The AltiMAX Arctic 12 is General’s Studdable Winter/Snow tire designed for the drivers of coupes, sedans, crossovers and SUVs looking for confident performance and traditional wintertime traction on dry, wet and snow-covered roads.
General Altimax Arctic 12General AltiMAX Arctic 12 tires feature a winter-focused compound molded into a highly directional tread pattern. The arrow-shaped, rigid central rib provides solid on-center feel and steering response, and the optimized tread contour aids in pressure distribution across the footprint for improved wear compared to the previous-generation tire. High-void, angled grooves and wide lateral notches evacuate water and slush from the contact patch to resist hydroplaning, and the strategically angled tread blocks and serrated sipes provide additional biting edges for confident traction in slippery conditions.
Internal construction of the AltiMAX Arctic 12 consists of a high-turn up, polyester casing beneath two wide, steel belts. A spirally wound, polyamide cap ply aids handling and provides high-speed durability.
AltiMAX Arctic 12 tires meet the industry’s severe snow service requirements and are branded with the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.
Install AltiMAX Arctic 12 tires in sets of four only.
Molded to accept optional TSMI #12 silver-colored metallic winter studs.
Founder at Tiresout. Used to be working as an engineer at Bridgestone Tires Akron Technical Center. The responsibilities included but were not limited to technical computing, indoor & outdoor testing of new tires.
The best winter tires on the market. I own them in different sizes and on different types of vehicles. The tires perform flawless in the winter.
These tires are good in the snow and on ice. That’s why I purchased them. However, I would not recommend these for those of you that do spirited driving in more temperate climates that only get a few snows a year. These tires are pretty bad in the rain and not great on dry roads either. I’m in the mid-Atlantic region and only get maybe a half-dozen snows a season, and these tires are not good enough to recommend for this climate. A more well-rounded winter tire would be better for this climate. These tires are comfortable, good tread wear, and are relatively quiet on the highway. However, they’re borderline dangerous on rainy/wet roads, and pretty weak on dry pavement as well. Not recommended and I will not be purchasing these again.
Over the years we have had Blizzaks and General Arctics for snow tires as well as General RT43’s for summer tires. It is that history that led us to get the Arctics last year for the wife’s Rav4. She previously had same for her Prius and was amazed how well just front wheel drive with snows did in the New England winters. I have them on my Fusion AWD and have fantastic results as well. She works nights as a CNA so needs reliable tires/transportation which is why when she leased her Rav we knew it would be Generals for winter use. This winter has not been as bad with snow as previous ones but we have had more ice storms than usual. The combination of the Rav AWD and the Generals (along with careful driving) has made sure she gets to and from work safely and without incident. She appreciates that the Generals are quieter and ride smoother than the OEM summers. She can be a little spirited with stopping so I’m glad for the traction the Generals provide both with snow and ice. This winter has forced her to reign in her driving somewhat but her confidence in the Generals shows when she drives herself rather than have me take her in. As we have dedicated summer and winter tires we expect to get at least 5+ seasons out of the Generals – I expect they will be replaced based on age long before they run out of tread. Anyone considering a good snow tire and can’t afford Blizzaks (our previous 1st choice) will be very please to try the Generals and have both comfort and safety as a reward. Thanks General!
On my second season with the Arctic 12s. These are downsized from OEM on standard 16″ Sonata wheels. These are all around excellent winter tires, and I would definitely buy them again. First season last year I had approx 7,000 miles of mostly cold, dry suburban Chicago highway and local driving. I have previously run both WS60 and WS70 Blizzaks on an 07′ Civic, and immediately noticed the Generals were much quieter on the highway. This winter I’ve had the full snow and ice experience for another 5,000+ miles and can say that the handling is equal to those older Blizzaks. Very stable in light snow, hardpack, and slushy icing conditions. Good traction in somewhat deeper snow. A very good value all-around. I was initially concerned by the lower price point and inclusion of the stud mounting holes, but after driving them, I highly recommend as a great alternative to more expensive options.
Great entry level snow tire. There is more sidewall that I was used to for my car, so it feels kind of gummy in corners when you are on dry pavement. Despite having only 4 inches of ground clearance I was never stuck on or off the road. The tires were very intuitive and complimented the AWD system in my car very well. The tires aren’t very quiet due to the larger tread, but it is maybe 1/8th more loud when they are not studded.
Still hands down the best winter tires I have ever owned. I originally purchased a set of Michelin XIce Xi3 for my Accord but after a season I hated them so much in the snow I took them off and disposed of them. Promptly replaced with a set of new General Altima’s Arctic 12. Problem completely fixed and I got my car back. No more slush planing, no more struggling in heavy rain, no more spinning the crap out of the XIces Xi3 to try and get traction. The Arctic 12s are far superior to the Michelin’s. The Arctic 12s out performed the XIce in every single way. Whether on the interstate or city street or country roads. Just poking around or having fun. The Arctic 12s were better. The biggest difference was on ice and wet packed snow. The XIce Xi3 struggled, tended to have heavy ABS intervention and little bite. Ice was scary on the Michelin XIce Xi 3 which got stuck multiple times at intersections with wheel spin as soon as the clutch was engaged. The Generals always feel like they have their footing on ice and there is a lot more reserve traction even without the studs. I will buy these again and again!
This is a follow up review. I have the studded version. I have had them through two winter seasons–one in Washington and one in the upper great plains. My car is just RWD. These tires excel at their intended purpose. They give great traction in all snow, slush, ice, and wet conditions. They bite very well and provide strong lateral grip too. My partner has the Nokian Nordman 7 studded on her car, and compared to those, the Generals bite better and have more grip. The Nordmans feel like they are pushing snow, while the Generals feel like they are clawing/digging/biting. The Generals are great because they aren’t overly expensive, perform exceptionally, and give you an added safety margin in winter driving. I think these are well worth the price for the added safety and peace of mind they provide. I will buy them again, and I highly recommend them!!