Life, as they say, comes at you fast. A few months ago, my wife was driving home from work in our trusty 2007 Ford Explorer when a driver headed in the opposite direction fell asleep at the wheel and crossed into oncoming traffic, directly in front of her. While she was thankfully able to avoid any lasting injuries, our stalwart SUV was not as fortunate.Â
Suddenly we found ourselves in need of a replacement during a particularly tumultuous time in the used car market. Looking to stick with a known quantity, we managed to find a 2008 Explorer that fit the bill. But before pressing our latest acquisition into service, we brought it to our mechanic, who pointed out that its eight-year-old all-season tires were well past their expiration date despite having plenty of tread left.Â
Noting that this particular Explorer is equipped with a proper four-wheel drive system, we decided to check out what options we had for all-terrain tires in the factory size, and that search led us to the Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT. As the follow-up to the popular Discoverer AT3 4S, the Road+Trail AT is designed to tackle the rough stuff without compromising its on-road manners. While I pictured winter trips to the mountains and jaunts through off-road parks in my mind’s eye, the reality is that, like most all-terrain vehicles, this SUV is going to spend the vast majority of its time on paved roads.Â
Not so long ago, opting for a chunky all-terrain tire would have been a recipe for excessive road noise, wayward steering, and compromised handling in everyday use. But as I’ve learned from testing vehicles like the Ram 1500 TRX and the Ringbrothers 1970 Chevy K5 Blazer, tire manufacturers have made significant strides on these fronts in recent years, and I was glad to find that the Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT doesn’t buck that trend. In fact, the Explorer’s on-road manners actually improved after we bolted the new set on, and there was no detectable…
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