The General's Altimax RT43 tire from Flagship Tires is a premium option that ticks all the boxes for a well-made all-season tire for big touring cars.
The Altimax RT43 Grand Touring all-season tire was designed to compete with top competitors and it seems General has developed a tire that can do that. With a 75,000 mile tread guarantee, the General Altimax RT43 could last longer than most and is among the best all season touring tires available today.
The RT43 rivals top-rated competitors like the Continental True Contact and Michelin Defender T+H and is confident in offering premium quality. Additional grooves as well as a high-tech dual-cushion silica tread compound added to this tire provide tested high performance for wet traction and an improved level of comfort while driving. The additional sipes on the tire tread ensure a higher level of grip in all weather conditions across the country in all seasons. The center-ribbed design around the tire increases steering response with stability and uses a unique acoustic sound modification technology to suppress sound waves for softer, quieter road sounds and a smoother ride quality.
In addition to the impressive level of comfort and efficiency this tire offers, it proves to be one of the most trusted durable options on the market. Within the tire tread are two steel belts with a polyester cord body to provide a comfortable ride with strength and added durability. General offers a 75,000 mile guarantee on this tire to achieve the longest tread life of any tire in its class and to prove its value against other competitors. A useful addition to this tire is a spare tire monitor in the form of a stamp that indicates that the "tire should be replaced" based on tread wear over time. Sizes for this tire are available from 13 to 18 inches with speed ratings from H to V.
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Der Altimax RT43
The RT43 series was developed to replace the previously manufactured Altimax RT. It is designed to provide improved traction all year round, with better handling in addition to long tread life. With a unique tread pattern, this tire offers incredibly reliable handling for a smooth and quiet ride over any distance, in any season. An advanced blend and symmetrical pattern design combine to form what General calls cutting-edge anti-slip slat design technology. This tire offers very high performance in wet conditions and even in light snow.
What is a grand touring tire?
Touring tires, or more commonly referred to as grand touring tires, are designed with certain advantages of an average tire in mind. They're engineered to offer more responsive handling and a more comfortable ride, which works well for long-distance travel. In general, they offer a higher speed rating because they offer traction suitable for smooth highway driving. While most high-performance or sport vehicle owners are looking for improved handling abilities, some might be looking to upgrade to a grand touring tire to focus more on a smoother on-road ride.
Luxury options are often available in all seasonal variations of touring tires. Grand touring tires typically feature asymmetric tread patterns for a smooth ride and predictable handling with long tread. Figuring out which tire is ideal for your vehicle is a common problem and what differences ultimately determine which type of tire is best for you. After learning what differentiates tire types from each other, you can make an informed decision that suits your vehicle transportation needs.
Let's look at other tire options with some obvious differences in design and requirements to further help you understand what constitutes a grand touring tire. Oddly enough, looking into other types of tires and what they offer is a good place to start.
summer tyres
A summer tire is designed to perform in both dry and wet conditions, but it is not suited to colder climates. There are usually enough circumferential grooves to avoid aquaplaning and solid contact patches for satisfactory road grip. With little to no sipes, these tires are better suited to clean roads in warmer climates.
all-terrain
A/T or All Terrain tires are built to do what they are made for, which is to take your vehicle beyond the limits of a slick road. They generally have a more aggressive and deeper tread pattern than road or trail tires. These tires are designed for gravel, sand and light mud. They try to bring a smooth sense of stability to off-road adventures without being awkward on the road.
Track and competition tires
Track and competition tires are quite similar to road tires in that they are primarily designed for high performance. This type of tire is rarely used on everyday vehicles as they have minimal tread for unpredictable roads. They are designed to maintain constant road contact in dry conditions. Although similar to summer tires, these typically feature a reinforced sidewall with Kevlar or Aramid. It's simply a tire designed for predictable roads and competition.
What makes the Altimax RT43 tire different from the rest?
There isn't much we didn't like about this tire after looking at its specs and test ratings as it absolutely compares to its leading competitors such as Michelin and Continental tyres. Its traction on dry or wet roads is among the best in its class. Handling and steering with these tires can give you a more responsive feel and confidence behind the wheel all year round. Stability is excellent at all your vehicle's speed ranges, and the ride is smooth in all but the worst road conditions.
The General Altimax RT43 was released in 2013 to improve the features of its previous model and reviews say they did a good job. With advanced all-season traction and comfort, coupled with improved on-road handling, this tire has a very long tread life. It features a high-tech twin-cushion silica tread compound combined with an asymmetric tread pattern.
Generally, this tip is called anti-slip site design technology. This sipe design is intended to increase dry and wet traction with additional driving comfort. The new design with deep grooves around the tire improves wet performance and the additional sipes provide more grip on light snow roads.
