Toyo Open Country A/T III vs Nitto Ridge Grappler tires

When you think about all-terrain tires, the Toyo and Nitto brands are sure to come to your mind. These enthusiastic brands have, over time, built a cult following due to their unique sizes and appealing designs. Choosing the ideal tire for modern trucks and SUVs often comes down to finding the perfect equilibrium between aggressive off-road capability and refined, quiet highway manners. In the fiercely competitive all-terrain and rugged terrain segment, the Toyo Open Country A/T III and the Nitto Ridge Grappler stand out as two industry leaders, each approaching this balance with distinct engineering philosophies.

The Toyo Open Country A/T III is a true all-terrain performer, focusing on maximizing wet and snow traction. It utilizes an advanced rubber compound and unique block shapes to deliver exceptional grip in diverse conditions, earning it a Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) certification for severe winter duty. Toyo emphasizes a reliable, high-mileage solution that maintains structural integrity and longevity.

On the other hand, the Nitto Ridge Grappler is a hybrid terrain tire that merges deep, aggressive side lugs of a mud-terrain tire with the tight, quiet center tread of an all-terrain. Nitto emphasizes aesthetics and noise reduction, employing a variable pitch tread to ensure a surprisingly comfortable and quiet highway ride, making it a favorite for drivers who prioritize both tough looks and daily driving comfort.

Let’s do the Toyo Open Country A/T III vs Nitto Ridge Grappler tires comparison based on our SimpleScore that compares traction, handling, and longevity traits on a scale of 0-10.

Toyo Open Country A/T III tires

Introduced in 2020, the Toyo Open Country A/T III is an exceptional all-terrain tire built for light trucks, SUVs, and CUVs. It strikes a superb balance between capable off-road performance and on-road comfort. The Open Country A/T III’s new, advanced rubber compound and symmetric tread design contribute to confident handling, enhanced wet braking, and improved resistance to cuts and chips. Furthermore, it is 3PMSF certified, assuring strong traction and grip in moderate to severe winter conditions, making it a reliable and versatile choice for year-round driving despite its rugged capabilities.

Boasting an impressive 9.3 overall SimpleScore, this Toyo tire offers excellent traction, handling, and longevity.

Get Toyo Open Country A/T III tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Nitto Ridge Grappler tires

Designed for Jeeps, SUVs, and light trucks, the Nitto Ridge Grappler was introduced in 2016. A hybrid terrain tire, aka rugged terrain tire, the Ridge Grappler features a symmetric tread design with aggressive lugs that not only help in returning a quiet and comfortable ride but also promote a uniform wear by resisting uneven wear. The strong carcass of the Nitto rugged terrain tire withstands driving pressure on and off the road. While the lateral Z grooves are arranged in a zigzag pattern for extra biting edges, the Ridge Grappler’s shoulder grooves provide great alternating width and length to boost self-cleaning of mud, debris, and dirt.

With an up to 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Nitto tire scores an 8.2 overall SimpleScore, assuring adequate traction, great handling, and decent tread life.

Get Nitto Ridge Grappler tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Toyo Open Country A/T III vs Nitto Ridge Grappler tires on traction

All-terrain and rugged terrain tires are designed to provide solid on and off-road grip, even in challenging conditions. Both off-road tires offer solid traction, but there’s one that goes above and above to achieve incredible traction numbers. Let’s find out the winner.

Assuring an exceptional traction score of 9.8, the Open Country A/T III features an advanced rubber compound and zigzag sipes that enhance wet braking and off-road grip. Meanwhile, the open, large block elements of the Toyo tire efficiently evacuate water and snow, maintaining consistent biting edges for year-round performance. It is 3PMSF certified, which means it can handle moderate to severe winter conditions of deep ice and snow.

The Nitto Ridge Grappler achieves a fantastic 8.2 in traction. Its deep tread maintains a consistent grip for enhanced performance, even in challenging conditions. Thanks to staggered shoulder lugs and step block edges, the Ridge Grappler provides extra biting ability across varied surfaces for effective grip. Additionally, the strategic shoulder and lateral grooves boost self-cleaning in light mud.

With an incredible score, the Toyo Open Country A/T III beats the Nitto Ridge Grappler comprehensively.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Open Country A/T III

Toyo Open Country A/T III vs Nitto Ridge Grappler tires on handling

Steering response and control on and off the road are essential to maintain the safety of the vehicle and occupants. While both tires impress with their handling capabilities, one returns superior control in different driving conditions. Let’s delve into more details.

Scoring 9.3 in handling, the Toyo Open Country A/T III delivers confident, precise steering response and stability on pavement. Built with advanced rubber compound construction, it resists cuts and chips, while the tire’s symmetric tread pattern promotes long-lasting tread life and reliable control in challenging terrain.

With an 8.6 in handling, the Ridge Grappler offers responsive control with great stability and strong construction. While its aggressive, wider footprint provides better steering response and stability, the Nitto tire features a reinforced block foundation that adds rigidity to tread blocks, leading to reduced flex, allowing the tire to reliably hold its shape on and off the road.

Achieving an outstanding score, the Nitto is no match for the Toyo’s incredible handling.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Open Country A/T III

Toyo Open Country A/T III vs Nitto Ridge Grappler tires on longevity

All-terrain tires last longer than mud-terrain tires, thanks to their advanced rubber compound that adjusts to paved and unpaved roads. Both off-road tires promise great tread life on and off the road.

The Toyo Open Country A/T III achieves a strong 8.9 in longevity, reflecting its superb wearability for extended service. Backed by a 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Toyo all-terrain tire features a balanced footprint and wear-resistant rubber compound that minimizes irregular wear, ensuring the tire maintains consistent performance throughout its lifespan.

Scoring an 8.0 in longevity, the durable and aggressive tread pattern of the Ridge Grappler reduces the wear rate and withstands the pressures of on- and off-road driving. While stone ejectors actively resist the accumulation of stones, pebbles, debris, and dirt that damage the tread, the reinforced block foundation enhances the tire's overall rigidity for improved wear performance. Scoring better, the Toyo Open Country A/T III wins the longevity section too.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Open Country A/T III

When to use each

All-terrain tires are built for a dual purpose, blending confident on-road performance with rugged off-road capability. They feature aggressive treads for strong traction on dirt, gravel, and light snow, while their design ensures a quieter, more stable ride on paved highways than dedicated mud terrain tires.

The Toyo Open Country A/T III should be your top pick if you want exceptional handling, traction, and longevity, while the Nitto Ridge Grappler is best if you need a customized sidewall design.

Which one should you choose?

In a nutshell, the Toyo Open Country A/T III wins all three sections of traction, handling, and longevity, and beats the Nitto Ridge Grappler 3-0. However, each tire has its own capabilities, which should be considered before picking one. Let’s do the price analysis now.

For the 245/65R17 111T XL size, the Toyo costs $235 per tire, while four tires cost $940. Similarly, the Nitto costs $229 per tire, while four tires cost $916 (a difference of $24 on four tires).

Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Toyo Open Country A/T III if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford Ranger, and Lincoln Mark LT
• Want exceptional handling (9.3 vs 8.6) and traction (9.8 vs 8.2)
• Want a tire with a longer tread life (8.9 vs 8.0)

Contrarily, you should go for the Nitto Ridge Grappler if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Nissan Titan, Lexus LX570, and Jeep Gladiator
• Want a tire with reduced noise and vibrations
• Prefer a strong, rugged terrain tire at an affordable price

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.