Here's How Long You Can Expect Your All-Terrain Tires To Last
If you're planning to use your vehicle for some light off-roading, you'll likely need all-terrain tires, which are designed to drive over dirt, sand, and mud rather than smooth pavement and urban landscapes. For this reason, all-terrain tires are meant to be extremely durable. They're made with stronger materials, have three-ply sidewalls, and deeper grooves for handling and grip.
Thanks to their durable construction, all-terrain tires generally last longer than a standard highway tire if you plan on taking your car off-roading. You can expect about 40,000 to 60,000 miles for the average all-terrain tire, although the exact mileage you get out of a set of tires depends on your vehicle model, how often you go off-roading, and your tire maintenance. All-terrain tires often cost more money than standard tires, so you'll pay more up front (except with these budget-friendly all-terrain tire options) — but won't have to replace your tires as often if you plan to routinely go off-roading.
Are all-terrain tires okay on the highway?
While all-terrain tires have standard tires beat when it comes to dirt, gravel, and sand, it's a different story if you're largely using your vehicle for highway driving. If you're strictly sticking to the road, standard tires last longer – roughly 70,000 miles if you're just commuting. Meanwhile, all-terrain tires are likely not the best for highway driving, as they can often make more noise on the pavement due to air passing through the deeper tread. There's also a chance that the same tread pattern could reduce your vehicle's fuel efficiency since they increase the force pushing against your tire, or the rolling resistance. You won't see any all-terrain tires when it comes to our list of fuel-efficient tires.
If you want your all-terrain tires to last longer, make sure they're the right air pressure for your vehicle, rotate the tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, and reduce your aggressive driving behaviors. Proper care can increase the tires' mileage for even more outdoor adventures.