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General AltiMAX RT43 vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — 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.
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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 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 94 |
| America's Tire owners | 96 | – |
Wet
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 73 | 91 |
| America's Tire owners | 92 | – |
Snow
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 94 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 80 |
Comfort
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 84 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 87 |
| America's Tire owners | 92 | – |
Noise
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| America's Tire owners | 90 | – |
Treadwear
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 92 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 76 | 97 |
| America's Tire owners | 89 | – |
Handling
Why this score
| Source | AltiMAX RT43 | Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 85 |
| America's Tire owners | 93 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General AltiMAX RT43 | Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 88 | 95 |
| Dry | 95 | 98 |
| Wet | 91 | 96 |
| Snow | 65 | 82 |
| Comfort | 92 | 96 |
| Noise | 90 | 95 |
| Treadwear | 89 | 97 |
| Handling | 93 | 97 |
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 Michelin Defender LTX M/S is widely regarded as a premier all-season tire for trucks and SUVs, consistently praised for its exceptional tread longevity and balanced performance across various weather conditions. While the vast majority of users report superior ride comfort, stability, and fuel efficiency, a small minority of owners have noted issues with increased road noise as the tires age or inconsistent traction in specific wet-weather scenarios.
Pros
- Exceptional tread life often exceeding 60,000–80,000 miles
- Strong all-weather traction, particularly in dry and light snow conditions
- Improved fuel efficiency due to low rolling resistance
- High level of ride comfort and stability for heavy vehicles
- Reliable performance that often outperforms original equipment (OE) tires
Cons
- Increased road noise reported by some users as the tire tread wears down
- Higher price point compared to competitors
- Occasional reports of reduced wet-weather grip or traction loss during turns
- Limited off-road capability in mud or deep sand
Observations
- Heavy-duty truck owners (RAM 2500/3500) report high satisfaction with durability, even under heavy usage or towing conditions.
- SUV owners (Expedition, Highlander) frequently cite the tire as a significant upgrade over factory-installed rubber, specifically noting improvements in cabin quietness and fuel economy.
- Users recommend running higher tire pressures (40-45 psi) to optimize performance and handling on certain truck platforms.
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
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General AltiMAX RT43 | B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All Season Premium Touring tires | Premium Touring All Season tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | SUV and 4x4 |
| Tread depth | 10 - 12/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 600 - 700 A A - B | — |
| Sidewall | Black Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering | — |
| Max pressure | 44 - 51 psi | — |
Which one should you actually buy?
General
Michelin
Winner: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better snow, treadwear and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 65 on snow.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 97 vs 89 on treadwear.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 96 vs 91 on wet.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 95 vs 90 on noise.
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.