Toyo Open Country M/T vs Kenda Klever M/T2 (KR629) tires

When the trail disappears, and the terrain becomes purely hostile—demanding deep-mud traction, rock-crawling ability, and uncompromising durability—drivers turn to dedicated mud-terrain tires. And when we talk about quality mud-terrain tires that do not break your bank, Toyo and Kenda tires are sure to be the go-to brands of your search. This review pits two serious contenders against each other: the established legend, the Toyo Open Country M/T, and the rugged challenger, the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629.

The Toyo Open Country M/T leverages the brand's off-road racing pedigree, featuring a high-turn-up, tough polyester construction renowned for its rock-solid durability and resistance to impact. Toyo focuses on an optimal balance, ensuring its aggressive design provides superb traction while offering acceptable on-road handling and noise levels for the drive to the trail. The Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 is built for extreme abuse, boasting the Klever Triple Threat 3-ply sidewall for superior puncture resistance and a bold, aggressive aesthetic. Kenda emphasizes maximum grip in the deepest mud and loose terrain, utilizing large, interlocking tread blocks and deep evacuation channels for phenomenal self-cleaning.

So, which one should you go for? Let’s do the Toyo Open Country M/T vs Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 tires comparison on the basis of their performance in traction, handling, and longevity in our tire rating mechanism, SimpleScore.

Toyo Open Country M/T tires

An aggressive mud-terrain tire, the Toyo Open Country M/T is designed for light trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps wanting uncompromising performance in mud, rock, and demanding off-road conditions. This Toyo mud-terrain tire is legendary for its extreme durability, featuring a high turn-up, tough polyester construction that enhances puncture resistance and structural integrity under stress. The aggressive tread pattern, utilizing hook-shaped blocks and open, scalloped shoulder blocks, maximizes off-road traction and ensures powerful self-cleaning capabilities. Despite its rugged focus, the Open Country M/T is engineered for predictable on-road handling and is relatively quiet for a tire in this extreme category, making it a reliable choice for the drive to the trail.

With a 9.3 overall SimpleScore, the Toyo Open Country M/T makes a strong statement before we get on to examine its traction, durability, and longevity traits in detail. Watch out, Kenda!

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

Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 tires

Built for pickup trucks, Jeeps, and 4x4s, the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 is a tough mud-terrain tire that routinely navigates the most demanding off-road environments. Engineered for maximum resilience and durability against severe trail hazards, the Klever M/T2 KR629’s construction ensures great side-bite and stability over rocks, making it a reliable and robust choice for serious off-road enthusiasts. However, the key strength is its Klever Triple Threat 3-ply sidewall construction, which provides enhanced puncture resistance and overall structural integrity. The formidable, high-void tread pattern features large, interlocking blocks and deep evacuation channels to maximize traction and promote effective self-cleaning in deep mud and loose terrain.

Scoring an 8.2 in its overall SimpleScore, the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 promises adequate grip, grit, and ruggedness to take on any off-road challenge.

Get Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Toyo Open Country M/T vs Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 tires on traction

Traction becomes the most vital aspect if you wish to explore the wilderness of forests or rocky terrains. The Toyo and Kenda tires promise improved traction, but one is just too good for the other, beating it comprehensively. Let’s do the traction analysis.

The Toyo Open Country M/T delivers extreme grip, earning an outstanding 9.7 in traction. Its aggressive tread design utilizes deep siping and hooked-shaped blocks, providing extra biting edges for excellent grip and traction across difficult terrains like mud, dirt, snow, and rocks.

Furthermore, the Open Country M/T’s sidewall design with scalloped shoulders actively clears debris, ensuring consistent traction and improving grip in deep snow and mud both on and off the road.

With an 8.0 traction score, the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 promises adequate traction if not exceptional. Thanks to its aggressive, high-void tread pattern featuring interlocking blocks, the Kenda tire provides maximum grip. Deep evacuation channels and large shoulder lugs ensure powerful self-cleaning, preventing mud and debris buildup. This design delivers improved traction in extreme conditions like deep mud, sand, and over rocky terrains.

