Both the Toyo AT3 and Hankook AT2 Xtreme are all-terrain tires capable of delivering a powerful off-road traction with a smooth ride on the road. Though one tire still takes the bigger piece of the pie, let’s see why is that?
In my professional capacity as a tire engineer, I believe that the Toyo Open Country AT3 provides you a very similar wet and dry on-road performance, in comparison, though the tire is better in providing a quieter ride and lasts longer. And off-road it does better with mud and rocky terrains. The Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme on the other side, is a more fuel efficient tire, provides superior winter performance, and does great on sandy dunes.
Table of Contents
Available Sizes
Hankook AT2 Xtreme provides you with 15 to 22 inches rim diameters with following specs:
- Speed ratings: S and T.
- Load ratings: SL, XL, C, D and E.
- Weight range: 28 to 76 lbs.
- Tread depth: 12.5 to 15.5/32″.
- Ratings: 3PMSF and M+S.
- Warranty: 60k for all sizes
Whereas the Toyo AT3 comes in 15 to 22 inches, having following specs.
- Speed ratings: Q, R, S, T and H.
- Load ratings of C to F.
- Weight range of 30 lbs to 72 lbs.
- Tread depth ranging from 12.7/32″ to 17/32″.
- 65k miles warranty.
Check out detailed review of Toyo AT3: https://tiredriver.com/toyo-open-country-at3-review/
Tread Appearance
Starting with Toyo Open Country AT3, this tire is very versatile when it comes to design.
On it’s middle, you get differently shaped lugs, closely packed up together, and all of them having notches facing at vertical and horizontal angles.
These biters give off-road traction, whereas, as all lugs have reinforced foundations underneath, you also get stability on smooth pavements as well.
But that only goes for dry as on wet, the tire does not offer good enough water removal capabilities, despite having full depth sipes (as they are not interlocking all they way actually).
Moving towards the shoulders, you again see on-road oriented design, with supporting ridges and secondary rubber layer running underneath all lugs.
Though the tire still manages to give out some aggressiveness, if you consider the wide circumferential grooves, staggered shoulders and sidewall lugs.
Though these sidewall lugs could have improved a little bit, as they are not thick enough.
On the other side, the Hankook Dynapro Xtreme features 3 ribs in the middle and aggressive outer shoulder lugs.
Let’s look at things in the middle first.
So here the 3 ribs seen feature a lot of biting lugs in them, with the central most having the most width.
With the wider design and having reinforced foundations underneath, these lugs provide amazing on road grip on smooth roads (directional, mostly).
Furthermore, with ample biters in the form of notches (facing left/right), and stepped edges you also get the needed bite off-road.
Same goes for the outer ribs and shoulder lugs, they have a more open design so they keep the tread clean and with a lot of notches and sipes (which allow flexibility, opening/closing lugs), they provide chewing on various off-road terrains.
The outer shoulder area are staggered featuring big mud scoops like the Toyo AT3. Though the tire makes thicker sidewall lugs in comparison.
Tire Toughness
All-terrain tires must be built to withstand the demands of rugged terrains, making durability a critical aspect. This is why a significant number of off-road tires are equipped with cut-resistant rubber and deep tread voids.
But what really makes a difference is their internal build, and here the Hankook Dynapro Xtreme takes the lead by providing you with 2 ply polyester casing, 2 steel belts and 2 ply nylon cap plies.
The Toyo AT3 on the other side, although also offers similar construction, but only has a single cap ply. Moreover, it’s sidewall lugs are not that thick, so they don’t protect this weakest part of the tire in a better way.
For Your Info: Most durable A/T tires are BFG KO2 and Mickey Baja Boss A/T, you can find them both in my list of top all-terrain tires.
Dry Roads Capability
When examining the dry performance of an all-terrain tire, you must take into account its traction, steering, and cornering abilities. Let’s delve deeper into each of these important aspects.
Directional Grip
The ability of a tire to grab the road surface when driving straight is represented by dry grip or directional grip. And since it’s influenced with, how much central part of tread meets with the road, it’s gets measured with braking distances.
That’s why its understandable why the Hankook AT2 Xtreme provides shorter stopping distances when tested, as it’s continuous running central ribs supplies more rubber to road contact.
Toyo Open Country AT3 on the other hand, although is pretty great on directional grip as well, it’s stops at 2 feet longer on average, as it’s central S shaped lugs (from where most of the grip comes from), gets divided up by grooves, limiting its contact patch with the surface its on.
Sideways Grip
The lateral traction of the tire depends on how much contact the shoulder lugs make with the ground and here again, as you get more packed up structure on Dynapro AT2 Xtreme, it provides you with greater g forces, and shorter handling times in comparison.
Toyo Open Country AT3 on the other side, lacks with it’s wider lateral grooves, separating apart shoulder more, so there’s less consistency with the ground as the tire rolls over on turns.
Steering Response
Steering response is dependent upon the flexibility of the outer lugs, and and how consistent they are in meeting with the road, as the tire turns.
Basically, during handling, the tread blocks meeting with the ground, try to bend and flex, and this causes over and under steering.
And here main contributing factors include, tread structure and weight.
That’s why the Hankook Dynapro Xtreme with lighter weight, and less tread depth don’t get to flex its lugs too much, while on Toyo AT3, even though you get solid reinforced foundations, there is still a larger delay in feedback.
Wet Performance
Water is not compressible, so it comes in between the tread and the road (if not properly removed), as the tire rolls over a wet surface.
