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All-terrain tires intended for modern trucks and SUVs have to strike a balance between the kind of hardcore grip and traction required for challenging off-road driving and the comfort and handling expected in daily driving. On-pavement noise, wet-weather performance, and rugged protection against rocks and other obstacles present unique challenges for the engineers tasked with refining their tough-as-nails tire designs over many years.
Knowing which all-terrain tire is the best match for your particular mix of off- and on-road driving means turning to experts like Tire Rack, whose site features thousands of reviews from actual owners posting their real-world experiences with the most popular options on the market. We picked four of the best-ranked all-terrain tires out there and took a closer look at Tire Rack customer opinions for each.
The Best All-Terrain Bargain: General Grabber AT/X
General has been building off-road capable tires for decades, and it's been able to incorporate many of the lessons learned from its more focused mud and rock-crawling rubber into the versatile Grabber AT/X. Multi-angle traction edges and notches on its five-row tread pattern ensure plenty of ground-grabbing grip, but the tire is not aggressive to the point where it compromises handling or braking on the street. The Grabber AT/X is also notable for its all-weather capability, bearing the three mountain peak snowflake symbol on its sidewall that clears it for cold-weather use, and it does it all at a very affordable price. Tire Rack customers have collectively given the General Grabber AT/X a 4.5 out of 5 star rating.
"We have a cattle ranch and the truck will go anywhere it's supposed to," writes the owner of a Ford F-150, who follows up with "on the road it handles like a car." A Nissan Titan pickup driver states that "these Generals are the best tires I've ever driven on, hands down. Wet, dry, mud, sand, ice, snow, and everything in between, they just shine." A Nissan Frontier owner notes that the Grabber AT/X doesn't come with any compromises: "If you need an all-year tire that will get you where you need to go regardless of the terrain, this is the tire for you." This opinion is shared by a Chevrolet Suburban driver, who adds the tire's "on-road manners are faultless."
The Best All-Around Option: Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S
The Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is aimed specifically at drivers who want a tire that is just as good in the rough as it is on the road—and vice versa. One of the most balanced all-terrain tires available, the Discoverer AT3 4S is an excellent all-around choice. It provides comfort and cornering on asphalt comparable to those of a standard tire, yet muddy tracks or loose surface such as gravel and sand pose no real traction challenge. Even performance in the wet stays solid thanks to the company's Aqua Vac tread channels, all of which adds up to a 4.5 star out of 5 rating from Tire Rack buyers.
"Tires are good in loose stuff while pulling a trailer," writes the owner of a Ram 1500 pickup, who enjoys the extra traction provided by the tire at camp sites. "I was able to drive on some dirt/mud trails that were not terribly gnarly without any issues," posts a Ford F-150 driver, while the owner of a GMC Yukon Denali praised these tires' smooth, quiet ride, which was also "highly responsive to steering inputs, and stops true and firm." Another Ram 1500 driver raves that the Coopers "stopped great in the rain about a month ago and saved my bacon. They're still quieter than any tire I've had."
The Best Snow-Friendly Choice: Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Pirelli's latest all-terrain tire effort, the Scorpion All Terrain Plus, has proven itself to be a strong contender for all-weather use thanks to its excellent snow performance. In addition to its three-peak rating, the Pirellis feature a proprietary symmetrical tread pattern and rubber compound that are equally competent in the dry as well as the deep winter chill, making them a strong choice for drivers who regularly encounter snowy, icy roads during the colder months of the year. All of that comes with a level of on-pavement comfort, strong puncture resistance, and deeply grooved independent tread blocks that deliver the kind of off-road capability that helped them reach a 4.5 star out of 5 customer rating on Tire Rack.
"Most of my driving is on narrow, curvy mountain roads and these tires do a great job hustling an F-150 down the mountain," writes a Ford pickup owner. Another satisfied F-150 driver posts that the Scorpion All Terrain plus tires "have been superb for Alaskan driving conditions," and that they "can handle everything from deep, packed snow to glare ice with little problem." A Toyota Tacoma owner confirms their snow-friendly nature, writing they "got some serious snow this winter and didn't miss a day of work—walked right through the worst of the plowed-in roads." "Above average dry and wet traction for an all-terrain tire," writes a GMC Sierra driver who had them mounted on their heavy-duty truck.
The Best Off-Road Performer: BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
BFGoodrich is a leader in the rugged tire segment, and its All-Terrain T/A KO2 is one of the best-performing tires for those who regularly tackle tough off-road conditions. The All-Terrain T/A KO2 is as comfortable slinging mud as it is crawling across rocks, and it's built to be extra tough to prevent cuts, chunking, or sidewall damage. Featuring technology derived from BFGoodrich's off-road racing program as well as tread that's more aggressive than most other all-terrain designs, the tire is still daily-driver friendly and manages to feel safe, planted, and poised when driven on pavement. It's a combination of features that have pushed the All-Terrain T/A KO2 to a 4.5 star out of 5 rating from satisfied Tire Rack buyers.
A Jeep Grand Cherokee owner writes, "if you plan on doing hardcore off-roading, then in my experience the KO2s are hard to beat," before listing the "pretty extreme rock-crawling, sand, and cactus-filled driving" they've done with the BFGoodrich tires. "Have had no problems with traction on the soft sand of the Carolina Outer Banks, even without dropping air pressure," confirms a Toyota Tacoma driver. A Ford F-150 owner writes that "I spend the majority of summer months on dirt roads. Regardless of rocks or erosion, I've never been stuck." The tires' 50,000-mile treadwear warranty was praised by several buyers, with one Chevrolet Tracker driver posting that they "put an astounding 57,000 miles on them until they reached the wear marks," despite regularly pulling a trailer to worksites.