Video Tire Guide 2025: All-Season vs All-Terrain Tires

All-season tires are optimized for paved roads, so their tread compounds are softer and more uniform, which allows them to last 50,000- 80,000 miles under normal driving conditions. All-terrain tires, on the other hand, have heavier, more rugged tread blocks and reinforced sidewalls to handle rocks, mud, and uneven surfaces.

If used mostly on asphalt, this aggressive design increases rolling resistance and friction, causing faster tread wear and sooner than a comparable all-season tire. Drivers who spend most of their time on highways may notice that all-terrain tires develop uneven wear patterns or noise more quickly than all-seasons.

All-season tires are generally better for highway driving. Their tread design minimizes noise and rolling resistance, providing a smoother, more fuel-efficient ride than most all-terrain tires.

Yes, but with important trade-offs. All-terrain tires are designed for off-road durability, so their aggressive tread and reinforced sidewalls can handle mud, gravel, and uneven terrain. On paved roads, however, they tend to be noisier, less fuel-efficient, and slightly less comfortable than all-season tires. Their tread compounds are often harder to resist off-road damage, which can also lead to slightly reduced grip on wet or icy pavement compared to a dedicated all-season tire.

Drivers who mostly stick to highways or city streets may prefer all-season tires for smoother rides and longer tread life, while all-terrain tires make sense for mixed driving that includes rough roads or light off-road adventures.

All-season tires prioritize smooth, quiet rides and consistent performance on paved roads year-round, while all-terrain tires are built to combine off-road durability with on-road manners, dependable grip on gravel, mud, or snow, with comfort and consistency on highways.

All-terrain tires perform better in off-road conditions than all-seasons. AT tires' reinforced sidewalls and more aggressive tread patterns handle dirt, rocks, mud, and uneven surfaces far better than all-season tires, yet not as well as specialized off-road tires.