Pros
- 55,000-mile treadwear warranty
- 3PMSF rating for improved snow performance
- Plenty of grip and traction on dry roads
- Excellent aquaplaning resistance
Cons
- P-metric models only
- Lacks some extremer off-road performance
Off-roading is becoming more and more popular as more and more SUVs and trucks are coming to the market. Some people may hate them, but the fact that these kinds of vehicles can go to places where your plain old sedan can’t is a clear advantage.
To be able to drive off-road, a vital aspect is the tires. The regular road-going tires won’t be able to perform anywhere near as good as you’d need them to. On top of that, they are not as durable, so it’s easy to damage them. So, if you already have a truck or an SUV and you want to go off-roading, you’ll need a good tire.
In the tire industry, there are several US-based brands, and the one I’ll be focusing on today is Firestone. The brand was founded in 1900, and for many years it was the go-to manufacturer for good performing tires at an affordable price. Near the end of the 1980s, the company was purchased by Bridgestone, and under that umbrella, Firestone shined even more. With tons of available options in the company’s lineup, in terms of tires that can do some off-roading, you have the Destination A/T2.
If you’ve been following the manufacturer’s history, you may remember the Destination name. The A/T was the first iteration of these models, and the A/T2 is the second version. The first one was already good, but Firestone still claims that it made some additional improvements.
What are the features of the Firestone Destination A/T2?
The most noticeable difference between the previous and the second version of the Destination A/T is the tread design. It’s not a huge change, but it is enough to notice it. Even though the first version may seem more aggressive and better suited for snow, the A/T2 should actually be the better performer. With the 3PMSF rating, it means that this all-season tire should be better than a regular one.
Speaking of all-season, the rubber compound is slightly improved, which is, in essence, the reason why the tire has the 3PMSF rating. The previous version didn’t fare well in heavier snow conditions, so this one should have that issue improved.
The tread pattern serves several purposes in multiple on and off-road situations. Firestone designed the shoulder pattern a bit more aggressively than the previous version. This part of the tire should help in off-road conditions and further improve grip and traction on snow. You also should expect the pattern to help the tire additionally bite into snow, meaning that even more extreme winter conditions should be passable.
In rainy conditions, based on some improvements, the Destination A/T2 is designed to be better, especially in terms of aquaplaning resistance. The grooves are slightly wider, meaning that the tire can channel more water and help the blocks keep constant traction with the surface.
Firestone bumped up the warranty on this tire and managed to achieve that with the full-depth 3D sipe technology. The result of this should be consistent performance as the tire wears down and ensure that the tire wears evenly throughout its lifespan.
Treadwear Rating: 4/5
How does it behave on dry tarmac?
I was quite surprised to find that the Destination A/T2 performed exceptionally well on a dry road.
All-terrain tires are generally not very good on paved roads, mainly because no manufacturer can make an excellent tire for all terrains. The Destination A/T2 has plenty of traction to get off the line even for more powerful trucks or SUVs and more aggressive owners.
You can hold the tire in a corner much faster than you’d think it can, to a point where you may wonder, “Is this an off-road tire?”. The tire will still break traction, but it does that very gradually and won’t catch you by surprise.
The braking distances are also significantly improved over the previous version, putting the tire near the top of its class.
Dry Rating: 4.5/5
How does it behave over wet and slippery roads?
The Destination A/T2 performed exceptionally well on wet and slippery roads as well.
Overall, the tire feels slightly better in this department than its predecessor, but the difference isn’t as pronounced. The Destination A/T2 has excellent grip and traction in the wet and provides a very safe driving experience. Despite the non-ideal driving conditions, you can still push the tire quite a bit more than most of its competitors.
Firestone’s updated tread design also enables the Destination A/T2 to have very short braking distances, thanks to the improved biting edges of the tire.
The best part of the tire is the aquaplaning resistance. Increasing the width of the grooves made a huge difference, and the tire remains remarkably stable when driving on water.
Wet Rating: 4/5
How is it over snow?
Snow performance is excellent, and when compared to the previous versions, the Destination A/T2 feels like it’s in another class. The rubber compound and tread design combination mean that the tire remains perfectly drivable in winter conditions. You can drive the tire worry-free even in the deeper show, thanks to the 3PMSF rating.
Keep in mind that this still is an all-season tire, so in harsher winter conditions, the tire will struggle, at which point a proper winter tire is needed.
Snow Rating: 4/5
Is it comfortable and refined?