The RT43 has a center rib around the entire tire for stability and responsive steering. Apart from improving stability and driving comfort, it has noise canceling and acoustics modification technology for less road noise. Inside the tread are two steel belts with a polyester cord body. This feature was added to increase the tire's durability and strength in addition to the smoother ride quality.
The Altimax road touring tire is designed for extreme value with even tread wear and truly longer tread life. The dual-cushion silica compound creates a high density for a reliable year-round compound that absorbs road vibrations and promotes a comfortable ride behind the wheel. The impressive compound is processed into an asymmetric tread design with independent center rib blocks. These blocks use sound cancellation technology to reduce road noise.
The anti-slip sipe pattern adds a series of ridges to bite on the sides for traction. The internal structure of the tire features a low surface abrasion technology design that minimizes deformation when the tire rolls. This gives the effect of less surface wear to improve more even tread wear and extend the life of your tire's tread.
The double steel belts, reinforced by layers of spirally wound polyamide, contribute to better stabilization of the tread area, which improves handling. The polyester cord body in the tire supports the ride comfort of the vehicle and improves the quality of every ride with these tires.
reviews and ratings
Survey reports show this tire in the top 20 in its class and 90% compared to the top 12 million+ mile grand all-season tires reported with the Altimax RT43 tire set. If a consumer rating of 8.6 comfort performance and an average 4.5 star rating don't convince you that the Altimax RT43 is worth considering, perhaps the 2020 Tire Rack test results can.
Using a 2020 BMW F36 430i Gran Coupe, the Altimax RT43 tires were tested on a 6.0 mile loop of dual carriageway, state highway and county roads to experience various road conditions. The tests allowed analysis at freeway speeds, on rough concrete and newly patched asphalt. Ratings given by the jury found that the Altimax RT43 tires offered a "noticeably softer and more relaxed" on-road feel than the more aggressive tire models also tested. Discount Tires has prices for Rt43 tires from 13" to 20".Prices range from $68.00 to $165.00.
General Altimax RT43 total
With incredibly smooth handling, the only downside seems to be when the ride feels too slick. Noise is partially minimized thanks to the tread compound with two cushions, while still offering excellent handling. Even winter traction on light ice is easy with these tires.
FAQs
Are General AltiMAX RT43 a good tire? ›
The Altimax RT43 falls into the category of all-season tires that do a reasonably good job in light wintry conditions. And while we highly recommend winter tires for severe winter driving conditions, user ratings demonstrate that the Altimax RT43 has met the traction expectations of most wintertime drivers.
Are General AltiMAX RT43 tires good in the snow? ›As for its performance in snow and ice, that's one area where we found the performance of this tire suffering a lot. Its superior traction and firm grip might get you through if you're being careful and have experience of driving on snowy roads.
How long do General AltiMAX RT43 tires last? ›The General Altimax RT43 (T) has 80,000 miles of tread life in CR testing.
Is the general AltiMAX RT43 a quiet tire? ›Enhanced construction has given General Tire's all-season touring tire, the AltiMAX™ RT43, a quiet and comfortable ride, year-round traction, even wear, and extended treadlife.
Which is better Michelin or General tires? ›Michelin scored first place in the performance and ultra-high-performance categories. In performance all-season tires, the Michelin CrossClimate + ranked first, followed by the Continental PureContact LS, the General Altimax RT43, the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady and the Michelin Premier A/S.
Who manufactures General AltiMAX RT43? ›The Altimax RT43 is an all-season grand touring design from General Tire.
What does RT43 mean? ›The "RT" in RT43 stands for "road touring," and General knows that there are many road surfaces you'll encounter over the life of your tires. It also knows that you'll want to handle them without ever having to doubt your tires —while minimizing noise, vibration and harshness via its touring-oriented design.
Why is all season tires not good for snow? ›The Tread Rubber - In extreme cold temperatures, the tread rubber of an all season or summer tire stiffens and becomes less able to provide sufficient traction. To combat this, tread rubber compounds of winter tires are designed to remain flexible, allowing the tire to grip the road better.
Are General tires Chinese? ›Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, d.b.a. General Tire, is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles.
What does RT43 mean on tires? ›General Altimax RT43 Features
This is a General Altimax that's built to prove that confidence and comfort are interrelated terms when it comes to all-season tires. The "RT" in RT43 stands for "road touring," and General knows that there are many road surfaces you'll encounter over the life of your tires.
Are general all-season tires good in snow? ›
All-weather tires will perform well even in winter, even in heavy snow and ice conditions. However, All-Weather tires will only have traction in light snow and are therefore not ideal for use in areas with severe winters.
Where is General Altimax made? ›The factory in Mt. Vernon, Illinois still manufactures three million car tyres every year.
Are General tires made by Continental? ›In 1995 the company changed its name to Continental General Tire, Inc. before being renamed Continental Tire North America, Inc. in May 2000. Under the brand name General Tire the company continues to manufacture a broad portfolio of tires for passenger cars and Commercial trucks.