85
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
85/100
57 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
General Altimax Arctic vs Vredestein Quatrac 5 — 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
78
/ 100
Objective (60%)
73/100
4 professional tests
User signal (40%)
80/100
38 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: General Altimax Arctic — better snow, noise and dry. Pick the Vredestein Quatrac 5 if handling matters most to you.
Read full
TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made via links on this page.
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)
Altimax Arctic leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic | Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 79 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | 92 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic | Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 80 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 91 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 79 |
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic leads by 29
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic | Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 46 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 10 | 77 |
| SimpleTire owners | 96 | – |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic | Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 57 | 85 |
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic | Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 72 |
| SimpleTire owners | 81 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Altimax Arctic leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic | Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 80 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 53 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Quatrac 5 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Arctic | Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 50 | 82 |
| DriverReviews owners | – | 86 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Arctic | Vredestein Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 85 | 78 |
| Dry | 87 | 80 |
| Wet | 86 | 80 |
| Snow | 88 | 59 |
| Comfort | 86 | 85 |
| Noise | 83 | 72 |
| Treadwear | 84 | 82 |
| Handling | 78 | 82 |
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
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Important
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Neutral
NoneLessNeutralMoreMost
Recomputed
Headline score
85
/ 100
Tire A
78
/ 100
Tire B
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The General AltiMAX Arctic is widely regarded as a high-value winter tire that delivers exceptional traction in snow, slush, and ice. While some users note a slight increase in road noise and a softer feel in dry conditions, the consensus is that it offers performance comparable to premium brands at a significantly more accessible price point.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and grip in deep snow and icy conditions
- High value-for-money ratio compared to premium winter tire brands
- Impressive tread longevity for a dedicated winter compound
- Reliable handling and braking performance in cold-weather environments
Cons
- Increased road noise, particularly as the tire wears
- Soft sidewall feel leading to less precise handling on dry pavement
- Potential for minor understeer during aggressive cornering
- Not intended for year-round use, as dry performance is compromised
Observations
- Owners of RWD vehicles, including sports roadsters, report high confidence in deep snow and winter conditions.
- Users with light-weight vehicles (e.g., Chevy HHR, FWD Civics) report excellent starting and stopping capability on slippery surfaces.
- Drivers of heavy-duty trucks and SUVs appreciate the durability and load-handling capabilities of the tire's construction.
The Vredestein Quatrac 5 is widely regarded as a competent and versatile all-season tire that excels in comfort and noise reduction. While it provides reliable performance across varied climates, user experiences regarding durability and extreme winter traction are polarized, making it a strong choice for moderate climates rather than harsh, alpine conditions.
Pros
- Excellent ride comfort and low cabin noise levels
- Strong performance in wet and cold, non-frozen conditions
- Good value for money and fuel efficiency
- Consistent handling characteristics across varying temperatures
Cons
- Inconsistent tread wear, with some users reporting premature edge wear
- Limited traction on deep snow or packed ice
- Reports of sidewall bulges in some instances
- Soft compound can feel less precise during spirited dry-weather driving
Observations
- Users noted that low-profile sizes can result in a harsh ride, whereas standard profiles offer superior comfort.
- Drivers of heavier vehicles or those frequently carrying heavy loads reported faster tread wear and potential for edge scrubbing.
- Owners of AWD vehicles generally reported higher satisfaction with winter traction compared to those with FWD or RWD setups.
Community buzz
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
General Altimax Arctic
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Mixed
Vredestein Quatrac 5
The Vredestein Quatrac 5 receives generally positive reviews on retail and testing sites for its price and balance of capabilities, but real-world community feedback is more mixed, particularly regarding its snow performance and longevity. While some users praise them as great all-weather tires for light winter conditions and rain, others note they struggle in heavy snow compared to dedicated winter tires and may lose traction in damp conditions as they wear down.
r/MitsubishiMirage
·36 upvotes ·2025-12-27
“Vredestein Quatrac 5 Photo taken on October 17, 2025. This was during one of your first snowstorms in the Wasatch in Utah. This was at Guardsman’s Pass before it closed for the season, at 9717’ (2962 m). I’ve had the Quatrac 5 since Nay 20th, they’re really not great for considerable snow and I will be going to studded tires again in the near future. Last season I had the Hakkapeliitta 10 (175/65/14) and that was considerably more grippy. Read more”
r/Miata
·25 upvotes ·2021-12-28
“Did great in the snow. With vredestein quatrac 5's in everybody's favorite 205/50/R15s”
r/cars
·1 upvote ·2019-07-21
“A guy on YouTube vlogged his experience with the quatrac 5 in his mirage. It's a good all weather tire for the occasional blast of snow but is by no means a substitute for actual snow tires.”
r/Miata
·1 upvote ·2021-12-29
“Are these Quatrac5 new ? After 15k miles my rear wheels are struggling to put down traction on damp roads if I am not real gentle on gas pedal on first gear from stop go traffic.”
Top themes
#snow and winter performance#wet and rain handling#value and price#tread wear and longevity#tire size availability
Based on 10 community posts
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Arctic | B · Vredestein Quatrac 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Touring tires | All Season High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 44 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
85
/ 100
General
78
/ 100
Vredestein
Winner: General Altimax Arctic — better snow, noise and dry. Pick the Vredestein Quatrac 5 if handling matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You drive through snowy winters
General Altimax Arctic scores 88 vs 59 on snow.
Pick tire A
You want a quieter cabin
General Altimax Arctic scores 83 vs 72 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
General Altimax Arctic scores 87 vs 80 on dry.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
General Altimax Arctic scores 86 vs 80 on wet.
Tire A · General Altimax Arctic
Tire B · Vredestein Quatrac 5
More comparisons
Also compared with
General Altimax Arctic also compared with
Vredestein Quatrac 5 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.