The Destination A/T2 is a very comfortable and decently refined tire.
For comfort, the combination of a higher sidewall means that the tire can flex slightly more, absorbing a good amount of road imperfections. Hitting a larger hole also won’t be a big issue as the tire will eat up most of the vibrations.
The noise levels are good, but I wouldn’t classify the tire as particularly quiet. It isn’t extremely loud as some of the other off-road-oriented tires, so it falls around the middle of its class.
Comfort Rating: 4/5
Is it good for off-roading?
Firestone designed the Destination A/T2 for off-roading, and the tire does that well.
Hard-packed surfaces like dirt roads will pose no problem, and the tire will offer plenty of drivable performance. Mud or sand will also prove no challenge for the Destination A/T2, and you can expect it to perform excellently.
Now we come to the slightly negative side of things. Even though the tire is off-road ready and offers improved off-roading performance compared to the previous generation, it will be lacking a bit. If you put it up against the Destination X/T, you will find it to be better at off-roading.
Is the Firestone Destination A/T2 ideal for sporty driving?
No, the Destination A/T2 isn’t designed for sporty driving, so you shouldn’t expect that.
You will have plenty of grip in the corners, and the tire has pretty predictable handling, but at the end of the day, it’s an all-terrain tire. The tire has a slightly stiffer sidewall and doesn’t flex as much as the other tires in this category. That’s the only sporty thing I can say about it
In terms of driving characteristics, the tire is far from the sharpest responding one, and while there is some feedback from the road, it’s a bit muted.
Noise Rating: 4/5
Firestone Destination A/T2 Warranty
I mentioned in the introduction that Firestone increased the warranty of the Destination A/T2 when compared to the previous generation. The previous generation had a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty, and this one has 55,000. The increase of 5,000 miles in the warranty means that Firestone designed the tire to be more durable.
Firestone Destination A/T2 Pricing: Is it worth the money?
The Destination A/T2 is a tire that’s worth the money, but things aren’t as simple as that. The starting price is $157, meaning that the tire isn’t cheap by any means. As an overall package, the tire is worth it. On the other hand, when you factor in some slightly negative sides to it, you end up asking yourself, is it worth it?
Value Rating: 4/5
Should I buy the Firestone Destination A/T2?
To be honest, the Destination A/T2 is a tire that you should buy, but only if your needs fall under a specific category.
Road performance is excellent, and I cannot fault the tire for that. Dry or wet, summer or winter, the tire can do it all without breaking a sweat. When it comes to off-road, the tire is also very capable and can deliver impressive performance as long as you don’t take things to the extreme. In other words, some tires are more capable in these situations, some of which come from Firestone’s lineup.
You can argue that for better off-road performance, the Destination X/T is a better option. Yes, that is true, but keep in mind that you will be getting a lot more noise with that tire than with this one.
To sum it all up, the Destination A/T2 is a tire for people looking for excellent road and decent off-road performance without a huge sacrifice on comfort and noise.
Overall Rating: 4/5
What Vehicles Will the Firestone Destination A/T2 Fit?
Here’s a sample list of cars that the Destination A/T2will fit:
- Chevrolet Silverado, Colorado
- Ford F150, Ranger, Maverick, Bronco, Expedition
- GMC Sierra, Canyon, Yukon
- Honda Ridgeline
- Jeep Gladiator, Wrangler
- Land Rover Defender
- Nissan Titan, Frontier
- Ram 1500
- Toyota Tundra, Tacoma, Land Cruiser, 4Runner
Tire Sizes for Firestone Destination A/T2
15″
- 235/75R15
16″
- 225/75R16
- 235/70R16
- 235/75R16
- 245/75R16
- 245/70R16
- 255/70R16
- 265/70R16
- 265/75R16
17″
- 235/65R17
- 235/70R17
- 235/75R17
- 245/65R17
- 245/70R17
- 255/65R17
- 255/70R17
- 255/75R17
- 265/65R17
- 265/70R17
- 285/70R17
18″
- 245/60R18
- 255/70R18
- 265/60R18
- 265/65R18
- 265/70R18
- 275/65R18
20″
- 275/55R20
- 275/60R20
20″
- 285/45R22
List of Firestone Tire Reviews
One Comment
thanks for the excellent and balanced review. I think it will serve me well given my driving needs. I am 80 and am a bit overwhelmed at the choices available. I remember when the big decision was whether or not to abandon American made and go for a Pirelli.