Mastercraft Courser MXT Tire Review and Rating

In those scenarios, snow and ice are a common occurrence, which is why Mastercraft prepared the Courser MXT for that. You have an M+S rating, meaning that it should fair well in lighter snow conditions. It’s disappointing not to see the 3PMSF rating, but on a positive note, the tire can be studded if you need that.

For road performance, Mastercraft designed the tread to have larger blocks, resulting in a bigger contact patch and better traction. In rainy conditions, the biting edges around the blocks should help improve the traction. You should also see gains from them on gravel roads or on snow. Heavy rain conditions are tricky, and thanks to the wide grooves, the Courser MXT should be able to evacuate water from beneath it with ease.

Like most mud-terrain tires, the Courser MXT features a self-cleaning technology. The company achieved that by widening the grooves so that mud or other debris wouldn’t get stuck. Around the shoulders, the mud-scoop design of the scallops enables the tire to provide more traction in muddy situations.

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

The performance on dry tarmac is a bit of a mixed bag with some positive and negative sides with an overall decent experience.

Starting with the positive are the grip and traction levels. The Courser MXT isn’t a tire that can be taken on a track, so keep that in mind. For the most part, there is a decent amount of both to provide you with a safe and reliable experience. Braking distances aren’t industry-leading, but they are better than most cheap tires.

On the negative side of things is how the tire handles. If you’re an enthusiast, you’ll instantly notice that the tire feels mushy, almost like a winter tire. It does respond, but it’s not as instant as with some of the other mud-terrain tires. 

How does it behave over wet and slippery roads?

Performance in the rain is pretty good, and despite the lower price, there aren’t too many compromises, except for the handling.

Like in dry conditions, the Courser MXT isn’t the sharpest knife in the box but gets the job done. the sidewall flex is there, and the responsiveness is on the lower end of the spectrum, followed by the muted feel through the steering wheel.

As for the traction, the edges around the blocks are doing a decent job of enabling the Courser MXT to hook up. Getting too aggressive will lead to slipping, which isn’t the worst in this category. The tire doesn’t want to be forced in the corners, so I’d recommend taking it easy. For the braking distances, you will be getting some decent stopping power, something that the Chinese competitors lack.

Thanks to the wide grooves, the Courser MXT has pretty good aquaplaning resistance at the speeds that you’d normally drive with.

How is it over snow?

The Courser MXT has an M+S rating, so the winter performance is passable but a bit limited.

You can use the Courser MXT in light snow conditions if it isn’t too deep. There will be a usable amount of traction, and if you’re a bit careful, you can use it. For some more extreme situations, the tire can be fitted with studs, meaning that you’ll get better performance, especially on ice.

Considering that it’s not 3PMSF rated, the Courser MXT will struggle with deeper snow, at which point you’ll need to start thinking of getting a proper winter tire.

Is it comfortable and refined?

In terms of refinement, the Courser MXT doesn’t have much to show for compared with the premium options. 

For comfort, the tire isn’t terrible, and combined with a softer suspension of a truck or an SUV; it should be fine. It can deal with bums relatively okay, and it will do a decent job of reducing vibrations from entering the cabin.

Noise levels aren’t on the lower end of the spectrum, but they’re not too bad. For the most part, the tires will be the loudest on the highway when driving at higher speeds. Around town, the Courser MXT is acceptably quiet.

Is it good for off-roading?

As a mud-terrain tire, I was expecting excellent performance and the Courser MXT delivered on that, for the most part.

The lighter off-road conditions like gravel or mud pose almost no problem for the tire, and there’s enough grip to get the job done. The tire will struggle in deeper mud, which is expected, considering that it’s not a premium option. With that said, the self-cleaning technology is doing an excellent job of keeping the grooves clean of buildup.

The tire will struggle a lot in some more extreme situations, which is to be expected considering the price range. Rock crawling is doable, but the experience and performance won’t be on the level that you’d need.

Is the Mastercraft Courser MXT ideal for sporty driving?

Off-road tires are not suitable for sporty driving, and the same can be said about the Courser MXT.

The handling isn’t as dynamic as you’d want it to be, and with the lack of responsiveness and feedback, the tire will disappoint. On top of that, you won’t get as much traction or grip as you’d want to be able to push your car to the max.

Mastercraft Courser MXT Warranty

Off-road tires, especially mud-terrain ones, rarely come with a warranty, and Mastercraft decided to follow the trend. The Courser MXT has no treadwear warranty, which isn’t a surprise. These kinds of tires are to be driven in extreme situations, meaning that manufacturers cannot claim how long they’d last.

Mastercraft Courser MXT Pricing: Is it worth the money?

The Courser MXT is a tire that is worth the money, but it’s not for everyone. Prices start from under $150, which is relatively cheap for a mud-terrain tire. Compared to the more expensive competitor from the same company, the Cooper Evolution M/T is almost $190.

Should I buy the Mastercraft Courser MXT?