79
/ 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 Riken Snow — 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
76
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
77/100
7 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: General Altimax Winter 3 — better comfort and handling. Pick the Riken Snow if wet 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)
Snow leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 75 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 83 | 79 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Snow leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 61 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 74 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Altimax Winter 3 leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 74 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 83 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Altimax Winter 3 leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 67 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 25 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Altimax Winter 3 leads by 2
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 85 | 83 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Altimax Winter 3 leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | Altimax Winter 3 | Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 69 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Altimax Winter 3 | Riken Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 79 | 76 |
| Dry | 78 | 79 |
| Wet | 69 | 74 |
| Snow | 84 | 83 |
| Comfort | 80 | 67 |
| Noise | 25 | – |
| Treadwear | 85 | 83 |
| Handling | 80 | 69 |
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
79
/ 100
Tire A
76
/ 100
Tire B
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
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 Riken Snow is widely regarded as a high-value winter tire that punches above its weight class, offering impressive traction in snow and ice. While it is a budget-friendly option, users consistently praise its reliability and performance, noting that it remains a competent choice for both city driving and challenging winter conditions.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and reliability in deep snow, ice, and mud.
- Excellent value for money compared to premium-tier competitors.
- Surprisingly quiet road noise levels for a winter-specific tread pattern.
- Solid dry road handling and grip characteristics.
Cons
- Noticeable reduction in wet braking performance during spirited driving.
- Tendency for ABS intervention under harder braking conditions on wet surfaces.
- Positioned as a budget-tier product, which may lack the ultimate refinement of top-tier brands.
Observations
- Users report strong performance on lighter passenger vehicles like the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Fiat Grande Punto.
- The tire is noted for its durability and effective tread wear on utility-focused vehicles like the Corsa van.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Altimax Winter 3 | B · Riken Snow |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Winter High Performance tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
79
/ 100
General
76
/ 100
Riken
Winner: General Altimax Winter 3 — better comfort and handling. Pick the Riken Snow if wet matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
General Altimax Winter 3 scores 80 vs 67 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General Altimax Winter 3 scores 80 vs 69 on handling.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Riken Snow scores 74 vs 69 on wet.
Tire A · General Altimax Winter 3
Tire B · Riken Snow
More comparisons
Also compared with
General Altimax Winter 3 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.