Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek Tire Review and Ratings
Dry Conditions – 90%
Wet Conditions – 80%
Snow – 70%
Comfort – 80%
Noise Reduction – 70%
Durability – 80%
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Whenever we talk about larger SUVs and light trucks, flexibility is the crucial aspect we mention. The roomy interior or the large cargo capacity is one thing, but for some people, the off-road performance attracts them the most.
This ability is reserved for a certain type of vehicle, meaning that your Maxima probably wouldn’t do so well unless we’re talking about a dirt road. Car manufacturers have come a long way, but regardless of how good they are, without the tires, they are worthless.
In the tire industry, there are all-terrain tire models designed for a blend of on and off-road performance. We praise the premium models as the best, but what about the mid-range ones?
On today’s list of reviews, we have the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek, a tire that aims to provide excellent performance at an affordable price.
Pros
- Excellent dry performance
- Very strong off-road contender
- Superb aquaplaning resistance
- LT models come with a 3PMSF rating
Cons
- The noise levels are average at best
- Limited size options
The Features of the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek
Like most all-terrain tires, the Discoverer Rugged Trek has features that cover performance on the road and off it.
On paved surfaces, the tread pattern is designed with the Stable Trac technology. It features omnidirectional micro sipes that should help the tire on damp surfaces and dirt roads.
Unlike most road tires, the Discoverer Rugged Trek has deeper grooves, whose goal is to offer better-aquaplaning resistance in harsh rain.
To help with the noise that most all-terrain tires suffer, Cooper implemented the Whisper Grooves technology. They act as a barrier in the grooves that should help keep the tire roar low.
For off-roading scenarios, the Discoverer Rugged Trek has Earth Diggers. They are specially designed shoulder edges with scoops and lugs. Their goal is to help the tire with traction on mud, sand, or roads with dirt.
Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek in Dry Conditions
Considering that the Discoverer Rugged Trek is an all-terrain tire with a more aggressive pattern, it does a solid job on dry roads.
In daily driving scenarios, the Discoverer Rugged Trek offers a pretty solid performance, considering its application. The grip and traction levels are decently high and most people won’t have any issues with it. It can go into a corner at decent speeds and remain stable without too much understeer. Acceleration also isn’t an issue and unless you floor it, the tire won’t slip. The braking distances aren’t the shortest in its class, but they are pretty good.
The Discoverer Rugged Trek isn’t a road-going tire, so don’t expect wonders. It won’t do well in aggressive scenarios, so you’ll need to be mindful of its limitations.
As an all-terrain tire, the handling isn’t something that will wow you. It’s not the quickest tire to respond and you won’t get a lot of feedback. With that said, it’s fairly precise and you won’t struggle to position your SUV or light truck where you want it to be. On the highway, the stability is decent and you won’t have to deal with tons of micro-corrections to go straight.
Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek on Wet or Slippery Roads
Cooper used its Stable Trac technology to help the Discoverer Rugged Trek with wet performance. Unfortunately, I wasn’t impressed.
On damp roads, the traction levels of the Discoverer Rugged Trek are decent, but far from the best. The tire will be fine in most situations, and you won’t have to worry too much. With that said, getting aggressive will cause the tire to slip, so the grip and traction levels aren’t as high as some of its rivals.
As a more aggressive all-terrain tire, the Discoverer Rugged Trek does a very good job at evacuating water. The wide grooves are doing their job and the tire remains stable and planted even in harsh rain at higher speeds.
Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek in Snow
As an all-season tire, the Discoverer Rugged Trek does a decent enough job on snow, but that depends on which size you get. Some models come with the 3PMSF rating, so the performance will be better than the M+S-rated ones.
The tire does a solid job of providing traction in lighter conditions. It won’t struggle in deeper snow, thanks to the aggressive pattern. On packed snow, the sipes do a decent enough job, but the tire isn’t the best in this category. Then there are the braking distances which I’d categorize as adequate. The tire stops decently well, but they are not the shortest even in its class.
In harsher winter conditions, the Discoverer Rugged Trek shows its all-season nature. It won’t be too pliable in frigid temperatures. Also, it won’t be able to deliver any usable performance on ice.
Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek Off-Roading
The off-roading capabilities of the Discoverer Rugged Trek are excellent, at least as far as all-terrain tires are concerned.
