All-terrain tires such as Nexen Roadian Vs Goodyear Wrangler are the most versatile options for driving light trucks or SUVs. These tires are some of the best options in the budget range, and both are working well for multi-terrains applications. One will be better than the other, but you may consider more than the performance so let’s see below which you may like better.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What are the Best Tires
- What are Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler
- What are the Features of Nexen Roadian
- What are the Features of Goodyear Wrangler
- How are the On-Road Performance of Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler
- How is the Off-Road Performance of Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler
- How is the Snow Performance of Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler
- Nexen Roadian Vs Goodyear Wrangler
Buying the Best Tires
Tires are like the extension of your vehicle. This part is always in contact with the ground and creates traction for driving the car, maneuvering, braking, accelerating, etc. The engine may carry horsepower to drive the vehicle, but the tire makes it able to move across the terrain. This is why choosing the best tire for your vehicle and driving style is essential. Not only find the correct size, but we also need to consider what the tire is used for.
If you will be driving on and off the road like gravel, mud, grass, or loose dirt, the ideal tire will be AT or all-terrain tires. They are famous for being versatile and often called the jack of all trades of tires types for their ability. All-terrain tires are very similar to all-season but now add off-road performance. They are easily distinguishable by the large chunks of the tread pattern and large lugs that make the tire look more aggressive than summer or all-season tires.
Are all-terrain tires suitable for everyday driving? Yes, they are ideal for tons of applications, whether you are only driving to the workplace, commuting inside the town, or some light adventure in the wild. They are excellent alternatives for off-road enthusiasts who primarily drive on the road. Comfort-wise they are more pleasant to drive with compared to dedicated mud tires. All terrains are also all-season so we can keep them for winter though, performance will be less than true snow tires.
About Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler
Getting an all-terrain tire set will be a great decision if you also want this convenience. Like most tire types, we can find them on both the expensive and affordable sides. All of them will work well for a typical daily driving experience because, usually, AT tires are primarily made for the road. However, the overall performance will vary based on how the company made the tire or the design, especially tread pattern and compound.
All-terrain tires can be expensive for their sport and versatile quality, but many won’t break the bank, such as Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler. These tires are some of the most common options on the low-cost section, which surprisingly is not disappointing. Wrangler, for example, is a classic line from the company and has been made into so many different iterations. Nearly all of them are all-season and all-terrain tires. They are also well-known to be comfortable on the road.
The Wrangler model we are talking about today is their AT/S variant, which can start below $200 for some size but usually never exceed $250. This tire is perfect for light truck or SUV drivers who want maximum traction on and off the road. They match the look of your vehicle well and are pretty tough too. Nexen is another budget option for drivers who want to spend less but not compromise the quality, especially the most famous AT Pro RA8.
We have talked about this tire in Hankook Dynapro AT2 Vs Nexen Roadian AT Pro RA8 and see why the tire is loved by many. It offers an overall good solution for people who drive their trucks or SUV daily and want a versatile tire set for smooth and rough surfaces. Who are Nexen tires made by? The brand itself is a South Korean company headquartered in Yangsan, Seoul. The company manufactures tires in several facilities in different countries, including Korea and the US.
Nexen Roadian Features
There is more to a tire than its name and price. The material and design of Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler affect how they will behave on the road and in the wild. Let’s start with Roadian first, which was made for drivers with 2WD, 4WD, trucks, and SUVs driving in multi-surface terrain. The tire is claimed to combine versatility and durability for an all-year-round application. It is made of a light truck compound featured with symmetric tread design.
As you can see, this tire combines wide shoulder blocks and aggressive staggered center ribs. This feat will help promote on-and-off-road durability and enhance highway stability. It is featured with a Dual-Block design to prevent debris building up and for the self-cleaning ability to maintain grip. It has a small groove, which helps enhance driving traction when driving on wet, muddy, or snow-covered roads. The internal construction uses 2-ply polyester with twin steel belts and layers of nylon.
Goodyear Wrangler Features
Next is for the Wrangler AT/S, which is made for light truck application or, similarly, the 2WD and 4WD owners. This tire is a true AT that boasts versatility on and off-road with all-season specs. It will excel in providing a comfortable experience on the road and confidence traction when you move to the hardpack or loose soil. This tire is made of a tough tread compound molded into symmetrical tread pattern with a multi-faceted design. It combines an aggressive independent wraparound shoulder block with an interlocking center block.
This combination will ensure the tire’s rugged construction and low-noise production. Wrangler AT/S is featured with Dual self-cleaning Traction Lug Channels and strong lateral notches on the shoulders; the tire will increase its traction on and off the road, including wet surface and cold winter applications. On the internal side, the tire is made of twin high-tensile steel belts with a polyester cord body to improve durability and driving experience.
Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler on the Road
For a tire to be reliable, they need to perform well, and we think these two offer a satisfying experience. Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler are good for the dry road performance, but Nexen is better. We notice that Wrangler AT/S is not as stable as the other when cornering or maneuvering. Keeping the tire on track feels more straightforward and more natural with Roadian, while the tire itself is very responsive to steering. The traction is very similar for everyday driving.
On the wet road, it is to be expected to lose some traction, but the Roadian is surprisingly able to maintain almost identical performance to the dry surface. Both tires are hydroplaning resistance, but the traction of the Nexen tire is better and able to grip on the wet surface well. It feels more stable when accelerating and maneuvering the vehicle so the driver can perform with confidence.
Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler for Off-Road
Next is for the off-road performance of Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler, which is surprisingly very similar. The Wrangler may be less attractive than Nexen on the road, but this tire is redeeming it off-road. In this case, both are very similar inexperience. The traction is the same for loose dirt like gravel and unpaved surface. They are not made for sand since the tires are not as grippy on this surface type. Mud is just okay, we do not expect much, but there is still some traction.
Besides gravel, we think the Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler will be better on rocky surfaces with small rocks and large rocks such as climbing. They are excellent for dry, rough terrain because the tread pattern seems to work well for this type of application, and you will be okay with some mud and grass.
Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler on Snow
Lastly, we want to look at how Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler will apply for snow and winter. In this part, we feel the tires behave similarly to when they are on a regular road. The traction for snow is better with the Roadian tire as it grabs into the surface more confidently. But, as the snow piles up, the two tires seem to work at the same performance. None are reliable for ice-driving, so we highly recommend avoiding using them on slippery ice, for it can be dangerous.
Nexen Roadian Vs Goodyear Wrangler
Both Nexen Roadian and Goodyear Wrangler are good all-terrain tires for those who wish to enjoy the versatility. In comparison, we feel the Roadian is providing better traction almost on all different surfaces except for off-road applications in which the two are very similar to each other. The Roadian traction on dry, wet, and snow are better with how confident the steering is. The vehicle is also more stable when cornering and maintaining a straight line. The Nexen Roadian is also very comfortable and noisy on the road.
| Nexen Roadian | Goodyear Wrangler |
|---|---|
| - Goodyear Wrangler | - Decent on road performance |
| - Better comfort | - Good comfort |
| - More stable when cornering | - A bit hard to steer |
| - Better for snow traction | - Not as grippy for light snow |
Conclusion
The decision is all yours because there is no wrong option, but we highly recommend the Nexen Roadian here. Both are very similar in price point, yet performance-wise Roadian is more confident on the road and snow with better traction and comfort.
