If you’re the type who daily drives their off-road rig, you’re probably already familiar with BFGoodrich’s Trail-Terrain T/A. Slotting beneath the KO2/KO3, it’s a bit of a ‘tweener, offering respectable off-road performance blended with the milder manners of a highway-spec, all-weather tire. While it may not appeal to die-hard enthusiasts who only spend time on-pavement to get to the next trail, its three-peak snow rating and tighter, more pavement-friendly tread will appeal to those who tend to accumulate most of their mileage on improved roads. And now, there’s a new one.
To make its lineage clear, BFG kept the old tire’s nomenclature. It’s now simply the BFGoodrich’s Trail-Terrain T/A+. BFG says it has improved three key characteristics of the old T/A with the overhaul: all-weather traction, longevity, and fuel efficiency.
On the all-weather front, BFG was specifically interested in improving the Trail-Terrain’s wet-weather traction. Since it’s an all-terrain (some refer to this segment as “on-road all-terrain”), it lacks the well-defined circumferential grooves that help street tires effectively shed water between contact patches. They still fully encircle the tire; they just zig-zag more than what you’d see on a highway-oriented all-season. This makes them better off-road, helping them bite into dirt and grab onto rocks, at the expense of some wet-weather performance.
Rather than giving up the off-road advantages, BFG focused instead on the Trail-Terrain T/A+’s compound. By adding more silica, BFG’s engineers made the tire’s contact patch itself grippier. The result is a 10% improvement in wet grip, per BFG’s marketing literature.
As it turns out, all of the Trail-Terrain T/A+’s improvements over its predecessor stem from that new formulation. Not only is it better in the wet, but it’s more durable. BFG says the new compound will last longer than the previous Trail-Terrain, offering up to 25% better wear performance. This is on a tire with a 660 treadwear rating, mind you. BFG also says the new compound reduces rolling resistance by 5%, which should improve fuel economy.
Just to put a little bow on it, the + appears as though it will retail for the same price as the outgoing Trail-Terrain T/A. A few listings have already appeared on some retail channels alongside the existing Trail-Terrain; prices appear to range from approximately $200 for smaller sizes up to upwards of $300 for larger fitments. It will be offered in sizes from 16″ up to 22″ when it officially hits shelves in June. Additional sizes (including a 15″ option) will enter the market starting in August.
BFG offered us a set of the new Trail-Terrain T/A+ to test on your author’s 2011 Jeep Wrangler; those are the tires in the photos here. We’re arranging installation as we speak, so stay tuned for some first impressions once we get that sorted!
Have questions about the BFG Goodrich Trail-Terrain T/A+? Let us know in the comments, or feel free to contact the author directly at byron@thedrive.com!