| Comfort | 86 | 53 |
| Noise | 83 | – |
| Treadwear | 86 | 60 |
| Handling | 80 | 68 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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.
Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
72
/ 100
Tire A
69
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 81% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 93% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | -12.1 | Different tests |
| Ice Braking | Ice | 84% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 80% #5/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +4.6 | Different tests |
| Ice Traction | Ice | 88% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 73% #6/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | +15.2 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 11% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 33% #3/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | -22.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 92% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 97% #6/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | -5.1 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 90% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 95% #4/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | -5.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 76% #9/10 · 2026 Tire Rack All-Weather vs Winter Tyre Test | 100% #1/8 · 2018 Vi Studded Winter Tyre Test | -24 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
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.
The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is highly regarded for its exceptional initial performance on packed snow and ice, particularly in extreme winter conditions. However, users consistently report a significant decline in reliability and safety after the second season, primarily due to premature stud loss and a sharp degradation in grip despite having substantial tread depth remaining.
Pros
- Excellent traction and handling on packed snow
- Strong performance on ice during the first two seasons
- Reliable winter grip in extreme arctic conditions
Cons
- Significant stud loss after two seasons of use
- Abrupt and dangerous decline in grip performance by the third year
- Poor longevity relative to competitors despite remaining tread depth
Observations
- Users noted that the tire's performance longevity is notably inferior when compared directly to competitors like the Continental IceContact 2.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Arctic 12 | B · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Winter Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 38 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | — |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
General
69
/ 100
Goodyear
Winner: General Altimax Arctic 12 — better comfort, treadwear and handling. Pick the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic if wet, dry and snow matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 86 vs 53 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 86 vs 60 on treadwear.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic scores 82 vs 61 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic scores 64 vs 45 on dry.
Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
Tire B · Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
More comparisons
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Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic 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.