Is General a Good Tire Brand? Ratings, Reviews & Performance
General Tire is a good choice for many drivers who want capable everyday performance without moving into the highest price tier. The Continental-owned brand offers current tires for commuting, performance driving, SUVs, trucks, all-terrain use, and winter weather. Its strongest selling points are broad fitment coverage, useful warranty programs, and a practical balance of comfort, traction, and cost.
Quick Answer
Yes, General Tire is a good mainstream value brand. Current models such as the AltiMAX RT45, AltiMAX 365 AW, G-MAX AS-07, and Grabber lines cover most common driving needs. The best choice depends on the exact model, tire size, climate, and vehicle—not the brand name alone.
Key Takeaways
- General Tire is a Continental-owned brand positioned mainly as a practical, value-focused alternative to premium-priced tires.
- The current AltiMAX RT45 has limited treadwear coverage of up to 75,000 miles, while coverage for other models varies.
- The AltiMAX 365 AW, Grabber APT, and Grabber A/TX carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol for qualifying severe-snow traction.
- A mileage warranty is not a promise that every driver will reach that distance, and qualifying wear claims are generally prorated.
- Always match the tire’s size, load index, speed rating, and type to the vehicle manufacturer’s specifications.
Is General Tire a Good Brand?
Yes, General Tire is a good brand for drivers who value reasonable pricing, broad availability, and model choices for different vehicles and road conditions. It is not usually marketed as a luxury or top-tier premium brand, but it is also not an unknown budget label.
General’s current U.S. range includes touring, all-weather, performance, highway, all-terrain, mud-terrain, winter, commercial, and original-equipment tires. That variety makes the brand suitable for everything from a compact commuter to a pickup used on gravel roads.
The important limitation is that quality cannot be judged by the sidewall name alone. A quiet touring tire, an aggressive all-terrain tire, and a dedicated winter tire are built for different jobs. Compare General tires with competing models in the same category, size, load range, and speed rating.
Note: Manufacturer descriptions identify a tire’s intended use, but they are not a substitute for independent testing in the exact category and size you are considering.
[Products Worth Considering]
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Upgrade your ride with a 2-pack set of 26x1.95 folding mountain bike tires built for dependable traction on mud, rocks, and trail surfaces. A reinforced puncture-resistant layer helps protect against sharp debris, while included butyl inner tubes provide strong sealing and shock absorption. Ready for fast swaps with included tire levers and universal sizing for most bikes.
MORNYRAY universal tire covers help protect RV, truck, SUV, trailer, and camper tires from sun, rain, and snow with waterproof, anti-UV fabric and a soft inner lining. Elasticized bands and windproof buckle design help keep covers securely in place for easy on and off use. The set includes a storage bag for convenient handling when not in use.
Who Makes General Tires?
The General Tire and Rubber Company was founded in Akron, Ohio, in 1915. Continental acquired General Tire’s tire operations in 1987, and General now operates as part of Continental Tire the Americas. You can review the brand’s timeline on the official General Tire history page and the acquisition in Continental’s corporate history.
Continental’s ownership gives General access to a large tire manufacturer’s engineering, production, distribution, and warranty infrastructure. That background supports General’s position as an established mainstream brand, but it does not mean a General model will perform identically to a Continental-branded premium tire.
General Tire Strengths and Weaknesses
| Area | What General Does Well | Trade-Off to Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Offers established-brand support and useful warranty programs without relying only on premium positioning. | The installed price can overlap with discounted premium models, so compare the final quote rather than the list price. |
| Model range | Covers touring, performance, all-weather, all-terrain, mud-terrain, and winter applications. | Performance, noise, and tread life vary substantially between categories and sizes. |
| Warranty support | Eligible replacement tires can include a trial period, road-hazard protection, and mileage coverage. | Restrictions, maintenance records, prorating, taxes, and fitment-specific limits apply. |
| Truck and SUV choices | The Grabber range provides highway, mild all-terrain, aggressive all-terrain, mud-terrain, and winter choices. | More aggressive tread patterns can add weight, rolling resistance, firmness, or road noise. |
General’s strongest advantage is choice. A driver seeking strong wet grip from a crossover tire has different needs from a truck owner who regularly drives on rock, mud, or loose gravel. The General lineup includes options for both, but the correct category must come first.
