All Terrain Tyre Comparisons

Hi Folks - I'm new to the Big Jimny Forum so thought I should try to contribute at least something that might be of interest.

I'm on The Waiting List (or the Jimny equivalent of "Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow", as I like to think of it) for a black auto - but, of course, unless I'm picky that could turn into any colour on Suzuki UK's list!

In the meantime I've busied myself with investigating slightly more robust tyres than the Bridgestone HTs that the Jimny will likely arrive with. I was inclining towards either the Yokohama G015 or the Cooper AT3 Sport - and found the following:
www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2018-Auto-...Season-Tyre-Test.htm
and
www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2017-Drive...ad-4x4-Tyre-Test.htm

These tyre tests are probably fairly well known to Forum members because they have been around for a few months/years. The first test is compromised because it is on-road only, and it only refers to the G015 and the Grabber AT3 as comparisons for road-going all-season tyres. The second test is perhaps a bit more useful but, being a South African publication, they don't seem very interested in wet road performance, and the size of tyre used, 265/65 R17, suggests a much larger/heavier vehicle - so there may be some doubt over its relevance to the Jimny.

Then I came across the slightly weird:

This appears to be a Facebook group for Dacia Duster owners who, amongst other things, have attempted a fairly comprehsive review of AT tyres in the 215/65R16 size the Duster uses. (It is also a paean of praise for Coopers - so you might want to take that with a pinch of salt.)

A STRONG WORD OF WARNING - this must be a contender for the most boring video on the net (a still photo of three tyres with 27 minutes of monotonous voice over!). However, if you fast-forward to minute 24 of the video and freeze-frame, there is a really interesting comparison chart for both tester and user experience with a variety of ATs.

I would never have found it unless I had idly Googled "Cooper AT3 videos" - so other Forum members may not have seen it yet.

Now, I am not saying this is definitive, I am not saying Coopers are the best tyres, and I am certainly not saying that the Duster is comparable to the Jimny - although in weight and size it is a lot closer than many. I found it interesting all the same.

Hope it may be of use to someone somewhere - perhaps someone else on 'The Long Retreat'!

Hello Guy, and welcome!

I'm in the market for some new tyres too, so this is a juicy subject for me

There are a few pics of Jimny's with different tyres fitted elsewhere on the forum, but not many.... as its so new.

I like the look of the coopers too. I'll watch the video now.

Nice post, cheers,

Andy.

Welcome to the forums!

Coopers have had good feedback here - I recall reading about them when I chose mine. But I ended up with Yokohama Geolandars which are an all-season tyre and have been particularly pleased with their performance particularly in the wet.
This has been for mostly road use. I have not done enough off-road driving to make any sort of valid opinion yet.

Thanks Andy. If you come across any other useful info please let me know. I'll do the same.
I saw your post on a wish list of accessories. I'll have a think about that as well - although I'm tempted to drive the vehicle before making a final decision.
Happy times!

The problem is that the perfect tyre for.a Jimny is like trying to compare navels; everyone has one and only theirs is best. At this precise moment in time I can safely recommend bfg urban terrain. When I have enough money for new rims that may well change to Yokohama ad08r. Depends what you want to do with it.

Thanks for this. Geolandars are very definitely my other possible choice.

I am new to off-roading but need the Jimny now to access places I would previously have walked to, to fish in the Highlands.
I reckon I shall use the Jimny 90% on road and 10% off. But when I am off-road some of the tracks have an under-surface of large cracked rock from which the 'Highland Sunshine' has washed the gravel! If it's not that then it's 'black peat soup' over hidden rocks - so both need strong sidewalls.

With regard to performance on wet tarmac, I reckon the key issue is whether a particular vehicle on a particular set of tyres, stays straight when it hydroplanes. Sooner or later we all hit a large puddle and it happens - so when you experience it in your Jimny I would be really interested if it stays balanced and straight. I'm quite serious about that too. I think it's the 'make or break' issue.

Thanks again. I shall keep up with your future posts.

Very fair point Lambert.

I guess I probably won't buy exactly the same tyre for the Jimny when I get to my second set, because by then I will have refined my own particular priorities. In the meantime I reckon it's a "Generic AT with good longitudinal rain channels, but with sufficient sidewall strength to resist cuts most of the time". (Those two objectives probably conflict to some extent.)
I'll look up the tyres you mention - as I've not read about them as yet.

When I know you better we can compare picture of our respective 'navels'!

Ad08r are a fairly specialist fast road/track day tyre with is what I happen to be into.

The other thing is a tyre that is tough like you're after is also going to be quite firm on road as a result of the sidewall being much thicker/having more plys. This can offer some quite harsh road manners and the additional unsprung mass isn't ideal either.

Understood - and another good point.

Frankly, I am not too worried about NVH. I need tyres that clear water on tarmac and are as strong as they can be without affecting dynamics to the point of it being a safety issue. From what I've read (which may or may not be right), both the Geolandar G015 and Cooper AT3 are road biased but still reasonably strong. If so that's probably fine. If I have the occasional puncture off road that's fixable - just as long as it isn't two punctures at the same time!

Am I reading you right Lambert - are you into racing the Jimny? If so, I'd love a link to any vids!

Have fun - and nice to chat.

Are you just changing the brand, or resizing as well? I put G015s in 215/75/15 on my Gen4 and they've noticeably blunted performance and economy. I'd imagine that an even heavier tyre like a BFG KO2 would be even worse.

They do look great though (although I'm probably the only person that will even notice!), So I'm willing to suffer for the aesthetics.... For now.

That's slightly worrying. To what degree has the performance been caped Gadget?

Changing the Brand/tread pattern/compound - not the size. When I started all of this I was wavering between same size and 215/75/15. But comment from Lambert on unsprung mass and yours on blunted performance puts me down firmly on the side of 195/80/15.

I agree 215/75/15s look great, but dynamics more important to me than looks when the chips are down.

KO2s not available in 195/80/15 anyway, so I am going to have to go with a lighter construction. From reading reviews (the Australian ones involving kangaroos and dodgy tyre merchants are a riot!) it looks as if the Grabber AT3 is likely to be the next-strongest to the KO2 - but, by all accounts, it is not so good on wet tarmac. Unsurprising really as the block tread style doesn't have good longitudinal grooves for dispersing rain.

So, for the moment at least, that gives me the option of G015s like you, but in the smaller size, or Cooper AT3 Sports in the same size. Good tyres both.

I'd be interested in your experience in the extreme wet - particularly how the Gen 4 reacts to hydroplaning on G015s i.e. does it say straight and stable.

Thanks again - your interest is really helpful.

Cheers