Kenda Klever R/T Tire Review and Rating

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Kenda Klever RT

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Dry
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Wet
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Snow
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Comfort
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Noise
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Treadwear
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Pros

  • Marvelous off-road performance
  • Decent dry and wet traction
  • Pretty usable in snow conditions
  • Acceptable noise levels

Cons

  • The ride can be harsh at times
  • Not the most communicative tire

One of the biggest issues that tire manufacturers face is developing tires that can be used in multiple conditions. While they can pull that off in some cases, in others, things aren’t as simple as you may think.

In some cases, making this kind of combination isn’t too big of an issue. Take all-season tires, for example; even though they won’t excel in one area, manufacturers have found a way to make them very good in multiple conditions. But what if you need a tire that’s good on and off-road?

This is where R/T tires come into play. Rough-terrain tires are very similar to all-season ones in the way they are positioned on the market. They can be driven on the road and off it with decent performance. The difference is that rough-terrain tires have better off-road capabilities without sacrificing on-road ones.

Today’s tire comes from a brand whose early days weren’t filled with car tires. Kenda is a brand that’s been around for around 60 years, founded in Taiwan. The brand initially made tires for trailers or golf carts and has been in the car industry for around 20 years.

The tire in question is part of the Klever lineup and is a rough-terrain one. Kenda’s Klever R/T is an all-season designed to tackle rougher terrain without losing its all-terrain properties. Has Kenda managed to pull that off, or is this just another case of marketing? Let’s find out.

What are the features of the Kenda Klever R/T?

Looking at the tire, the most apparent feature is the tread design. The Klever R/T features an aggressive tread design aimed to give it excellent performance in off-road scenarios.

Kenda Klever RT Tire Review

The deep and wide grooves also mean that the tire’s performance in the mud should be excellent. This is backed by the upper tread on the sidewall aimed to enable the Klever R/T to have better traction in deeper mud and a bit in the snow.

Since it’s a tire aimed at a bit more extreme off-road situations, Kenda paid attention to the internal construction. The Klever R/T has a 3-ply sidewall construction, meaning that it can survive some hardcore off-roading scenarios.

For road performance, the all-weather rubber compound, along with the design, should help the Klever R/T have great traction on wet and snowy roads. Even though the tire only has the M+S rating, the snow performance should be acceptable.

In addition to that, ice performance can be improved thanks to the ability to fit studs to the Klever R/T.

Treadwear Rating: 4/5

4/5

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

The Klever R/T does a decent job when it comes to dry performance, considering that it’s a rough-terrain tire. Fine for daily driving and not much else.

The large blocks provide a large surface area for the tire to stick to the road, resulting in a decent grip. You may notice a bit of slip if you accelerate aggressively with some more powerful cars, but for the most part, you’ll be fine.

In the handling department, the Klever R/T isn’t a tire that will wow you. It is decently responsive, and the tracking is predictable. You’ll have very good stability even at higher speeds. With that said, the tire isn’t very communicative and provides very limited feedback.

As for the braking distances, they are acceptably short. Some tires may fair better, but not by a lot.

Dry Rating: 4/5

4/5

How does it behave over wet and slippery roads?

Kenda claimed that it designed the Klever R/T to improve performance in wet, and that claim seems to be true.

The tire delivers pretty good performance on a wet road, both in the traction and grip departments. You can rely on the tire to provide you with more than enough performance for everyday usage. This also includes decent braking distances.

Having wider grooves means that the Klever R/T can deliver excellent aquaplaning resistance. It will remain relatively stable when driving at higher speeds in deeper patches of water.

Wet Rating: 4/5

4/5

How is it over snow?

The Klever R/T is surprisingly well-mannered in snow conditions, considering it’s a tire with an M+S rating.

Kenda says that it’s an all-weather tire, meaning that snow performance is better than an all-season one. The Klever R/T is generally usable in lighter snow conditions, so you can expect decent levels of grip and traction. You will also have a tire that will remain pretty controllable if you don’t push it too much.

If you get into some more extreme situations, the Klever R/T will not perform as well as a proper winter tire, despite the tread pattern. The good news here is that the tire is studabble, so you can improve the winter performance if you need it.

Snow Rating: 3.5/5

3.5/5

Is it comfortable and refined?

Off-road tires aren’t known for being exceptionally well refined, but the Klever R/T is a slight exception in certain areas.

In terms of comfort levels, the Klever R/T isn’t one of the softest on the market. The 3-ply internal construction means that the ride quality takes a hit, and the tire can feel harsh at certain times. On a positive note, vibrations aren’t too pronounced, and the tire isn’t the worst riding one.

