All Terrain vs Highway Tires: What To Choose And Why

February 23, 2022

All Terrain vs Highway Tires: What To Choose And Why

When it comes time to replace your vehicle's tires, the options can be overwhelming. There are all sorts of different types of tires available on the market these days: all-terrain, highway, performance, winter, mud, etc.

So which ones should you choose for your vehicle? And more importantly, why? In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of all-terrain vs highway tires so that you can make an informed decision about which type of tires are right for you.

If you want the best selection of tires be sure to check out paylatertires.com where you can have installment payments set up regardless of your credit score and get the tires you want today!

What's the Difference Between All-Terrain Tires & Highway Tires?

All-terrain tires are designed for off-road driving, while highway tires are designed for on-road driving. As such, all-terrain tires are typically better suited for rough roads and weekend getaways to the country, while highway tires provide a smoother ride and better performance on paved roads.

All-Terrain Tires

Some all-terrain tires offer different fuel economy and fuel efficiency than highway tires. While all-terrain tires are best suited for off-road driving, they can also perform well on highways and roads in general. Many all-terrain tires are designed to offer good traction on most road surfaces.

Highway Tires

Highway tires do not offer the same all-terrain traction as all-terrain tires, but they are designed to have better performance on paved roads and highways. While all-terrain tires can be used for both off-road and on-road driving, highway tires are best suited for use only on paved roads or highways.

The Right Climate

All-terrain tires may perform less well in wet pavement, light snow, packed snow, rocky terrain, and deep snow conditions than highway tires. You may appreciate mud terrain tires, winter tires, or off-road tires more than all-season tires depending on your location.

All Season Tires

All-season tires are a compromise all-terrain tire and are designed to provide some of the same all-terrain traction as all-terrain tires, but they are designed to have better performance on paved roads and highways. While all-terrain tires can be used for both off-road and on-road driving, highway tires are best suited for use only use on the highway.

The Best Choice For Pickup Trucks

If you're searching for truck tires, all-terrain tires are the best option for pickups. Highway tires may not have enough sidewall strength to protect the rims from damage when hitting curbs or off-road obstacles.

Considerations For Your Needs

Some considerations to have when choosing the right tire brands such as fuel economy, tread pattern, rolling resistance, tread blocks, off-road traction, off-road performance, heavy loads, low rolling resistance, fuel consumption, aggressive tread pattern, load-carrying capacity, tread wear, tread patterns or open tread pattern, tire width, tread depth or tread design, ride quality, greater rolling resistance, and tire height.

All-terrain tires also offer advantages such as all-weather traction, better handling in all conditions, and a smooth comfortable ride.

Which Tire Has Better Fuel Economy?

Highway tires are best for those who drive on the highway most of the time and need good fuel economy. They usually have less aggressive tread patterns that offer less off-road traction but provide a quiet and comfortable ride.

There is no one perfect tire for every occasion but under normal driving conditions, all-terrain tires are a great choice for those who want the best of both worlds – off-road and on-road performance.

Paved Or Not?

When it comes to choosing between all-terrain and highway tires, there is no one perfect answer. It all depends on your driving habits and what you need from your tires. If you spend more of your time on paved roads than driving off-road, then all-terrain tires are probably not right for you. However, if you want to be able to drive on all surfaces with one set of tires, the all-terrain is a good choice. They offer better performance in dirt and sand than highway tires but still perform well enough on the pavement so that you don't have to change them whenever compared to an all-terrain tire.

Your Driving Matters

Driving needs are usually the best way to decide what type of tire you need. If your vehicle is a pickup truck or a light truck, then all-terrain tires are a good choice. If these vehicles are used mostly on paved roads, all-terrain may not be your best option. However, if you drive more off-road than on the highway all-terrain would be the right choice for your vehicle.

Traction Control

Everyday driving plays a large role when choosing SUV tires or touring tires. When it comes to SUV tires, all-terrain tires are a great choice. All-terrain tires provide more traction and control on all types of surfaces than standard touring tires. all-terrain tires also have better puncture resistance, which prevents flats from road hazards such as nails, glass, or rocks.

More Advantages Of An All-Terrain Tire

Most all-terrain tires offer winter performance of some type, even with most all-season tires but softer rubber can be better if all-terrain tires will only be used during a certain season. All-terrain tires can offer a smoother ride, which is great for long road trips and daily commutes. Highway tires are the best option when your vehicle spends most of its time on pavement traveling at high speeds. Highway tires provide better fuel economy and handling than all-terrain tires due to their design and reinforced sidewalls, they provide optimal performance and increase fuel efficiency while still giving you a quiet ride and predictable handling.

Choosing the right tire manufacturers or tires shop can be stressful and luckily paylatertires.com makes it easy with their wide selection of tires for every occasion imaginable, not to mention they offer installment payments so you don't have to wait to get the tires you deserve today!

The Right All-Terrain Tire For You

Off-roading can be dangerous if you don't have all-terrain tires on your vehicle. All terrains are designed to handle all types of weather conditions, including mud and dunes so they're perfect for off-roading trips but not as good at highway speeds due to their thick tread which creates more drag when driving on asphalt or concrete surfaces (this makes them less fuel-efficient).

Off-Road In General

Comparing all-terrain tires has a lot to do with longer tread life or shorter tread life, the tread wears, off-road surfaces, extreme weather conditions, and if you carry heavy loads. For improved traction with light trucks and off-road adventures, an all-terrain tire offers adequate performance with better traction than compared to street tires.

Street Tires

Street tires have different tread wear and tread design or tread depth than all terrains. If your driving needs consist of deep snow, loose dirt, or mud-terrain then you may want a more aggressive tread pattern. You may want to consider fuel consumption and fuel efficiency over low rolling resistance, tread pattern or tread wear in general.

All Season Tires

Low rolling resistance is helpful for a light truck with all-season tires in certain climates. Fuel economy can range differently depending on the rubber company from the tire manufacturers but in most cases, fuel economy should not affect your decision when considering terrain tires for say mud terrain or season tires.

Off-Road Mudding

Mud terrain tires offer different tread blocks than winter tires and that's because mud terrain is very different than winter weather.

The Choice Is Yours!

Some all-terrain tires are designed for highway use, while some are not. If you plan to spend most of your time on the pavement and only take the occasional dirt road or off-road excursion, an all-terrain tire would be a good choice for you. Conversely, if you do a lot of off-road driving during the winter then winter tires may be a better choice.

Peace Of Mind at Pay Later Tires

Regardless of your decision, you should be confident in understanding what your needs are as a driver and what needs your tires have for the conditions you choose for your everyday driving needs.

Pay Later Tires is here to help you make the best decision for your needs and to provide you with the best all-terrain or highway tires to help keep you safe on the road. Talk to one of our tire experts today to find out if an all-terrain tire or highway tire is the better choice for you!

Create a Free Account

Search thousands of tires and wheels available on payment plans with free delivery!