All terrain tires are a perfect choice for customers who desire off road thrills as well as on road comfort. These tires are particularly engineered with features that help serve in both conditions. A deeper more aggressive tire is incorporated to provide maximum off road traction and enhance grip over rough surfaces whereas, a silicon based compound is used to reduce road noise and promote ride comfort. Overall, these tires aim to provide good durability. However, each product does come with cons of its own.
Before proceeding to look at the products it is crucial to familiarize oneself with the standard compromises of all-terrain tires. Since these tires are designed to boost traction, the ride is expected to be noisy, uncomfortable and slightly fuel inefficient.
Top 5 Best All-Terrain Tires for Toyota 4Runner
In order to ease your decision, we’ve listed below our picks for the top 5 All Terrains for 4 Runners as of today. Each tire has been carefully picked in order to offer good road performance, comfort and traction with minimal compromise. Here’s an overview:
Best options for stock-sized rims (17 inches):
- Falken Wildpeak AT3W All Terrain Radial Tire – 285/70R17 117T (Editor’s choice)
- BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 Radial Tire LT285/70R17/E 121/118R
- Milestar Patagonia A/T R All- Terrain Radial Tire-285/70R17 117T
Best options for after-market rims:
- Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT All- Terrain Radial Tire-275/70R18 125S
- Kumho Road Venture AT51 All-Terrain Radial Tire-265/65R18 114T
1. Falken Wildpeak AT3W All Terrain Radial Tire – 285/70R17 117T (Editor’s choice)
A terrific all-rounder at the top of our recommendation…
Falken Tires is a well known, Japanese brand that has earned its name for being a popular choice amongst consumers. In terms of product value, the company offers the best mid range tires that deliver quality comparable to lead market competitors. Hence, it is clear that the best thing about this model is the value for money. As for traction it offers outstanding traction on all kinds of surfaces, this includes gravel, ice and deep mud. On the comfort scale, this does exceptionally well too.
Rated as the best replacement tire on the stock wheels of 4Runner, this tire comes with self ejection technology, which rapidly cleans the tire and enhances its life and performance. Most customers also comment about the sleek and attractive look this offers. The noise reduction is claimed to be even better than an OEM. This is rather unique as more than often, tires with a deeper tread (mud or all-terrain) tend to produce more noise. Moreover, the AT/3W has been formulated with a silica based tread which allows it to excel in 3Ws, that is the departments of wet, (tread) wear and winter (snow). All in all, it offers utmost performance regardless of extreme weather.
The only problem with this tire is the tread wear, which doesn’t last as long as promised.
Pros:
- Good overall traction
- Good hydroplane resistance
- Good value for money
- Low noise levels
Cons:
- Difficult to balance
- Relatively high tread wear
2. BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 Radial Tire LT285/70R17/E 121/118R
The best off-road performance among the bunch…
The KO2’s are a top recommendation, both by industrialists and consumers alike. Starting with off-road ability, the tire offers outstanding traction, one that has caused BFGoodrich to earn its reputation as an exemplar in all-terrain category. Users of the this particular model raved over the fact that this tire can crawl over “just about any surface” without slipping. This property is contributed by the large tread blocks that have been incorporated in this model.
Unexpectedly, the snow traction of this tire has also been rated as excellent which is due to the addition of 3D sipes that optimize grip in snow. Some users even suggested that the snow traction is comparable to that of a snow tire! Ride comfort and road noise have also received good ratings but the top selling point about this has to be the longevity. Unlike standard all-terrains you can expect the KO2’s to last atleast 30,000 to 40,000 miles. Moreover, a stronger sidewall is incorporated into the tire which further increases the life of the tire by lowering the chances of bulging.
As for the cost, the value for money is fair. Also, keep in mind that this may not be the best option for those who live in rainy areas, since the tire’s wet traction is not up to the mark.
