General G-MAX AS-07 Tire Review: I Really Love Them

The General G-MAX AS-07 is the latest all-season ultra-high-performance tire from General Tire, offering improvements over its predecessor, the G-Max AS-05. I really like them, I bet you will too.

This Z-rated tire is an attractive choice for those looking to bolt on some extra daily performance without having to shell out for French or Italian rubber—the exact situation I found myself in earlier this year. My 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis needed a new set of shoes, so instead of opting for the same old Pirelli Scorpions the car rode on, I bought a set of 2007 Mustang GT California Special rims from Facebook marketplace and wrapped them with a set of G-MAX AS-07s. The best part is the entire setup cost me less than $1000, including the rims.

Performance and Handling

As soon as I rolled the car out of the shop the difference was noticeable immediately. How the car cruises, acceleration, initial corner tip-in, and overall lateral grip were greatly improved. Of course, going from a 225/60 R16 to a 245/45 R18 footprint makes a substantial difference to lateral loading, the track width was also increased by 3mm in the front and 5 mm in the rear. The front spacers were required to clear the calipers, and the rear spacer helped even out the aesthetics and introduced a dash more of rotational oversteer.

Anyone who's ever driven a Panther platform vehicle knows they ride super plush, and as they age the handling can move from comfy and casual to sad and squishy. Moving to a slightly wider track width helped filter out some of that egregious body motion by reducing the lateral load transfer, which in turn increases grip. Reducing the amount of sidewall also increases the spring rate as the car loses the effect of the additional undamped sidewall spring.

In a way, it was a quick and dirty spring rate change that I'm extremely happy with; the nose isn't as pitch-sensitive and it reduces the amount of dive under hard braking. This has the knock-on effect of keeping more weight on the rear axle, reducing how much the Grand Marquis' rear end squirms under heavy braking or in the event of an emergency maneuver. As for air pressure, I'm running them at 34 psi cold, square all the way around.

Being a Z-rated tire envisioned for modern muscle cars and performance SUVs, the G-MAX AS-07 set provides so much more grip than the Grand Marquis knows what to do with. It's actually a fantastic feeling knowing that I can dig on the throttle and all 224 horses won't break loose. This isn't just a dry weather phenomenon either, on wet tarmac, they still hook without a hint of wheel slip—of course, with increased horsepower, your mileage may vary. With the worn Scorpions, I could induce a yaw event on the highway with a small amount of steering angle and a stab of the throttle, it was definitely not ideal.

One of the most praised aspects of the G-MAX AS-07 is its strong wet grip. In rainy conditions, water evacuation is fair, and hydroplaning is kept to a minimum. Unfortunately, the tread blocks aren't particularly great at evacuating large volumes of water and I find the tires can feel mildly vague in the wet at the top-end of average highway speeds.

General Tire claims the G-MAX AS-07 has "best-in-class wet and dry braking"​ which is fair, I've never experienced an ABS event in wet conditions. Much of the performance comes from the tire's silica-enhanced compound. The AS-07s are supposed to provide mild capabilities in the snow as well. I can't speak to that as the tires have only been on my car since May, and they'll go away for winter hibernation sometime before November 1.

Tread Noise and Ride Quality

Moving to an ultra-high-performance all-season I was slightly concerned about road noise, especially on the highway. General claims the G-MAX AS-07's asymmetric tread design was engineered to keep road noise down. I don't know what they did, but it works, tire noise is about the same or even a little less than the worn all-seasons I stripped. The Grand Marquis is a highway cruiser, it loves nothing more than humming along at ~2,000 rpm doing 90 mph, so I was quite happy this aspect wasn't negatively impacted.

The ride is smooth and comfortable with minimal vibrations and road noise especially if you compare them to competitive products from Goodyear, Michelin, or Pirelli. This is awesome for long-distance drivers who prioritize comfort but still demand performance.

Longevity and Durability

Durability is another strong point of the G-MAX AS-07. General Tire provides a 50,000-mile limited treadwear warranty, and many users have praised the tire’s impressive longevity. I can't comment on their durability yet—to date, my tires are just shy of 5,000 miles.

They do include handy Visual Alignment Indicators (VAI) and Replacement Tire Monitor (RTM) features to monitor wear patterns and ensure timely replacement. The VAI allows drivers to spot misalignment early, which can prolong the life of the tires, while the RTM helps monitor tread wear​. Because they're a softer compound any misalignments will make themselves known quickly.

Value for Money

With its combination of solid performance, comfort, and durability, the G-MAX AS-07 represents good value for money in the ultra-high-performance all-season tire category. The tires in this review were not provided by General Tire, nor provided complimentary from a distributor—I spent my own money on them, cash actually.

I paid $179 per tire for a set of 4, which is added to the $200 I spent for a used set of rims bringing the total cost to $912. I also had access to a shop and did all my own labor including removing the old wheels and tires, installing the new tires on my new used rims, balancing the set, and installing them on the Grand Marquis.

The G-MAX AS-07 offered excellent value compared to other options in its class at the size I was after. For comparison in 245/45 R18 the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S are priced at $189/tire; the Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus runs $198/tire; the Pirelli P Zero AS Plus 3 costs $207/tire, Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is $219/tire, and the Bridgestone Potenza Sport AS is $223/tire.

For those of you wondering why I didn't just opt for some regular all-season commuter tires and call it a day—the upsized AS-07s were actually cheaper, better regarded by shoppers, and provided way more performance than popular commuter choices like the Goodyear Eagle RS-A, or Michelin Defender. I already run a dedicated winter tire so it didn't make sense to opt for something like the Toyo Celsius II All Weather, or Bridgestone Weatherpeak.

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Conclusion

The General G-MAX AS-07 is a well-rounded, ultra-high-performance all-season tire that offers excellent wet and dry handling, and a smooth, quiet ride. Its durability and value for money make it a strong contender in its category, but also a viable cross-shopping option for those looking to increase the handling limit of their daily driver.

While it may not excel in extreme weather or offer race track-level apex eating, it is an excellent choice for daily driving and spirited vehicular enjoyment. They look great, I'm super happy with them, and I'll continue to be a big fan of General Tires so long as they are on my Grand Marquis.

No matter what kind of rig you're running I highly recommend you consider the General G-MAX AS-07 if you're in the market for a new set of summer tires.

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