We Compare Toyo Open Country AT2 Vs Toyo Open Country AT3 to tell you if there’s anything new or if it’s merely a cosmetic improvement.
Toyo Open Country AT2: What is it?
What is the Toyota Open Country AT2? Jeeps, Pickup trucks, and Crossovers. This tire was designed to tackle all challenges off-road and offer an extended tire life while retaining most of the grip. Its aggressive sidewall pattern and robust tread design made this a great all-terrain tire.
The tire’s performance on the road has been pretty average and sedate. The snow performance has been satisfactory when the winter isn’t severe, while the wet performance is just above average. The AT2 is known to perform well on rocks, mud, and uneven surfaces.
Video Review of Toyo Open Country AT2 Vs Toyo Open Country AT3
What is the Toyo Open Country AT3?
The AT3 comes with all the kit that was missing from the AT2. By listening to its consumers, Toyota has filled all the necessary gaps to make it a much better tire. Among the most significant changes are the tread pattern and tread depth which have not only made the AT3 a much better off-road tire, but have also made it an advanced AT tire overall.
While you won’t notice the difference at first, as you encounter varying surfaces and speeds, you begin to notice the upgrade. On the tread, the S-shaped tread blocks are tightly packed together with deeper gaps between them to reduce tread wear and enhance overall traction.
On the AT3, 3D Siping is deeper to improve traction on wet surfaces. Sidewalls on the AT2 are designed with more aggressive blocks for enhanced protection. Do all other improvements imply that the AT3 is a better tire on-road as well? Find out in this detailed comparison.
Video Review of Toyo Open Country AT3
Pros of Toyo Open Country AT2
- The tread compound increases wear resistance
- The tread design is biased toward off-road use
- Puncture-resistant construction for carrying heavy loads
- Traction is available throughout the tread life
- The two Snow-Flake rating makes it ideal for mild snow conditions
Pros of Toyo Open Country AT3
- A better tread design than the AT2 with improved wear resistance
- The tread design is suitable for road and off-road use
- Tougher treads can handle difficult situations and carry heavy loads
- Improvements help AT tires compete with other brands
- The AT3 has a Snow-Flake rating of 3, making it suitable for use under medium to heavy snow conditions.
What is the main difference between the Open Country AT2 and AT3?
Treadwear
Toyo Open Country AT3 is the winner
Both tires are designed to reduce wear as much as possible. In the case of the Open Country AT2, the tread compound enhanced the tire’s life while the tread profile ensured even contact. This improved rolling resistance as well as tread life. A sturdy build and a deeper tread depth make for a long tread life.
In the Open Country AT3, things are better. Toyota has gone one step further with this AT tire. As a result of the smaller S-shaped blocks on the tread, it offers a larger contact patch with enough space in between the blocks to allow them to move around in any direction. With this flexibility combined with improved cut and chip resistance, the AT2’s treadwear rate is reduced by a small but significant margin.
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Table Comparison
| Open Country AT2 | Open Country AT3 | |
| Tire type | All-terrain | All-terrain |
| Usage | On/off-road | On/off-road |
| Three peak mountain snowflake rated (3PMSF) | No | Yes |
| Tested size | LT325/60R20 | LT325/60R20 |
| Tread depth | 16.8/32’’ | 17/32’’ |
| Tread width | 13’’ | 13’’ |
| Maximum inflation pressure | 65 psi | 65 psi |
| Maximum load capacity | 3750/3415 kg | 3750/3415 kg |
| Load/ speed rating | 126/123R | 126/123R |
Off-road performance
Toyo Open Country AT3 is the winner
There are indentations on the sidewalls of the Open Country AT2, which is quite different from the improved protection on the AT3.
Cutting in half the S-shaped blocks on the AT2’s tread reduces the gap between them. This compromises off-road traction in difficult conditions.
