Review: Toyo Open Country A/T III Tires

All-terrain tires are the best of both worlds when it comes to a tire for a truck or SUV. They offer increased traction off-road over standard highway counterparts while minimizing on-road detriment that usually comes in the form of ride quality, performance, noise, and fuel efficiency. We’ve tested a substantial array of A/Ts over the years, and a stretch of testing the Toyo Open Country A/T III on our do-it-all Lexus GX460 build project tells us it very well might be a contender for the absolute best all-terrain tire available today.

We originally added the Toyos to our GX460 back in early 2022, as part of the first big stage of upgrades to the vehicle. This brought with it a heavy-duty bumper, winch, wheels, and more. The decision to test the Open Country A/T IIIs came largely thanks to prior excellent and extensive experience with the tire’s predecessor, the aptly-named Open Country A/T II. Would the new model live up to the model’s high standards?

The short answer is a resounding yes. We won’t go so far as to say the Toyo Open Country A/T III is a perfect all-terrain tire, but it might be just about as close as it gets. As we mentioned prior, a truly great all-terrain tire straddles the lines between understated and aggressive, reserved and beefy, and practical and fun. Function usually takes precedence over form for a lot of tires out there, especially in the mud-terrain realm, and A/Ts should sit between highway, street tires and all-out off-road maximum traction tires. In every regard, the Toyos represent a near-perfect compromise.

The first place you notice it-- or don’t-- is around town. So many aggressive tires bring with them rough, rumbly, uncomfortable around-town manners. These tires act much kinder on city streets than they should, especially considering that the E load rating we tested is geared even more towards heavy loads. We did notice a bit of harshness over bumps, likely due to the fact that these tires represent total overkill on the durability front for the application at hand. Run a tire with an appropriate load rating for your vehicle and we are certain the ride quality will improve appreciably. In any capacity, the Toyos were extremely quiet and tracked beautifully on both local roads and highways alike.

One thing to bear in mind is that when going to a true all-terrain tire from a highway or all-season tire is that there is an inevitable weight increase that comes with adding capability. The goal is to always mitigate how much rotating mass is added to each corner, and the Open Country A/T III is one of the lightest tires in its class. Our 285/70/R17 tires weighed in right around 55 pounds each, which far undercuts some of the Toyo’s competition. In turn, this means reduced detriment to acceleration, fuel economy, and wear on components versus heavier alternatives. It’s something that’s frequently overlooked when going to an “oversize” tire, but something to bear in mind, and that makes us appreciate the A/T IIIs that much more.

Off-road is where all-terrain tires get to show their true colors. It’s not uncommon to find an A/T to be good at one task and poor at another when the tarmac ends, and that somewhat reigned true with the Toyo Open Country A/T III. We found the tires to be excellent on both dirt and rocks but lacking a bit in the mud, which was to be expected. Instead of cleaning out the lugs like a mud-terrain does, the A/T III tends to keep a bit more muck lodged in the tread than ideal (as most all-terrain tires do). We still only got the GX stuck once, but don't doubt an M/T would have gotten through the pit. However, this minor letdown is more than offset by the tires over-performing on rocky climbs, with the traction proving immense for a tire that rides this well on the way to the trail.

Perhaps best of all, the Toyo Open Country A/T III tires never let us down. We took one very small chunk out of one of the sidewalls during a particularly rocky trail ride, but otherwise they took everything we threw at them without breaking a sweat. They displayed zero hydroplaning in heavy rain, and were as confident as an all-terrain tire can be in the snow. After 8,000 miles of mixed on and off-road driving, the Toyos showed almost zero wear whatsoever. This is truly fantastic tire that we recommend wholeheartedly, and it makes the compromise of an all-terrain tire that much more palatable. Five stars.

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