73
/ 100
Objective (60%)
69/100
5 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
3 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
General Altimax Winter 3 vs Michelin X-Ice North 4 — 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
80
/ 100
Objective (60%)
68/100
8 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
11 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Michelin X-Ice North 4 — better noise, wet and snow. Pick the General Altimax Winter 3 if comfort matters most to you.
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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)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 75 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 78 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) | 92% | 96% |
Wet
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 12
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 61 | 83 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 75 |
| Wet Braking (% of best) | 84% | 77% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) | 94% | 97% |
Snow
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 74 | 86 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 92 |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 95% | 93% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 97% | 92% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) | 76% | 98% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Altimax Winter 3 leads by 39
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 12 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 85 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 61
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 25 | 86 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 89 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
X-Ice North 4 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 81 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Winter 3 | Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 73 | 80 |
| Dry | 78 | 82 |
| Wet | 69 | 81 |
| Snow | 84 | 89 |
| Comfort | 80 | 41 |
| Noise | 25 | 86 |
| Treadwear | 85 | 89 |
| Handling | 80 | 81 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
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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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Recomputed
Headline score
73
/ 100
Tire A
80
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 92% #17/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 96% #11/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -4.3 | Different tests |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 82% #14/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 92% #7/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | -10.1 | Different tests |
| Noise | Other | 95% #5/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 98% #3/8 · 2024 Studded Tyre Test | -3.1 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 6% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 50% #2/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | -44.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 95% #14/35 · 2021 Winter Tyre Market Overview | 93% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +2.2 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 97% #16/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 92% #3/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +4.7 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 76% #4/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 98% #8/14 · 2025 Friction and Studded Winter Tyre Test | -22 | Different tests |
| Straight Aqua | Straight | 90% #20/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 94% #4/8 · 2024 Studded Tyre Test | -3.8 | Different tests |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 84% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 77% #15/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +6.7 | Different tests |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 94% #18/20 · 2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter Tyre Test | 97% #7/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | -3 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The General Altimax Winter 3 is viewed as a capable, budget-friendly winter tire that provides reliable traction in snow and slush. While users appreciate its value and resistance to aquaplaning, some find the handling feedback and noise levels at higher speeds to be less refined compared to premium competitors.
Pros
- Strong performance in snow and slush conditions
- Effective resistance to aquaplaning
- Competitive price-to-quality ratio
Cons
- Increased road noise at highway speeds
- Soft sidewalls resulting in vague handling and road feedback
- Mediocre emergency wet braking performance
Observations
- Users noted that the rubber compound feels firmer than premium alternatives like Michelin, impacting overall ride comfort.
The Michelin X-Ice North 4 is widely regarded as a top-tier studded winter tire, offering class-leading traction on ice and packed snow. While users consistently praise its superior noise suppression and handling compared to competitors, long-term stud retention remains a point of contention for some owners.
Pros
- Exceptional grip and confidence on icy and snow-covered surfaces
- Significantly lower road noise compared to traditional studded winter tires
- High tread longevity and durability over multiple winter seasons
- Predictable handling and improved vehicle feedback in adverse conditions
Cons
- Inconsistent long-term stud retention reported by some users
- Slightly wallowy or vague handling feel on dry pavement
- Tendency to collect snow in the tread pattern at low speeds
- Reduced performance in deep, loose snow over hard-packed surfaces
Observations
- Users noted that narrower tire dimensions can contribute to a wallowy feel on dry roads.
- Performance is highly regarded across diverse vehicle types, ranging from AWD sedans like the Kia Stinger to older, analog sports cars.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Winter 3 | B · Michelin X-Ice North 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Premium Touring Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
73
/ 100
General
80
/ 100
Michelin
Winner: Michelin X-Ice North 4 — better noise, wet and snow. Pick the General Altimax Winter 3 if comfort matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want a quieter cabin
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 86 vs 25 on noise.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
General Altimax Winter 3 scores 80 vs 41 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 81 vs 69 on wet.
Pick tire B
You drive through snowy winters
Michelin X-Ice North 4 scores 89 vs 84 on snow.
Tire A · General Altimax Winter 3
Tire B · Michelin X-Ice North 4
More comparisons
Also compared with
General Altimax Winter 3 also compared with
Michelin X-Ice North 4 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.