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Winter tire Winter Premium Touring tires Updated September 2026

General Altimax Winter 3 review

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.

Relative score
73/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
85/100
3 reviews
Road tests
69/100
6 published tests

Owners rate it 15.8 points higher than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.

General Altimax Winter 3
Scores

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

By owner reviews

85%
Would buy again 87%
Dry
Overall dry
83%
Corner stability
80%
Dry traction
83%
Steering response
73%
Wet
Overall wet
80%
Wet traction
80%
Snow & ice
Overall snow & ice
100%
Ice
100%
Comfort
Overall comfort
80%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
85%
Handling
Overall handling
80%

By road tests

69.2%
Dry
75%
Wet
61.2%
Snow
73.6%
Noise
24.8%
By discipline (% of best in test)
Dry Braking
20%
Dry Handling
20%
Wet Braking
26.4%
Wet Handling
15%
Straight Aquaplaning
5%
Snow Braking
56.4%
Snow Handling
25%
Snow Traction
85%
Inside Noise level
80%
Rolling Resistance
35%
Price
90%
Wear
30%
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 3 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

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

Worth knowing

  • Users noted that the rubber compound feels firmer than premium alternatives like Michelin, impacting overall ride comfort.
Test results

6 published test appearances

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2022 Winter tire Market Overview · 215/55 R17

35th of 56
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking36th of 56

2021 ADAC 15 Inch Winter tire Test · 225/50 R17

14th of 16
DisciplinePlacementField position

2021 Winter tire Market Overview · 205/55 R16

24th of 49
Best: Snow Braking · 14th Weakest: Wet Braking · 29th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking29th of 49
Snow Braking14th of 49

2020 Auto Bild Performance Winter tire Test · 245/45 R18

18th of 20
Best: Value · 3rd Weakest: Straight Aqua · 20th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking18th of 20
Wet Handling18th of 20
Dry Braking17th of 20
Dry Handling17th of 20
Snow Braking6th of 20
Snow Traction4th of 20
Snow Handling16th of 20
Rolling Resistance14th of 20
Straight Aqua20th of 20
Noise5th of 20
Value3rd of 20
Wear15th of 20
Total Cost of Ownership11th of 20

2020 Winter tire Market Overview - 52 tire Braking Test · 245/45 R18

17th of 48
Best: Snow Braking · 6th Weakest: Wet Braking · 22nd
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking22nd of 48
Snow Braking6th of 48

2019 Winter tire Test Market Overview · 225/45 R17

34th of 45
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking34th of 45
Head-to-head

General Altimax Winter 3 compared

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