Toyo Open Country R/T Trail Tire Review and Ratings
Dry Conditions – 80%
Wet Conditions – 80%
Snow – 60%
Comfort – 80%
Noise Reduction – 70%
Durability – 80%
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Dedicated tires for certain conditions aren’t something new. Getting the best possible performance is something that’s been around for a long time and people rely on “special” tires to get the most out of their vehicles. This is an aspect we often see with off-road vehicles.
To be able to go off-roading you need a vehicle capable of that and tires. Using road-going tires in these conditions is something that won’t be a good idea. You won’t get the performance you require, nor the durability to ensure that the tires remain usable for a long time.
Maximum off-road tires, or mud-terrain ones are the best, but what if you don’t need as much performance? This is where rugged terrain tires come into play. They sit somewhere all-terrain and mud-terrain tires, offering better off-road performance without sacrificing on-road capabilities.
These a relatively new tires in this industry and even though there are a good number of options to choose from, they aren’t as widespread as the others. One of the several manufacturers that have a model in this segment is Toyo with its Open Country R/T Trail which I’ll be talking about today.
Pros
- Marvelous off-road performance
- Does an impressive job on paved surfaces
- It’s a solidly comfortable tire
- The aquaplaning resistance is decent
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a 3PMSF rating, so the snow performance is satisfactory
- Despite being relatively quiet, the growl is a bit noticeable over certain surfaces
The Features of the Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
Considering that this is a hybrid tire, the Open Country R/T Trail has features that cover on and off-road performance.
The tread pattern is molded from Toyo’s all-season rubber compound and is fine-tuned to deliver multiple advantages, including handling, durability and noise levels. As a bonus, the design should help in certain off-road conditions.
Since this is an off-road capable tire, there are aspects of the design implemented specifically for those conditions. I’m talking about the scalloped shoulder blocks and thicker sidewall, designed to improve performance in mud, sand, and rock crawling and resist potential damage in those situations.
To help with performance in similar conditions, the tire’s zigzag pattern additionally helps with performance over loose surfaces. The bonus here is that this should also help with performance on snow. Within the grooves, the tire features stone ejectors, whose goal is to keep them clean of debris and buildup, resulting in consistent performance.
As a tire that’s also designed to be driven on the road, it also features 2 circumferential grooves. Combining those with the overall groove width means that the tire’s water evacuation properties should be excellent.
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail in Dry Conditions
For the most part, tires like the Open Country R/T Trail can be used on the road with pretty decent performance.
This is the kind of tire you’ll fit on an off-road vehicle, not a sports car, so you shouldn’t expect it to be glued to the road. You’ll have solid grip and traction in most situations, allowing you to drive it daily without too much drama. The levels aren’t overly high, so pushing it will result in some slip and squeal, which is expected.
When it comes to handling, the tire seems to be doing a solid job. It’s not as slow as some other off-road tires. You won’t have a lot of feedback, which is the case with almost all similar tires.
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail on Wet or Slippery Roads
Toyo’s rubber compound and tread pattern do a good job in wet conditions, allowing the Open Country R/T Trail to perform well.
Performance on damp roads is pretty good, meaning that the tire won’t struggle even with more powerful vehicles. Like before, it’s not a road tire, so the performance isn’t exactly comparable. As long as you’re not aggressive, the tire will be fine, and you won’t have any issues.
The most important thing is that it’s safe in these conditions, thanks to the relatively short braking distances. Even though there are some better tires out there, the differences aren’t massive. Furthermore, standing water won’t be an issue, thanks to the tire’s ability to evacuate water and remain stable.
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail in Snow
Unlike some off-road tires I’ve looked at in the past, the Open Country R/T Trail is M+S rated. The lack of a 3PMSF rating means that the winter performance should be usable, which isn’t the case here.
The tire’s aggressive pattern deals with unpacked snow well, so the performance should be satisfactory. Keep in mind that it’s not a winter tire, so don’t expect it to perform as such. The traction on packed snow isn’t as impressive, but it remains a solid choice. It’s important to note that despite the positive comments, there are still better options in this category.
Ice is something that the tire doesn’t deal with too great. There is some traction, but far from what I’d call excellent. Usable, maybe, but you’ll need to be gentle and cautious.
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail Off-Roading
We come to the fun stuff, the thing that the Open Country R/T Trail is designed for – off-roading.
Despite having a slightly more aggressive pattern than all-terrain models, this tire didn’t struggle with hard packed surfaces at all. It dealt with dirt or gravel roads like a champ, performing as most people would expect. The occasional slip here and there was attributed to the aggressiveness, so it’s not like the tire is lacking in this department.
That same aggressive pattern is the reason the tire performs well on loose surfaces. Mud and sand can be tricky, but this tire handled these conditions well. It is a step back behind mud-terrain tires, like the Open Country M/T. If you’re not into the most hard-core off-roading, the performance will be more than enough.
Thanks to the internal construction, you can deflate the tire and go rock crawling. Small to medium rocks are no problem, and you may notice it struggling a bit with the bigger ones. To be far, it’s not a tire for maximum attack in these conditions, so I wouldn’t put it as a drawback.
