The Difference Between A/T, R/T and M/T Tires (2024)

The three main tire segments for more adventurous driving on the market today include all-terrain (A/T), rugged-terrain (R/T) and mud-terrain (M/T). In this video from the Tire Review Continental Tire Garage Studio, we go over the differences between each and which one should you choose if you are an adventurous driver.

To understand the difference between each tire type, you must know what each does. Mud terrain tires are used for more off-road purposes and are for the customers who want and need the tires for getting farther off the beaten path. This means a mud-terrain tire will need large tread blocks with wide channels to push debris or mud out from under your tires, giving you the most traction possible. Mud Terrain tires also come with a more durable tire sidewall to handle the harsh terrain.

All-terrain tires are designed to perform well under a variety of off-road conditions while still offering acceptable on-highway performance. This is accomplished through a tread pattern design with tighter lugs than mud terrain tires. However, don’t expect all-terrain tires to perform as well as mud terrain tires in demanding off-road environments.

The rugged, or rough, terrain tire is a relatively new tire design and designation with on- and off-road performance between the all-terrain and mud terrain tire segments. R/T tires generally feature large open voids and a knobby sidewall tread to help the vehicle move through mud, as well as siped (syped) tread lugs to improve traction in wet and icy conditions. All rugged tires have the M+S mud and snow rating and some also have the three-peak mountain snowflake rating, making them suitable for street use as well as snow- and mud-covered trails.

Each tire has a different design to cater to different environments. Understanding what driving conditions a vehicle will be going through will allow you to find your customer the best tires to tackle any environment.

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