The long-awaited BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 has landed, and it’s about time! While its sibling, the BF Goodrich KO2, set the off-road all-terrain tire standard, it had its quirks—like occasional rain slip-ups and that highway hum. And with newcomers like Toyo Open Country AT3 and Falken Wildpeak AT3W raising the bar, it’s no surprise the KO3’s tread design seems to tip its hat to them. Stick around as we technically dive into what the BF Goodrich KO3 brings to the off-road table!
As a former Bridgestone engineer, I think that BF Goodrich KO3 can provide great on-road manners. Since it’s only available in OEM sizes, it provides a smooth and quiet ride. Besides that, its wet and winter traction capability is huge. However, due to its narrow pattern, its loose-ground traction capability is slightly behind the competition. Besides that, longevity isn’t something that OEM tires are focused on. So, no great wear until replacement sizes will come up.
Nobody Knows Better Than Data
As a former Bridgestone test engineer, I’ve tested hundreds of tires—and trust me, data never lies. Discount Tire Treadwell is a goldmine. Just enter your location and vehicle—boom, it shows you the best picks! You can even prioritize what matters most (comfort, durability, winter traction—you name it).
Want a full walkthrough? Check out my simple guide here—I explain how to use Treadwell to match your exact needs.
All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
Finding the ideal all-terrain tire among the plethora of options available can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, my team and I have taken on this challenge head-on. Besides our hands-on experiences with these tires, we also analyze thousands of customer reviews and test reports.
Please note that: Light-Duty is 1500 series, Medium-Duty is 2500 series and Heavy-Duty is 3500 series. If you do towing or hauling, I recommend considering at least Medium-Duty tires.
Mobile users can scroll the table to the left to see the whole data.
I highly recommend checking the below pages out before making any purchase:
- DiscountTire Deals:
https://www.discounttire.com/promotions - TireRack Deals:
https://www.tirerack.com/specialoffers - SimpleTire Deals:
https://simpletire.com/tire-deals
Table of Contents
BFG KO2 vs KO3: What Changed?
In the intricate world of tire manufacturing, continuity often prevails. If a design proves successful, why reinvent the wheel, right? However, once in a while, a trailblazer like BF Goodrich disrupts the status quo.
Consider this: From the initial idea to a tire’s arrival on store shelves, a staggering three-year period typically passes. It’s quite astounding, isn’t it? You might wonder, “What could possibly take so much time?” Well, a significant chunk of this duration is dedicated to rigorous field-testing. These tires must be prepared to face a multitude of challenges.
There’s some industry buzz that BF Goodrich’s innovative wheels began turning as early as March 2020, perhaps inspired by Toyo’s AT3. In the world of tires, competition is fierce, driving innovation and evolution.
When you put the Toyo AT3 and BF Goodrich KO3 side by side, you’ll notice some parallels. The core of the BF Goodrich KO3, its center section, resembles the Toyo AT3, setting it apart from its predecessor, the KO2.
| BF Goodrich KO3 | BF Goodrich KO2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | LT285/70R17 | LT285/70R17 |
| Tread Depth | 15/32″ | 15/32″ |
| Tire Weight | 56 lbs | 51 lbs |
| Section Width | 11.5″ | 11.5″ |
| Tread Width | 8.8″ | 9.4” |
One notable trend? The emergence of the ‘S-shape’ lug design. It’s the talk of the town, mainly because it enhances a tire’s biting edges. Think of it as giving your tire extra “teeth” for improved grip. The BF Goodrich KO3 doesn’t just adopt this trend; it refines it. By incorporating these S-shaped lugs, the KO3 creates a more consolidated center section, resulting in a welcome reduction in road noise.
However, no story is without its twists. While the KO3 boasts a host of upgrades, it’s not without its drawbacks. When navigating loose terrains, those horizontally-oriented lugs appear to present a slight challenge. But when comparing the KO2 and KO3, the latter’s horizontal orientation offers improved traction on loose terrain, albeit with potentially faster wear. BF Goodrich’s solution? A narrower tread width on the KO3. Aesthetically inclined folks, take note!