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail for Sporty Driving
Tires designed for off-roading are far from sporty tires, so don’t expect that from the Open Country R/T Trail. The tire’s performance and handling on paved roads is good for daily driving, but not for having fun on a twisty road. Even though it can manage some spirited driving, I wouldn’t categorize it as a sporty model.
Does the Toyo Open Country R/T Trail Ride Comfortably?
Tires in this category don’t do well in terms of refinement, but the Open Country R/T Trail seem to be an exception, in some areas.
The tire’s internal construction doesn’t ruin the ride quality and is solidly comfortable. There are some secondary movements when you go over a pothole, but they’re not too noticeable and are the result of the block movements. Apart from that, it handles smaller bumps and doesn’t feel bouncy.
As for noise levels, I’m going to have to critique them a bit. Toyo did wonders to keep an aggressive tire quiet, and it does that decently well. Unfortunately, the growl is a bit more pronounced over certain surfaces.
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail Warranty
The best thing about the Open Country R/T Trail is that it comes with a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty. It doesn’t sound much, but you should keep in mind that it’s an off-road capable tire. With this, the tire is on the same level as the Geolandar X-AT, but behind the Discoverer Rugged Trek.
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail Pricing: Is It Worth the Price?
The best thing about the Open Country R/T Trail is that it comes with a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty. It doesn’t sound much, but you should keep in mind that it’s an off-road capable tire. With this, the tire is on the same level as the Geolandar X-AT, but behind the Discoverer Rugged Trek.
Should I Buy the Toyo Open Country R/T Trail?
The Open Country R/T Trail is one of those tires where you won’t expect much, but it manages to surprise you.
Despite its category, you’re looking at a tire that does a pretty good job on paved roads in multiple conditions. You won’t be pushing it on a twisty road and having fun, but you’ll have dependable and safe performance. Surprisingly, it won’t be a poor performer even in snowy conditions.
The area where it does impress is off-road performance. As long as you’re not after the most hard core conditions, this is a tire that won’t disappoint. You can drive on anything from hard packed surfaces to mud, or crawl over rocks and have no issues.
Refinement is as good as you can expect from this kind of tire. The comfort levels are solid and despite some noises, it’s not obnoxiously loud. It comes with a pretty decent treadwear warranty, while being priced competitively.
The Open Country R/T Trail is one of those tires where you won’t see plenty of drawbacks. It’s not perfect, but it’s still an excellent performer. This is the kind of tire I can recommend for people that need a nice blend of on and off-road performance.
What Vehicles Will the Toyo Open Country R/T Trail Fit?
Here’s a sample list of cars that the Toyo Open Country R/T Trail will fit:
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Dodge RAM 2500
- Ford F150
- Jeep Wrangler
- Mitsubishi Montero
- Nissan Pathfinder
- Toyota Tacoma
Tire Sizes of the Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
16″
- LT265/75R16 123/120Q
- LT285/75R16 126/123Q
17″
- LT255/80R17 123/120Q
- 265/65R17 116T XL
- 265/70R17 115T
- LT265/70R17 123/120Q
- LT265/70R17 112/109T
- 275/70R17 116T XL
- LT275/70R17 124/121S
- 285/70R17 116Q
- LT285/70R17 126/123Q
- LT285/70R17 116/113S
- LT285/75R17 128/125Q
- LT295/70R17 128/125Q
- 35X12.50R17LT 125Q
- 37X12.50R17LT 128S
- LT315/70R17 121/118S
18″
- LT265/70R18 124/121Q
- 275/65R18 116T XL
- LT275/70R18 125/122Q
- LT285/65R18 125/122Q
- LT285/75R18 129/126R
- LT295/70R18 129/126Q
- 33X12.50R18LT 122Q
- 35X12.50R18LT 128Q
- 37X12.50R18LT 128Q
20″
- 265/50R20 111T XL
- 275/55R20 117T XL
- 275/60R20 115T
- 275/65R20 116T
- LT275/65R20 126/123S
- 35X11.50R20LT 124Q
- P285/55R20 116T XL
- LT285/55R20 122/119Q
- LT285/60R20 125/122R
- P295/55R20 116T
- LT295/55R20 123/120Q
- LT295/60R20 126/123Q
- LT295/65R20 129/126Q
- 33X12.50R20LT 114Q
- 35X12.50R20LT 125Q
- 37X12.50R20LT 126Q
- 305/50R20 120Q XL
- 305/55R20 116Q
- LT305/55R20 125/122Q
- 37X13.50R20LT 127Q
- 35X15.50R20LT 127Q
22″
- 275/50R22 111T
- 285/45R22 114T XL
- LT285/50R22 121/118S
- LT285/55R22 124/121Q
- 35X12.50R22LT 121Q
- 37X12.50R22LT 127Q
- 305/45R22 118T XL
- LT305/50R22 124/121Q
- 35X15.50R22LT 123Q
24″
- 37X13.50R24LT 124Q
- 38X13.50R24LT 127Q
- 38X15.50R24LT 128Q
