Cooper Discoverer AT3 Vs BF Goodrich KO2 (2023 Update)

Cooper Discoverer AT3 Vs BF Goodrich KO2tires allow you to drive on rocky, desert, mountainous, and marshy terrain without having to change your tires.

Their unique tread pattern allows them to do so. A mid-range tire from Cooper or Bf Goodrich will last a long time and deliver the performance you want.

Considering their price range, AT3 and KO2 are the closest to the top A/T tires on the market. Which one should you choose?

Cooper’s at3 and BF Goodrich’s ko2 are the crown jewels of their respective tire lines. Both manufacturers have addressed every possible weakness in their armor.

While both At3 and Ko2 are A/T tires, both have different technologies and perform differently on different terrains.

Cooper has given the At3 a fairly aggressive tread when it comes to traction, handling, and cornering. AT3 performs well in off-road conditions due to its adaptive traction, durable tread, snow grooves, and saw tooth block edges.

On the other hand, the KO2 features 3D track sides, upper shoulder sidewall armor, and a serrated shoulder design for outstanding off-road performance. At dry and snow conditions, AT3 excels, whereas KO2 performs better in wet conditions.

It is quite normal to expect compromises in comfort when choosing an A/T tire; At3 features whispering grooves to reduce cabin noise, while KO2 does not. We found KO2 to be far superior to AT3 in terms of durability and tread life. BF Goodrich describes KO2 as the improved sequel to KO, which includes:

+ 10% improved in mud traction
+ 19% improved in snow traction
+ 20% in sidewall strength.

TESTS	AT3	KO2
Dry traction	31.13 m (80 km/h)	35.02 m
Wet handling time	62.9 sec	58.7 sec
Snow traction	25.5 m	29.8 m
Float speed (hydroplane resistance)	73.7 km/h	77.2 km/h
Fuel economy	22.24 mpg	16.5 mpg
Treadwear warranty	60,000 miles	50,000 miles

Table of Contents

Overall Traction Comparison:

The top priority of A/T tires is always to provide sufficient traction. AT3 is equipped with adaptive traction technology TM, which allows it to adapt to different types of dry terrain, be it asphalt, gravel, sand, or highways. KO2, on the other hand, has a serrated shoulder design and upper shoulder sidewall armor, allowing the tire to maintain its shape during cornering and high speeding driving.

Due to the shred resistant silica and durable tread technology, the AT3 maintains its grip under wet conditions, as well as being able to perform fairly well in light mud with the aggressive tread design.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 has 4 Aqua VacTM Channels that prevent hydroplaning by rapidly evacuating accumulated slush and water, ensuring you a safe ride without having to worry about tailgating.

Given that it is an AT tire, KO2 performs exceptionally well in Mud. Mud ejection tread technology prevents any accumulation of mud or debris. Goodrich has also added raised bars, called mud-phobic bars, to aid in mud evacuation and prevent mud from sticking to the tread. On standing water, we observed a slight loss of traction in KO2.

Compared with KO2, AT3 performs exceptionally well in snow. With AT3’s snow groove technology, snow gets stuck between the treads for better traction and handling on snow. Additionally, the saw tooth block edges provide more biting edges for grip on snow and ice.

AT3’s snow groove technology is similar to KO2’s 3D track sipes. Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake is awarded to KO2 .

All-season (M+S) tires without the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol may provide slightly more longitudinal snow traction, but under all extreme weather conditions, they cannot match the performance of a real winter tire.

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Comfort Comparison:

It’s no secret that A/T tires sacrifice comfort in order to handle a variety of terrains and perform well. As a result, your A/T tire will be less comfortable than your normal highway or passenger tire.

KO2’s tread design is a lot more civilized on the road when compared to AT3’s Whispering groove technology. Compared to KO2, AT3s reduce cabin noise significantly under on-road conditions, but when you go off-road, they are not so quiet; they are just like any other tire.

The AT3’s rugged design makes it less of a contender when it comes to comfort. We found the ride to be quite rough.

KO2, on the other hand, has no technology for sound reduction, yet it offers a smoother and more comfortable ride compared to AT3s. In order to feature the interlocking tread design, BF Goodrich uses computer optimization.

Despite not having any appropriate innovation to reduce noise, we observed the KO2 to be quieter than AT3, along with offering a comfortable ride. The AT3 and KO2 are both more performance-oriented than comfortable.

Comparing OFF-Road Performance:

Cooper and BF Goodrich have addressed, respectively, the off-road performance of AT3 and KO2. Apart from AT3’s aggressive look, traction shoulders on AT3 help your tires maintain their shape during off-road conditions, preventing your vehicle from wobbling.

At3, even tread wear is maintained without losing off-road traction using Even Wear Arc Technology TM, which matches tire-to-road contact area pressure. KO2 is no less than an M/T tire, whereas AT3XLT is optimized for MD performance.

KO2’s aggressive and irregular tread designs are well suited for off-road conditions. AT3 has a slight advantage over KO2 when it comes to off-road performance.

Durability and Treadwear Comparison

A/T tires wear faster than highway, street, Mud, winter, or any other type of tire. This is due to driving in off-road conditions. Cooper and BF Goodrich have both addressed this drawback and developed innovative technologies to overcome it.

It features a CoreGuard technology along with increased rubber thickness that prevents your tire from splitting and bruising. BF Goodrich claims that the KO2 has 20% stronger sidewalls than its predecessor, the KO. As a result of Tri-Guard technology, using steel belts reinforced by nylon, and Goodrich’s polyester cord sidewall, your tire is much more durable than At3.

The interlocking tread design evenly distributes tire stress, thereby ensuring even wear.

Comparatively, AT3 tires feature deeper treads in LTTM and XLTTM models, as well as Durable TechnologyTM and next-generation silica compound, which make them resistant to chips, cuts, and tears. Unlike KO2, AT3 has Stone Ejectors.

AT3 features stone ejection ledges that help remove stones and pebbles stuck, while rugged traction shoulders prevent punctures and abrasions.

BF Goodrich offers a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, which is unusual for tire companies. Conversely, Cooper provides a 60,000-mile warranty and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee.

Price of Cooper Discoverer AT3 Vs BF Goodrich KO2

The BF Goodrich KO2 tires are more expensive than the AT3. Although Cooper and BF Goodrich are comparable in terms of quality, construction, and performance, we think AT3 offers a better price.

The KO2 might give you one or two years more than the AT3 and are more comfortable than AT3. Perhaps the price difference is justified. Cooper Discoverer AT3 is your best bet if you’re on a budget.

Conclusion on Cooper Discoverer AT3 Vs BF Goodrich KO2

Upon testing and comparing both AT3 and KO2 test results, we found that AT3 performed better in dry and snowy conditions than KO2, whereas KO2 performed well in mud and deep water. Nevertheless, we did observe a loss of traction and grip in KO2 on standing water.

AT3, on the other hand, provided excellent hydroplane resistance. BF Goodrich KO2 has the advantage in comfort and noise reduction, both tires performed exceptionally well under off-road conditions, and KO2 scored the highest in tread wear and durability.