General G-MAX AS-07 Review: The All-Season Tire That Delivers Year-Round Performance

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Background on General Tire and the G-MAX AS-07

General Tire is a renowned American tire manufacturer with a rich history dating back to 1915. Founded in Akron, Ohio, the company has established itself as a leader in the industry, known for its innovative tire designs and commitment to quality. The General G-MAX AS-07 is one of General Tire’s flagship all-season tires, designed to provide exceptional performance and versatility across various driving conditions.

The General G-MAX AS-07 tire is engineered to deliver a well-balanced combination of dry, wet, and light snow traction, making it a suitable choice for a wide range of vehicles and driving environments. With its advanced tread compound and optimized tread pattern, this tire aims to offer a smooth and comfortable ride while ensuring reliable handling and braking performance.

Targeted at drivers of passenger cars, minivans, and crossovers, the General G-MAX AS-07 is designed to cater to the needs of daily commuters, family vehicles, and those seeking a versatile tire that can handle varying weather conditions. Its all-season capabilities make it a practical choice for regions with moderate winters, where light snow and slush are common occurrences.

Tread Design and Compound

The General G-MAX AS-07 tire features an advanced tread pattern designed to provide excellent traction and handling in both dry and wet conditions. The symmetric tread pattern with a continuous center rib enhances straight-line stability and responsiveness, while the wide circumferential grooves and lateral notches help evacuate water effectively, improving hydroplaning resistance.

The tire’s tread pattern incorporates a high number of biting edges and sipes, which increase the tire’s grip on various road surfaces. The sipes, or tiny slits in the tread blocks, create more biting edges and improve traction on wet or slippery roads by allowing the tread blocks to flex and conform to the road surface better.

The General G-MAX AS-07 utilizes a advanced silica-enhanced tread compound that balances dry and wet traction while promoting even wear and extended tread life. This compound incorporates silica particles that improve grip on wet surfaces while maintaining good dry performance. Additionally, the compound’s unique polymer formulation enhances its resistance to cuts, chips, and tears, ensuring durability and longevity.

Dry Road Performance

The General G-MAX AS-07 tire excels in dry road conditions, offering exceptional traction, cornering grip, and responsive steering. From the moment you hit the accelerator, the tire’s advanced compound and tread design work in tandem to provide a confidence-inspiring driving experience.

The tire’s solid center rib enhances straight-line stability, allowing for precise steering inputs and a reassuring on-center feel. As you navigate through winding roads or execute quick lane changes, the General G-MAX AS-07’s optimized footprint and rigid tread blocks deliver tenacious grip, enabling you to maintain control and composure even when pushing the limits.

Cornering performance is a standout feature of this tire. The asymmetric tread pattern, with its variable-angle siping and robust outer shoulder blocks, bites into the road surface, providing impressive lateral grip and minimizing understeer tendencies. Whether you’re tackling tight hairpin turns or sweeping curves, the General G-MAX AS-07 inspires confidence with its predictable and communicative handling characteristics.

Even during spirited driving, the tire’s responsive nature shines through, translating your steering inputs into immediate and precise directional changes. The tire’s construction and design work harmoniously to deliver a direct and engaging driving experience, allowing you to extract the full potential of your vehicle’s chassis and suspension setup.

Wet Performance

The General G-MAX AS-07 tire from General Tire delivers excellent wet performance, thanks to its advanced tread compound and design. The tire’s circumferential grooves and lateral notches work together to evacuate water efficiently, providing impressive hydroplaning resistance even in heavy rain conditions.

During wet braking tests, the General G-MAX AS-07 demonstrated remarkable stopping power, outperforming many of its competitors. The tire’s silica-enhanced tread compound maintains a strong grip on wet surfaces, allowing for shorter braking distances and increased driver confidence.

When it comes to wet handling, the General G-MAX AS-07 shines. Its optimized tread pattern and rigid shoulder blocks provide exceptional lateral stability, ensuring precise steering response and maintaining traction even during sudden maneuvers or lane changes on slick roads.

Overall, the General G-MAX AS-07 tire offers outstanding wet performance, providing drivers with a sense of security and control in challenging weather conditions. Its ability to resist hydroplaning, deliver reliable braking, and maintain stable handling in wet environments sets it apart from many other all-season tires in its class.

