It's common knowledge that OEM tires usually get a bad rap. Vehicle owners expect the tires to do all things well, last forever, and meet an unreasonable set of demands. Not us. We understand that OEM tires are designed to be comfortable and quiet on a test drive, deliver strong fuel economy results for the car company, and pretty much stay out of the way of completing the transaction. Despite the reviews you will find online, the Dunlop Grandtrek PT20 A/S does all that and much more.
Our Test - One Week On a 2026 Subaru Outback Premium
We had a week to judge the Grandtrek PT20 A/S. Our tester was a base trim Outback, and we’ll get to why that is always a hard place to start a test. The Outback was at the tail end of its year with the New England Motor Press Association, having seen duty in four seasons and with roughly thirty different test drivers. The tires had just under 9,000 miles on them when our week started, and just over when it ended. So, these tires were not showroom new or new in any sense.
Dunlop Grandtrek PT20 A/S - Low Noise
Subaru is a bold company. One of the few OEMs that will put a base trim into a media fleet. Usually, we get the top trims with the best sound deadening, best audio, and likely the largest wheel size and lowest profile fitment for the tires. Our tester wore 225/60R18-sized tires with an SL (Standard Load) rating. Honestly, we prefer a tire like this, with a decent sidewall. Low-profile tires are vanity adornments and nothing more in daily drivers. A tire like this one will be more durable over road imperfections.
A year into their life and 9,000 miles having been driven, these tires were so quiet we can honestly say this is the quietest Subaru we’ve ever tested. Or owned. My family has had seven Subarus. We presently have two Crosstrek models of two generations and a beater Forester. We’ve owned Outbacks and Legacy GTs as well, and one of the compromises with owning these great cars is noisy cabins. This Outback was very quiet, and noticeably quieter than a recent Outback Wilderness trim we tested.
It was so quiet, we could detect no tire noise. The wind noise is a noticeable sound. On the highway, we heard zero tire hum. We’re accustomed to tolerating all-terrain and winter tire noise, so that may be a factor, but these all-season tires were very quiet.
Dunlop Grandtrek PT20 A/S - Even Wear, Lots of Tread Depth Remaining
We measured the tread depth at 6.74mm remaining. New, these tires have just under 8mm, so the tires have not lost much in 9,000 miles of driving. Tires tend to wear faster initially, so we’d predict these tires would last between 30,000 miles and 50,000 miles. That is the design goal for an OEM all-season tire, so consider this a success. Don’t blame Dunlop for this industry standard practice.
Dunlop Grandtrek PT20 A/S - Great Fuel Economy
After about 300 miles of driving on highway, suburban, and groomed dirt roads, the Dunlop Grandtrek PT20 and Outback Premium beat the EPA’s 27 MPG Combined fuel economy estimate with ease. Perhaps it is the low mass? These tires weigh just under 25 pounds. Most all-terrain tires this size would have about 31 to 37 pounds mass. Less mass means better fuel economy. We observed 31 MPG over our week of testing with the pressures set carefully to the Subaru recommendations. We actually let air out twice because we had a heat wave, with temperatures reaching 100°F. The AC never stopped during our travels, and the car was loaded to the gills with gear and people for most of our Central New Hampshire mountain adventures.
You may have noticed we didn’t sing the praises of this tire on rock crawls, fording rivers, or on ice. That’s because this tire has no business doing those things. If you want tires that work well in such scenarios, buy one. You should not expect a daily driver on OEM tires to do well in any extremes.
In addition to Subaru, Toyota fits this tire to its RAV4. Here’s part of what one verified owner and RAV4 Hybrid owner posted on Tire Rack about this tire that backs up our impressions of the Grandtrek PT20:
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I drive 90% highway miles, and they've worn decently. If I'd kept a better eye on my alignment, these tires would probably have lasted me about 60-70,000 miles. I will say the MPG out of these is great, and if that's all you're concerned about, knock yourself out.
Here is a second review, also from a RAV4 owner:
I don't understand the hostility to these tires. I drove them for five winters in Wisconsin and they were just fine in the snow and rain. Never had an issue, and the tires lasted until 60, 235 miles. I considered replacing them at 50k miles since 55k would be around December (mid-winter), but they lasted through another winter. Replaced them after 6-years and 60k miles with 2-3mm of thread left. Even at the end, I was fine driving in the rain and didn't think much of it.
Dunlop Grandtrek PT20 A/S - Replacement Recommendations
The funny thing about OEM-fitted tires is that they tend to be expensive. If you are looking for alternatives to this tire, we have four to suggest for different driving styles:
1) General All-Around Use - Falken Ziex CT60 A/S.
If you want a well-rounded tire (get it?) that is ranked higher than the Dunlop Grandtrek PT20, check out the Falken CT60. We loved this tire on a Highlander we tested.
2) Superior Winter Traction For 4-Season Use - Falken Aklimate
If you need a tire with the severe snow duty rating and a 3PMSF stamp, try Falken’s Aklimate tire. It has great reviews. It’s not an ice tire, but in testing, it performs well in winter conditions, and is superior to most all-season tires in this regard. Best of all, you can leave them on all year. No need to store winter rubber.
3) Trail Use - Falken WildPeak A/T Trail.
We tried the WildPeak A/T Trail on a Forester and loved the matchup on dirt roads and moderate winter driving.
4) Off-Pavement Adventure - Falken WildPeak A/T4W
The WildPeak series is legendary now. The new 4W earns positive reviews from those who take their Subarus truly off-road.
Summary Judgement
Having had only a week with the Dunlop Grandtrek PT20 A/S we can only say that it is wearing well, is quiet, and definitely is helping Subaru exceed its fuel economy targets. If we purchased a new Outback Premium, we’d keep these tires for three-season use for sure, and maybe add a set of winter tires until they wore out. Then we’d look closely at one of the four alternatives we suggested.
If you have used the Dunlop Grandtrek PT20 A/S tire, please drop a comment below and tell us how well it performed.
About Dunlop and Falken- For those not aware, Dunlop and Falken are now a merged entity, which is why all our suggested alternatives were from Falken. There are certainly some great Goodyear, BF Goodrich, and Michelin alternatives, but few are likely to be at the affordable price point that Falken offers.
About the Author:
John Goreham is a 14-year veteran of Torque News. An accomplished writer and a long-time expert in vehicle testing, Goreham also serves as the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association and has a growing social media presence. He’s also a 10-year staff writer and community moderator for Car Talk. Goreham holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an undergraduate Certificate in Marketing. In addition to vehicle and tire content, he offers deep dives into market trends and opinion pieces. You can follow John Goreham on X and TikTok, and connect with him on LinkedIn.
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