Both the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure and the Cooper AT3 XLT deliver exceptional performance on-road and off-road, thanks to their symmetric tread pattern with self cleaning grooves. Yet, it often requires lots of time and effort to make the right decision, when it comes to comparing these tires, so let me save you some of that.
In my expert opinion as a tire engineer, the the Goodyear Adventure is a better pick for folks who are mostly staying on roads. The tire yields slightly better results in terms of handling, fuel and tread life. Though in terms snow traction the Cooper AT3 gets to have an upper hand. Moreover, due to tire’s aggressive sides, you also get better abilities on all types of off-road terrains, comparatively.
Table of Contents
Sizes Info
Moving towards the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT, this tire comes with 32 sizes in total (15″ to 20″ rim sizes) and they have following specs.
- They have speed ratings of either R or S.
- Load range: C to F.
- Weight range: 44 lbs to 70 lbs.
- Tread depth is seen to be either 16.5 or 17/32″ in all sizes.
- All sizes have 60k miles warranty.
Detailed Review of Cooper AT3 XLT: https://tiredriver.com/cooper-discoverer-at3-review/
Goodyear Wrangler Adventure Kevlar, comes in 15 to 20 inches, having following specs:
- Speed ratings: R, S, T and H.
- Load ratings: SL, XL, C and E.
- Weight range: 34 to 60 lbs.
- Tread depth: 12/32″ or 15/32″.
- Ratings: 3PMSF and M+S.
- Warranty: 60k for all sizes.
Tread Design
The Cooper Discoverer AT3 offers a more optimized design for highways.
It although makes similar looking 5 rib design, it’s lugs are more packed together, as there are less wider grooves surrounding, though still the outer channels are still wider compared to the inner 2 longitudinal grooves.
Moreover, on each rib, these lugs run in pairs, as they are joined together from underneath, this basically provides directional stability on roads.
All of them also carry full depth interlocking sipes for wet traction, and snow.
Though on snow, the snow vices are the highlighting features of this tire, (I’ll discuss it more in its respective section).
These snow vices (saw-toothed edges), are seen on the outer two ribs.
Moving towards outer most ribs, the lugs there are also no different, though they do have a few extra features.
For, one they have rides placed between the lateral grooves, which Cooper calls Whisper Groove Technology (dealing with noise, and providing lateral traction).
And on outer edges, the lugs get to be serrated, and have thick lugs on the bead area, which help a lot off-road with lowered air pressure values.
On the other side, the Goodyear Adventure also gives you a 5 rib design just like the Cooper.
Let me start things off here from the middle.
The tread makes 3 ribs in the central area, making 4 circumferential channels, though the outer two vertical grooves are wider.
Moreover, they are also embedded with multiple stone ejectors so off-road stuff is not invited to settle in.
The middle most rib has the most stable lugs as they are joined up with each other providing directional grip.
Whereas the surrounding ribs have angled blocks, with slightly different siping pattern and more off-set edges.
Still the highlighting features of the tread are seen on shoulder lugs, where seem like 2 separate ribs, each carrying interlocking sipes and biting edges.
Moreover, in order to provide lateral stability, these lugs join up on the sidewalls, so that they don’t flex too much while cornering.
Durability
The durability of off-road tires is critical to their performance on rough terrain and in the presence of sharp objects. To enhance their strength, nearly all of them have been designed with cut-resistant rubber and deep tread voids.
Though still, the tire’s toughness is largely dependent on the internal construction, with the sidewalls being a determining factor in its strength.
That’s why both tires have similar toughness. They include Two-ply polyester, two-ply steel, and two-ply polyamide reinforcing cap plies on the very top.
Though still, if you have to pick one, go with the Goodyear Adventure AT as it has Kevlar reinforcements, and 30% more steel in it’s internal construction.
Dry Performance
The grip of a tire on dry straight roads is measured as dry or directional grip, calculated through assessments of braking distance and acceleration time.
And so, as here the center section of the tire’s tread holds greater importance, bearing largest weight and friction concentrations, it makes sense why both tires (almost) show similar results with their equal footprint.
Same goes for the shoulders as well, which tell you about the tire’s handling. Though if you still have to pick one over the other, go with Goodyear Adventure, as the tire’s lighter weight allows it to have a faster steering response.
Wet Traction
The secret to improved wet traction lies in tire’s ability to clear water off form the tread, and this is done by two things, grooves, which provide resistance to hydroplaning, and sipes, which yield, what we call wet grip.
Let’s talk about them both.
Wet Grip
Sipes are just slits/gaps in tread which have air in them and upon meeting the road, they push out that air to create suction, so water can get slurped in quickly.
This tells us two things:
- You need more sipes in order to get better wet traction.