What Drivers Say About General Tires
Owner feedback can help identify recurring themes such as noise, comfort, steering feel, and wear, but reviews must be interpreted carefully. The same model may behave differently on a lightweight sedan, a heavy crossover, or a pickup. Tire pressure, alignment, road surface, climate, and driving style can also change the result.
Real-World Driver Experiences
Current product pages show generally positive owner ratings for models such as the AltiMAX RT45, Grabber HTS60, Grabber APT, and Grabber A/TX. Common praise includes a comfortable ride, acceptable road noise, wet-road confidence, and value for the purchase price.
These reviews are useful for finding patterns, but they do not establish a controlled performance ranking. Drivers rarely use the same vehicle, tire size, pressure, route, tread depth, or replacement interval.
Common Praise and Complaints
Touring-model buyers often focus on ride comfort, low noise, and even wear. Truck and SUV buyers are more likely to praise traction, tread toughness, and stability on unpaved surfaces. Complaints across tire brands commonly involve faster-than-expected wear, vibration, increased noise, or difficulty with a warranty claim.
Before treating premature wear as a tire defect, check alignment, suspension condition, pressure history, rotation records, vehicle loading, and whether the tire was appropriate for the application. Those factors also affect warranty eligibility.
General Tire Performance in Wet and Dry Conditions
General Tire promotes reliable wet braking and responsive wet and dry handling for current touring models such as the AltiMAX RT45 and the Grabber HTS60. Their tread designs use grooves and channels intended to move water away from the contact area.
Dry-road behavior depends on the category. A touring tire usually favors comfort, stability, and gradual responses. A performance model such as the G-MAX AS-07 is designed for more responsive handling. An all-terrain tire uses a more open tread pattern to gain loose-surface traction, which may change steering feel and noise on pavement.
No tread pattern eliminates hydroplaning. Speed, standing-water depth, tire pressure, tread depth, and vehicle load all affect how much grip remains. Vehicle-specific roundups can help explain the importance of matching tire design to the application, including all-season performance and stable handling at high speeds.
Warning: Do not assume that an all-season tire is a dedicated winter tire. In frequent snow, ice, or prolonged freezing weather, consider an all-weather tire carrying the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol or a dedicated winter tire suitable for your vehicle.
General Tire Features for Grip and Comfort
General uses different technologies across its product range. They are not included on every tire, so check the page and specification sheet for the exact model and size.
- Replacement Tire Monitor: A visual tread feature used on models such as the AltiMAX RT45 and G-MAX AS-07 to help indicate when replacement is due.
- Visual Alignment Indicators: Paired markings that can reveal uneven early wear and prompt an alignment inspection.
- DuraGen Technology: Used in several Grabber products to support strength and durability in truck, SUV, and off-road applications.
- Comfort Balance Technology: Used on selected products to reduce the transfer of road disturbance and tread noise.
- Three-peak mountain snowflake marking: Found on qualifying models such as the AltiMAX 365 AW, Grabber APT, and Grabber A/TX for severe-snow traction performance.
Features such as wear indicators are helpful, but they do not replace regular pressure, tread-depth, damage, and alignment checks. For comparison with another mainstream touring option, see the Hankook Kinergy ST H735 review.
Best Current General Tire Models by Use
The best General tire depends on how and where you drive. The table below summarizes prominent current U.S. models. Availability and warranty mileage may vary by size, speed rating, load range, and application.
