All Terrain Tyre Comparisons

A fair bit yes. I metal detect in rural locations. Places where my VW polo has got in trouble. I'm also looking forward to attending some off road meet ups.

Its the dinky'ness of the stock tyres that i dont like.

There a very good price as well. A nice compromise me thinks

Andy2640 wrote: A fair bit yes. I metal detect in rural locations. Places where my VW polo has got in trouble. I'm also looking forward to attending some off road meet ups.

Its the dinky'ness of the stock tyres that i dont like.

There a very good price as well. A nice compromise me thinks

This is a good overall review, with some good off road driving on stock tyres.




(Still dinkyesque, though)




Steve.

ABSOLUTELY the very best, most helpful, review I've seen to date!

Thanks for finding that stiffsteve201me.

On a more personal note, I have always been a bit 'down' about the fact that I have to buy an automatic, and a 4 speed at that (I damaged my left ankle some years back); but this reviewer's comments about the auto off-road makes me happy!

Seeing exactly what the Jimny can tackle off road in this video is a genuine eye-opener (as opposed to all those rather tame German-Forest Jimny European release videos). The Japanese mud-plugging videos often seem to have different tyres as well - but they never tell you what. This was just right-on-the-money.

Guy 2 wrote: ABSOLUTELY the very best, most helpful, review I've seen to date!

Thanks for finding that stiffsteve201me.

On a more personal note, I have always been a bit 'down' about the fact that I have to buy an automatic, and a 4 speed at that (I damaged my left ankle some years back); but this reviewer's comments about the auto off-road makes me happy!

Seeing exactly what the Jimny can tackle off road in this video is a genuine eye-opener (as opposed to all those rather tame German-Forest Jimny European release videos). The Japanese mud-plugging videos often seem to have different tyres as well - but they never tell you what. This was just right-on-the-money.

I thought so too, Guy 2.

Especially so, as my incoming Jimny is an auto.


My annual trip down to the Midlands may not be the most enjoyable journey, but the majority of my driving is on good A and B roads, with some light offroad use most weeks.


I am more than happy to give the standard tyres a fair crack of the whip.



Steve.

sniper wrote: I think the biggest decision to be made is one of honesty......

If you are really going to off road your car and will encounter a variety of surfaces at sometimes acute angles, then proper heavy carcass AT's are the way to go. The negatives will have to be lived with.

If you just want to look the part and it's off road properties are unimportant, I'd look for an aggressive looking road tyre pattern and save all the negatives for the off roaders....

Road tyres will always be the way to go on a road car
sniper

Thank you Sniper - for such good points.

I must be honest and say that I was gearing up to give you a bit of an 'earful' (in a friendly way), for apparently dismissing all those 'mid-weight' ATs like the Toyo AT Plus - not least because I note that some mining companies seem use Toyos (albeit the older AT2 or the MT, and in larger sizes with more plies). BUT, on seeing stiffsteve's video above, I am completely blown away by what the Jimny can do on the Original Equipment tyres. This means that, for me, logically the next step up would have to be something hardcore.

I would not dismiss having a 215/75 AT for largely aesthetic reasons - but it just seems in practical terms that the Jimny on OE tyres has most people's needs covered.

Lambert - you've been saying this for ages. Please forgive me for not paying attention!

In terms of what I intend to do myself: when I've taken delivery I intend to take some off-road training on a proper challenging course from a qualified instructor. I'll see if I get 'stuck' in a safe environment and then consider where I'm going to take the Jimny on my own. I may get 'bitten by the off-roading bug'.

There is the issue of not going for any major modifications until the Suzuki warranty has run its course. But by then I should know precisely what I want - and have the experience to back it up.

In the meantime I think the only issue is potential pierced sidewalls in 'peaty soup' with sharp rocks in it. Sniper - Do you have a view about the Cooper AT3 in the 195/80 size? I mention this because BFG does not produce the K02 in the smaller size but the Cooper appears to be absolutely the most robust AT in that smaller size. Should I need more 'protection' that therefore seems to be the one to go for. K02s or 'Muds' can wait for modifications 'down the line'.

Sniper - you have saved me from my "Inner Plank"!

