BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 Tire Review [2023 Updated]

By Tire Expert, Ryan Nichols

Are you looking for an in-depth review of BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires? You’re in the right place.

We realize that there are plenty of BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tire reviews on the internet, so that’s why we upped the anty with not only the technical information you need to buy smart but also easy-to-understand information to help you make the right decision.

Here are some important factors to mull over when looking to replace the tires on your SUV or pickup truck:

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Pros

Cons

Ratings

4.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

3.5

4.5

5.0

Wet Traction:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Dry Traction:

★★★★★ 5.0/5

Snow Traction:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Ride Comfort:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Ride Handling:

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Ride Noise:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Hydroplaning:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Tread Life:

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Value For $$$:

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Traction - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2

BFGoodrich has the reputation for great road traction at a reasonably affordable price. For example, many Baja 1000 racers use BFGs because they are reliable on the most rugged of roads.

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 has excellent traction on dry terrain. With a serrated shoulder design on the outer-facing treads, the BFG All-Terrains hold their form even when aired down for the dirt and sand. These tires will save the day when driving on the beach in dry sand, and they’ll help you reach locations that might have not been reachable with your previous tires.

BFGs have all the reinforcements necessary for staying in full control, including:

Stone ejectors that push rocks out of the tread
CoreGard technology that provides sidewall stability
Interlocking tread design with 3D sipes
Twin steel belts in the tread design for advanced support
3-ply polyester Trigard technology for bruise resistance

BFGs perform decently in wet conditions because of their sidewall rubber tread blocks that grip better in the mud terrain. That being said, there isn’t a tire in existence that is immune to muddy conditions. Yes, the interlocking tread blocks on BFG all terrains are good, but they’re still going to fill up with mud and lose traction.

Look closely and you’ll see the Peak Mountain snowflake on the sidewalls of the All-Terrain T/A KO2s—that means they meet Rubber Manufacturer Association Snow Traction requirements. requirements.

We’ve personally tested these tires in extreme snow conditions, and we’ve found them to be super impressive. They may not be studded like some winter tires, but the tread compound stays nice and soft in the snow.

Traction Rating: 4.0/5

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Ride Comfort - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2

If you’re looking for top-notch highway comfort, BFGoodrich All Terrains aren’t for you. Although they do come in Q(99MPH), R(106MPH), S(112MPH), and T(118MPH) speed ratings, these tires have beefy shoulder blocks that reduce fuel efficiency and sometimes cause ugly vibrations while driving at highway speeds.

On the other hand, these tires make driving on dirt feel more like floating on air.

Another potentially slightly uncomfortable situation with these BFG all-terrains is having a tire blowout. Since these are super high-profile tires, you’re going to feel a drastic pull if one of the tires goes out.

To put it into perspective, the typical tire size for BFGoodrich All Terrains is 285/70R17. That middle number is the aspect ratio, and it means that the sidewall height is 70% percent (more than average) of the tire width (285 mm). Yes, the higher aspect ratio adds a bit of suspension height on dirt roads, but it also means your car will fall farther when it hits the ground after a tire blowout making it easier to lose control—and easier to damage the wheels.

Despite the fact that these tires will ride a bit rougher than your average all-season tire, they’re the more effective option when comparing different all-terrains. Also, be extremely picky with road vibrations when first installing a new set of BFG all terrains.

If you do feel excess vibration after having installed a new set of BFGs, we highly recommend addressing the problem with a shop manager. There are many variables to tackle for smooth riding on all terrains, and even the smallest error in tire balancing can create an uncomfortable driving situation with these particular tires.

There’s also comfort in knowing you look good, and BFGs do have an attractive appearance. When installing your fresh new BFGs you have the option of displaying the RWL (raised white letters) on the outside of your rims, or you can keep it slick and black by turning and mounting them the other way.

Ride Comfort Rating: 4.0/5

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Ride Handling - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2

BFGs run like a boss on virtually anything offroad, and you will without a doubt feel lots more control at the wheel when driving on gravel roads, sand, etc., but you must also remember that these tires are big and bulky. Daily commuters might not appreciate the ride handling on highways— they need a more all-season tire.

One thing you’ll love about these tires is their double-thick rubber compound on the sidewalls. With more support on the sides, you’ll be able to change directions quickly without feeling a massive suspension jounce.

If you plan on still driving on the highway with these treads, we recommend looking for the lowest middle number in the tire size (285/60/R17) for the best cornering.

Tip: if you want these to perform better on the highway, you’ll want to fill them with more air (they can be filled to a max of 80 psi), but just remember to let the air out before going on dirt/gravel roads to avoid tire puncture and maintain better control.

Ride Handling Rating: 4.5/5

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Ride Noise - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2

The biting edges on the T/A KO2s create great traction in the dirt, but they also make a lot of noise when driving on dry roads. You might think of it as a bear or moose crashing through the trees compared to a silent deer. These All Terrains would sound more like a bear, and highway/all-season tires would more resemble a deer.

Any all-terrain tire is going to produce more ride noise than a touring or all-season tire. So why do BFG T/A KOs have more ride noise? Mostly due to the fact that they have bulky treads that are both thicker and deeper than your average tire. Yes, you might be bothered by a bit more noise on the highway with these tires, but all of that frustration will go right out the window once you take these onto the dirt.

Remember, poorly maintained BFG all terrains will lose their uniform shape over time and cause additional road noise. It’s the vehicle owner’s responsibility to ensure these tires get the TLC they need to stay solid for the full 50k miles guaranteed by the manufacturer.

