The Continental VikingContact 8 vs General Altimax Arctic 12 is an intriguing internal battle, as both brands belong to Continental. It pits Continental’s latest premium winter technology against General’s proven value-focused formula—but both rely on aggressive tread designs and extremely soft studless compounds to generate grip on snow and ice. So, does the premium VikingContact 8 justify its position, or can its more affordable sibling deliver a surprise? Let’s find out in this fascinating studless winter tire family showdown.
Table of Contents
Results: Continental VikingContact 8 vs General Altimax Arctic 12
Results below were taken from the Tire Rack’s “All-Weather vs. Winter Tires: The Definitive Test“. A total of 10 tires were tested this time around in Tire Rack’s own proving ground. The graph below shows the comparison between Continental VikingContact 8 vs General Altimax Arctic 12 based on the relevant performance category. The Continental VikingContact 8 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, Tire Rack has included snow & ice in its testing portfolio. The tire size of interest is 215/55R17 which is a common tire size for Chevrolet Cruze Eco & Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a 2025 Toyota Camry.
Snow
In snow braking, the VikingContact 8 stopped 1.78 feet shorter than the Altimax Arctic 12, giving it a 3% advantage. It also required 1.06 feet less distance to accelerate, making it 4% better in snow acceleration.
The VikingContact 8 scored 0.42 points higher in subjective snow handling, a 2% performance advantage, and completed the snow-handling lap 2.12 seconds faster, making it 4% quicker. Overall, the VikingContact 8 was consistently stronger across every snow test, although the Altimax Arctic 12 remained impressively close.
Altimax Arctic 12 :
- -3% in Snow braking
- -4% in Snow Acceleration
- -2% in Snow handling (subj)
- -4% in Snow handling(lap time)
Ice
On ice, the VikingContact 8 stopped 2.60 feet shorter than the Altimax Arctic 12, giving it a 6% advantage in ice braking. This makes the Continental the stronger choice when maximum stopping grip on slippery ice is the priority.
Altimax Arctic 12 :
- -6% in Ice braking
Wet
In wet braking, the VikingContact 8 stopped 4.60 feet shorter than the Altimax Arctic 12, giving it a 4% advantage. The Continental therefore provides stronger wet-weather stopping performance and a slightly greater safety margin in the rain.
Altimax Arctic 12 :
- -4% in wet braking
Dry
In dry braking, the VikingContact 8 stopped 3.80 feet shorter than the Altimax Arctic 12, giving it a 4% advantage. The Continental once again delivered the stronger braking performance, although the difference remained relatively close.
Altimax Arctic 12 :
- -4% in dry braking
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
For noise, comfort and ride quality, the VikingContact 8 scored 0.67 points higher than the Altimax Arctic 12, giving it a 3% overall advantage. The Continental delivers the quieter, more comfortable and more refined driving experience.
Altimax Arctic 12 :
- -3% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality.
Price
For the same 215/55R17 size, the Altimax Arctic 12 costs $142, which is $41 less per tire than the $183 VikingContact 8. In percentage terms, the VikingContact 8 is 29% more expensive than the General, making the Altimax Arctic 12 the much stronger value option.
Tire size: 215/55R17
- VikingContact 8: $ 183
- Altimax Arctic 12 : $ 142
Difference: -29% more cheaper for Altimax Arctic 12
Summary
From my perspective as a tire expert, the VikingContact 8 is the clear performance winner, delivering better snow and ice grip, shorter wet and dry braking, and a more refined ride. However, the Altimax Arctic 12 remains impressively competitive for $41 less per tire, making it the stronger value choice for drivers who want dependable winter performance without paying the premium.
Dr Edwin Pang