Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Vs Toyo Open Country AT2

Tires are very important in the way they affect your vehicle and its performance across different surfaces. Different sets of tires will provide different feelings as well for the drive which is why it is necessary to shop wisely. For those who are driving both on and off the road, Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Vs Toyo Open Country AT2 are two popular options to replace the stock tire with. They are reliable but also comfortable for both worlds and here are some you may want to know about them.

In this article, we are going to give you information about:

Why Choosing All-Terrain Tires
What are Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2
What are the Features of Nitto Terra Grappler G2
What are the Features of Toyo Open Country AT2
How are Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2 on the Road
How are Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2 for Off-Road
Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Vs Toyo Open Country AT2

All-Terrain Tires

Car’s tires are not as long lasting as some may think because on average they need to be changed every three to five years depending on the type of terrain, load, driving habit, etc. Changing the tire set may only need 30 minutes or so but they are an expensive investment and this is why we want to choose the model that we won’t regret later. But, nowadays most tires are very reliable and working well across different terrains as well as made according to specific focus.

The most convenient way to change the tire set is probably by sticking to your stock one because they are matching with the type of application the vehicle was designed for. However, it doesn’t mean that other tires are not good because sometimes they can be better. If you need to change the drive or will drive on new terrain and condition, the tire that was specifically made for the application will be a great choice such as the Cooper AT3 Vs BFG KO2 which is performing really well on both on and off-road.

Among all tire types, all-season and all-terrain are the most versatile options but the latter is probably more convenient for people who are driving on both terrains. They are what we mostly use for SUVs. Light trucks, Campers, 4-wheel drivers, or pickup trucks as these vehicles are what often need to work in such condition. In terms of reliability, all-terrain is great because it can work both on and off the road without scarifying much of each side including comfort.

They may look aggressive but it is all with purpose in order to provide more grip compared to summer tires or regular all-seasons. The more traction, the more reliable they are when you drive them on loose surfaces and harsh terrain in order to tow the vehicle away and continue the journey. They however, tend to be less comfortable when on road because of the larger chunks, making the noise unbearable for some models to be installed in daily purpose vehicles.

There is also a belief that they are bad for the pocket, not only for the typical high price but also for the fuel inefficiency. There is no fixed number on how much you will spend by having all-terrain but they do reduce the amount of each gallon in the tank. This is because they have more traction and this means they will need more energy to turn as well that results in more fuel being used to drive you somewhere.

About Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2

If you are here then we assume that you are owning vehicles that are driven both on and off the road. All-terrain will be the versatile option to install and if your old AT tire set is no longer reliable, it is time to start considering new models with similar capabilities. There are plenty of options out there from the more subtle all-season all-terrain to the more aggressive mud and all-season tire hybrid which are also reliable for different occasions. Chances are most of them are similar but can also be slightly different to each other.

We do recommend to stick with named brands because they tend to have a better quality and more reliable or last pretty long as well because for all-terrain, they have to sustain much stress and this affects the tire tread as well as the compound in the prolong time. Among those many options out there, Nitto and Toyo are two ideal manufacturers you may want to consider. Both of them are well-known for their good tires and how well their products serve in the application.

They do carry several options however, for the all-terrain categories to match with your preference and for you light truck owners, the Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2 are two amazing options to consider. Both of them are meant for all-season and all-terrain application so you can count on their versatility but, being different models coming from different manufacturers, they sure are different as well. The G2 is one of the newest tires from the Grappler line which optimizes treadwear as it is often lacking in AT models.

This tire also comes with a treadwear warranty that is not always available for AT models because we all know that this type of tire wears out faster. As for the AT2, this is a rather old model from Toyo as now you can have the AT3 already. In comparison, the two AT2 and AT3 brothers are very different and it is because the AT3 is redesigned completely with new tread blocks and new technologies; side by side it is also wider to be more stable.

Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Features

The Nitto Terra Grappler G2 is claimed to use a new compound and this compound is what earns it the treadwear warranty because this is also the first AT model from the company that comes with such reassurance for your tire to last. It is featured with coupling joints as you can see next to the lugs which also connect to the outermost tread blocks and to the center of the blocks in order to increase the overall rigidity.

All the siping you can find all over the tread blocks are also in full depth which not only offer grip when the tire is still new but also along the treadlife of this model. The image may not show the sidewall design on the other side but it is different with one being more subtle and the other side more aggressive. In addition, the G2 is featured with staggered shoulder lugs to provide additional biting edges in all conditions.

Toyo Open Country AT2 Features

When first seeing the AT2, the first thing that comes to our mind is the “S” pattern in the center of its tread pattern. In the new AT3, this is smaller however and the tire is slightly wider too. As you can see on the picture above, it has deep tread grooves to help traction when you drive on the mud or snow while the stone-ejecting blocks will help them to remove small rocks from the tread in order to prevent any damage.

It also has wide circumferential and lateral grooves meant for evacuating the water from contact patch and enhancing the hydroplaning resistance while at the same time the zigzag sipes will create more biting edges when in slippery conditions.

Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2 on the Road

Now for the most important part which is the performance, Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2 are almost identical to each other. They are true all-terrain tires and work really well on both applications, mostly if you are driving frequently on the road. For the highway performance, the two are identical and equally comfortable with no annoying noise but in comparison the G2 is just slightly better at handling. Traction wise they are identical, nothing to complain about.

Under rainy seasons everything changes and naturally you will have less traction in this condition as the road gets slippery but comparing the two, we do think they are not as superb or probably just decent because we are not confident with stop distance as well as cornering and taking turns with any of the two.

Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2 for Off-Road

Next is for the off-road section, we do think they are still good here too. In comparison they won’t be as reliable as Ridge Grappler, also from Nitto but pretty reliable. There is enough traction for when you decide to go have some adventure like camping or tackling some rough terrain. In comparison, the AT2 from Toyo is actually better and similar to the AT3 in behavior with a more gripping surface as well as helpful for some shallow mud pools if you have to go through them.

If you are living in a place where the winter can get quite annoying, Nitto Terra Grappler G2 and Toyo Open Country AT2 are still reliable to drive you somewhere. The G2 do have some sizes with 3PMSF rating if this is a concern and the deep snow traction is quite good as well compared to Toyo, similar for the ice and overall snow traction.