The standard-fit Duelers are a surprisingly good tyre. They were OEM fit on my Hilux, too, and managed to tackle harder terrain than you might imagine.

The dealer and press launches used an off-road course with plenty of rocks and the occasional flint. I was expecting to see a pile of shredded tyres, but the guys told me they only had two punctures across both events, both due to 'over enthusiasm.'

The stock tyres might look puny, but just like the rest of the Jimny package, they're surprisingly capable.

Having said all that, I'll be opting for BFGs since that's where my experience lies.

Really useful confirmation. Thanks

Drive the car as you have it delivered, if you find it wanting, change stuff....

sniper

sniper wrote: Drive the car as you have it delivered, if you find it wanting, change stuff....

sniper

Could not agree more.


There again, I am an OF.



Steve.

In isolation the Bridgestone dueler first fitted to Ermintrude wasn't a bad tyre yeah it was a bit slippery when wet and had limitations off road but as an all round factory tyre I quite rated them. And then I got my bfg urban terrain. Exactly the same concept as the dueler, an all rounder, but in a completely different league of abilities. The bfg makes the dueler seem like a remoulded ditch finderon road and like a racing slick off road. The Jimny in any generation is an extremely competent vehicle so much so that it can overcome the limitations of a moderate tyre in a quite astounding way but give it a better quality tyre and it shines like a diamond in a goat's "cough". I happen to use bfg as my preferred tyre but the latitude cross is also excellent as are the premium offerings from continental, pirelli Goodyear and the rest of the premium brands. You don't need big heavy chunky tyres on a Jimny unless you need them, my hobby is driving fast round and round and round but my livelihood depends on me driving over hill and dale every day without getting stuck and without making a mess. I use road tyres. If your daily routine is driving on a road to work and your hobby is occasionally venturing out into the sticks you'll be fine with a road pattern. If you have a second car and you play with your Jimny in a quarry on a weekend then you probably need chunky tyres because it doesn't really matter what it drives like on the road. Unless you're more interested in aesthetics than actual performance.

Thanks Lambert ……….now I'm beginning to feel the beginnings of a SUV road tyre comparison coming on.

Then again, maybe I'll just go and lie down in a cool, dark place!

In the meantime, here is that list of AT (and some MT) weights I have been promising for a few days:

Bridgestone 684 II HT 96S* (10.4 kg per tyre approx.)
*This is likely to be the tyre on which the Jimny is delivered – but I have been told by Bridgestone UK, it is now being phased out (as a replacement tyre, in the UK at any rate) for the AT 001

Bridgestone AT 001 195/80 R15 96T (10.485 kg per tyre)
Kumho Road Venture AT61 195/80 R15 100S (11.09 kg per tyre)
Hankook RF10 195/80R15 96T (11.45 kg per tyre)
Yokohama Geolandar G015 195/80 R15 96H (11.6 kg per tyre)
General Grabber AT3 195/80 R15 96T (12.0 kg per tyre)
Toyo Open Country AT+ 100T 215/75 R15 (12.15 kg per tyre)
Cooper AT3 Sport 195/80 R15 100T (13.0 kg per tyre)
Hankook Dynapro AT RF10 100S 215/75 R15 (13.7 kg per tyre)
Yokohama Geolandar G015 100S 215/75 R15 (14.05 kg per tyre)
Kumho Road Venture MT KL71 100Q 195/80 R15 (14.21kg per tyre)
Yokohama Geolandar MT 003 100Q 215/75 R15 (14.68 kg per tyre)
General Grabber AT3 215/75 R15 100T (15.0 kg per tyre)
BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2 100S 215/75 R15 (15.01 kg per tyre)
Hankook Dynapro MT RT03 100Q 215/75 R15 (15.9 kg per tyre)
BF Goodrich Mud Terrain KM2 100Q 215/75 R15 (16.0 kg per tyre)

Most of this information has come from the tyre dealers rather than the tyre companies - so I am in their hands as to accuracy.

The info is not readily available in one place (not that I could find anyway), so maybe it will be of interest to some Forum members still contemplating a change to one of the tyres mentioned.