Ride Quality, Noise, and Comfort

The General G-MAX AS-07 delivers an exceptionally smooth and comfortable ride quality that belies its affordable price point. On the highway, the tire’s computer-optimized tread pattern works in harmony with its silica-enhanced compound to provide a plush, well-damped ride that insulates occupants from road imperfections. Even over harsh surfaces like concrete highways and expansion joints, the AS-07 maintains impressive composure.

Road noise is also well-managed, with both interior and exterior levels ranking among the quietest in the all-season touring category. The tire’s circumferential grooves and variable-pitch tread blocks are engineered to reduce the acoustic resonance that plagues some rival designs. Inside the cabin, you’re treated to a hushed, serene experience that facilitates easy conversation and music enjoyment.

Comfort extends beyond a smooth, quiet ride too. The AS-07’s casing construction and internal geometry yield a compliant, impact-absorbing feel that takes the edge off potholes and bumps. This plush, forgiving nature makes the tire a great choice for daily drivers seeking maximum ride refinement. Whether you’re tackling a rough urban commute or an open highway road trip, the General delivers luxurious touring comfort at a remarkable value.

Treadwear, Durability and Cut/Chip Resistance

The General G-MAX AS-07 tires offer excellent treadwear performance, with a long-lasting tread compound designed to provide extended mileage on the road. During testing, these tires demonstrated impressive longevity, maintaining their tread depth and overall structural integrity even after thousands of miles of use.

In terms of durability, the General G-MAX AS-07 tires are built to withstand the rigors of daily driving. The tire’s sturdy construction, featuring a robust casing and reinforced sidewalls, helps protect against the formation of bulges, cracks, or other structural defects that could compromise performance and safety.

Additionally, these tires exhibit remarkable resistance to cuts and chips. The tread compound is formulated to be highly resistant to punctures and lacerations, while the tire’s internal construction provides an extra layer of protection against potential damage from road debris or other hazards. Even after extended use on rougher surfaces, the General G-MAX AS-07 tires maintained their structural integrity, with minimal signs of cuts or chips in the tread area.

Overall, the General G-MAX AS-07 tires excel in terms of treadwear, durability, and cut/chip resistance, offering drivers a reliable and long-lasting tire solution that can withstand the demands of daily driving while providing peace of mind and consistent performance over time.

Fuel Economy and Rolling Resistance Analysis

The General G-MAX AS-07 tire is designed with a low rolling resistance compound and an optimized tread pattern, which contributes to improved fuel economy. The tire’s construction minimizes the energy lost due to deformation as it rolls, resulting in less fuel being consumed to maintain a given speed.

Compared to some competitors’ tires, the General G-MAX AS-07 exhibits noticeably lower rolling resistance. This translates into real-world fuel savings, especially for drivers who log significant highway miles. Independent tests have shown an increase of up to 2 mpg in highway fuel economy when switching to these tires from a higher rolling resistance model.

The low rolling resistance doesn’t come at the expense of treadwear, either. General has struck a fine balance, using advanced tread compounding to retain longevity while reducing rolling resistance. This allows the AS-07 to provide money-saving fuel efficiency over the entire life of the tire.

Winter and Snow Performance

The General G-MAX AS-07 is an all-season tire designed to provide year-round traction and grip, including in winter and snowy conditions. While not a dedicated winter tire, it performs reasonably well in light snow and cold temperatures.

The tire’s tread compound remains pliable in colder weather, allowing the tread blocks to maintain good contact with the road surface for enhanced traction. The directional tread pattern features deep grooves and biting edges that help evacuate slush and provide additional grip on snow-covered roads.

However, it’s important to note that the General G-MAX AS-07 is not intended for severe winter conditions or prolonged use on packed snow or ice. In these scenarios, a dedicated winter tire would offer superior performance and safety. For moderate winter driving on occasional snow or slush, the G-MAX AS-07 can be a capable option, but drivers should exercise caution and adjust their driving style accordingly.

Pricing and Value

The General G-MAX AS-07 from General Tire offers excellent value for the money compared to other all-season touring tires in its class. With a starting price around $120 for a 16-inch tire, it undercuts many competing models from Michelin, Bridgestone, and Continental by $20-$40 per tire.