Much of the water gets escaped out through the grooves, while the left over gets taken care off with sipes, as they draw in the water particles in their slits, by expanding.
So here 3 main things are involved, sipes, tread flexibility and hydroplaning.
And considering all its understandable why Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme does a better job here, as it provides more siping in comparison, a softer compound, and it’s open shoulder voids prevent hydroplaning in a better way.
Toyo Open Country AT3 on the other side, although has full depth sipes, they don’t get to “flex” that much, and with it’s packed up shoulder voids, water is restricted to move out sideways, limiting overall wet traction.
Tire Noise
The source of noise from tires is from air flow, which finds its way through the tread’s shoulder voids. These air particles coming in then hit around on the walls of the tread creating unwanted sound waves.
But Toyo AT3 cuts this noise down at the source. It has packed up shoulder voids, with connectors placed in between, disallowing air to get in and hit around the walls (in the first place).
On the other side, the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme features a densely packed design too, on its shoulder lugs, yet it still allows for greater air flow, generating more noise as a result.
Moreover, it also creates more groove resonance in comparison, which to understand can be thought off as echoing of sound waves within the tread voids.
I’d discussed it further in detail here: Are A/T tires loud on road?
Fuel Usage
Fuel usage depends on weight and tread structure a lot. And how much weight each lugs carries on it, tells you about the rolling resistance.
That’s why out of both tires, the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme with a lighter structure and more packed up tread design, provides you with more efficient fuel economy.
The Toyo AT3, while having a stiffer composition, exhibits reduced support for its lugs. And this results in increased flexing, which leads to energy being consumed by the bending of the lugs rather than advancing the tire’s movement.
Tread Wear
The longevity of a tire’s tread is affected by numerous factors, including rolling resistance, tire composition, and tread depth.
Having mentioned that, the Hankook AT2 Xtreme grants you with a diminished overall mileage in comparison.. The tire basically has a softer composition, and it comes with shallower tread depth, so it’s rubber get to burn off quicker in comparison (reaching the legal limit of 2/32″ earlier).
The Toyo AT3 on the other side, has a stiffer compound and tread depth reaching up to 17/32″, so even with more weight the tire gets be better here.
Though it only offers 5k more miles in warranty in comparison.
Rock Performance
Out of both tires, the Toyo Open Country AT3 although provides you a better grip from the middle with notches facing in all directions, you don’t get aggressive enough sidewall lugs (especially when you compare it with the other).
And so the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme with its thicker sidewall lugs and more aggressive shoulders provides you with more gripping power in comparison.
These basically yield enhanced contact patch with the ground with lowered air pressure, as that causes the lugs to expand out, and this helps a lot in overall climbing effectiveness.
Snow Traction
Both tires although have 3 peak mountain snowflake and M+S ratings, you’d still see better results on Hankook Dynapro Xtreme.
That’s because this tire for one, has a lot more biters in the form of in-groove notches, off-set sides and full depth siping, and all of these grip on different snowy surfaces in a better way.
The Toyo AT3, on the contrary, not only falls short in delivering adequate biting edges, but its rigid composition is also more prone to stiffening in freezing temperatures.
Traction on Mud
The ability of a tire to perform in muddy conditions is determined by its tread design, where most groove size is judged.
On this terrain, you need to remove mud out of the grooves as soon as possible, otherwise it would get stuck in, and pack up the tire, losing all traction.
That’s the reason why both of these guys aren’t able to perform so great here. Though still with a better interconnected map of channels seen on Toyo AT3, you get a faster evacuation.
The Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme, although is susceptible to getting packed from the middle, it’s staggered outer shoulder lugs, and thicker sidewall lugs, provide for better mud scooping.
So overall I am going to rate both these tires as equals.
Sand Traction
Digging is the worst enemy of sand traction, that’s why it’s always recommended to lower the tire’s air pressure.
Though there are a few additional things that helps a tire to stay afloat. And those include having a softer high silica compound, thicker sidewall lugs, and lighter construction, and all of them are given better by Hankook Xtreme.
The Toyo AT3 on the other side, is heavier, and it’s skinnier sidewalls don’t make as much of a contact patch with the ground with lowered air pressure.
I covered it more here: Are A/T tires good on sand?
In Closing
Overall both tires have similar dry and wet traction values on pavements with only minor differences (mentioned them all above), though Hankook Xtreme with next gen compound provides better all season traction that’s why it does great on winter terrains.
Moreover, you also see better results on this tire in terms of fuel economy and off-road, on sandy dunes.
Toyo AT3 on the other hand, gives you a quieter on-road ride, more tread life, and off-road it rocks on rocks and is also good enough on muddy terrains.
Hey Ozman!
We spoke and you suggested I take a look at the Cooper Road and Trail AT, but unfortunately only they are unavailable for the 305/45R22 size I need.
Dynapro AT2 Xtreme and Toyo Open Country AT3 seem to be my options. Unless you can think of others.
What do you suggest for quiet on road comfort that has decent wet performance and snow?
These two are good enough options, but I’m thinking Wildpeak AT Trail, if even those aren’t available then you should check out Sumitomo Encounter A/T. They are both quiet and excellent on wet roads when it comes on road oriented A/T tires.
Haha man none of these are available for me.
Guess it’s still the Toyo or Hankook for me.
Which would you pick between these two?
O man sorry to hear that. Well out of these two, I’d pick Dynapro AT2 Xtreme.