Now, let’s talk weight. The BF Goodrich KO3 is 5 lbs heavier compared to the KO2. Since both tires have the same tread depth, the weight differance is mostly caused by the compactness of BF Goodrich KO3.
In summary, the BF Goodrich KO3 emerges as a formidable contender, showcasing superior on-road finesse and wet grip, with a slight compromise on loose terrains. Particularly for those with towing or hauling needs, the KO3 stands as a compelling choice, if you’re okay with shorter life span.
A word of caution: This assessment primarily applies to the BF Goodrich KO3 specifications available for the sizes LT285/70R17 and LT275/65R20.
Dry Performance
All-terrain tires are built for traction and dry traction is actually the easiest one to achieve.
In that case, more rubber on the ground generally provides superior.
BF Goodrich KO3 has a compact and slightly narrow tread pattern. Even though narrow tread patterns tend to decrease the tire’s grip capability, BF Goodrich KO3 can still provide unique traction on dry surfaces. In fact, this kind of design is way much better for towing, hauling, or relatively heavier vehicles like 3/4 ton trucks.
I don’t have any doubt about its dry traction performance. Moreover, it has a huge advantage regarding cornering stability and responsiveness.
Responsiveness
In this case, a narrow tread pattern is a huge advantage. Besides that, the design of BF Goodrich KO3’s center section is compact and interlocked.
Since BF Goodrich KO3 is only available for OEM sizes, these sizes have different, generally softer compounds than replacement sizes. This is a slight disadvantage for quick steering response. Yet, nothing much to change.
In summary, BF Goodrich KO3 provides a quick steering response as it’s expected from a premium brand tire.
Wet Performance
The wet performance of all-terrain tires is generally questionable because of their stiff compounds.
Since this tire is only available in LT sizes for now, we can’t evaluate its UTQG rating and this reduces the accuracy of our prediction.
For this reason, I’ve contacted with BF Goodrich and asked them about the improvements. They basically said ‘ Overall performance and durability’.
When I combine this information with my tread pattern analysis, I actually expect a bit of a drop in the wet traction.
However, BF Goodrich KO3 is only available in OEM sizes for now. What does that mean? It means it should have decent wet traction and rolling resistance. OEM tires sacrifice from treadwear. Otherwise, they can’t pass homologation tests.
In summary, BF Goodrich KO3 provides decent wet traction.
Hydroplaning Resistance
Hydroplaning is the floating feeling that you feel at high speeds when it rains.
Even though it mostly depends on your driving style and speed, all-terrain tires sometimes do this because of their wide tread pattern.
In this case, BF Goodrich KO3 has an advantage.
Due to its open shoulder slots and narrow pattern, BF Goodrich KO3 provides decent hydroplaning resistance.
Winter Performance
BF Goodrich KO3 is marked with 3PMSF, proof that the rubber of this tire retains its function in cold weather.
Since the compound is okay, we can discuss the tread pattern.
In favor of a very well-siped pattern, BF Goodrich KO3 provides great light-snow traction just like its brother BF Goodrich KO2.
However, due to its relatively less void area, BF Goodrich KO3 might provide slightly inferior deep snow traction.
On the other hand, the ice traction of this tire is going to be better than BF Goodrich KO2 because of its siped and narrow tread pattern. The narrow pattern can create more force on the ground and that increases the ice traction.
Overall, BF Goodrich KO3 is a trustworthy tire regarding winter conditions.
Off-Road Performance
I don’t wanna judge the book by its cover but OEM sizes aren’t great for off-road conditions.
They generally wear so fast in off-road conditions. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t provide traction.
The design of BF Goodrich KO3 is great for gravel and dirt traction because of its sipe density. However, the narrow pattern is a disadvantage regarding mud (I’m talking about thick mud out here) and rock crawling.
So, here is the deal, this tire is going to be great on occasional mud, rock, or dirt. However, if you’re going to severe off-road with them, think twice.
I’m not saying you’ll not get decent traction, I’m saying that you probably observer rapid wear.
