Premium all terrain tires have to do two jobs that pull in opposite directions: grip loose gravel, mud, and snow off the road, then ride quietly enough on the highway that you forget they are aggressive tires at all. The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 is BFGoodrich’s answer to that split, launched in 2024 as the successor to the long-running KO2. It keeps the KO2’s tough-sidewall reputation and adds a new tread pattern, a new tread compound, and a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. The listing linked here is one size, the LT285/70R17/C 116/113S, a light-truck size.
This review sticks to what is actually known about the KO3: BFGoodrich’s own launch claims, the warranty, the severe-snow rating, and the honest limits — including road noise, the buying traps that come with ordering tires online, and which drivers should buy a different tire instead. No road-test claims, no invented scores. If your truck splits its time between the highway and the trail, and you want one set of tires for all of it, the KO3 is one of the strongest options available. If you never leave the pavement, keep reading — there is a cheaper and quieter answer.
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| Pick | Product | Why it stands out | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Winner | BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 Tire (LT285/70R17/C 116/113S) — new tread compound, CoreGard sidewall toughness, 3PMSF severe-snow rating, 50,000-mile treadwear warranty | The benchmark all-terrain tire, updated for longer wear and better snow traction | |
| Best Budget | Falken Wildpeak A/T4W (LT285/70R17 126/123S E) | Current-generation all-terrain rival in the same size, severe-snow rated, with a longer listed treadwear warranty | |
| Premium Pick | Michelin Defender2 Tire (205/55R16) — CONTRAST PICK: an all-season touring tire, NOT an all-terrain tire | The quiet, long-life pick for drivers who never leave the pavement — around 100,000-mile estimated tread life, but no off-road sidewall or tread |
Table of Contents
What the BFGoodrich KO3 Is
The KO3 is BFGoodrich’s all-terrain tire for light trucks, SUVs, and crossovers — one set for the daily commute, the gravel road to a job site, and the weekend trail, with no seasonal swap. It is built for drivers who want all terrain truck tires that do not punish them on the highway: the tread bites into loose surfaces, while the centre wears evenly over years of mixed use.
Three technologies define it. CoreGard Technology gives the sidewall its toughness: thick, split- and bruise-resistant shoulder rubber derived from BFGoodrich’s Baja racing tire. The Advanced Deflection Design helps prevent sticks and stones from snagging and splitting the sidewall. The tread pairs interlocking elements and full-depth 3D locking sipes with serrated shoulders and mud-phobic bars. The linked size shows a UTQG rating of 400 AA A and a diameter of 32.8 inches.
It helps to be clear about what the KO3 is not. It is not a mud-terrain tire, so drivers who spend most weekends in deep mud or on rocks need something more extreme. It is not a highway touring tire, so drivers who never leave the pavement pay for toughness they will never use. Nor is it a dedicated winter tire, even with its severe-snow rating.
KO3 vs KO2: What Changed
The KO2 earned its reputation over a decade — it launched in 2014 and became the default all-terrain tire for a generation of trucks. The KO3, launched in 2024, is not a new tread pattern on the same tire. BFGoodrich redesigned the tread pattern, the tread compound, and several structural features, targeting tread life and wet-weather grip.
The compound is the biggest change. The KO3 uses a new all-terrain tread compound engineered to resist chipping and tearing, and BFGoodrich says it delivers 15 percent better wear performance than the KO2. The tread pattern was redesigned alongside it, with an optimized footprint and full-depth 3D locking sipes. BFGoodrich also claims 20 percent better gravel road durability than the KO2. Both figures are the maker’s claims, not independent test results.
The KO3 keeps the KO2’s CoreGard sidewall toughness, its serrated shoulder, and its mud-phobic bars, and it keeps the soft-soil traction the KO2 was known for. It also keeps the severe-snow rating, with BFGoodrich saying snow traction improved. The treadwear warranty is the same 50,000 miles on both tires. If your KO2s still have tread left, there is no urgent reason to swap — but on a fresh set, the KO3 should wear longer and perform better on wet roads.
