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General AltiMAX RT43 vs General G-MAX RS — 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.
General G-MAX RS
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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 RT43 | G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 90 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 96 |
| America's Tire owners | 96 | 95 |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 87 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 90 |
| America's Tire owners | 92 | 89 |
Snow
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | – |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 40 |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 85 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 50 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 88 |
| America's Tire owners | 92 | 93 |
Noise
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 78 |
| America's Tire owners | 90 | 88 |
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 60 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 85 |
| America's Tire owners | 89 | 91 |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 65 |
| America's Tire owners | 93 | 94 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General AltiMAX RT43 | General G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 88 | 79 |
| Dry | 95 | 90 |
| Wet | 91 | 87 |
| Snow | 65 | 40 |
| Comfort | 92 | 85 |
| Noise | 90 | 78 |
| Treadwear | 89 | 84 |
| Handling | 93 | 83 |
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
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The General Altimax RT43 is widely regarded as a high-value, versatile all-season touring tire that excels in providing a comfortable, quiet ride and reliable traction across varied weather conditions. While the vast majority of users praise its longevity and performance-to-price ratio, a small subset of reviewers report inconsistent manufacturing quality, such as balancing issues or premature sidewall failure.
Pros
- Exceptional value for the price point compared to premium brands.
- Strong wet and light-to-moderate snow traction.
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality.
- Impressive tread life and durability, even on gravel roads.
Cons
- Occasional reports of balancing difficulties and vibration issues.
- Some users noted a decline in snow performance as the tread wears down.
- Isolated reports of sidewall failures or premature tread separation.
- Softer sidewalls can lead to a less responsive feel during aggressive cornering.
Observations
- Owners of minivans and SUVs (e.g., Sienna, Odyssey, RAV4) frequently report significant improvements in ride comfort and noise reduction over OEM tires.
- Subaru owners noted the tire handles well in varied terrain, though some performance-oriented drivers find the sidewalls too soft for spirited driving.
- Users with high-mileage commutes appreciate the tire's longevity, though some noted a slight decrease in fuel efficiency compared to dedicated low-rolling-resistance tires.
The General G-Max RS is widely regarded as a high-value, ultra-high-performance summer tire that offers impressive dry and wet traction at a significantly lower price point than premium competitors like Michelin. While most users praise its daily driving comfort, quietness, and predictable handling, some enthusiasts note that it lacks the razor-sharp steering response and ultimate track-day grip of more expensive, top-tier performance tires.
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Strong wet and dry traction
- Good ride comfort and relatively low road noise
- Predictable handling characteristics for daily and spirited driving
- Good tread life compared to other summer performance tires
Cons
- Softer sidewalls can lead to a 'squishy' or less precise feel during aggressive cornering
- Reports of flat-spotting after the vehicle sits for extended periods
- Some users report increased road noise as the tire wears
- Not intended for track-focused use; can overheat or lose grip under extreme conditions
- Occasional reports of balancing issues or out-of-round tires
Observations
- Users with high-horsepower vehicles (400+ hp) often note that the tire can struggle to maintain traction during hard acceleration compared to dedicated track compounds.
- Owners of vehicles transitioning from run-flat tires consistently report a massive improvement in ride quality and comfort.
- Drivers on 16-inch or smaller wheels appreciate the availability of this tire in sizes where other performance options are limited.
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
General AltiMAX RT43
The General Altimax RT43 is widely praised by the community as an exceptional value-for-money all-season touring tire, often compared favorably to more expensive premium brands like Michelin. Users frequently highlight its strong wet-weather performance, solid tread life, and affordability, though some note it can become slightly noisier as it wears down.