Pros:
- Good ice traction
- Low road noise
- Low tread wear
- Good value for cost
Cons:
- Loss in wet traction over time
- Increased vibration at higher speeds
- Bad wet traction
3. Milestar Patagonia A/T R All- Terrain Radial Tire-285/70R17 117T
High load capacity for haulers…
The Milestar Patagonia is a great choice for drivers who tend to transport heavy loads both off and on road. These tires come with a large load capacity so whether it be goods or your large family, you can rest assured the ride comfort is not jeopardized. Users rave over its outstanding off road properties, which include climbing out of deep mud and rocks.
The tire offers great value for money, if not, the best in comparison with its competitors. The load capacity is also impressive and comes with a reassuring actual 10-ply construction. The A/T R’s are designed with a deeper, more aggressive tread in order to provide well-rounded traction, including traction over ice. It has also been claimed that this design promotes longevity. As per consumer reports the tire also offers a good hydroplane resistance. The control and handling of this is also commendable.
The tread is so aggressive, in fact, that it gives a mud-terrain tire kind of howl on the highways especially if you are driving a soft top. However, the noise may be a concern for some and not a deal-breaker for most.
Pros:
- Good overall traction
- Good load capacity
Cons:
- Noise at high speeds
- Increased vibration with time
4. Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT All- Terrain Radial Tire-275/70R18 125S
The best mid-range all-terrain tire option…
On a low budget but desire quality nonetheless? Cooper tires may be your best bet. To begin with, the gravel and dirt traction have been rated as phenomenal with minimal slippage. Along with that, handling and ride stability is also a commendable point. According to standardized test reports, the tire was noted to stop 10 feet shorter on wet surfaces than its competitors, which evidences the supreme quality of tread. A notable point regarding the AT3’s is the superior design of the tread, which allows for a shape that optimally divides air pressure in the tire. This balance allows a better tire to road contact which promotes a more even tread wear and in the long term, better fuel mileage and a longer tread life. The tire is catchy to the eyes while being inconspicuous to the ears . This is due to the rigged corners of the tread blocks which act as to dissipate the sound both on and off road.
Although this tire may be the best bang for the buck initially, it has been reported to progressively deteriorate in terms of road noise and comfort.
Pros:
- Good fuel mileage
- Outstanding grip
- Stylish look and design
- Excellent off road performance
Cons:
- Increased noise and vibration with time
- Require regular rotation
5. Kumho Road Venture AT51 All-Terrain Radial Tire-265/65R18 114T
The best budget option…
The Korean manufacturing brand, Kumho, offers a large variety of the finest replacement tires available in the market. Although not as well known as other high end brands, Kumho is still popular for several reasons. One, in particular, is their exceptional value for quality. For a remarkably low cost you are provided with a top quality tire, one that offers high stability, low noise and excellent dry traction. It goes without saying that these tires are top pick for those on a budget. Moreover, the brand is also known for its accuracy in tread wear estimation. Hence, you can expect an accurate mileage for what you buy, which in this case is about 45,000 miles. The AT51 offers fantastic traction on ice due to its deep central grooves. These work to channel out particulate quickly and efficiently. Generally, the ride quality is smooth and the look of the tire is also a common point of appreciation. Lastly, there are no complaints of noise with this tire.
Were it not for the poor off road traction (which partly defeats the purpose of an all-terrain), this tire would have stood as the number 1 recommendation.
Pros:
- Great price for quality
- Easy to balance
- Smooth ride and low noise
- Good traction over ice
Cons:
- Bad traction for gravel and mud
- Increased vibration with time
How to choose the best all-terrain tires for Toyota 4 Runner?
Keep these two points in mind while hunting for the best all-terrain tires for your Toyota 4Runner and I promise you will nail it.
1. Tread pattern
For 4Runner, we would recommend not being too aggressive for this one. Most of the 4Runners are going to stay on the road most of the times, As such, going aggressive with the tread pattern is not only excessive but also comes with its own plethora of compromises like road noise and fuel inefficiency.
2. Avoid mud-terrain tires
As much as their looks are tempting you to get them, please do not. Many have succumbed to the aggressive and masculine of mud-terrain tires but to little avail. You will not be able to appreciate the slightly better traction over loose surfaces that they are able to offer but you will fall victim to all of the compromises that come along. For more on that, please refer to our article: How long do Mud Tires Last on the Road?
