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General Altimax Arctic 12 vs Yokohama iceGUARD iG20 — 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.
Yokohama iceGUARD iG20
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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
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 17 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 86 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 43 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
Snow
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 59 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 91 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 96 | – |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 86 | – |
| Tire Rack owners | 82 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
Noise
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 85 | – |
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 87 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | – |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic 12 | iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Arctic 12 | Yokohama iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 74 | – |
| Dry | 45 | – |
| Wet | 61 | – |
| Snow | 74 | – |
| Comfort | 86 | – |
| Noise | 83 | – |
| Treadwear | 86 | – |
| Handling | 80 | – |
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.
Tire A
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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.
Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Arctic 12 | B · Yokohama iceGUARD iG20 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Premium Touring Winter tire | — |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Sizes available | 38 | — |
| Rim diameters | 15″ – 19″ | — |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
General
Yokohama
Only General Altimax Arctic 12 has enough test and review data for a Relative Score, so there is no head-to-head winner yet.
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.