General Altimax RT43 Review

If you’re in the market for a well-rounded tire for a compact crossover (or sedan) General Tire makes a compelling offer with the Altimax RT43. It delivers a premium ride, without the premium cost, though it does have some drawbacks.

PROS

  • Quiet, comfortable ride
  • Long life and warranty
  • Impressive wet grip
  • Lots of sizes
  • Attractive pricing

CONS

  • Not as engaging to drive as some competitors
  • Mediocre dry weather grip

   

Built mostly for compact and mid-size sedans, the Altimax RT43 also has fitments for numerous extremely-popular crossovers including the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. If you own one of these crossovers chances are you’re not overly concerned with rugged off-road performance. Instead, the features with the most concern are long life, as well as a quiet, comfortable ride. And that’s just what the Altimax RT43 is designed for.

An all-season tire, the Altimax RT43 is designed for optimal wet weather grip with plenty of evacuation channels and a tread pattern that optimizes the amount of edges – for maximum traction.

Dry traction is decent, though not overly engaging. The tread shoulder blocks don’t feature the sort of reinforcing we see on rival tires. As a result, it has extra wet-weather water-dispersion capability, but dry driving dynamics are a bit lacking.

For a tire that’s designed more around delivering a luxurious ride, we can’t fault it too much for putting the focus on its core competencies.

While delivering some traction in snow, this is not a winter tire and those living in northern climates should probably keep a set of winter tires handy when the seasons change.

The tread itself is made of a custom silica compound designed to deliver a comfortable ride, with a unique under-layer that’s built to better absorb bumps. And it does so impressively well.

It also makes use of General Tire’s AMST (Acoustic Modulation Sound Technology) that help to minimize tire noise.

To help achieve the promised treadwear warranties, the RT43 comes with General Tire’s Replacement Tire Monitor (RTM) and Visual Alignment Indicators (VAI), with lettering on the tire that easily lets you know if your tires are wearing properly. Tread life is decent, depending on he specific tire. Some versions come with an impressive 75,000 mile warranty while most come with a 65,000 mile warranty. That’s average for this category, however, it’s important to point out that you’re paying less here.

Is General Altimax RT43 a good tire?

Overall, the Altimax RT43 comes with plenty of benefit for everyday use. Refinement is quite high and driving dynamics, while not impressive, are more than sufficient for 99 percent of drivers. And when you package this together with a reasonably long-lasting tread compound and an extremely attractive price point, the Altimax RT43 represents a fantastic bargain.

What vehicles does the General Tire Altimax RT43 fit on?
  • Acura TLX
  • Buick Lacrosse
  • Chevrolet Equinox
  • Chrysler Pacifica
  • Ford Escape, Edge, Ranger
  • Honda CR-V, Pilot, Odyssey
  • Hyundai Tucson
  • Jeep Liberty
  • Kia Sportage, Sorento
  • Mitsubishi Outlander
  • Nissan Rogue, Murano, Versa
  • Toyota RAV4, Prius, Tacoma, Camy, Venza
  • Subaru Legacy, Outback
  • Volkswagen Tiguan
  • As well as a large selection of passenger cars

General Altimax RT43 Price

With some incredibly small sizes available, including 13- and 14-inch sizes, the Altimax RT43 starts at just $70 per tire and goes up to around $180 per tire. Retailers may sell for less.

   

General Altimax RT43 Warranty

Depending on the speed-rating of the Altimax RT43 tires, a different mileage warranty is applied. Both, however, are substantial. Tires that are H or V rated get a 65,000 mile warranty while tires that are T rated come with a 75,000 mile warranty.

General Altimax RT43 Sizes

13-inch tires

175/70R13

14-inch tires

175/70R14
185/70R14
195/70R14
205/70R14
215/70R14
225/70R14
175/65R14
185/65R14
185/65R14
185/60R14
195/60R14

15-inch tires

205/70R15
215/70R15
225/70R15
235/70R15
175/65R15
185/65R15
185/65R15
195/65R15
195/65R15
205/65R15
205/65R15
215/65R15
185/60R15
185/60R15
195/60R15
195/60R15
205/60R15
205/60R15
215/60R15
225/60R15
185/55R15
195/55R15

16-inch tires

205/70R16
215/70R16
225/70R16
205/65R16
205/65R16
215/65R16
215/65R16
225/65R16
225/65R16
235/65R16
205/60R16
205/60R16
205/60R16
215/60R16
215/60R16
215/60R16
225/60R16
225/60R16
235/60R16
235/60R16
185/55R16
195/55R16
205/55R16
205/55R16
215/55R16
225/55R16
195/50R16
205/50R16

17-inch tires

215/65R17
225/65R17
225/65R17
235/65R17
215/60R17
225/60R17
225/60R17
235/60R17
215/55R17
215/55R17
225/55R17
225/55R17
225/55R17
235/55R17
235/55R17
205/50R17
215/50R17
225/50R17
225/50R17
205/45R17
215/45R17
225/45R17
225/45R17
235/45R17
245/45R17

18-inch tires

235/65R18
225/60R18
235/60R18
215/55R18
225/55R18
235/55R18
225/50R18
235/50R18
225/45R18
235/45R18
245/45R18
245/40R18

19-inch tires

225/55R19
255/45R19
245/40R19

20-inch tires

245/50R20

Who sells General Altimax RT43?

General Tire models are relatively easy to find at most larger retailers including Walmart and Costco. In addition, they’re readily available through trusted online retailers like TireRack, Discount Tire and through numerous different sellers on Amazon.

Is the General Altimax RT43 any good in snow?

About average for an all-season tire, the Altimax RT43 isn’t ideal for winter driving. Some siping on the tread blocks gives adequate grip for this segment, however, we’d caution that in climates with regular snow or long periods below 45 degrees, we’d suggest swapping to a set of proper winter tires when the season changes.

Is the General Altimax RT43 a quiet tire?

The Altimax RT43 is a nearly silent tire during operation, as is expected for a conventional all-season tire. It makes use of General Tire’s Acoustic Modulation Sound Technology (AMST) with a computer designed tread pattern where road noise is effectively cancelled out by other audio waves produced by the tire.

How long does the General Altimax RT43 last?

Expect that Altimax RT43 tires will lat anywhere between 65,000 and 75,000 miles – on the mid- to high-end for all-season tires. Versions with the more performance-focused H and V speed rating get the lower 65,000 mile warranty while T speed rated tires can last as long as 75,000 miles. This assumes you don’t abuse your tires and maintain them properly with adequate tire inflation as well as routine rotation.