On a dirt road, the performance of the Discoverer Rugged Trek is excellent. The tire’s traction levels are more than enough for even more aggressive off-roaders. It remains stable and easy to control while keeping the braking distances at the shorter end of the spectrum.
Driving on mud or sand is an equally impressive experience. The Discoverer Rugged Trek won’t struggle at all in shallow mud and will do a solid job in deeper mud. Cooper aced it with the design and the tire’s ability to keep the pattern clean is solid. On sand, the tire won’t be as good as the dedicated tires, but it will be acceptable for most people.
Rock-crawling is something that the Discoverer Rugged Trek won’t do a very good job at. Sure, you can deflate it a bit and drive over smaller rocks. With that said, for the best experience in these conditions, you should look at a mud-terrain tire.
Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek for Sporty Driving
Off-road capable tires aren’t my first choice for sport driving, and the Discoverer Rugged Trek is no different.
The performance levels are good enough for regular driving, but not enough to be pushed. It will let go of the road sooner than any enthusiast would want.
You also won’t be getting much with the handling. The Discoverer Rugged Trek is an easy tire to maneuver. It’s precise and progressive, but it’s not a UHP tire. You’ll lose the responsiveness and feedback needed to have fun on a twisty road.
Does the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek Ride Comfortably?
All-terrain tires aren’t the best for refinement, so don’t expect the Discoverer Rugged Trek to be excellent in this regard.
The Whisper Grooves are doing an acceptable job of lowering the noise levels. Around town the hum is faint and most people won’t be too bothered by it. On the highway or rougher surfaces, the noise levels increase and at certain times there is a high-pitched tone.
As for the comfort levels, the Discoverer Rugged Trek isn’t the worst. It will deal with smaller bumps well and will offer an acceptably soft ride. The tire struggles with larger bumps or potholes, where it doesn’t soften them, and you’ll feel a bit of a jolt. This also means that you’ll feel some vibrations in the cabin.
Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek Warranty
Warranty is an area where the Discoverer Rugged Trek does extremely well. The tire comes with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty or 55,000 for the LT models. This is more than what a premium model like the All-Terrain T/A KO2 offers.
Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek Pricing: Is It Worth the Price?
As a mid-range option, the Discoverer Rugged Trek is priced somewhere in the middle of the class. A 16-inch model is priced similarly to the Destination A/T2 and the Wildpeak A/T3W.
Should I Buy the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek?
A mid-range tire is a balance between price and performance. With the Discoverer Rugged Trek, you’re looking at a tire with a few compromises, but an overall brilliant performance.
On the road, the Discoverer Rugged Trek is an excellent performer. The tire falls a bit behind its rivals with traction on damp roads, but it remains a solid option. Winter performance is as you’d expect, so no surprises here. The tire’s abilities in off-roading scenarios are excellent, except for the most extreme situations.
Like any all-terrain tire, the refinement is acceptable. In my opinion, the weakest point of the Discoverer Rugged Trek is the noise level. It’s not the loudest tire, but you will hear a bit more, so you’ll have to live with that.
Overall, considering the price, performance, and warranty, the Discoverer Rugged Trek is a very good bargain. The combination is excellent, and I believe that most people could live with some shortcomings.
What Vehicles Will the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek Fit?
Here’s a sample list of cars that the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek will fit:
- Ford Bronco, Explorer, F150
- GMC Yukon
- Honda Passport
- Jeep Wrangler
- Nissan Armada, Pathfinder
- Subaru Outback
- Toyota Hilux, Sequoia
Tire Sizes of the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek
16″
- 265/70R16 112T
17″
- 265/70R17 116T
- LT 265/70R17 121/118Q
- 285/70R17 116T
- LT 285/70R17 121/118Q
18″
- 255/70R18 116T
- 265/60R18 114T
- 265/65R18 116T
- 275/65R18 116T
- LT 275/65R18 123/120Q
- LT 275/70R18 125/122Q
20″
- 265/50R20 111T
- LT 265/60R20 121/118Q
- 275/55R20 117T
- 275/60R20 115T
- LT 275/65R20 126/123Q
- LT 285/55R20 122/119Q
- LT 305/55R20 125/122Q
- LT 35X12.50R20 125Q
22″
- 285/45R22 114T