The
Open Country R/T is a “tyre first” for Toyo. Described as a hybrid between an A/T (All Terrain) and a M/T (Mud Terrain), Toyo says that this tyre boasts a combination of the best attributes of the
Toyo Open Country A/T II and the
Toyo Open Country M/T. Toyo describe it as a next-generation 4WD tyre that combines off-road performance with on-road comfort. Built for rugged terrain, it has the ability to handle mud, dirt, sand and rocks, just like the Open Country M/T, while still offering passenger comfort and and a quiet ride, similar to the
Open Country A/T II.
The
Open Country R/T has tight centre blocks similar to an A/T, which put more rubber in contact with the ground for improved handling and braking. This is combined with the self-cleaning shoulders like that of the M/T tyre that provide traction on any terrain. They are constructed from a 3-ply polyester carcass with high turn-up ply, which is like that of the
Open Country M/T and should give the tyre more puncture resistance and sharpen the steering response. Deep sipes and stepped block borders give a biting edge that should offer wet traction on both sealed and unsealed roads. The staggered shoulder blocks also have a varied tread pattern, which aims to minimise road noise and give the
Open Country R/T an aggressive look , which is what many people are drawn to when buying tyres for their 4WD these days.
You could argue that these tyres have the potential to let you ‘have your cake and eat it too’ as they claim to be a compromise on the handling capabilities of the full mud terrain tyre as well as providing the quieter, more comfortable ride of an all-terrain tyre. The
Toyo Open Country R/T is a tyre that promises to deliver on that fantasy formula: A tyre that offers wet and dry handling, tread life, off-road traction and winter handling.
I’ve used these
Toyo Open Country R/T tyres for around 15,000 kilometres now. They’re the first Toyo tyres that I’ve used off-road and I have to say, I was really impressed. I gave these tyres a real hammering, particularly during the Variety Children’s Charity event.
It’s the first time that I’ve seen this kind of tyre tread pattern and I believe that it’s a good mix between an A/T and a M/T tyre. In mud, it’s fantastic. The bigger sipes provide good grip to dig into the mud. On the sand, as I mentioned with Big Red, they didn’t hold me back, and on the outback tracks they sucked up the rough love and came back for more.
I also like that this tyre maintains the chunky, aggressive profile of a mud terrain tyre. You could say that the
Open Country R/T is a jack of all trades kind of tyre. I’d happily recommend these tyres to anyone who likes to go off-road.
Looking at tread wear, these tyres started out with 12.4mm of tread by my measurement, and ended up with about 9.4mm after 15,000km of hard, hard driving, including a serious trip through the outback. Using our patented (not really) beer coaster maths, that means I should get another 39,500km out of these tyres, for a total distance of 54,500km.
In terms of highway use, I didn’t really have any issues. I definitely wouldn’t describe the
Open Country R/T as a noisy tyre, that’s for sure. Obviously, it’s a little noisier than an A/T, but that’s to be expected, given the sipes, which are deeper than an A/T tyre and the stepped block borders, which are needed to give that wet traction on all-terrains. The rubber compound is the same as the
Open Country A/T II - which means that the tyre has enhanced durability on the road compared to a M/T tyre, a definite bonus for those who really are using their 4WD fairly equally on and off-road.
Approximate prices (3 stores mystery shopped)
:
Range (smallest to largest tyres available): $299 - $565
Size tested retail price: $375 - $399 (285/70R17)
About Tyre Review's long term reviews
Our long term reviews are conducted by everyday people, using the tyres as they would every day, just with a more critical eye for the individual tyres performance. The long term tests are offered for informational purposes only, and you should always draw your own conclusions for what are the best tyres for you from broad research - read the consumer reviews, read our long term reviews, and check with your tyre shop when actually purchasing the new tyres.