“Replacement tires I have about 25k miles on my original tires (LR AWD, 18” Aeros) and evening though I have rotated then every 6-7000, I am not going to make it past 30k. So, anyone have any recommendations for replacements? Should I go for the standard Michelin’s? Anyone used anything else? For the record, Ian not concerned with the foam and road noise is fine. I’d like something less expensive, longer wearing, or both, without sacrificing much in the way of performance. For my usage, wet weather handling is more important than high performance. I drive it hard occasionally, but I am most concerned with how it performs on day-to-day commute and driving. (70 mile commute, round trip, 3-days/week). Thanks. Edit: thanks for the info everyone. I talked to my local tire guy and he recommended General Altimax RT43s. He also said the sound dampening foam is mostly a gimmick (which is what I suspected). He quoted me $198 (his prices include EVERYTHING). I could get them from Tire Rack for $152 and local install for $30 + 3 (disposal) which would save me a mere $13 per tire. But based on past experience with this tire shop, it is easily worth the extra $13 for convenience and peace of mind if I need flat repair or warranty claims. Related to that, he said the RT43 is a 60k tire but I should only expect 40-50 on my Model 3 and at best a $15 credit per tire. Frankly, I’d be happy with 40k. Probably going to keep the current rubber for another month, then get the Generals.”
“Anyone running General RT45? Looking to replace the shitastic Toyo A36 on my 2023 PP that I just picked up. Was going to try to make them last until fall, but having picked a screw in one, im probably going to bite the bullet and change them now. I ran the RT43 on both my NA Miata as well as my 5-GT and was happy with them. Tire Rack is running a $140 rebate on a set of 4 right now. Just curious as to people's thoughts. Or, should I just bite the bullet and go with Continental Cross Contacts? Read more”
“I have general grabbers on my vanagon and they just don’t wear. I had rt43s on a Tiguan before and they had 4/32nds left at around 60k miles”
“I had great luck with 2 sets of the RT43s years back. The only my comment was they were a little less grippy than other tires for high G lateral forces. IE taking curves WAY above intelligent speeds. Otherwise, they were sure footed in any other situation. Including incliment weather.”
Based on 38 community posts
General G-MAX RS
The General G-Max RS is generally praised by community members as a high-value, budget-friendly alternative to premium summer tires like Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. Drivers report strong dry grip and cornering confidence, though some note drawbacks such as tire noise compared to more expensive options. Overall, they are viewed as a compelling choice for daily driving and enthusiastic street use without breaking the bank.
“Been driving on the General G-Max RS 225's for about a month now and it feels like I'm glued to the road. Now I just need to install my Corksport rear sway bar for even more cornering fun!”
“Price no object? Michelin 100%. I have the Generals right now and while they're fine for grip and what not, they are very noisy. I have Michelin X Ice winter tires, and even with the aggressive winter tread, they are considerably quieter than my g-max rs. However I paid about 700 CAD for my set of g-max a couple years ago. So for a price like that, I'm happy. Like anything, expect to get what you pay for.”
“G-max rs I put 7k miles on these tires and this is the front how many miles would you say I have before problems occur I plan on replacing in a few weeks Read more”
“General G-Max RS tires I know they just came out in February 2018 but was wondering if anyone else has had experiences with them yet. From what I’ve dug up, they’re OEM on the new Saleen Mustang. Rated at 360AA. I bring this up because that’s what the dealer has given me after an unfortunate alignment issue with my old tires. Yes I went to the dealer because I trust very few people to work on my car and can afford a little extra. So far these tires haven’t disappointed me but it’s day 1. Highway driving felt very smooth and I hugged the corners going faster than... everyone else. Later today I’m going to take my empty backroad and see how they are in tight turns. General announced these tires are UHP Summer tires meant to attract customers for track and autocross. The only thing that holds me back a little on the throttle is the price tag is SOOO cheap, which is exactly what they wanted. If you have experience with them go ahead and post up please. Read more”
Based on 12 community posts
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General AltiMAX RT43 | B · General G-MAX RS |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season Premium Touring tires | — |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Sizes available | — | 48 |
| Rim diameters | — | 16″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | 10 - 12/32″ | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | 600 - 700 A A - B | 360 - 700 A - AA A |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | Black Side Wall |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | 50 - 51 psi |
Which one should you actually buy?
General
General
Winner: General AltiMAX RT43 — better snow, noise and handling. It leads or ties in every category we score.
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 65 vs 40 on snow.
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 90 vs 78 on noise.
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 93 vs 83 on handling.
General AltiMAX RT43 scores 92 vs 85 on comfort.
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.