| Model | Best For | Type | Advertised Mileage Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| AltiMAX RT45 | Daily commuting, family cars, crossovers, and long-distance touring | Touring all-season | Up to 75,000 miles |
| AltiMAX 365 AW | Drivers wanting one set for changing seasons and stronger snow capability | All-weather, 3PMSF | 60,000 miles |
| G-MAX AS-07 | Sport sedans, coupes, and drivers wanting more responsive handling | High-performance all-season | 50,000 miles |
| Grabber HTS60 | SUV and light-truck highway driving, comfort, and year-round road use | Highway all-season | Up to 65,000 miles |
| Grabber APT | Mostly paved driving with occasional gravel, dirt, or mild trails | All-terrain, 3PMSF | 60,000 miles |
| Grabber A/TX | More demanding all-terrain use while retaining regular road capability | Aggressive all-terrain, 3PMSF | Up to 60,000 miles |
| AltiMAX Arctic 12 | Passenger cars and crossovers in persistent snow, ice, and freezing temperatures | Studdable winter tire, 3PMSF | No advertised mileage warranty |
Truck and SUV owners should decide how much off-road use they actually encounter. The Grabber HTS60 is the road-focused choice, the Grabber APT is the milder all-terrain option, and the Grabber A/TX is intended for more demanding terrain. Vehicle-specific comparisons can also help clarify all-terrain capabilities.
For winter driving, selecting the correct category can improve overall driving confidence, but no tire can overcome excessive speed or unsafe following distance on snow and ice.
How Long General Tires Last in Real Use
There is no reliable single mileage figure for every General tire. Current advertised treadwear coverage ranges from 50,000 miles on the G-MAX AS-07 to as much as 75,000 miles on qualifying AltiMAX RT45 sizes. Some winter and off-road products do not carry a mileage warranty.
A mileage warranty is a coverage limit, not a prediction that every buyer will reach that distance. General states that actual mileage varies with driving habits and road conditions. Tire size, load, inflation, alignment, rotation, vehicle design, climate, and tread compound also matter.
[Products Worth Considering]
Monitor tire tread wear with a smart, color-coded depth gauge that shows clear condition ranges at a glance. The bar is range marked for fast, easy readings, helping you maintain safer traction and performance. Each gauge is portable with a pocket clip, and the set includes 20 units for daily use and sharing.
Measure tyre tread depth precisely with a digital gauge that reads in both MM and inches, helping you monitor safe driving conditions. The large LCD screen is easy to operate, and the compact tool fits for cars, trucks, and motorcycles. It provides high accuracy with a 0-25.4mm range and includes a 1-year warranty for added peace of mind.
The ETENWOLF T600 digital tire pressure gauge delivers precise, manually calibrated readings to ANSI B40.7 Grade 2A standards with ±0.5% PSI accuracy. Its 360° rotating nozzle and display hold make it easy to check pressures from any angle, while a bleed button helps dial tires to the perfect level. With a 0–250 PSI range and support for PSI, BAR, and KPA, it’s a convenient tool for maintaining tire performance across many vehicles and seasons.
Real-World Mileage
Owner mileage reports are best treated as individual examples rather than a brand average. One driver may spend most of the tire’s life on smooth highways, while another drives short urban trips, carries heavy loads, or travels on abrasive roads. Those tires can wear at very different rates even when they share the same model name.
Use the model’s warranty, treadwear grade where applicable, current tread depth, and measured wear pattern as separate pieces of information. A guide to treadwear ratings can help explain why the highest advertised mileage is not always the best choice for every driver.
Wear Factors
- Inflation: Underinflation can increase heat and shoulder wear, while overinflation can reduce the contact area and increase center wear.
- Alignment: Incorrect toe or camber settings can remove tread rapidly from one edge.
- Rotation: Front, rear, driven, and non-driven positions often wear at different rates.
- Vehicle load: Frequent towing, hauling, or overloading increases tire stress.
- Driving style: Hard acceleration, late braking, and fast cornering accelerate wear.
- Road and climate: Coarse pavement, heat, potholes, gravel, and repeated impacts can shorten service life.
- Vehicle condition: Worn shocks, bushings, bearings, or suspension parts may create irregular wear.
Tread Life Tips
Check pressure when the tires are cold and use the pressure printed on the vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information label or specified in the owner’s manual. The maximum pressure on the tire sidewall is not the routine inflation target.