Tread Life and Warranty: The 50,000-Mile Cover
The number that defines the KO3 is the warranty: BFGoodrich backs it with a 50,000-mile manufacturer’s treadwear limited warranty, plus a 6-year standard limited warranty and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. Canadian listings state the same cover as 80,000 kilometres. A treadwear warranty is not a promise that every set reaches the figure; it is the cover you claim against if the tread wears out early under normal use.
The KO3 pairs it with a compound and tread built to reach it: the new all-terrain compound resists gravel abrasion, the optimized footprint spreads wear evenly, and the full-depth 3D locking sipes keep their biting edges as the tread wears down. How long any set lasts still depends on pressures, alignment, and rotation.
Long life changes the maths of buying tires. A tire that survives gravel without chunking and wears evenly means fewer sets over the life of the truck, fewer shop visits, and less hassle. That is the real value: fewer days spent buying tires at all.
On-Road Manners, Off-Road Grip, and Snow Performance
On the road, an all-terrain tire is always a compromise, and the KO3 tries to shrink it. The interlocking tread elements link the centre lugs together, stabilizing the tread blocks and keeping the tire planted on the highway. The tighter centre rib also cuts tread noise against pavement, so the KO3 runs quieter than the KO2. It will never be as quiet as a highway touring tire.
Off the road, the tread does the work the highway manners give up. The serrated shoulders and staggered lugs bite into loose surfaces, the mud-phobic bars clear mud and debris so the tread keeps gripping, and the CoreGard sidewall shrugs off the rocks and ruts that cut lesser tires. BFGoodrich says gravel road durability improved 20 percent over the KO2.
Snow is where the KO3 earns its year-round claim. It carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol, which means it passed the standard test for acceleration traction on medium-packed snow. If you are shopping for the best all terrain tires for snow, that symbol is the first thing to check — it separates a genuine four-season all-terrain from one that only looks the part. BFGoodrich says snow traction improved over the KO2. The honest limit: a 3PMSF all-terrain handles light to moderate snow well, but a dedicated winter tire outperforms it in deep snow and on ice.
Buying on Amazon: Size, Fitment, and Installation
With tires, the exact size is not a detail — it is the whole purchase. Before you order, check the size, load rating, and speed rating on your door jamb placard, and match them exactly. A tire in the wrong size is a return, a delay, and a truck stuck on a jack while you sort it out. The load rating matters double on a truck: the linked KO3 size is a load range C tire, rated 116/113S, and if your placard calls for a heavier load range, that size is the wrong tire for your truck.
The button in this article goes to one size listing: the LT285/70R17/C 116/113S KO3. The KO3 is sold in a wide range of sizes, on separate listings, so pick YOUR size on the product page before you buy. The tire is the same KO3 in every size, but the listing you land on is only one of them — use the size selector, or search Amazon for the KO3 in your exact size.
Two more checks before you pay. First, check the DOT date code stamped on the tire sidewall when the tires arrive, and prefer tires under 12 to 18 months old — tires age even sitting on a shelf. Second, use Amazon’s Tire Finder or Confirmed Fit tool where offered.
Then there is installation, which is extra. Tires arrive unmounted, and mounting, balancing, and disposal are charged on top, so budget for installation separately. Amazon offers ship-to-shop options that send the tires to a local installer. Confirm your chosen shop will fit tires bought elsewhere before you order.
Premium All Terrain Tires Compared: KO3 vs the Alternatives
The KO3’s most direct rival is the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W, our Best Budget pick, in the same LT285/70R17 size. It is Falken’s current all-terrain flagship and the replacement for the Wildpeak A/T3W, which Falken has discontinued — do not buy leftover A/T3W stock for a full set. The A/T4W is severe-snow rated like the KO3, and retailer listings put its treadwear warranty at 60,000 miles, longer than the KO3’s 50,000.