- And these sipes also must have the flexibility to create the suction, needed.
And considering both, it can be understood, why the Cooper AT3 yields better gripping abilities. The tire offers wave-like siping pattern, which can withstand sharp cornering, and braking without getting stiffer, and its compound is already softer comparatively. Both of these factors account for better wet grip.
Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure on the other side, does the opposite. It’s sipes are not interlocking (all the way to the base), and its less malleable compound, does not allow it’s sipes to properly flex enough to crate a vacuum, so they suck less water particles in them when compared to Cooper.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning, also named aquaplaning, takes place when a tire’s inability to remove water from its tread effectively results in floating and decreased traction.
Though both tires with bald enough structure don’t have this issue.
Fuel Consumption
The tread composition and weight of the tire are key factors in determining the rolling resistance of tires, which in turn affects fuel usage.
That’s why with a lighter structure, the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure consumes less fuel, comparatively. This is further aided by it’s stiffer compound composition, which don’t allows it’s lugs to flex too much, which wastes energy.
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT on the other side, has more tread depth and weight, and this causes it’s tread blocks to bend a little more.
So in this tire’s case more of the fuel is burnt there, instead of helping the tire to roll as a whole.
Tread Noise
The amount of groove resonance is determined by the tire’s tread voids, composition, and weight, and considering them all it seen why the Goodyear Wrangler A/T Adventure gives you such a quieter ride.
Mostly the tires make 3 different types of on-road noise, first have to do with surface to rubber contact, and with this tire having a slightly harder compound, it does not create as much sound-waves as its counterpart.
The second type of noise generation occurs within the tread, where air particles come in and hit the tread walls, and Goodyear Adventure with more closed up lugs provides better efficacy here as well.
And third has to do with in groove resonance, where the unwanted sound waves generate by reflecting off the walls of the tread, and with less tread depth, the tire does not provide as much area for the noise to bounce off.
Although the Cooper AT3 comes with closed up shoulders, it’s wider grooves still produces more groove resonance in comparison.
The Goodyear Adventure on the other side, features a firmer design, and a shallower tread depth, so here the sound waves echo less, making the tire quieter on roads.
Winter Traction
Although both tires are 3 peak mountain snowflake rated, the overall performance is still seen better on the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT.
This is because on snowy terrains, you need better snow grabbing capabilities. And this tire with snow vices (sharp saw-tooth biters), on the outer circumferential grooves, provide better results.
The Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure on the other side, lacks mostly because of its missing biters, and with outer longitudinal grooves, filled with multiple stone ejectors, its tread doesn’t allow for the snow particles to settle in, and make snow to snow contact.
(Snow sticks better on snow, instead of rubber).
Moreover the tire is missing with sidewall lugs, and staggered edges on shoulders, so it’s not able to provide “scooping” on slightly deeper terrains.
Off Road Traction
I analyzed tires in all rugged path variations because each type requires a different set of skills. Let me share my findings.
On Mud
Two things kill mud traction. Narrower grooves, and missing scoops (on sides mostly).
That’s why the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure without having staggered shoulders and sidewall lugs, isn’t able to provide the needed “paddling” on muddy terrains, and it’s closed up tread voids, restrict the thick clay to escape out easily.
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT on the other side, although also features similar (closed up) tread voids, it still offers superior traction abilities thanks to it’s serrated edges forming mud scoops, where its sidewall lugs also add to the tire’s overall paddling abilities.
They scoops the mud backwards, and generate better forward momentum with it on this tire, rendering it better for overall mud terrain traction.
On Rocks
On Rocky terrains, you need two things;
- Powerful sidewalls, both from inside, and out.
- And biters capable of providing grip in all directions.
That’s why although both tires, lack in the 2nd one with biters only arranged in longitudinal fashion, you still get a superior traction on Cooper AT3, mainly because of it’s sidewall lugs, and staggered edges (again).
Goodyear Wrangler Adventure, on the other side, can’t yield enough lateral traction, especially with lowered air pressure.
Sand
On sand, you need tires that can float. So here weight, and tire’s ability to form wide enough contact patch matter the most.
Goodyear Adventure although has a lighter structure, which helps it in keeping it from sinking, the tire is still not able to outperform Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT again with it’s thick sidewalls.
This tire gets to enhance its tread print more, as with lowered air pressure, the sidewall lugs spread out and provide a larger contact patch. So it’s overall sand traction is superior here.
Conclusion
Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure is better tire to have for highways. It’s yields slightly better grip and handling efficacy in both wet and dry environments.
Moreover, the tire is also better with fuel, tread wear and on-road comfort.
Cooper AT3 XLT on the other side, does better off-road on all types of terrains, including sand, rocks and even mud, thanks to it’s powerful sidewall lugs.