NHTSA’s TireWise guidance recommends following the vehicle manufacturer’s rotation instructions and notes that a 5,000- to 8,000-mile interval may be appropriate when rotation is recommended. General’s warranty documentation requires qualifying tires to be rotated at least every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, or sooner when uneven wear appears.
Pro Tip: Keep the purchase invoice, installation mileage, alignment invoices, and a dated rotation record. These documents help you track wear and may be required for a mileage-warranty claim.
How the General Tire Warranty Works
General’s Shield+ Advantage Plan combines several types of coverage. The terms are separate, and not every product or condition qualifies.
- Limited manufacturer’s warranty: Eligible passenger and light-truck replacement tires are covered against warrantable conditions for as long as 72 months, subject to the complete policy.
- Free replacement period: An eligible tire that becomes unserviceable because of a covered condition may qualify for free replacement during the first 12 months or first 2/32 inch of treadwear, whichever comes first.
- Customer satisfaction trial: Qualifying replacement tires may be exchanged for another set of General tires during the first 45 days or first 2/32 inch of treadwear, subject to the trial’s conditions.
- Road-hazard coverage: Eligible nonrepairable road-hazard damage may be covered during the first 12 months or first 2/32 inch of treadwear.
- Mileage warranty: Select products carry advertised mileage coverage of up to 75,000 miles. An approved early-wear claim is generally settled through a prorated replacement calculation rather than a free new tire.
Mileage claims require even wear down to the treadwear indicators, proof of purchase, odometer information, and a completed rotation record. Tires on staggered vehicles that cannot be rotated from front to rear may receive reduced mileage coverage. Commercial use, racing, improper maintenance, overloading, incorrect inflation, damage, and other exclusions can also affect eligibility.
Note: Warranty terms can change and may differ by country. Read the current policy and the exact product page before treating mileage coverage as part of the purchase decision.
General Tire vs. Michelin and Other Premium Brands
General Tire is usually considered a mainstream value brand, while Michelin is commonly positioned in the premium tier. That market position does not prove that every Michelin tire will outperform every General tire. It mainly means the brands often target different price points, feature sets, and buyer priorities.
Compare exact models rather than logos. A useful comparison should keep the following factors as similar as possible:
- Tire category, such as touring all-season or all-terrain
- Exact tire size and service description
- Vehicle and test conditions
- New and worn wet braking
- Dry handling and emergency response
- Snow and ice capability where relevant
- Road noise and ride quality
- Rolling resistance
- Installed price and available rebates
- Warranty terms and expected ownership period
A premium model may be worth the added cost when a driver prioritizes the best available refinement, low noise, rolling efficiency, or category-leading test performance. General can be the stronger value when its exact model performs well in the areas that matter to the buyer and costs meaningfully less after installation.
The same approach applies to Goodyear, Cooper, Continental, Hankook, Bridgestone, and other established brands. No brand wins every category. Vehicle-specific research into all-season performance is more useful than a blanket brand ranking.
How to Choose the Right General Tire
- Confirm the required fitment. Read the driver-side door placard and owner’s manual. Match the size, load index, load range, and speed rating unless the vehicle manufacturer approves an alternative.
- Identify the climate. Choose a touring all-season tire for moderate conditions, an all-weather or 3PMSF-rated model for stronger snow capability, or a dedicated winter tire for persistent freezing weather.
- Match the surface. Highway tires favor paved-road comfort. All-terrain tires trade some refinement for loose-surface traction and toughness. Mud-terrain tires are more specialized.
- Check the exact size’s warranty. A model advertised with coverage “up to” a mileage limit may have lower coverage in certain sizes or speed ratings.
- Compare independent tests. Look for testing of the same category and preferably the same size, with separate results for wet braking, dry handling, winter traction, noise, and comfort.
- Calculate the installed cost. Include mounting, balancing, valve service, disposal fees, taxes, alignment, and any required road-hazard plan.
- Inspect the production date. Check the DOT Tire Identification Number and avoid assuming that unused old stock is equivalent to recently manufactured inventory.