A positive side is that the noise levels of the Klever R/T are pretty good for an off-road capable tire. There is a deep roar when you drive over rougher terrain or at higher speeds. The nouse levels are somewhere in the middle between all-terrain and rough-terrain tires.

Comfort Rating: 3/5

3/5

Is it good for off-roading?

The Klever R/T is a tire that can satisfy almost all off-road requirements making it a genuinely rough-terrain tire.

The tire provides plenty of grip and traction in lighter conditions, especially when you drive on gravel roads. You can expect to get pretty good traction in shallow mud or sand.

Going for something more extreme like deeper mud won’t cause a problem with the Klever R/T. The tire can dig in and provide traction in cases where all-terrain tires will struggle. With that said, mud-terrain tires will offer slightly better performance for the most extreme situations.

The Klever R/T is also a pretty good tire for rock-crawling, and it won’t leave you disappointed. Thanks to the 3-ply construction, you can deflate it without worrying about damaging the sidewall.

Is the Kenda Klever R/T ideal for sporty driving?

Off-road capable tires aren’t known for being ideal for sporty driving, and the same can be said about the Klever R/T. The tire lacks any of the performance needed to ensure that it would be good enough for enthusiasts.

The Klever R/T has plenty of performance for regular driving, but as long as you push it, it will start to show its weaknesses. In addition to that, you aren’t getting the most responsive tire that can justify a “sporty” badge.

Noise Rating: 3.5/5

3.5/5

Kenda Klever R/T Warranty

When it comes to warranty, the Klever R/T follows the no-warranty trend that all off-road tires have. While there isn’t a treadwear warranty, you can utilize the uniformity one if a tire becomes defective within the first 2/32 inches of tread.

Kenda Klever R/T Pricing: Is it worth the money?

Kenda is a brand known for making affordable tires, and the Klever R/T falls within that category. The prices start from around $125, which is quite affordable for this type of tire. Since there aren’t too many rough-terrain tires on the market, it is relatively cheaper than its mud-terrain counterparts.

Value Rating: 4/5

4/5

Should I buy the Kenda Klever R/T?

Yes, the Klever R/T is an excellent tire, and there aren’t too many reasons why you should avoid it.

Performance on the road is pretty good for an off-road tire under normal circumstances. The Klever R/T delivers more than enough grip and traction on dry and wet roads. It drives stability and planted, providing you with plenty of confidence. Snow performance is also adequate for a tire with an M+S rating, something that you can improve additionally by adding studs.

There aren’t too many cases in off-road conditions where the Klever R/T won’t be able to live up to the task. Putting it up against anything that ranges from dirt roads to rock-crawling would pose no problem for the tire. You may find yourself in some situations where the tire may not perform as well as mud-terrain one, but they are pretty rare.

When it comes to refinement, the Klever R/T seems to be doing pretty well, for the most part. The tire is a bit on the harsh side, but nothing that will be problematic. Noise-wise, the tire does a better job and remains acceptably quiet for an off-road capable tire.

Despite the lack of warranty, the Klever R/T is a tire that should last you around 40,000-miles based on reports so far. Price-wise, it is one of the more affordable rough-terrain tires currently available on the market.

To summarize things up, the Klever R/T is a tire that doesn’t have too many downsides. If you are willing to accept a bit of noise and a harsher ride, it’s an excellent tire for your truck or SUV.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

4.5/5

What Vehicles Will the Kenda Klever R/T Fit?

Here’s a sample list of cars that the Kenda Klever R/T will fit:

  • Chevrolet Colorado
  • Ford Bronco, F-150
  • GMC Canyon
  • Jeep Gladiator, Cherokee, Wrangler
  • Mercedes G Class
  • Mitsubishi L200, Pajero
  • Nissan Titan, Frontier
  • Ram Power Wagon, Pickup
  • Toyota Tacoma, Hilux, Tundra

Tire Sizes for Kenda Klever R/T

16″

  • LT235/70R16

17″

  • 33*10.50R17LT
  • 35*10.50R17LT
  • 33*12.50R17LT
  • 35*12.50R17LT
  • LT235/80R17
  • LT245/75R17
  • LT265/70R17
  • LT265/65R17
  • LT285/70R17

18″

  • 33*12.50R18LT
  • 35*12.50R18LT
  • LT265/65R18
  • LT275/70R18
  • LT275/65R18

20″

  • 33*12.50R20LT
  • 35*12.50R20LT
  • LT275/55R20
  • LT285/55R20

20″

  • 33*12.50R22LT
  • 35*12.50R22LT

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