Longevity
Just like I told you before, if longevity is your priority, you should skip OEM tires. I don’t think that this one is going to stay short just like other OEM tires, yet, there is no way that you can get the same wear with BF Goodrich KO2.
Conclusion
In my point of view, BF Goodrich KO3 going to be a rockstar for those who need great on-road manners but don’t wanna fail off-road. It’s not going to be superstar on loose ground but it’s going to provide a smoother ride and less road noise than BF Goodrich KO2. For now, if you’re not making too many miles in a year, it’s a great tire for you. Though worth reminding, these are OEM sizes. A lot is going to change when it’s going to be available in replacement sizes.
Note: BF Goodrich KO3 is not interchangeable/mixable with the same size KO2 tires.
I hope the article was helpful, if you need any further questions, please leave them below. Have a safe ride folks!
For those who prefer to see whole market analyze:
- https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires-for-snow/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-1-2-ton-truck-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-3-4-ton-truck-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-rt-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-tires-for-snow-plowing/
- https://tireterrain.com/on-road-all-terrain-tires-highway/
A couple of popular size analyses:
- https://tireterrain.com/best-35x12-50r20-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-285-70r17-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-275-55r20-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-275-65r18-all-terrain-tires/
Want to learn more about all-terrain tires:
- https://tireterrain.com/highway-tires-vs-all-terrain-vs-mud-terrain/
- https://tireterrain.com/all-season-vs-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/tire-load-index-and-load-range/
- https://tireterrain.com/lt-tires-vs-passenger-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-for-daily-driving/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-in-snow/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-loud/
- https://tireterrain.com/how-long-do-all-terrain-tires-last/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-in-rain/
- https://tireterrain.com/off-road-tire-pressure-load-range-for-every-rig/
Excellent review! Looking forward to the Wildpeak R/T and Open Country R/T Trail reviews!
In the article, you say the KO3 is lighter than the KO2, but the chart shows the reverse.
Which is it?
Hello Larry,
Thanks for the info. I’ve updated the article. BF Goodrich KO3 is heavier one for this comparison.
Please also note that the weight difference between these two tires doesn’t necessarily result in inferior fuel consumption for the BF Goodrich KO3. It’s important to consider that OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) tires are designed differently than replacement tires. OEM tires often prioritize meeting specific homologation tests, which can include requirements for low rolling resistance to improve fuel efficiency.
So, while the weight difference may be noticeable, the actual impact on fuel consumption can vary depending on the specific tire design and its intended use. That’s the reason BF Goodrich KO3 is narrower tire.
I just got a set of KO3’s. I really WANT to like these tires; I’ve used BFG’s since trees got bark, but… Tire guys just can’t get at least one of them to balance right. At install (alignment adjusted first) the steering wheel shook badly. Took it back and the tech spent a good amount of time re-balancing one of the front tires, even rotating/reorienting it i the rim. Driving away, vibration was worse. Back to the shop, salesman ordered two new tires. Tech put them on but was dissatisfied with them too. Vibration is greatly reduced, but still evident especially at hwy speeds. Wondering if it will be a bigger issue whe the rears get rotated to a forward position. Sales guy tossed the keys to me, said: “Drive it for a couple of days and get back to me and we’ll figure something out…”
Came here to see if this is common or a one-off thing.
Sounds like a balance or manufacturing issue, which unfortunately isn’t unheard of with KO3s. Some aggressive all-terrains can be tricky to balance, but if multiple attempts failed—even with new tires—it’s a red flag.
Possible Causes & Fixes:
Defective Tire(s): Even new ones can have uniformity issues. Road force balancing might help pinpoint bad ones.
Wheel Issue: Bent or out-of-round rims can cause vibration.
Mounting/Alignment: If the shop didn’t properly seat the beads or check alignment specs, it could be contributing.
Since the issue persists at highway speeds, I’d push for a full road force balance or even a different tire model if the shop can’t resolve it. If the vibration gets worse after rotation, that’s another sign of a tire issue. Don’t settle—KO3s should ride smooth when properly balanced.
Also James, could you please provide tire size for a better benchmark?