Warning: Never install a tire solely because the wheel diameter matches. An incorrect load index, speed rating, overall diameter, load range, or inflation requirement can affect handling, braking, clearance, and tire durability. Ask a qualified tire professional when the fitment is uncertain.
Are General Tires Made in the USA?
Some tires sold by Continental in the United States are produced at U.S. facilities. Continental’s Mount Vernon, Illinois, plant produces passenger, light-truck, and commercial tires. However, that does not establish that every General Tire model and size is made in the United States.
Manufacturing origin can vary by tire line, size, production run, and market. Check the country marking and DOT Tire Identification Number on the actual tire rather than relying on a brand-wide statement. General explains the identification format in its guide to the DOT serial number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is General Tire a premium brand?
General Tire is usually described as a mainstream or value-focused established brand rather than a premium brand. It is owned by Continental and offers capable products across many categories, but General and Continental-branded tires may target different prices, features, and performance priorities.
What’s a better tire, Cooper or General?
Neither brand is universally better. Compare specific Cooper and General models in the same category, size, load range, and price range. General has strong touring and Grabber options, while Cooper also offers extensive highway and off-road choices. Independent testing of the exact competing models is more useful than a brand-wide verdict.
Which tire is better, Goodyear or General?
The answer depends on the model and use. Goodyear has a broad range that includes premium-priced products, while General often competes on value. Compare wet braking, dry handling, winter traction, noise, warranty terms, and installed price for two directly comparable tires.
How long do General brand tires last?
There is no single brand-wide lifespan. Current mileage warranties range from 50,000 miles on the G-MAX AS-07 to as much as 75,000 miles on qualifying AltiMAX RT45 sizes, while some winter and off-road tires have no mileage warranty. Actual life depends on the model, maintenance, vehicle, load, roads, climate, and driving style.
Who owns General Tire?
Continental owns General Tire. Continental acquired General Tire’s tire operations in 1987, and the brand now operates within Continental Tire the Americas.
Are all General tires made in the United States?
No brand-wide statement should be assumed. Continental operates U.S. tire plants, but the manufacturing origin of a General tire can vary by model and size. Check the country marking and DOT Tire Identification Number on the tire you are buying.
Conclusion
General Tire is a good brand for buyers who want an established manufacturer, a broad selection, and competitive value. The AltiMAX RT45 suits everyday touring, the AltiMAX 365 AW adds severe-snow capability, the G-MAX AS-07 targets performance driving, and the Grabber range covers highway and off-road use.
The final decision should be model-specific. Confirm the fitment, compare current test results, read the exact warranty, and calculate the installed price. General is not automatically the best tire for every vehicle, but the right General model can be a sensible alternative to a higher-priced premium option.
Sources
- General Tire: About Us — brand history and founding information.
- Continental: Company History and Milestones — Continental’s acquisition of General Tire.
- General Tire: Current Tire Catalog — current passenger, performance, truck, SUV, all-terrain, and winter model lineup.
- General Tire: Shield+ Advantage Plan — current warranty, trial, mileage, and road-hazard overview.
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: TireWise — tire fitment, pressure, rotation, tread, and safety guidance.
- Continental: Mount Vernon Tire Plant — U.S. passenger, light-truck, and commercial tire production information.
[Products Worth Considering]
The SAFELIFE dial tire tread depth gauge measures tread depth in 1/32 inch increments with clear, easy-to-read 2-inch dial face. Color zones using a traffic light system help you quickly judge whether tread is low, marginal, or ample for safer driving. Built with a durable zinc cast body and a metal detect probe for precise, comfortable use across cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses.
Accurately measure tire tread depth with a calibrated gauge marked from 0 to 1 inch in 1/32 inch increments. The color-coded bar helps you quickly identify tread condition ranges, supporting safe driving for trucks, motorcycles, automobiles, and passenger vehicles.
Replace worn or missing TPMS sensors with a pre-programmed 4-pack designed for compatible GM vehicles. These 315MHz sensors provide real-time tire pressure monitoring and alert you if pressure is too high, too low, or if a rapid air leak occurs. Most installations are ready with minimal relearn effort after mounting, helping improve safety and driving confidence.
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