Quick take: The Toyo Open Country R/T Trail bridges the gap between all-terrain and mud-terrain tires without compromising on or off-road performance. Toyo offers this tire in a wide range of sizes. It’s a great option for overlanding rigs that spend time on the pavement and in the backcountry.
As much as I wish it were the other way around, 90% of the miles I drive are on pavement. For years, I ran various all-terrain tires, and while they served me well with low road noise, easy balancing, and respectable wear, there were more than a handful of times when I wished for something a little more aggressive during the other 10% of my driving. On a previous truck, I ran a set of true mud terrains, but my pavement miles chewed through the softer rubber compound, and towards the end of their service life, they absolutely roared at highway speeds. After experimenting with both ends of the spectrum, I think I’ve finally found my preference in the Rugged Terrain line of tires. My ZR2 is currently rolling on four Toyo Open Country R/T Trail tires, and after a handful of adventures, a particularly nasty winter, and plenty of on-road experience, I’m ready to give them a huge thumbs up.
I’m 6 months into my Toyo Open Country R/T Trails, and with plenty of holiday interstate travel mixed in with some snowy conditions and some offroading, I’ve been more than impressed. When they initially arrived, I was honestly surprised by how aggressive the tread blocks looked. If you’ve shopped for tires online, you probably know what I mean when I say that not all tires lean that way in person. Online high definition and edited photos tend to give a much more defined look, and the flatter light once your tires arrive can leave you disappointed. That was not the case with the RT Trails. I’ll admit I went with a size that was going to test my tire clearance at full flex, but Toyo’s stated specs rang true, and they fit without issue. Now, let’s jump into their construction, how they’ve performed on the road, on the trail, and even in wintery conditions.
Toyo R/T Trail Overview
These R/T Trails use a hybrid tread block that combines characteristics of both all-terrain and mud-terrain tires to offer on-road performance and driving manners, along with off-road grip you can trust.
On Road Performance
I have approximately 2,000 miles of highway and interstate with the Toyo R/T Trails. I did take a 1 mpg hit in fuel economy with these tires, but we’ll get that in a bit. In terms of performance, I have zero complaints. The stop well, even on wet pavement, and so far the wear has been even. Road noise is more than reasonable, and passengers have noted that it seems quieter than previous hybrid tires that I’ve tested. This low road noise can be attributed to the variable pitch design of the tread pattern that Toyo uses on the R/T Trails. I run these just under the rated PSI for a slightly smoother ride, and they handle the pot holes, bridge transitions, and construction zones along the interstate without harsh feedback.
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Off-Road Performance
My off-road time is a mix of gravel, two-track, and the occasional rougher trails. In all honesty, most of my more aggressive offroading is getting into and out of camping and fishing spots that drop off of forest roads. We had a very cold winter in my area, so the usual mud and muck haven’t shown up yet, but I have so far been very impressed with the R/T Trails in the backcountry. They bite in loose dirt and in rock sections, and they provide great traction during more “spirited” wilderness travel. Now that things are thawing out, I’ll have the opportunity to really test their traction in mud and clay, and I’ll update this review with my feedback on the aspect of off-road performance ASAP.
Winter Performance
The Mid-Atlantic area that I call home got more than its fair share of winter weather over the past couple of months. With plenty of time driving through every version of snow, ice, sleet, and wintry mix that I can imagine, minus deep drifts, I feel confident in my impressions about these tires when they’re put up against old man winter. I was honestly worried about. While these aren’t snow tires, for anyone looking for overall winter performance, I doubt you would be left wanting with the R/T Trails.
What to Know
Warranty: 45,000 miles
Weight: As tested, 61 pounds
Price: As tested, $306.97
Tread Depth: 16.5/32 inch
