The all-terrain tire segment is red-hot, with more models than anyone can make sense of. It seems like every tire is all-terrain or trail-capable these days, but the truth is that the core of the segment is the true all-terrain tire: rubber that can handle truly rugged off-roading, deep snow, and plenty of on-road use. Enter the Kumho Road Venture AT52.
It competes in the same crowd as the legendarily popular BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K03, and among other market leaders like the Yokohama Geolander A/T4, Nitto Terra Grappler G3, and Falken Wildpeak A/T4W. It also technically competes with more on-road oriented models, like the BFG Trail Terrain series, and some more mild Cooper and General all-terrain tires.
Suffice to say, it has stiff competition. But there’s always room for a compelling entry, especially when all-terrain tires can range from extreme off-road capability and relatively poor on-road comfort to tires that are better suited for mall-crawling or some deep snow. There’s always room for more, and the Kumho does offer an interesting matrix of capability.
Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
Driving On (And Off) Road
I had the chance to test the AT52 on my personal 2021 Ram 1500 for six months and about 6,000 miles, which gave me plenty to work on. I’ve tried other competitors on other trucks, and I’m especially in tune with the BFG K03 and Falken A/T4W.
The only caveat here is that the factory size on my particular Ram is 285/45R22, which is unusually large for the segment. It does happen to fill the niche of Ram owners with the 22-inch wheel package, but I digress.
Over my miles, I made sure to put the tires through their paces in all conditions: off-road, on-road, in rain, and towing. Making it even harder for the Kumho, I was removing a set of road-focused Goodyear tires, and testing the tires’ on-road capability in more depth rather than going trail running. Realistically, this is how most all-terrains will be used.
Immediately, the AT52 showed incredible on-road manners. With all-terrains, there’s usually a degradation in handling, steering feel, and overall comfort, yet the Kumho handled better and felt better than the factory tires. Steering response was alert, with great on-center feel and a lovely buildup of weight. I’d even hazard to say that overall handling was excellent, with the rear tires moving just enough to communicate grip, but not so much as to be disconcerting. Handling balance also erred toward neutral, where the truck previously felt… like a truck.
What was most surprising was the level of comfort. Overall road noise was similar to a conventional tread tire, which was nice, but ride comfort was impressively insulated. Jarring cracks and sharp edges were filed out well, and there was always a lovely layer of cushion over any rough pavement.
I observed slightly more road noise when the tires were brand new, but they quieted down within 500 miles to an unobservable amount. Most importantly, there was no distinct tread tone or buzzing, with the tires feeling just like normal road tires.
Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
Yes, They Even Tow
My Ram’s primary duty isn’t daily driving, however. It is towing mine and my team’s race cars to various race events across California, so I got plenty of long-haul miles in with the AT52’s to see how versatile they can be. Since these tires are designed for light trucks, and people often tow on all-terrains, I thought this was an important capability. Luckily, the Kumho passed with flying colors.
Despite the tire’s relative softness, at least in how it behaves on the road, there was no instability when a 5,500-pound trailer was added to the mix. I’ve often felt all-terrain tires behave like balloons and shimmy when trailer loads are applied, but once again, the AT52 behaves exactly as it should. Some of the tire’s finer ride quality characteristics remained as well, with a nice, soft ride and low road noise.
Now, this could be because of the relatively short sidewall compared to most fitments, but I hauled just over 3,000 miles on the tires and found very little to complain about. If anything, the steering’s alertness meant you had to slow your inputs down while towing, but it was a small adjustment relative to the whole. Tire wear was also minimal, even for that amount of towing. For this, the Kumho performed especially well compared to the crowd.
Since these tires are designed for light trucks, and people often tow on all-terrains, I thought this was an important capability. Luckily, the Kumho passed with flying colors.
But it is an all-terrain tire, so it must be tested. To be frank, my truck is hardly an off-road rig, but it does have four-wheel drive, and it sees the occasional trail. It won’t see anything like the most extreme applications for proper off-road rigs do, but for the light trail run, the AT52 provides ample traction and easy handling. It’s especially excellent on rough gravel and in sandy conditions.
The BFG K03 is much more aggressive than the AT52, and it’s renowned for its capability. But frankly, it’s heavily compromised on-road and can get quite uncomfortable in terms of buzzing tread noise and relatively poor ride quality. In spirit, the AT52 competes more closely with the Falken A/T4W, and beats it in ride quality and comfort. The Falken may be slightly more aggressive off-road, balancing that out.
Overall, the Kumho AT52 is a very sensible tire. Overall fuel economy remained the same compared to a traditional on-road tire, road noise and ride comfort improved, and towing capabilities were maintained. It isn’t the gnarliest off-road tire, but after testing the Road Venture RT last year, it doesn’t need to be. Kumho seems to prioritize what most buyers want: On-road manners and comfort.