Although beefing up your traction with these BFGs may produce more ride noise than your previous tires, they aren’t the only cause of loud vibrations when driving. Consult a shop foreman to take a ride with you if you have doubts about what’s happening behind the wheel, and don’t forget to take your BFGs up to higher speeds before leaving the tire shop behind to ensure their proper function.

Ride Noise Rating: 3.5/5

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Hydroplaning - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2

Unfortunately, BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO tires aren’t bragged about for their hydroplaning ability. If you do plan on driving frequently in rainy conditions with these tires, we recommend deflating the tires to slightly below your vehicle manufacturer’s spec for the best performance.

Because these are perfectly symmetrical tires (you can mount them either way), they don’t have a specific purpose/design for evacuating rainwater from the tire. For example, many sport tires have directional or asymmetrical tread patterns with sipes that evacuate water effectively in one direction in the event of a large puddle—these particular tires have a tread designed mostly for dirt, so you can think of them as a large paw print—they don’t have an incorporated design for hydroplaning.

Practice defensive driving when traveling through water regardless of which tire you have mounted.

In the handling section of this article, we recommended that you inflate the tires to a higher PSI when riding on the highway, but make sure to deflate them to slightly below manufacturer spec to avoid losing control on rainy days.

Hydroplaning Rating: 3.5/5

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Tread Life - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2

It’s quite impressive how long BFG KO2s last when properly maintained. 50k miles is a great guarantee for all-terrain tires that most users are going to properly test on the roughest of roads. We do commend the All Terrains for an ample starting tread depth of 15/32” (fifteen-thirty seconds of an inch), or ~12 mm.

One thing to watch out for when installing a fresh new set of BFGs on your car is tire deflation. Bent and corroded wheels will cause these tires to drastically lose traction in short periods of time, so it’s essential that you check your tire pressures soon after installing these. If one of your tires isn’t sealing the bead properly, then you might need to take the affected wheel into a specialty shop for resurfacing/straightening.

Also, we highly recommend having an alignment service performed before installing these tires on your vehicle (especially for four-wheel drive cars). Issues like camber and toe misalignment will wear these tires out extremely fast if not addressed properly.

We gave these tires a lower rating for tread life because of the number of complaints on BFGoodrichs’ page. But hey, all-terrain tires tend to not last as long in general.

At a couple of hundred bucks a pop, are BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 worth the money? We highly recommend them for offroaders.

Disclaimer: if you’re not good at caring for your tires, don’t spend the money on these. Seriously, these are such high-profile tires that if one of them starts to wear unevenly it turns into bad news for wheel bearings, suspension, and alignment issues. You’ll notice on the BFG website that some people have rated these tires poorly, and that’s probably because they either didn’t keep them properly inflated or had an underlying alignment/suspension issue before installation. Some offroad tire users also need to come to grips with the fact that no tire is perfect when submitted to sharp rocks and other harsh conditions.

Please note that these tires reduce fuel economy by a small percentage when compared to an all-season tire.

Tread Life Rating: 3.5/5

★★★★★ 3.5/5

Value For Money - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2

At a couple of hundred bucks a pop, are BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 worth the money? We highly recommend them for offroaders.

Please note that these tires reduce fuel economy by a small percentage when compared to an all-season tire.

Value For Money Rating: 4.0/5

★★★★★ 4.0/5

Final Verdict - BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2

Now you know that these are some go-to offroading tires for your Jeep Wrangler, Chevy Silverado, Toyota Tacoma, Mitsubishi Montero, etc. if you want to spend a bit more cash for some solid tires and a good warranty. Since these are made in the USA, you can find them OEM on Jeeps and other American pickups, so contact your local dealer to take a test drive in a vehicle stocked with BFG All Terrains.

And sure, there is plenty of harsh criticism of these tires for reasons like tread peeling, low tread life, etc., but remember that these tires are derived from the legendary BFG Baja T/A®KR2 tires that have proven to be some of the most reliable offroad tires by winning races like the Baja 1000 in Mexico. Our casual advice is to buy 6 tires if you plan on heading to desolate places like Moab, Baja, or the Grand Canyon because it’s common to blow out two tires at the same time and become stranded.

We also recommend checking out less expensive options like Falken Wildpeak A/T3W, Yokohama Geolandar A/T GO15, or Kumho Road Venture A/T 51.

Don’t forget to replace both tires on each axle of a four-wheel-drive/AWD vehicle when replacing a single tire— running uneven treads (for example, one new tire on the left, one old tire on the right) causes damage to the differential and drive train. Yes, replacing tires in pairs does get expensive.

Meet Your Tire Expert

Ryan Nichols

Trained by Mercedes-Benz in Long Beach, California and worked as a technician in a Mercedes-Benz AMG shop. Ryan has years of experience in the shop to help you with your automotive needs!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are BFG KO2 good on the highway?

No, these are right-lane tires at best for road driving, so we say stick to all-weather tires if you have a daily commute and need to reach higher speeds.

For reference, All-Terrain KO2s have an E speed rating, meaning their maximum safety-rated traveling speed is 43 mph.

What does KO2 mean on tires?

Although BFG doesn’t specify on their website what the KO2 means, the Tire Rack mentions that the letters imply the word ‘key’ for the ‘k’, ‘on-road/offroad’ for the ‘o’, and ‘2’ meaning that it’s the tire’s second generation.

Is the BFG KO2 a good tire?

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires are great tires for any Jeep, truck, or any other type of SUV when properly maintained and inflated.