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Last updated 12/27/2024 - Originally published 12/27/2024
Written by SimpleTire
Did you know that SUVs account for a significant 52 percent of all new vehicles sold in the United States? Even more interesting is the fact that pickup trucks constitute roughly 20 percent of the sales volume. This change is a major one when you think about sedans, minivans, and station wagons as family cars a few decades ago. A lot of the trucks and SUVs available today are factory-fitted with four-wheel-drive, and even if you don’t take your 4WD vehicle off the pavement regularly, a good set of all-terrain tires will help you harness the best performance from your truck.
The good news is that the rough, noisy, and awkward all-terrain tires of the past have made way for the civilized and orderly AT tires on the highway. The newest generation of these tires has clearly evolved to provide an agreeable ride, predictable performance, reduced road noise, and good road manners. We will showcase two premium all-terrain tires in the mid-range during this comparison — Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) and Yokohama Geolandar AT G015. Both the manufacturers are originally Asian, with Hankook being South Korean and Yokohama being Japanese.
In the course of this Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) vs Geolandar AT G015 tires comparison, you’ll see us making frequent references to our proprietary SimpleScore ratings. The aim here is to show you how they perform on parameters such as traction, handling, and longevity. If we just scratch their surfaces, we’ll see that both of them have limited manufacturer tread life warranties and the tread depth of the Hankook is slightly higher. Read ahead to find out more details about the two tires.
Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) tires
Pack your bags and get ready to negotiate the toughest, most challenging situations, surroundings, and terrains with the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12). Count on this durable all-terrain tire for a steady, predictable grip in mud, gravel, loose dirt, sand, and snow. It earns the M+S grade for mud/snow traction and the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification for severe winter use. Its tread pattern is made around big tread blocks with multi-directional grooves, biting block edges, and sipes for dependable and consistent grip, further made possible through a self-cleaning tread. The self-cleaning properties guarantee a clear section of the tire to dig in, thereby helping reduce wheelspin in mud. With built-in block edges that neutralize road noise and tie bars that stabilize the tread face while ensuring low road noise, the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) turns out to be surprisingly silent on the highway.
Along with high-depth sidewall blocks that prevent cuts and punctures in severe off-road conditions, cross-combined blocks at the shoulder increase lateral traction for cornering on pavements and clawing out of ruts. Hankook ensures a best-in-class 70,000 mile limited manufacturer's tread life warranty (60,000 miles for LT-metric sizes) on the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12). Apart from the above, we also cannot overlook that the Hankook's white-letter sidewall makes it look fantastic on all kinds of trucks. As per our analysis, the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) earns an average SimpleScore of 8.4.
Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 tires
The Geolandar family of all-terrain tires has been included within Yokohama’s product line for a long time, and the Geolandar AT G015 is one such capable tire. It has innovative features that deliver excellent performance in mud, loose dirt, gravel, sand, and snow, balanced out with road manners, handling, and ride quality on the highway that are first-rate. It has been designed using Yokohama’s proprietary Enduro tread compound which features long-chain polymers and silica for dependable year-round traction and damage resistance. The contact patch here is optimized for a long, flat, wide footprint that leads to even wear, good braking performance, and great handling.
While traversing through mud, loose dirt, and snow, the tire appears to be in its true elements, with Edgetec grooves flinging mud, snow, and debris out of the tire and ensuring that there’s always a clear section of rubber available while making turns. Expect an extra amount of traction and confidence in mud and snow due to the high tread depth and a dense pattern of sipes. For its construction, the Geolandar AT G015 earns a Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification to make it suitable for moderate to heavy winters. Additionally, a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer’s treadwear warranty is available for P/E metric sizes, as is a 50,000 mile tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes. To ensure you always enjoy a quiet ride, the tire’s tread pitch is computer-tuned and is built to cancel out certain frequencies. As per the above, we found the Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 suitable for an average SimpleScore of 8.3.
Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) vs Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 tires on traction
Regarding traction, how do you think the Hankook and Yokohama tires fare? Both tires feature the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol to denote suitability for severe winter service. You can be sure that both of them will act as robust winter performers. With integrated blocks at the shoulder for lateral traction and multi-directional grooves with big tread blocks and a wide void ratio, the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Extreme (RF12) provides remarkable off-road grip. Biting edge blocks improve traction across all types of weather conditions, as do the aggressive shoulders in off-road areas. Additionally, expect the next-generation rubber compound to contribute towards the grip. We were able to reward the Hankook tire with an average traction SimpleScore of 8.4.
