Comparisons & Reviews

Michelin Defender LTX MS2 – Best Overall for Towing
Nitto Nomad Grappler – Best Looking & Overall
Goodyear Wrangler Steadfast HD – Affordable & Highway Monster
Kumho Road Venture AT52 – Good Looking & Affordable
BF Goodrich KO3 – Rock the Roof

The tire and vehicle market can be quite volatile, particularly with the trend of “bigger is better” gaining popularity, especially among those looking for bold aesthetics. However, when it comes to tire performance, fitting a larger and wider tire may actually reduce the vehicle’s highway capabilities. Specifically, this can affect comfort, stability, and handling, especially at higher speeds. While aggressive appearance might be a priority for some, it’s important to consider safety and functionality. In this article, I’ll share my insights, drawn from my experience as a former Bridgestone Test Engineer, and provide my recommendations for the best-performing all-season tires for trucks—based on both performance and real-world usability.

Method

Although we have tested many of these tires, I’d like to explain my approach to evaluating tire performance.

First, it’s important to note that we can only test tires in a limited number of popular sizes. Additionally, we’re unable to test every tire on all vehicle types. Tire performance can vary significantly depending on the vehicle, tire size, and even the driver’s style and habits.

Given these variables, I combine our test results with market insights, product-specific issues, and a thorough review of all available technical product materials to create a comprehensive evaluation.

I categorize these tires based on their suitability for different needs. Please keep in mind that this is intended as a guideline rather than a direct recommendation. Ultimately, you are the decision-maker, and your choice should be based on your specific requirements.

Tire Categorization for Light Trucks

The LT tire market is highly versatile, with several categories to choose from based on specific needs. Here’s a breakdown of each:

On-road All-terrain Tires:

Best for daily driving and light off-road use.
Quiet ride, comfortable, and all-season functionality.
Not suitable for heavy towing or aggressive off-roading.

Highway All-terrain Tires:

Excellent for towing, hauling, and long-distance highway driving.
Smooth ride, high load capacity, and durable.
Not ideal for off-roading.

Mud-terrain Tires:

Designed for aggressive off-road conditions.
Superior traction in mud, sand, and rocks.
Not ideal for highway use due to noise and rough ride.

All-terrain Tires:

Balanced performance for both on-road and off-road use.
Offers versatility but may compromise on-road comfort for off-road ability.

Lastly, I do not recommend using regular all-season or all-weather tires like Michelin Crossclimate 2 on LT trucks if your vehicle isn’t fit to p-metric sizes. In this article, I’ll focus on on-road all-terrain, and highway all-terrain tires. Choose the category that best fits your needs.

Best Overall for Towing - Michelin Defender LTX MS2

Michelin Defender LTX MS2 was released in December 2023 as the new generation of highway LT tires from Michelin. In fact, this tire is the primary reason I waited four months to share this article. I wanted to observe the market’s reaction before highlighting it as the best option for highway driving.

Michelin Defender LTX MS2 is, in my point of view, the best highway-oriented LT tire. However, if you check the previous version, you can clearly see that this tire has more compound on the ground, which leads to better wet surface performance but inferior winter traction. While this improvement increases stability and responsiveness significantly, the loose ground performance of this tire is relatively poor.

Even Wear: Despite having a similar tread depth to the Michelin Defender LTX MS, it wears more evenly, so it may last longer than the Defender LTX MS.
Wet Surface Performance: The increased ground contact improves stability and wet performance.
Loose Ground Performance: Weaker compared to other all-terrain options.

The Michelin Defender LTX MS2 is the most expensive option on this list. In my opinion, if you’re mostly driving on highways and doing towing, this tire is the best option for you.

For Harsh Winter Conditions: I recommend skipping highway all-season tires and opting for on-road all-terrain tires instead.

The tire is comfortable and quiet. It tracks perfectly on uneven pavement. Yet, it doesn’t handle them as smoothly as an all-terrain tire would, so you may experience a bit harsher driving on uneven roads.

Test report by TireRack: Michelin Defender LTX MS vs Michelin Defender LTX MS2

Result: Defender LTX MS2 wins in every area but winter

Best Looking & Overall - Nitto Nomad Grappler

We’re moving on with Nitto tires. I especially love what Nitto does because they categorize their tires perfectly. Nitto Nomad Grappler is an on-road all-terrain tire that focuses on maximum traction and good looks.