With an exceptional score, the Toyo Open Country M/T just rips apart the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 in the traction department.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Open Country M/T

Toyo Open Country M/T vs Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 tires on durability

Subjected to harsh environments and rough terrains, mud-terrain tires require tough built and reinforced construction to tackle obstacles in their path. While both tires promise great performance, one of the tires steers ahead of the other with a higher score.

Securing a 9.4 durability score, the Toyo tire continues to impress with its consistent performance. Featuring rugged polyester construction and high turn-up, the Open Country M/T provides high resistance to chips, cuts, tears, impacts, and punctures. The self-cleaning tread design not only limits the housing of mud, stones, and rocks, but also resists any potential stone drilling, and maintains the tire’s integrity over a longer period of time.

Boasting an 8.0 in durability, the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 features the Klever Triple Threat 3-ply sidewall construction that provides increased protection against punctures, impacts, and cuts encountered on challenging trails. The tire's reinforced structure ensures structural integrity and stability, handling the high pressures of aggressive off-road driving.

Continuing its incredible journey, the Toyo Open Country M/T beats the Kenda in the durability section as well, just like in the traction tussle, comprehensively.

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Open Country M/T

Toyo Open Country M/T vs Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 tires on longevity

Mud-terrain tires do not last long, and hence, most aren’t offered with any mileage warranty. Here too, both tires lack a limited manufacturer tread life warranty but offer solid competition. Not seen before in this comparison.

The Open Country M/T returns a strong tread life, scoring a superb 8.8 in longevity. This extended service life is achieved through an advanced rubber compound and sturdy construction designed to resist uneven wear and tear while promoting a longer service life. The tire's design aids in balancing driving pressure uniformly throughout the footprint, ensuring durability and a decent tread life.

On the other hand, the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 achieves an excellent 8.9 in longevity, which assures superior wearability on and off the road. Engineered for a long service life, the Kenda mud-terrain tire comprises a specialized, durable rubber compound that resists rapid wear and chipping. The optimized tread blocks promote consistent contact, ensuring the tire maintains its performance characteristics and tread integrity throughout its lifespan.

Finally, the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 turns out to be a better option in the longevity race as it beats the Toyo by a whisker (0.1).

ADVANTAGE: Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629

When to use each

Mud-terrain tires are built for extreme off-road use by trucks and SUVs. They feature aggressive, high-void tread patterns and reinforced sidewalls for maximum traction and self-cleaning in deep mud, rock, and loose soil.

While sacrificing some on-road comfort, they deliver essential durability and grip in the toughest conditions.

Both tires are reliable when it comes to tackling harsh off-road conditions; however, undoubtedly, it’s the Toyo Open Country M/T, which is superb and ideal for drivers wanting exceptional durability and traction on rough roads, while the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 is a great option for someone preferring tread life over performance.

Which one should you choose?

In a nutshell, the Toyo Open Country M/T comprehensively beats the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 in traction and durability races, but it’s the latter that saves its pride by winning the longevity battle. Since both tires have their unique attributes, it’s advised to check the one that better aligns with your needs and requirements. Now, let’s head towards the final decider – the price.
For the LT255/75R17 111/108Q C size, the Toyo Open Country M/T costs $360 per tire, while four tires cost $1440. Similarly, the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 costs $268 per tire, while four tires cost $1072 (a difference of $368 on four tires).

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

• Drive vehicles like the Ford F-150, Nissan Titan, and Toyota Tundra.
• Want a mud-terrain tire with exceptional traction (9.7 vs 8.0)
• Prefer a mud-terrain tire with superior durability (9.4 vs 8.0)

Contrarily, you should go for the Kenda Klever M/T2 KR629 if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Toyota 4Runner
• Want a mud-terrain tire with a longer service life (8.9 vs 8.8)
• Prefer a highly affordable yet reliable mud-terrain tire

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.