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Last updated 1/23/2025 - Originally published 1/23/2025
Written by SimpleTire
For the last 80 years, the South Korean tire brand, Nexen Tire, has been serving the tire world with a fantastic lineup of products ranging from all-season, all-terrain, mud-terrain, winter, and ultra-high-performance (UHP) to all-weather tires. With a focus on delivering top quality at a great value, Nexen launched its latest all-weather tire the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 in August 2024. On the other hand, we have the household name in the US, General Tire offering great quality products for over a century. A subsidiary of Continental Tire, General Tires roll out impressive tire lines for passenger cars, SUVs, CUVs, minivans, and light trucks. The Altimax 365AW has been a highly successful all-weather tire for the homegrown brand.
Designed for passenger cars like coupes, sedans, minivans, SUVs, and CUVs, the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 and the General Altimax 365 AW offer impressive performance in dry, wet, and moderate to severe winter conditions thanks to their innovative rubber compounds and unique tread patterns that provide great traction, grip, and handling year-round. The Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification assures improved winter performance in snow and ice while solid limited manufacturer tread life warranties assure complete peace of mind. So, which one is a better option? Let’s compare Nexen N Blue 4S 2 vs. General Altimax 365W tires based on our proprietary SimpleScore to know the answer.
Nexen N Blue 4S 2 tires
Introduced in August 2024, the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 is the Korean tire maker’s latest all-weather tire, which features a directional tread pattern with an optimized design that not only offers great traction, grip, stability, and handling in unpredictable weather conditions but also provides a quiet and comfortable ride quality. While the innovative rubber compound maintains flexibility in low temperatures and boosts rigidity in higher temperatures, the dense sipes of the N Blue 4S 2 provide increased traction on snow and ice. Packed with Advanced Resin Technology, the Nexen all-weather tire incorporates 5 times resin that results in increased braking performance and durability. Backed by 3PMS certification, the all-weather tire is covered by a solid 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. It is backed by roadside assistance (36 months), a 45-day/500-mile free trial, and a road hazard warranty (3/32” or 2 years).
With an average score of 8.9 out of 10, the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 ascertains great performance in changing weather conditions around the year.
Get Nexen N Blue 4S 2 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here.
General Altimax 365AW tires
Launched a few years back in 2021, the General Altimax 365 AW is a reliable all-weather performer thanks to its special rubber compound which maintains flexibility in sub-freezing temperatures for optimum performance and unique tread design with dense sipes for consistent traction, grip, and control in different driving conditions of rain and snow. While the zigzag sipes on the angular blocks provide extra biting edges for increased snow traction, the symmetric tread design of the Altimax 365AW limits irregular wear and promotes even wear for a longer service life. To curb uneven wear, the Visual Alignment Indicators alert drivers about any possible misalignment so they can realign it for increased tread life. The 3PMS-certified General tire is backed by a solid 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for complete peace of mind.
Scoring an 8.8 SimpleScore, the General Altimax 365 AW returns fine performance in dry, wet, and snow along with a longer service life.
Get General Altimax 365 AW tires at the best deals for your vehicle here.
Nexen N Blue 4S 2 vs General Altimax 365AW tires on traction
Traction is defined as the ability of a tire to remain in constant contact with the surface without skidding. All-weather tires are known for their excellent grip and traction in rain, snow, and ice. Let’s check the traction scores of the Nexen and General tires.
Boasting an 8.5 traction score, the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 features a directional tread pattern with deep and wide grooves that effectively remove water and slush from the tread to reduce the risk of hydroplaning and boost traction. The 5-resin-packed rubber compound and 3D sipes maintain block rigidity and improve traction by lending extra biting edges.
Contrarily, the General Altimax 365 AW posts an 8.7 traction score thanks to its innovative all-weather rubber compound that maintains tread flexibility in low-temperature conditions while the circumferential grooves flush out water to mitigate hydroplaning and improve wet performance.
With a better score, the General Altimax 365 AW is the winner of the traction tussle.
ADVANTAGE: General Altimax 365 AW
Nexen N Blue 4S 2 vs General Altimax 365AW tires on handling
All-weather tires offer superb control and handling in dry, wet, and moderate to extreme winter conditions of snow and ice. With their special tread design and rubber compound, they offer better handling performance. Let’s check how the N Blue 4S 2 and Altimax 365 AW fare in handling.
Shining out with an 8.8 score, the Nexen all-weather tire’s directional tread pattern comes into play as it puts more rubber on the ground while the 3D sipes help the tire make quick movements, maintain stability, and boost block rigidity. Lastly, a uniform grip shape ensures a consistent contact shape for enhanced handling and stability.
The General Altimax 365 AW falls just short in handling, scoring an 8.7. Thanks to the advanced rubber compound and optimized tread design, the General tire returns accurate steering response in unpredictable weather conditions along with improved control and stability year-round.
Though marginally, the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 prods ahead of the General Altimax 365 AW in the handling race.
ADVANTAGE: Nexen N Blue 4S 2
Nexen N Blue 4S 2 vs General Altimax 365AW tires on longevity
Longevity is defined as the number of years/miles a tire can survive. However, it depends on a lot of factors such as driving habits, climatic conditions, roads, and tire maintenance. All-weather tires are sought for their year-round performance and long-lasting tread life.
Boasting an exceptional 9.6 out of 10, the Nexen all-weather tire features an advanced resin technology that not only boosts braking but also improves durability in different driving conditions. The symmetrical tread pattern also limits uneven wear and promotes uniform wear throughout its life cycle. It is backed by a strong 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
With an excellent 9.2 in longevity, the Altimax 365 AW is near the Nexen thanks to the special rubber compound and reinforced construction that allows optimized road contact all the time for improved wearability year-round. Meanwhile, the Visual Alignment Indicators also aid in alerting the driver about any misalignment beforehand so you are not caught off guard. The General covers the Altimax 365 AW with a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
Despite putting a better show in longevity, the General Altimax 365 AW loses out to the Nexen N Blue 4S 2.
ADVANTAGE: Nexen N Blue 4S 2
When to use each
All-weather tires are preferred as they offer superior traction and grip in snow and ice, besides providing excellent performance in dry and wet conditions. Just like all-season tires, they can be used year-round and come with a strong limited manufacturer tread life warranty. However, if the weather consistently remains below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, you should opt for dedicated winter tires as they come with special rubber compounds that work in extreme wintry conditions of snow and ice.
While the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 offers improved handling and a longer tread life, the General Altimax 4S 2 is a better traction companion. So, if you need outright handling and long-lasting tread, you should choose the Nexen whereas drivers wanting great traction year-round should opt for the General tire.
Which one should you choose?
To sum up, the N Blue 4S 2 wins the handling and longevity departments while the Altimax 365 AW has the traction section to its name. Between the two, it’s the General all-weather tire that offers a quiet and comfortable ride quality. Let’s check their prices to know which is a better deal.
Comparing the prices of the 215/65R17 99H tire size, the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 costs around $145 per tire, and four such tires cost $580, while the General Altimax 365 AW costs around $152 per tire, and four such tires cost $608 (a difference of $28 for a set).
Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Nexen N Blue 4S 2 if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Audi Q3, Dodge Charger, and Jeep Renegade
- Want a tire with better mileage warranty (70,000 vs 60,000 miles)
- Prefer tires with great handling (8.8 vs 8.7)
- Want a long-lasting tire (9.6 vs 9.2)
You can opt for the General Altimax 365 AW if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Subaru Outback, Toyota Camry, and Chrysler 300
- Want better traction (8.7 vs 8.5)
- Are looking for touring attributes in an all-weather tire
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.