General AltiMAX 365 AW vs Toyo Celsius Sport: All season tires have always been the go to tires for the American market and this segment has been well established across the years. With many competitors yearning to become the best all season tire, General Tires recently announced their latest touring all season tireline called AltiMAX 365 AW. This tireline slightly differs to its previous all season line up as the AltiMAX 365 AW comes with a certified 3 peak mountain label which makes them effectively a legal snow tire.
We will pair the AltiMAX 365 AW against one of its main rivals of a similar class which is Toyo’s Celsius Sport. This product also comes with the 3 peak mountain label on it which gives it a “Severe Snow Service Rated” rating. AltiMAX 365 AW was launched in 2021 which is relatively new while Celsius Sport was launched in 2022. Let’s put them head to head and see who comes out on top !
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from the Tire Rack’s “Testing Grand Touring All-Season Tires 2022” test. A total of 4 tires were tested this time around. The graph below shows the comparison between General AltiMAX 365 AW vs Toyo Celsius Sport based on the relevant performance category. The AltiMAX 365 AW was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark. Note that for subjective evaluation, we equate 1 point as 5%. Hence for example if tire A is graded 7 while tire B is graded 6, A is better than B by 5%.
As both tires are categorized as all season tires with 3 peak mountain labels, Tire Rack will conduct the snow & ice tests in this upcoming 2022 winter season hence please stay tuned for further updates. The tire size of interest is a 215/45R17 which is a common tire size for Honda Civic 2.0 & Toyota Corolla Altis. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a powerful 2022 Subaru BRZ Limited.
Wet
The friction of coefficient of the tire/road dramatically decreases in wet roads compared to dry roads. Hence it is more likely to get into a road accident during wet conditions rather than on a sunny day. It was so important that the EU label has wet braking as one of its three criteria. With regards to our comparison, Celsius Sport was ahead in wet braking compared to AltiMAX 365 AW with a 7.1 feet (2.2 m) advantage in braking distance.
While in wet handling, Celsius Sport was once again in the lead as it was 1.46 seconds per lap faster than AltiMAX 365 AW. From the subjective notes, the rating was in favor for Celsius Sport being better with a 7.28/10 rating compared to AltiMAX 365 AW’s 5.78/10 rating. Overall, it is clear from the test results that Celsius Sport is way better in wet conditions compared to AltiMAX 365 AW.
Celsius Sport :
- +5.9% in wet braking
- +7.5% in wet handling (subj)
- +4.1% in wet handling (lap time)
Dry
As for dry, safety is usually not an issue as the braking distance is much longer than wet. However this is the default daily usage and the tires have to perform at a very consistent level. Unlike in wet, the results were much closer this time whereby Celsius Sport had only a 2.5 feet (0.76m) advantage in dry braking distance.
The margins were even closer in dry handling as Celsius Sport was judged to be marginally better in subjective rating with a 7.19/10 rating compared to 6,97/10 rating of AltiMAX 365 AW. In regards to the lap times, both tires had the same lap time of 30.9 seconds which signifies an extremely close battle.. Overall, Celsius Sport managed to show slight advantage in dry braking while both tires were closely matched in dry handling.
Celsius Sport :
- +2.8% in dry braking
- +1.1% in dry handling (subj)
- 0% in dry handling (lap time)
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
Ride comfort, noise & comfort was tested and differences in noise & ride quality were most prevalent. Celsius Sport came out ahead at 7.96/10 rating compared to the 7.08/10 rating of AltiMAX 365 AW.
Celsius Sport :
- +4.4% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality.
Snow
When comparing the snow performances of the General AltiMAX 365 AW and the Toyo Celsius Sport tires, it’s important to note that despite both having a 3-peak mountain certification, their performances in snow conditions show significant differences.
In terms of snow braking, the General AltiMAX 365 AW outperforms the Toyo Celsius Sport. The AltiMAX 365 AW has a stopping distance of 55.70 feet, while the Celsius Sport stops at 62.30 feet when braking from 25 to 0 mph. This means the AltiMAX 365 AW stops nearly 6.6 feet shorter than the Celsius Sport, which is a considerable difference in terms of safety and performance in snowy conditions.