Nitto Nomad Grappler has a narrow tread pattern that increases its stability, responsiveness, and winter performance. Unlike other on-road all-terrain tires, this one features a more aggressive sidewall, which significantly enhances its loose ground performance. Additionally, its void area is larger than that of its competitors, which contributes to a bit of noise.

Noise: If you’re okay with slight noise, I definitely recommend this tire.
Winter Performance: Its winter performance is highly acceptable.
Towing: It can handle light towing.
Appearance: This tire looks great.

Test report by TireRack: BFG Trail Terrain AT vs Nitto Nomad Grappler vs Falken Wildpeak AT Trail

Result: This test reveals that different tires can achieve similar performance goals through varying design approaches, with each tire offering distinct ride qualities and steering personalities. While some, like the WildPeak A/T Trail and Nitto’s Nomad Grappler, impress with refined handling, others, such as the Trail-Terrain T/A, trade off traction for winter performance, showcasing the diverse ways tires can meet modern driving needs.

Affordable & Highway Monster - Goodyear Wrangler Steadfast HD

The tire technology is improving so quickly in recent years. Companies can build and test a tire in a short time, allowing them to release products across a wide range. In my point of view, the Wrangler Steadfast HD is the star of this evolution.

Goodyear Wrangler Steadfast HD is considered an on-road all-terrain tire. However, for me, the Wrangler Steadfast HD is more of a highway tire that can also handle mild and occasional off-road conditions. Its pattern doesn’t look that aggressive to me, but if you’re looking for price-performance optimization, you don’t need to look around for long.

Highway Performance: Great for highway driving, offering a quiet and smooth ride.
Wear: Wears evenly.
Off-road Traction: Loses traction when off-road conditions become harsh.
Winter Performance: Good, but could use more sipes for better ice traction.

Test report by TireRack: Highly Wide Range of Tests, definitely read before making a purchase. Just ignore highway terrain tires on this list. Not a good test to make.

Result: This test showed that many tires performed similarly overall, with slight differences in areas like noise, wet performance, and steering precision, making the top contenders stand out only marginally. The Continental TerrainContact H/T and Bridgestone Dueler LX were favorites for their well-balanced performance, while tires like the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 and General Grabber H/T were versatile but not standout, and models like the Firestone Destination LE3 and Kumho Crugen HT51 struggled with comfort and performance on the road.

Good Looking & Affordable - Kumho Road Venture AT52

A Korean brand, Kumho, is one of my favorite affordable options. It’s hard to find the perfect Kumho tire, but if you can define your expectations clearly, these tires are some of the best at this price level.

Kumho Road Venture AT52 is one of the best tires when it comes to optimal traction. Its pattern and sidewalls are highly aggressive, leading to great traction on uneven pavements. When it comes to noise and comfort, this tire also performs above average due to its softer compound compared to others.

Appearance: The tire looks great.
Comfort: Highly acceptable regarding riding comfort.
Traction: Offers decent traction in wet and winter conditions.
Off-road Capability: Can handle mild off-road conditions.
Wear: Wears out quickly.
Towing: Isn’t the best tire for towing applications.

Test report by TireRack: Kumho Road Venture AT52 vs General Grabber APT vs Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S

Result: The On-/Off-Road All-Terrain tires in this test show closely-matched performance, each balancing consumer demands in different ways. The Kumho Road Venture AT52 stands out for its ride comfort and sporty feel, though it lags behind in wet and snow traction, while the Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S excels in wet, dry, and winter conditions with firm handling and low tread noise. The General Grabber APT offers superior ride quality but falls short in wet traction and cold weather performance, with vague steering and some handling issues affecting its overall performance.

Wanna Rock the Roof - BF Goodrich KO3

In my point of view, BF Goodrich KO3 shouldn’t be on this list because it’s an off-road all-terrain tire that focuses significantly on off-road performance. However, with the latest improvements and tread optimizations, I’m in love with this dude.

BF Goodrich KO3 is a perfectly balanced tire that’s more suited for highway driving compared to its predecessor, the KO2. First of all, this tire wears evenly, which also leads to comfortable driving over long-term use. It’s a bit heavier than other options, so it consumes more fuel.

Off-roading: If you love off-roading.
Winter Conditions: If you don’t mind harsh winter conditions.
Comfort and Noise: If you don’t care about a slight decrease in riding comfort and noise.
Responsiveness: I think the responsiveness is fine for the design.
Price: The price level is a bit high.

Conclusion

Finding the best performing highway tire depends on how you define your needs. There are no bad tires in the market right now—just expectations that go beyond limits.

If you need any further support, please leave a comment below. Happy New Year and safe rides, folks!