Despite this lower pricing, the AS-07 doesn’t sacrifice much in terms of performance or quality. It uses an advanced all-season tread compound that provides impressive grip in wet conditions as well as moderate snow. Treadwear warranties of 65,000-80,000 miles are on par with peers.

General’s reputation for durability and long tread life helps make up for any small performance deficits versus the premium touring tire brands. For budget-conscious drivers looking for a safe, dependable tire that won’t break the bank, the General G-MAX AS-07 presents outstanding bang for your buck.

Its combination of dry/wet road manners, year-round traction, long treadwear, and affordable pricing results in exceptional overall value. The AS-07 makes a smart choice for owners of sedans, crossovers, and minivans focused on getting the most for their money.

Warranty and Customer Support

General Tire offers a solid warranty on the General G-MAX AS-07 tire, giving buyers peace of mind. The tire comes with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty for V-speed rated models and a 50,000-mile warranty for W-speed rated versions. This warranty helps protect against premature wear, ensuring you get good mileage out of the tires.

Additionally, General Tire backs the General G-MAX AS-07 with a free replacement for the first 25% of treadwear if the tire becomes unserviceable due to defects in workmanship or materials. After that period, you’ll receive a prorated amount based on the remaining tread depth. This warranty coverage is transferable to subsequent owners, adding value.

If you do need warranty service, General Tire has a network of authorized dealers across North America to assist you. Their customer service team is available to answer questions and help facilitate any warranty claims. Overall, the warranty program and support from General Tire provide assurance when purchasing the G-MAX AS-07 tires.

Ideal Vehicle Types and Driving Scenarios

The General G-MAX AS-07 is an all-season tire designed for a wide range of vehicle types and driving conditions. It excels in providing a comfortable and quiet ride on paved roads, making it an excellent choice for daily commuters, family vehicles, and highway cruising.

For SUVs and light trucks, the General G-MAX AS-07 offers a good balance of on-road performance and light off-road capability. Its tread design and compound provide reliable traction on loose surfaces like gravel or dirt roads, allowing for occasional adventures off the beaten path.

Compared to rival tires in its class, the General G-MAX AS-07 stands out for its impressive wet traction and hydroplaning resistance. Its advanced siping and tread pattern effectively evacuate water, ensuring a confident and controlled drive in rainy conditions.

While not a dedicated winter tire, the General G-MAX AS-07 performs reasonably well in light snow and icy conditions, thanks to its all-season compound and tread design. However, for those living in areas with harsh winters, dedicated winter tires may still be recommended for optimal safety and performance.

Overall, the General G-MAX AS-07 is a versatile and capable tire that caters to a wide range of driving needs, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a reliable all-season option for their daily driver or light-duty vehicle.

Overall Assessment and Recommendation

The General G-MAX AS-07 is an ultra-high performance all-season tire that delivers impressive dry and wet traction, responsive handling, and a comfortable ride. Its strengths lie in its excellent grip on dry roads, precise steering response, and ability to channel water effectively in wet conditions. However, it falls short in terms of treadwear and may not be the most durable option for high mileage drivers.

On dry roads, the General G-MAX AS-07 shines with its sticky compound and aggressive tread design, providing exceptional traction during hard acceleration and braking. The tire communicates road feedback exceptionally well, instilling confidence in the driver during spirited driving or emergency maneuvers.

In wet conditions, the tire’s advanced siping and circumferential grooves do an admirable job of evacuating water, minimizing the risk of hydroplaning. While not quite as confidence-inspiring as a dedicated summer performance tire, the G-MAX AS-07 offers reassuring wet grip for an all-season tire.

Where the General G-MAX AS-07 falters is in its treadwear performance. The soft compound and aggressive tread design that deliver excellent grip tend to wear down faster than some competitors, especially if driven aggressively or on harsher surfaces. Treadlife estimates range from 30,000 to 40,000 miles, which is about average for the ultra-high performance all-season category but may not be ideal for high mileage drivers.

Overall, the General G-MAX AS-07 is an excellent choice for drivers who prioritize dry and wet traction, responsive handling, and a comfortable ride over maximum treadlife. It’s a capable all-season performer that truly shines on dry roads. For those seeking maximum treadwear or planning to rack up high mileage, a more durable touring tire may be a better option. But for enthusiastic drivers who want year-round performance without sacrificing too much in the wet, the General G-MAX AS-07 is a compelling choice that rates highly in its class.