A set of good tires will help you to drive on the typical terrains you often meet. They should be able to provide enough traction and control for a reliable performance such as with Cooper Discoverer Vs Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires. These two are ideal for light trucks or SUV and for owners who combine both terrains in their application but, since not all tires are made the same, let’s see below about what they can offer and choose one that fits you the most.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What to Choose Between All-Season and All-Terrain Tire
- What are Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler
- What are the Features of Cooper Discoverer
- What are the Features of Goodyear Wrangler
- How are Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler on Dry Road
- How are Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler on Wet Road
- How are Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler for Off-Road
- Cooper Discoverer Vs Goodyear Wrangler
All-Season and All-Terrain Tires
All cars are paired with a set of tires when they just come out of the factory and usually these are enough for a few years until we have to change them. Depending on the application or driving habit, tires can’t last for a very long time and even with the lightest use, they will still age and deteriorate as the rubber is getting older. Since they will need to be changed at certain points, deciding the new tire set is as crucial as deciding how you will use the vehicle.
Comparing all tire types, two of them are the most versatile in terms of application; the all-season and all-terrain. We are sure most people are familiar with these types of tires because many of our cars are coming with them as original equipment but, the two are not for everyone either.
When choosing a new set of tires, do consider the original type they are coming in because manufacturers pair them with a certain tire to match with what the vehicle is designed for. We can of course change it to another type as long as the size match but in case there is nothing wrong in your previous set then it is safe to stick with the OE.
Considering the choice between all-season and all-terrain refers to how much time you spend driving off-road. Initially all-terrain means 50:50 but we don’t have to spend as much time off-road to enjoy the benefit of AT tires since even just for occasional use, if the type of terrain and condition demand a reliable traction of AT tires then installing the set will be a wise decision. But if you never go off-road or if all-season can still manage the demand, sticking with all-season will be more beneficial.
Another thing to consider is your wintertime condition and this varies widely depending on where you live or where you want to drive. In general all-season tires are all capable of handling dry, wet, or light snow which is why they are called all-season but for those living under severe weather or if the snow linger for most time of the year, rather than all-season or all-terrain, the tire with 3PMSF rating will be safer to use.
For those who mostly drive on the road like probably most of us are, comfort and road noise are important factors as well. In comparison, all-season will usually be more comfortable and quiet as well as more economic in fuel consumption. This is due to the tire design since all-terrain with a more rugged and heavier tread block means more rolling resistance so the vehicle will spend more fuel to spin the tire.
About Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler
The option is all yours, we are free to choose whatever tires that will benefit the application or driving experience the most. All-season and all-terrain are equally capable and convenient for all year long use so it is not surprising that many owners are installing either of the two. If you are here then we assume that you are also opting to install an all-terrain set on the vehicle. This set of tires is jack of all trades and should be ideal for light trucks or SUVs.
The popularity of light trucks and similar type of vehicles make all-terrain as one of the most popular type of tires as well so you will find them easy and most manufacturers usually carry at least one AT tires in their collection even at the simplest, moreover for big players in the market such as Cooper and Goodyear. These brands are equally familiar for most people as they have been around for so long and also among the best when it comes to quality tires.
As you can expect, they do carry some variants of AT tires in the catalog and for this comparison, we recommend considering the Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler specifically the 4S from Discoverer AT3 and the AT/S tire from Wrangler family. These tires are highly rated as an all-terrain because they can handle the typical driving condition just like what AT terrains are supposed to work. We do think you can drive on most typical terrains and through all season with them.
The 4S from Discoverer AT3 is one of the new three variants from the popular AT3 original tire and they all have very similar design but the most rugged will be the XTR while the other one is the LT tire. In comparison 4S is the lightest duty from the line meant for half-ton pickup trucks or SUV that work on and off the road. The AT/S tire from the Wrangler family is very similar as well and it promises all-season, rugged, as well as economical design for pick-up trucks.
Cooper Discoverer Features
4S from the Discoverer line is a very famous tire that seems to work very well across all applications and conditions. This tire is using silica based tread compound built into the all-terrain pattern with 5 rib design that is made to improve dry performance along with its off-road capability. For evacuating water there are circumferential channels along with wide, lateral notches so water can be removed from the contact patch to prevent hydroplaning. The zigzag sipes all over the tread blocks are here to create biting edges and traction on slippery roads.
For snow application, this tire is featured with saw-tooth block edges on the outboard grooves in order to retain snow in the tread pattern while the internal construction of Discoverer 4S is made of two-ply polyester casing with a single-ply nylon reinforcement above the steel belts for further durability and handling response. Read also: Cooper Discoverer Vs Falken Wildpeak.
Goodyear Wrangler Features
Moving to the Wrangler AT/S, this tire is looking very different from the AT despite being similar in application. It is also starting at a cheaper price so we do think it can be a great alternative for Discoverer. This tire is using a tough tread compound molded into the multi-faceted symmetric tread design with an aggressive and independent wraparound shoulder block. It also has interlocking center blocks to help with the noise minimizing.
It has what are called dual self-cleaning traction lug channels with strong lateral notches in the shoulder in order to improve on and off-road traction including dry and wet along with snowy conditions. On the internal structure AT/S from Wrangler series is featured with twin high-tensile belts and polyester cord body for durability and ride quality.
Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler on Dry Road
Now for the most important part, let’s see what Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler can offer, specifically for the 4S and the AT/S. In comparison these two are among the lightest in application from the line so if you prefer a more rugged options, we recommend checking the XTR or DuraTrac from these respective brands. As for these two, their dry traction is just very reliable with Discoverer winning the competition. They are just like most AT tires but Cooper feels more stable and gives better response in this safest condition.
On the road noise we are glad none of these tires are making more noise than average but they are not quiet either. In general we do think they are decent in terms of comfort without being surprisingly as amazing as summer or all-season tires.
Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler on Wet Road
Moving into the wet road, here we see the same trend as their dry traction. In comparison between Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler, the former is also better on wet roads. We are very surprised on how well this tire handles the slippery surface such as when raining or after because while traction in general is not as great as dry one, it is still impressive and we have nothing to complain about here. Unlike the AT/S from Wrangler which is quite concerning because the tire feels too slippery and slides easier when you need to stop.
Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler for Off-Road
Lastly on the off-road section, these tires are very capable and we do think Cooper Discoverer and Goodyear Wrangler are comparable best on this part. They can handle hard packed terrain without any issue and while noise is unavoidable, the two behave well as an AT tires. In comparison however, we think the tread of Wrangler AT/S packed faster with mud than those in Discoverer which also can pack mud quite often but not as quick. This can be dealt with after you get to the hard packed terrain however.
Cooper Discoverer vs Goodyear Wrangler
Both of these tires are good options for users who are driving on and off the road but in comparison, we do think Discoverer will be the better option because it performs better for wider application and across all seasons or surfaces we typically drive on. It is significantly better in handling and traction especially for dry and wet roads while the snow traction is about the same. Off the road they tend to pack mud often but in comparison Wrangler AT/S is packing it faster than Discoverer 4S.
| Cooper Discoverer | Goodyear Wrangler |
|---|---|
| - Better in stability and handling (4S) | - Less reliable in dry performance (AT/S) |
| - Better in wet traction | - Tend to be slippery |
| - Better for loose terrain | - Pack mud faster |
| - Comes with 65,000 mileage warranty | - No mileage warranty |
| - Available in 3PMSF rating | - Not winter rated |
Conclusion
There is no bad option between the two but we highly recommend choosing Discoverer between this tire and Wrangler AT/S because it can perform better across typical terrains and conditions while price wise is about the same as well to the Goodyear tire.