The sidewall of the AT3 features aggressive blocks that protect it well from rocks and other sharp objects. Throughout the tread, the S-shaped blocks are evenly spaced, maximizing off-road performance. Due to the differences in the tread and sidewall, the AT3 is a lot better off-road.
On-road performance
Toyo Open Country AT3 is the winner
The Open Country AT2 is more like an off-road tire. Though it doesn’t perform as well as the AT3, the tread pattern, tire compound, and toughness are engineered to handle uneven surfaces and difficult terrain. Under controlled speeds, the tire offers acceptable performance and grip. The AT2 offers average road comfort and noise control, too.
The AT3 offers a larger contact patch thanks to the closely-knit tread pattern. Also on the outer ridges, the space between the ribs has been optimized for better on-road stability and better cornering control than the AT2 model. As the tread compound absorbs a decent amount of vibrations on the road, comfort on the road is decent. In addition, road noise is well controlled for an AT tire.
Wet Performance
Toyo Open Country AT3 is the winner
Both tires perform similarly in wet conditions. The AT2’s tread has wide gaps between the blocks that channel water efficiently, but the contact patch is not as wide as the AT3. Consequently, the water may flow slowly, increasing the risk of hydroplaning.
Open Country AT3 offers maximum traction and confidence on wet surfaces, thanks to its wide contact patch. Its 3D siping is deeper, so it does a better job of evacuating water and preventing hydroplaning.
Snow Performance
Open Country AT3 is the winner
Toyo’s Open Country AT2 tire comes with a Snow-Flake rating of two, which means the tire is best suited to conditions and terrain where snowfall is not so severe. The tire suffers from the same shortcomings that the Open Country AT3 has in wet conditions. In heavy snow, the tire would struggle to maintain traction due to its siping and tread pattern.
However, the AT3 has entered a different league in the world of all-terrain tires. With its Snow-Flake rating of three, the AT3 can easily bite and grip in deep snow without a problem. Its improved tread pattern allows it to accelerate and brake aggressively without losing traction.
Value and Price
Open Country AT3 is the winner
Based on the size of the tire, the AT2 is priced between $188 and $650. We’re not complaining about the tire’s performance. At this price, the AT2 is a great tire for what it offers, and we recommend it.
The Open Country AT3 is not much more expensive than the AT2, however. Depending on the tire size, prices start at around $190 to $700. One can buy a tire that performs exceptionally well under all conditions for a few extra dollars. AT3 is an awesome value!
Warranties
Open Country AT3 is the winner
With a treadwear warranty of 50,000 miles and a limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship based on miles covered, the AT2 falls short of the AT3, which offers a higher warranty for specific sizes.
For the AT3, treadwear warranty is up to 65000 miles for P/Euro-Metric sizes; for LT and Flotation sizes, it is up to 50000 miles. There is also a limited warranty based on the number of miles covered against defects in materials and workmanship.
Use Toyo Open Country AT2 if…
- Budget is strictly limited
- Hardcore off-roading is not part of your requirement
- In severe snowfall or similar weather conditions, you don’t drive
- Tires aren’t frequently pushed to their limits
- The tire you need is an average wet performance tire
Use Toyo Open Country AT3 if…
- Budget is flexible for you
- Your thing is hard-core off-roading and you want to use the same tire for everything
- Tires should perform well in all conditions
- You live in an area that experiences heavy snowfall and extreme weather conditions
- You enjoy driving spiritedly
- AT tires offer more value and warranty
Conclusion of Toyo Open Country AT2 Vs Toyo Open Country AT3
Overall, we believe that Toyo has focused on the right areas to make its well-known AT tire even better. The improvements made to the Open Country AT2 are not only cosmetic, but also functional as they improve performance in virtually every aspect.
Whether it’s dry traction, wet traction, winter performance, off-road performance, or even value and warranty, the Open Country AT3 outperforms the AT2 in all aspects.
Although we have seen many model upgrades in the past, this sort of upgrade where the new model outperforms the old model completely is quite rare. The AT3 is then worthy of all the praise and glory.
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