The other established rival is the Toyo Open Country A/T III, built for the same mix of highway and trail. It carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating, and retailer listings give it a 65,000-mile treadwear warranty on P-metric sizes and 50,000 miles on LT sizes. There is no button for it here. Among the best all terrain tires, the KO3 stands out for sidewall toughness and gravel durability, while the Toyo and the Falken compete on warranty length and road manners.
The contrast pick is the Michelin Defender2, our Premium Pick above — and the contrast is the point. Our Michelin Defender2 review covers it in full: it is Consumer Reports’ best all-season tire for 2026, with an estimated tread life of around 100,000 miles and an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty. But it is an all-season touring tire, NOT an all-terrain tire — no severe-snow rating, no off-road sidewall, no aggressive tread. If your truck never leaves the pavement, the Defender2 is the better buy. If your truck sees gravel, mud, or trail, it is the wrong tire.
Who Should Buy It — and Who Should Skip It
Buy the KO3 if your truck splits its time between pavement and unpaved roads. Drivers who commute on the highway, drive gravel to a job site or trailhead, and want one set for all four seasons are the ideal buyers. Buy it if your winters bring real snow but not months of ice, and buy it if you have cut a sidewall before.
Skip it if your truck never leaves the pavement — the Michelin Defender2 above is quieter, lasts longer, and is the better buy for a pavement-only truck. Skip it if you want a dedicated mud tire, and look at a mud-terrain instead. Skip it if you face months of ice and deep snow, and consider a dedicated winter set for the cold months. And skip it if your placard calls for a heavier load range than the linked size offers. The KO3 answers one question — which tire handles road and trail, all year — and buyers with a different question should buy a different tire.
Verdict
Premium all terrain tires earn their place when they remove the daily negotiation between the highway and the trail, and the BFGoodrich KO3 does exactly that: a new compound and tread pattern for longer wear, a sidewall built from Baja racing experience, a severe-snow rating for real winters, and a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty behind it all. It is more tire than a pavement-only truck needs, and it is not a mud tire or a winter tire. But for the truck that does a bit of everything, it is the tire to buy — the benchmark, updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size BFGoodrich KO3 should I buy?
Buy the size, load rating, and speed rating shown on your driver’s door jamb placard, and match them exactly. The button in this article goes to one size listing, the LT285/70R17/C 116/113S, and other sizes exist on separate listings, so always pick your own size on the product page before ordering.
Is the BFGoodrich KO3 good in snow?
Yes. The KO3 carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake severe-snow rating, which means it passed the standard test for acceleration traction on medium-packed snow, and BFGoodrich says snow traction improved over the KO2. It handles light to moderate snow well, but a dedicated winter tire still outperforms it in deep snow and on ice.
How long does the BFGoodrich KO3 last?
BFGoodrich backs the KO3 with a 50,000-mile manufacturer’s treadwear limited warranty, plus a 6-year standard limited warranty and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. How long any set actually lasts depends on your driving, tyre pressures, alignment, and rotation, so treat the warranty as a backstop rather than a guarantee of mileage.
What is the difference between the KO3 and the KO2?
The KO3 is the KO2’s successor, launched in 2024 with a new tread pattern, a new all-terrain tread compound, an optimized footprint, and full-depth 3D locking sipes. BFGoodrich claims 15 percent better wear performance and 20 percent better gravel road durability than the KO2. It keeps the KO2’s CoreGard sidewall toughness, its severe-snow rating, and the same 50,000-mile treadwear warranty.
Does Amazon install the tires?
Amazon does not fit the tires itself, but it offers ship-to-shop options that send them to a local installer. Installation is extra — mounting, balancing, and disposal are charged on top of the tire price — so budget for it separately, and confirm your chosen shop will mount tires bought elsewhere, because some shops refuse.
Is the KO3 good for daily driving?
Yes, for a truck that mixes highway and trail. The interlocking tread elements stabilize the tread blocks and the tighter centre rib cuts road noise, so the KO3 runs quieter than the KO2. It will never be as quiet as a highway touring tire, so if your truck never leaves the pavement, the Michelin Defender2 is the quieter and longer-lasting pick.
