BF Goodrich KO3 All Terrain T/A Review

The BF Goodrich KO3 hardly requires an introduction. Having evolved significantly from its predecessor, the tire now offers improved wet traction, addressing the primary concern of the previous model. But what other enhancements do you get here? Well, lets find out.

Being a tire engineer, by tests show that the BF Goodrich KO3 is a versatile A/T tire with notable traction on various terrains, especially in wet and rocky conditions. Though similar in tread life to its predecessor, its consistent performance still stands out. Though some improvements are needed for muddy grass terrains, and in the noise department, where the tire can also further refine its steering, but overall, the KO3 is a decent choice for diverse driving conditions.

Tire Sizes and Specs

Currently, the BF Goodrich KO3 is only available in limited sizes, and they have following specs.

• Speed ratings: S and T only.
• Tread depth: 15/32″ on all.
• Load range: XL and LT sizes.
• Winter rating: Both 3pmsf and M+S is available.
• Treadwear warranty: 50k miles.
• Something extra: It also has a RFID symbol on sidewalls.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) basically provides KO3 with traceability, and authentication. Moreover, it also gives one theft protection.

Tread Pattern

The BF Goodrich KO3 now comes with a very unique and updated design.

First off, the tire is now less voided up, and has a more streamlined overall pattern.

Its central lugs are although not as interlocking as they were on KO2, but they feature better aqua channels (pathways for water to leave out the tread, preventing hydroplaning).

The lugs are mode edgey, where they also feature chamfered edges.

And yes, these blocks also carry a more advanced interlocking, and full depth siping structure, where they are also seen attached with the notches (facing multiple directions).

The shoulder lugs also have the same story, where they have sharp chamfered biters, and interlocking siping.

And although they feature similar stone ejectors between the lateral grooves they form, the newer tire does not come with triangular stone ejectors.

Check out the detailed BFG KO2 Review here: https://tiredriver.com/bf-goodrich-ko2-review/

Compare BF Goodrich KO3 with others:

• Goodyear DuraTrac RT.
• BF Goodrich KO2.
• Falken Wildpeak AT4W.

Dry Performance

Dry performance is a mixture of tire’s grip (both lateral and longitudinal), and steering response. Let me divide this section in to them.

Longitudinal Grip

Longitudinal grip refers to a tire’s traction on straight roads. This is typically gauged by examining its braking distance (for the most part), though acceleration time also measures it, and it makes sense since both these parameters are inherently directional.

Now you should know, that although there are a lot of factors involved here, the primary ones include how well is the central part of the tread optimized.

And this is because this area carries majority of a tire’s weight, as it rolls straight.

Now, while the BF Goodrich KO3 retains a similar independent block structure compared to its predecessor, it still demonstrates a marginally improved directional grip.

This enhancement can be attributed to two primary factors:

• The tire now possesses a more optimized contact patch.
• It’s central lugs offer a lot of really needed features here.

So with optimized contact area, the tire not only maximizes the rubber-to-road contact but also ensures an even weight distribution, facilitating smooth, streamlined motion.

Whereas its central area, where particularly S shaped lugs are the main focus, the tire offers chamfered edges along with more pronounced offset sides and notches. This design translates to a more effective bite, enhancing traction overall.

Handling Traction

The BF Goodrich KO3 tire’s lateral traction is also pretty appreciable, especially for an all-terrain tire. And that’s because of its more compacted up shoulder lugs with fewer voids, and a more optimized array of biting elements

By incorporating closed shoulder lugs, the overall rubber-to-road contact is improved, which directly boosts lateral grip.

Additionally, the inclusion of specific features like chamfered sharp edges and interlocking in-groove notches, positioned both laterally and longitudinally, further enhances this traction.

However, to fully understand the this performance metric, one must also consider its steering characteristics,

Steering Characteristics

Now before getting in to the steering, you should first understand the 3 aspects of cornering.

Entry: This is the initial phase as the vehicle approaches the turn. Here, drivers usually downshift, preparing to enter the curve. Here, traction gives the driver an idea of how much steering input is needed.

Mid-corner: This is the central part of the turn. At this point, the driver is primarily concerned with maintaining a consistent arc. It’s a balance of power and steering, where the tire’s sidewall flexibility and tread design play significant roles.

Exit: This is the final phase where the vehicle begins to straighten. Here, drivers usually accelerate out of the corner, transferring weight to the rear tires.

Now, during my testing with the BF Goodrich KO3, I noticed that the tire has a tendency to understeer on entry.

And it provides a satisfying mid-corner resistance and feedback when loaded.

Furthermore, its solid “on-center” feel is also pretty impressive, where the steering remains firm and responsive.

For Your Info: By “on-center”, I’m referring to the tire’s behavior as it straightens out of the turn. It handles this phase efficiently, without any vague or lightweight feeling at the center.

Wet Performance

Now one of the top ranking feature of this tire is its wet performance. But what’s so great about BF Goodrich KO3 here? Well, there are a couple of things.

• It features an improved siping design.
• It’s grooves are more streamlined for water evacuation.
• And its overall rubber is now more pliant.

Let me explain how each one helps here. So its sipes basically now have an interlocking structure.

So at their core, sipes are simply slits which contract and expand to create suction for water particles. Meaning they need flexibility for effective performance.

Now, KO3 employs interlocking siping structure, which don’t get stiffen up, where their multi directional orientation, combined with overall softer rubber compound of tread, help that further.

Moreover, since the tire features more streamlined grooves, for water to evacuate, most of the burden on those sipes is already lifted, improving overall wet traction.

