Off-Road Tires in ADAC Test: Not a Single One Impresses on Paved Roads
Off-road tires alone won't be sufficient to guarantee an unyielding journey.
Well, let's dive into the world of all-terrain tires! These bad boys are all the rage for campers, SUVs, and pickup trucks these days, right? But do they really live up to the hype? ADAC, the automotive club, was keen to find out and put eight so-called all-terrain tires (AT) of size 225/65 R17 under the microscope. They tested these beasts on dry, wet, snow, and gravel to see if they could handle the road less traveled.
The verdict? Sadly, they're not a great choice for paved roads as far as driving safety is concerned. In other words, you might want to steer clear of them if your vehicle spends most of its time on good ol' tarmac.
Why's that? None of the tires tested scored a "good" rating from ADAC. And you know what they say, most of these tires are gonna spend the majority of their lifespan on paved roads. That could compromise road safety.
The disappointing results were evident on both dry and wet roads. The biggest flaw across all models was their braking behavior on wet roads. They also showed shortcomings in handling and aquaplaning behavior.
Only on snow-covered tracks could two tires come close to the reference tire, which was a car all-season tire with a snowflake symbol. Since off-road tires in the test also bore this symbol, they are approved for winter road conditions. On gravel, some models could match or even outperform the car tire.
But fear not, four tires did manage to earn a "satisfactory" rating. These included the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015, Falken Wildpeak A/T3WA, General Tire Grabber AT3, and Matador MP72 Izzarda A/T2.
So, if you're just an occasional off-roader, ADAC recommends sticking with high-quality all-season tires for a safer drive on paved roads. Off-road enthusiasts with 4WD might find all-terrain tires useful, but they should pick wisely, as the club advises: "Interested parties can find at least models with well-balanced strengths and weaknesses in the four tires with a satisfactory overall rating."
Source: ntv.de, abe/dpa
- ADAC
- All-Terrain Tires
- All-Season Tires
- Tests
Now, what if your vehicle mostly cruises on summer roads? Well, stay tuned, cause we're gonna have another tire duel coming up soon! And let's just say, one fails completely in braking[1].
[1] Auto Tire Duel with Surprises: ADAC Tests Summer Tires - One Fails Completely in Braking[5] Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3: A Top Performer among All-Season Tires - ADAC Test 2024-2025
- In the upcoming tire duel, let's see if any tire can outperform the chunky off-road tires tested by ADAC, which failed to impress on paved roads, particularly in braking.
- Even though off-road tires are approved for winter road conditions, it's advisable for vehicles that primarily travel on summer roads to opt for all-season tires, such as the ones from Goodyear, for safer driving experiences.
- If you're an off-road enthusiast with a 4WD vehicle, you might still find all-terrain tires useful, but it's important to choose wisely by looking at models with a balanced lifespan between strengths and shortcomings, like the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015, Falken Wildpeak A/T3WA, General Tire Grabber AT3, and Matador MP72 Izzarda A/T2.
- All-season tires can be a good alternative to all-terrain tires for vehicles that mostly travel on paved roads, ensuring better finance management and improved transportation technology for a safer and more efficient ride.
- As the industry advances, we'll continuously test various tire models to ensure drivers have the best options to suit their unique needs, providing a comprehensive review of each tire's performance under different road conditions.
