Tests 62 · 1 test Owners 70 · 31 reviews
Head-to-head
Updated
General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Nexen Winguard Sport 2 SUV — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.
Winguard Sport 2 SUV leads, 70–67 Narrow edge
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Tests – · none yet Owners 71 · 4 reviews
Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
-
54
Dry
Winguard Sport 2 SUV +1771Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winguard Sport 2 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 50 – Reviews found online 59 72 -
67
Wet
Winguard Sport 2 SUV +572Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winguard Sport 2 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 63 – Reviews found online 74 73 -
77
Snow
Altimax Arctic 12 +473Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winguard Sport 2 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 75 – Reviews found online 80 75 -
69
Comfort
Winguard Sport 2 SUV +372Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winguard Sport 2 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 71 – Reviews found online 67 75 -
70
Noise
No comparison–Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winguard Sport 2 SUV Professional tests (TWG score) 72 – Reviews found online 66 – -
70
Treadwear
Altimax Arctic 12 +466Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winguard Sport 2 SUV Reviews found online 73 66 -
70
Handling
Winguard Sport 2 SUV +171Why this score
Source Altimax Arctic 12 Winguard Sport 2 SUV Reviews found online 70 71
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Arctic 12 | Nexen Winguard Sport 2 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 67 | 70 |
| Dry | 54 | 71 |
| Wet | 67 | 72 |
| Snow | 77 | 73 |
| Comfort | 69 | 72 |
| Noise | 70 | – |
| Treadwear | 70 | 66 |
| Handling | 70 | 71 |
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.
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Neither tire has a score here yet, so this weight changes nothing.
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
67
/ 100
Altimax Arctic 12
70
/ 100
Winguard Sport 2 SUV
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 Altimax Arctic 12
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
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
Tire B Winguard Sport 2 SUV
Pros
- Excellent grip and control on snow, ice, and slush
- High comfort levels with low road noise
- Strong price-to-performance ratio and durability
Cons
- Softer sidewalls result in less precise handling during cornering and high-speed maneuvers
- Performance on snow and ice can degrade over successive years
- Feel less planted and more flexible in warmer temperatures
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Arctic 12 | B · Nexen Winguard Sport 2 SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | Winter Ultra High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Sizes available | 38 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | — |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
67
/ 100
General Altimax Arctic 12
70
/ 100
Nexen Winguard Sport 2 SUV
Winner: Nexen Winguard Sport 2 SUV — better dry, wet and comfort. Pick the General Altimax Arctic 12 if snow and treadwear matter most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Nexen Winguard Sport 2 SUV scores 71 vs 54 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Nexen Winguard Sport 2 SUV scores 72 vs 67 on wet.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 77 vs 73 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
General Altimax Arctic 12 scores 70 vs 66 on treadwear.
Tire A · General Altimax Arctic 12
Tire B · Nexen Winguard Sport 2 SUV
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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.