Switching gears to wet steering, the tire again offers pretty decent performance here as well, where you get decent mid cornering feedback, combined with a nice weighty feel after the initial turn in.

In other words, there’s this reassuring mid-corner weight distribution that translates to good enough sense of control.

So you get a pretty decent overall wet performing tire here.

Winter Performance

When discussing snow traction, there are three primary factors: the tire’s overall handling, its braking ability, and its acceleration. Furthermore, different terrains introduce additional variables into the mix as well.

Now, the BF Goodrich KO3 comes equipped with thicker siping slits, which although primarily function for wet conditions, their robust design also benefits snowy terrains.

These multi-directional sipes effectively capture snow particles, ensuring snow-to-snow contact, which results in substantial grip from all angles.

Additionally, the tire’s interlocking pattern also plays a pivotal role.

These grooves mimic the action of the sipes, capturing and retaining snow, further adding to the traction, (as snow sticks better on snow, compared to rubber).

These grooves basically offer dual functionalities, where they not only capture snow, but their design allows them to also actively push or scoop snow backward. And that produces efficient forward momentum, enhancing the tire’s snow acceleration capabilities.

Moreover, the BF Goodrich KO3 also features a new gen compound, where its composition, enriched with high silica content and supplemented with resins, plasticizers, low-PAH oils, and grip-enhancing agents, enhance the tire’s overall ice and snow adhesive properties.

And yes, speaking of composition, the inclusion of Butadiene Rubber (BR) endows the tire with superior low-temperature properties. Simply put, this means the tire has a thermally adaptive compound, ensuring that even in freezing temperatures, its sipes and biters don’t become overly rigid.

Though on a negative note, the tire does lack a little in terms of steering, where it gives you a bit reluctance, as if it prefers a more deliberate pace rather than being hurried.

Tread Life

The tread life of the BF Goodrich KO3 may not seem as long-lasting as its predecessor at first glance. However, it’s crucial to distinguish between the longevity of usable tread and mere tread longevity.

I mean while KO2 is pretty lasting, with its dual layered tread, its harder rubber significantly reduces its wet traction capabilities as the tire deteriorates.

This is not the case here with the KO3.

Thanks to a higher silica content, wet traction remains more consistent even as the tire wears. Additionally, the introduction of its equal tread technology ensures reduced wear.

This technology uses advanced modeling to design the tire, optimizing the contact patch for even pressure distribution.

So yes, by all terrain category standard, the KO3 offers good enough overall tread longevity, and even though it comes with a similar 50k miles warranty, its still better, as it performance doesn’t get significantly limited.

For Your Info: The tire also features resins, which combined with heat diffusers on sidewalls, which offer expelling of the heat, and since heat is directly proportional to wear, this also enhances the tire’s performance here.

Off Road Performance

Off road performance with this tire is simply awesome. And that even goes for muddy areas. Let me share how this tire does in all types of different terrains.

Sand Driving

Sand is a very loose surface and here more rubber footprint is needed to maximize traction. That’s why the first thing you do on sand is air down your tire.

(Now, if you’re a beginner there, you should definitely check out air pressure guide).

In case of the BF Goodrich KO3, the tire now comes with much more optimized sidewalls, with thicker lugs, and less stiffer sides.

So pressuring air down allows its sidewalls to create better rubber to sand contact, and with less stiffer edges, they are not as prone to digging (which is the worst for sand traction).

So you get pretty appreciable overall traction here. Though I have yet to test these tires on deeper sandy terrains.

Mud Driving

While all-terrain tires aren’t typically designed for mud, since that’s the domain of Mud Terrain (MT) tires, the BF Goodrich KO3 still does pretty great.

I mean sure, it might not rival or even match an MT, but when compared to other all-terrain tires, it certainly stands out.

The tire offers great mud escaping abilities. I mean its although less voided up compared to its predecessor, it’s less interlocking structure doesn’t trap mud in as much (which was the main issue with KO2). So less mud to mud contact is made (which kills traction).

Moreover, the tire also employs thicker sidewall lugs, which combined with its staggered shoulders, effectively scoop out the mud backwards, creating significant forward momentum.

However, a notable shortcoming is the tire’s performance on muddy grass, where it could definitely benefit from some improvement.

Traction on Rocks

Now rocky area is the expertise of BF Goodrich KO3. I mean it has every thing up its sleeves here.

It offers the needed durability, with its 3 ply polyester casing and strong steel belts and nylon cap plies, (which is important since rocky terrains are the most puncturing).

And its multiple stone ejectors between shoulders allow for great gravel traction.

Moreover, when it comes to climbing rocks, the tire again excels by providing a lot of biting edges in the form of sharp chamfered edges, in-groove notches and full depth sipes (which open/close biting in to the surface).

All these offer it with the needed grip, and in all directions too.

And yes, with thicker sidewall lugs, you get better flexing, and enhanced traction (especially needed during steeper climbs).

So, What’s The Verdict?

The BF Goodrich KO3 showcases an impressive array of features that make it a robust choice for multiple terrains and conditions.

It offers super directional and lateral grip, and combines it beautifully with its above average steering.

And on wet, its new siping design and streamlined water evacuation system renders it one of the best in the A/T category.

Moreover, the tire also offers superb snow and ice traction, thanks to its new gen compound and well engineered biters.

Moreover, while the tread life might initially seem comparable to its predecessor, a closer look reveals that the KO3 offers a consistent performance over time, especially in wet conditions.

And lastly, off road, the tire is the king.