When it comes to snow acceleration, the pattern continues with the General AltiMAX 365 AW showing superior performance. It can accelerate from 0 to 12 mph in 27.92 feet, compared to the Toyo Celsius Sport which covers this distance in 31.91 feet. Here, the AltiMAX 365 AW is approximately 4 feet quicker in gaining traction and accelerating, which is crucial for navigating slippery conditions effectively.
Lastly, in terms of subjective snow handling, the General AltiMAX 365 AW is rated higher at 8.04 out of 10, compared to the Toyo Celsius Sport’s rating of 7.25 out of 10. This rating suggests that drivers may find the AltiMAX 365 AW to provide a more confident and controlled driving experience in snowy conditions.
In summary, despite both tires being certified for snow conditions, the General AltiMAX 365 AW shows a clear advantage in key areas like braking, acceleration, and handling in snowy environments.
Celsius Sport :
- -11% in snow braking
- -13% in snow acceleration
- -4% in subjective snow handling
Ice
In comparing the ice performance between the General AltiMAX 365 AW and the Toyo Celsius Sport tires, we see notable differences in their capabilities.
On ice, the General AltiMAX 365 AW demonstrates superior braking performance. It has an ice braking stopping distance of 48.50 feet, in contrast to the Toyo Celsius Sport which stops at 53.20 feet. This means that the AltiMAX 365 AW can stop nearly 4.7 feet shorter than the Celsius Sport when braking from 12 to 0 mph on ice. This shorter stopping distance can be crucial in avoiding collisions and maintaining control on icy roads.
For ice acceleration, again the General AltiMAX 365 AW shows better performance. It takes 5.68 seconds for the AltiMAX 365 AW to accelerate to 60 feet with traction control, whereas the Toyo Celsius Sport takes 6.11 seconds to cover the same distance. Here, the AltiMAX 365 AW is approximately 0.43 seconds quicker, indicating better traction and acceleration capabilities on icy surfaces.
In summary, across both braking and acceleration on ice, the General AltiMAX 365 AW consistently outperforms the Toyo Celsius Sport, with shorter stopping distances and quicker acceleration times, enhancing safety and control in icy conditions.
Celsius Sport :
- -9% in ice braking
- -7% in ice acceleration
UTQG rating
We have previously shown that UTQG tread wear rating can be a good indication of your expected mileage. Below are the UTQG values of both of the tirelines.
| Brand | Tireline | Size | Tread Wear | Traction | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyo | Celsius Sport | All | 400 | A | A |
| General | AltiMAX 365 | All | 540 | A | A |
The mileage warranty for both tires are at 60,000 miles. Despite the fact that Celsius Sport has a much lower UTQG tread wear rating of 400 in comparison to 540 of AltiMAX 365 AW. As the difference is quite huge we should anticipate a slightly higher expected mileage for AltiMAX 365 AW in comparison to Celsius Sport.
For more in depth information about UTQG, please check out this article here. We even have a free download on the latest UTQG values from the leading tire manufacturers.
Price
Celsius Sport being the latest new tire, cost 22 dollars more than General’s AltiMAX 365 AW.
Tire size: 215/45R17
AltiMAX 365 AW: $172
Celsius Sport: $194
Difference: +11% more expensive for Celsius Sport.
Summary
In the overall comparison, the Toyo Celsius Sport excelled in all wet, dry, and comfort performances during the summer, standing out despite its higher price. However, the situation changed after the winter test, revealing a shift in performance favorability. While the Celsius Sport was the undisputed choice for summer conditions, the winter results highlighted the superior performance of the General AltiMAX 365 AW in snow and ice conditions. This contrast suggests that while the Celsius Sport is ideal if summer performance are your main requirements. While the General AltiMAX 365 AW may be the better choice for if winter is your main requirment.