On the Geolandar AT G015, however, the tread depth is marginally less. A unique Enduro compound and EdgeTec Grooves drive dirt and mud out from the tread for high traction. As the tire wears, the triple 3D sipes shift form to provide biting edges for grip all year long. A sophisticated tread design is also responsible for good off-road traction here. As per the above, the Yokohama tire receives an average traction SimpleScore of 8.5.
ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Geolandar AT G015
Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) vs Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 tires on handling
The Hankook Dynapro AT2 Extreme (RF12) features a continuous center rib (visible on a lot of tires) that gives a nice solid, secure feel while driving on highways and ensures a steering response that’s light and immediate without being overly sensitive or touchy. The tread depth and the rubber compound play positive roles in vehicle handling, as do the sturdy twin steel belts with two nylon caps. We found the Hankook tire suitable for an average handling SimpleScore of 8.3.
On the other hand, Endurocore construction on the Yokohama leads to stable off-road performance as well as great stability at highway speeds. An Enduro compound is available here for better handling, and the tire offers a great blend of off-and-on-road performance. Certain sizes of the Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 feature an outlined white letter sidewall that looks great on different SUVs and trucks. Based on the above, this Yokohama tire manages an average handling SimpleScore of 8.6.
ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Geolandar AT G015
Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) vs. Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 tires on longevity
Things appear to be slightly different in the longevity category, with the scores having been in favor of the Yokohama tire so far. It’s the limited manufacture tread life warranty that has the highest weightage in the score, and here’s how the two tires fare. Hankook is responsible for a best-in-class 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for P-metric sizes and a 60,000 mile tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes on the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12). In comparison, the Yokohama tire has fewer miles — a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer’s treadwear warranty for P/E sizes and a 50,000 mile tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes.
Sipes help reduce wear for a longer tread life on both tires, with the Yokohama tire featuring triple 3D sipes that change shape as the tire wears. Along with its limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Hankook tire also gets Max Mileage technology and a durable compound that lowers wear for longer life. The Enduro compound on the Yokohama tire stays flexible for a longer time and an optimized, flat tire profile combats uneven wear. In terms of average longevity SimpleScores, the Hankook tire gets an 8.8 and the Yokohama tire receives an 8.5.
ADVANTAGE: Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12)
When to use each
Here's the question you should be asking yourself: what do you truly need and what do you expect from a set of light truck tires? You really cannot go wrong with either the Hankook or the Yokohama if you often stray from the tarmac into mud, sand, loose dirt, or rugged terrain with many hazards. With Three Peak Mountain Snowflake symbols for harsh winter service, these tires are fully prepared if you have to cope with difficult winter conditions, including 3- or 4-inch deep snow, and stay on the road for many days at a time. They are also a wonderful option for towing large trailers or moving hefty cargo since they feature the durability and reinforced structure you need for higher load ratings. However, if you enjoy splashing about in thick, messy mud or want to do rock crawl with aired-down tires, these might not be the ideal options and you should look into mud-terrain tires.
Both the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) and Yokohama Geolandar ATG015 are tires that would be ideal as replacement tires for vehicles like the Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Silverado 1500/2500, RAM 1500/2500, Ford F150/F250, GMC Acadia, Nissan Titan, and Jeep Wagoneer.
Which one should you choose?
Let’s take a minute and recap what this comparison between the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) and Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 reveals. While both tires are tough and tenacious, the Yokohama tire has its nose ahead in 2 out of 3 parameters. However, the Hankook tire is ahead of the Yokohama in terms of overall average SimpleScore, but only just. Of course, we cannot limit our knowledge of these tires only as per the above parameters; price is also an important criterion. We found that while the Hankook tire is available from a starting price of $141.99 per tire ($283.98 for 4), the Yokohama begins from $144.99 per tire ($579.96 for 4).
Based on the above information, you should consider the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) if:
- You want the tire with a higher limited manufacturer tread life warranty
- You want the less expensive tire
- You want a quieter ride due to the tie bars within the tread
These are the reasons that will tilt the balance in favor of the Yokohama Geolandar AT G015:
- Better traction
- Better handling
- Triple 3D sipes help maintain biting edges for consistent traction as the tread wears
Still unsure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help. Our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.