A popular all-terrain tire from BFGoodrich will soon have even more capability. The Trail-Terrain T/A has earned the respect of owners of SUVs, crossovers, and light trucks for being durable, capable, and affordable. The new model will be called the Trail-Terrain T/A+, and the new one is improved in many meaningful ways.
It’s no secret that automakers are frantically adding off-pavement-capable trims to all of their popular models. Think Subaru Wilderness, Mazda CX-50 Meridian, Toyota RAV4 Woodland, Honda’s TrailSport series. Even EVs are jumping on this trend with great vehicles like the Hyundai Ionic 5XRT and Subaru Trailseeker being made more off-road ready. These trims are extremely popular, and we expect the trend to grow over the coming decade.
BFGoodrich has long been a go-to off-pavement tire provider, and the Trail-Terrain T/A has earned a very impressive 4.5-star review rating from owners on Tire Rack’s reviews. Let’s look at some of the many the positive comments that Verified Tire Rack customers have posted:
2021 Subaru Forester: “These have been great tires for the way we use our Subaru Forester. We have traveled all kinds of different roads with no issues. We have also had these severe snow conditions in Colorado, and they performed very well.”
2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium: “Tires have made our Subaru more Reliable due to the gripping ability of these tires over the past winter. The ice grip ability they have was tremendous this past summer. Driving on sand on the beaches is above my expectations. I feel confident and safe with these tires.”
2019 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD: “Great tires for RAV4. Work well in snow and dry conditions.”
2019 Toyota RAV4 AWD Adventure: “These tires have taken me deep in the Yukon backcountry. Actually, on roads and trails a RAV4 should not be going, but it did and handled amazingly. I kept saying, ‘I’ll turn around when I’m having issues, but I never did. They kept taking my RAV 4 up and up, rougher and rougher. This is my second set of them, and I’ve hit some hard frost heaves where I thought for sure I would get a flat, but never did!”
2019 Toyota Land Cruiser: “These turned out to be a great tire on our daily driver with weekend trips off-road, mostly dirt/gravel trails. Tires are quiet and handle very well on the highway and in the rain. Noticeable improvement off-road, especially in the wet. Tires look good as well. I will buy a set for our other Toyota LC as well when the Michelins wear out.”
2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk: “These tires were a big improvement over the previous tires. Ride, comfort, and reduced noise were the characteristics that I saw the biggest improvements in. Traction seemed good all the way around, dry, wet, and snow.”
As you can see, owners are using these tires off-pavement and seeing great results. You may have noticed that many owners mentioned good winter performance. Tire Rack testing resulted in an 8.3 out of 10 score for Winter performance. That’s darn close to winter tire territory. BFGoodrich is testing and certifying the new Trail-Terrain+ to meet and exceed the industry’s tough severe snow duty rating. The tires will carry the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol, denoting that they have met that tough standard. One way this standard will be met is by incorporating Full Depth Locking 3D sipes, which enhance tread block stability for even wear over time.
Off-pavement trail tires need to be capable on a variety of tough surfaces, so BFGoodrich is doing two things with the new Trail-Terrain T/A+ to make their new version of their tire even more capable. First, there will be a new all-weather tread compound. Second, an optimized footprint shape evenly distributes tire stress for extended wear.
I own a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness and also a 2023 Bronco Sport Badlands. Both wear all-terrain tires from top brands, and I have to admit, I love both sets. However, if there were three things I’d look for in replacements, those would be a smidge better fuel economy, a bit less road noise and improved wet-weather performance. Although I am off-pavement on a weekly basis, 95% of my driving is on-pavement getting to the trails I drive in central New Hampshire. BFGoodrich already had decent ratings for the Trail-Terrain tire in both of these areas, but has decided to up the ante.
First, the new tire has been engineered for surprisingly quiet and comfortable on-road performance. Second, BFGoodrich says its tests show the new Trail-Terrain T/A+ tire has, on average, a 5% reduction in rolling resistance. That should help with fuel economy. Third, BFG promises that the new + version will have 10 percent better wet-weather performance.
Finally, the new Trail-Terrain T/A+ will have up to 25% better wear performance than the
BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A tire does now. BFGoodrich is backing up that bold claim with an impressive 65,000-mile treadwear warranty.
The new Trail-Terrain T/A+ tire will be available in a wide range of sizes, from 15-inch to 22-inch wheels, and in SL,XL, and HL ratings.
The Trail-Terrain T/A+ will replace the current Trail-Terrain starting in six weeks. Distributors will be stocked by late June. If you do decide to be one of the first owners of the new Trail-Terrain T/A+ tire, you can buy with confidence because BFGoodrich is offering a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. That means you get to try them for two months to ensure they meet your expectations.
Tell us in the comments below if this is a tire you would consider as a possible replacement for the tires you currently own.
John Goreham is a 14-year veteran of Torque News. An accomplished writer and a long-time expert in vehicle and tire 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.
Images courtesy of BFGoodrich
Images courtesy of BFG.
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