Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 vs Nitto Dura Grappler tires

A revered name in motorsports, Yokohama has a legacy of over a century of producing superior quality tires incorporating cutting-edge technology. Another Japanese tire maker, Nitto Tire, a subsidiary of the Toyo brand, is a niche tire manufacturer that started its journey by rolling out specific tire sizes and soon became a well-known brand among light truck and SUV enthusiasts. The Geolandar H/T G056 and the Dura Grappler are among the two preferred highway terrain tire lines of these brands, though keep in mind that highway-terrain tires are also all-season tires.

Designed for pickup trucks and SUVs, the Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 and the Nitto Dura Grappler are engineered with sturdy rubber compounds and high-strength sidewall designs to bear heavy loads. They come with a tough construction and optimized tread patterns that improve ride quality, stability, handling, comfort, and longevity. So, which one should you buy? Let’s compare the Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 vs Nitto Dura Grappler tires based on our scoring mechanism – SimpleScore – and decide which one is the best for your vehicle.

Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 tires

Introduced in 2015, the Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 features an advanced rubber compound and symmetric tread pattern for superior grip, traction, and handling performance in dry, wet, and light snowy conditions. While the optimized tread design reduces road noises to lend a comfortable ride quality, the advanced silica compound and the flat profile with 3D sipes provide excellent wearability. Thanks to its Endurocore construction, it features dual sturdy plies and a full nylon cap ply for enhanced durability and heavy-duty use. It is backed by a 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes and a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for non-LT-metric sizes.

With an overall SimpleScore of 8.5 out of 10, the Yokohama tire offers reliable traction, durability, handling, and longevity.

Nitto Dura Grappler tires

Launched in 2008, the Nitto Dura Grappler features a multi-rib tread pattern that ensures reduced noise and vibrations and enhanced tread wear. With a dual sidewall design for stylish looks, the Dura Grappler boasts wave sipes and circumferential grooves that not only improve tread block rigidity but also evacuate water from the tread to avoid the risk of hydroplaning and boost wet performance. Backed by a 60,000 mile limited tread life warranty, the Nitto tire is available in two tread patterns for LT-metric and P-metric sizes. While the P-metric sizes feature a five-rib tread design, the LT-metric one is available in a sturdy four-rib pattern.

With a great SimpleScore of 8.1, the Nitto Dura Grappler displays adequate performance in traction, handling, durability, and longevity.

Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 vs Nitto Dura Grappler tires on traction

Traction is essential to keep the tire in contact with the surface without skidding. Highway terrain tires, like the Geolandar H/T G056 and Dura Grappler, offer great traction to SUVs and light trucks.

Scoring an impressive 8.5 traction score, the Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 features zigzag grooves that provide superb edge effect and channel water out of the tread to mitigate the risk of hydroplaning and boost wet performance. While the advanced rubber compound technology combines rigidity and flexibility to provide great traction, the triple 3D sipes offer extra biting edges for enhanced snow traction.

Boasting a great SimpleScore of 8.1, the Nitto Dura Grappler offers great dry and wet traction on paved roads thanks to its special rubber compound. While the sipes enhance wet and ice traction, the circumferential and angled grooves help reduce the risk of hydroplaning by clearing water quickly from the tire’s contact patch.

With a better traction score, the Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 wins the traction race.

ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056

Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 vs Nitto Dura Grappler tires on handling

Whether you are driving a passenger car or a light truck, handling is of prime importance. The steering response you get defines the level of control you've got over the vehicle. Both the highway terrain tires assure fantastic handling year-round.

The Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 scores 8.6 in handling thanks to the symmetric tread pattern with a solid center rib and solid shoulders that not only improve the steering response but also boost stability on paved roads in different weather conditions.

Contrarily, the Nitto Dura Grappler sports a great handling score of 8.5 thanks to its unique symmetric tread design and a multi-rib tread pattern that returns enhanced stability and accurate steering response in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions.

The Yokohama tire has a slight edge over the Dura Grappler and wins the handling section.

ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056

Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 vs Nitto Dura Grappler tires on longevity

Longevity is measured by the number of years/miles a tire can survive under different conditions. The SUV and light truck tires come with sturdy rubber compounds for enhanced durability and longer service life.

With a fantastic longevity score of 8.4, the Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 features 3D siping for stabilizing tread blocks, adaptive shoulder blocks form continuous rib for gradual, even wear, and an advanced silica compound that assures uniform tread wear throughout the tire’s lifecycle. It features a limited manufacturer tread life warranty that ranges from 50,000 to 70,000 miles.

Scoring a modest 7.6 in the durability department, the Nitto Dura Grappler features a sturdy tread compound, solid internal construction, and an optimized tread design that resists uneven wear. While the multi-rib pattern with linked tread blocks improves rigidity and longevity, it is backed by a 60,000 mile limited treadwear warranty.

The Geolandar H/T G056 outlives the Dura Grappler and wins the longevity section, too.

ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056

When to use each

Highway terrain tires are designed to offer superior performance, grip, and traction in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions on paved roads. Their reinforced carcass and sturdy sidewall design allow them to carry out heavy-duty operations without a fuss.

If you need to explore off-road trails occasionally, you can go for all-terrain tires as they feature a more solid rubber compound and durability than highway terrain tires. You can even go for mud-terrain tires if you often wander in muddy, swampy, snowy, sandy, and rocky terrains.

Which one should you choose?

The Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 is a better alternative than the Dura Grappler as it beats the Nitto in traction, handling, and longevity. The only aspect that could prove to be a dealbreaker is left - the price.

Comparing the prices of the LT275/65R18 tire size, the Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 costs around $268 per tire, and four such tires cost $1072, while the Nitto Dura Grappler costs around $239 per tire, and four such tires cost $956 (a difference of $116).

Based on the SimpleScore, you can pick the Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
• Prefer tires that last long (8.4 vs 7.6)
• Want enhanced traction (8.5 vs 8.1) and handling (8.6 vs 8.5)
• Want a longer service mileage

On the other hand, you should purchase the Nitto Dura Grappler if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Ford F-350, GMC Yukon XL, and Dodge Ram.
• Prefer stylish tire (dual sidewall design)
• Are looking for a less expensive tire

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