Quietest All Terrain Tires

When shopping for all-terrain tires some of the most common factors considered are outright off-road grip as well as durability. Often, on-road performance is ignored. And many buyers regret it.

For many truck and SUV buyers, while all-terrain tires are still the ideal choice, they spend more time driving on paved roads so having a tire that’s easy to live with day-to-day should be a critical criteria. If that’s you (and we assume it is because that’s why you’re reading this article on the quietest all terrain tires) then we’ve assembled a list of our top picks that offer off-road grip with better on-road manners than you might expect.

Continental Terrain Contact AT

It might not win any awards for being the most extreme off-road tire on the market, but the Continental Terrain Contact AT is our top choice for the most civilized all-terrain tire on the market.

The center tread section is more densely packed than most, meaning it’s not designed for particularly extreme conditions. It is, however, built with a tread compound that’s cut and chip resistant and holds up well over time on gravel.

And you’ll get a solid amount of time with this tire thanks to its 60,000 mile tread life warranty.

Shoulder tread sections are built to offer a higher level of cornering capability on-road, while also computer optimized to minimize road noise.

Overall this tire is extremely quiet and ranks up there with many conventional all-season tires for low noise levels. Owners of luxury utility vehicles that want off-road grip but who don’t want to sacrifice on-road civility should look no further.

   

Pirelli Scorpion ATR

Similar to the Continentals above, the Pirelli Scorpion ATR is a more on-road focused all-terrain tire. What makes it unique is that as a Pirelli it’s more focused on delivering a higher-level of handling and grip on-road.

The center tread section of this tire looks to maximize its footprint for on-road driving dynamics. While there isn’t one consistent brand of rubber going around the tire in the middle like on some all-seasons or on high-performance tires, this tread deign offers similar levels of responsiveness.

Impressively, the curved design of that interior tread section also does double duty by helping to force out rocks and stones caught in the tread, which can lead to premature wear.

As for off-road grip, the tread blocks that line up around the tire’s circumferential grooves have an irregular pattern and are designed to offer more edges for more grip. Similarly, the outside of the tire also offers an alternating pattern for more off-road grip, even in loose surfaces.

The sidewall has also been reinforced to prevent against deformation from side impacts and cuts from sharp objects.

While you’d expect to pay a premium for a Pirelli tire, overall this one isn’t that expensive. If there is a down-side to it, however, it’s that the tread life is relatively short with only a 50,000 mile warranty. That’s the trade-off you get for having a more sporty all-terrain tire.

If you’re looking for some off-road grip while still maintaining a high level of on-road performance for sporty SUVs, this is an ideal choice.

   

Hankook Dynapro AT2

One of the newer offerings in Hankook’s tire lineup, this second generation all-terrain tire makes big strides in every area and is generally far more civilized than it looks.

In fact, the Dynapro AT2 actually uses a more conventional five row tread arrangement, but adds off-road grip to it using more void space and plenty of biting edges.

In addition to impressive off-road grip, the shoulder tread sections help deliver superior on-road driving dynamics because they are joined together by small tread bars. And as a unique benefit, these are also designed to reduce road noise.

Plus, the sidewall of the tire features a unique design that also works to reduce road noise when on the highway.

On top of these features, the tire is three-peak mountain snowflake certified for true winter driving and it comes with a solid 60,000 mile warranty. All this, and it’s priced excellently for what you get.

   

Falken Wildpeak AT Trail

The Falken Wildpeak AT Trail is designed specifically for less extreme off-road use. Falken makes other offerings for those who want maximum grip on rocks or in mud. This tire, however, is built more for modern crossovers looking for some mild off-road grip, long life and great on-road manners.

With this purpose in mind it’s extremely quiet and can last up to 65,000 miles as well.

It’s best for those who need regular grip on gravel roads or dirt trails.

It is also certified for true winter use with the three-peak mountain snowflake logo on the sidewall.

   

Goodyear Wrangler Trailrunner AT

Overall, Goodyear’s Wrangler sub-brand of tires are on the more extreme side of off-roading, however, the Trailrunner AT is somewhat of an exception. Solidly capable, the tread blocks use a saw-tooth design to help grip off-road surfaces. There’s also a stepped tread design on the shoulder tread lugs to help give extra traction in looser surfaces.

On-road, it’s optimized for a quiet ride, solid comfort and decent driving dynamics too.

One of the more capable tires on this list, the mileage warranty of 55,000 miles is a bit lower than others and the price is quite high. We recommend this option if you really are still looking for serious grip but demand a more refined ride as well.

   

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S

A quality all-terrain tire in every respect, the Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S combines impressive levels of off-road grip with on-road civility. The more conventional five-row tread pattern means it drives more like an all-season with better handling dynamics and impressive on-road grip in the wet.

Noise is a bit higher than other tires on this list, due in part to the added grip features on the tread lugs (like the saw-tooth design). The true winter capability of this tire (it is three-peak mountain snowflake certified) with its siping pattern also increases noise slightly.

All said, it’s a touch louder than rivals on this list, but it’s highly capable, affordable and comes with an impressive 65,000 mile warranty too.

This is probably the most well-rounded tire on our list and as a result is a bit louder than most of the others.

 

Are All All-Terrain Tires Noisy?

All-Terrain tires still have a reputation for being noisy, although the vast majority of options on sale today are impressively quiet. That’s not to say that they are silent, but most quality all-terrain tires are undetectable in terms of increased noise level. There are exceptions and some of the more extreme performance options are louder than the rest. Similarly, at the lower end of the price scale, options tend to have louder volume as well.

Any all-terrain tire from a recognizable brand and with a five-row tread pattern will be quiet-enough for almost any driver.