All-new Bridgestone Dueler A/T 002 tyre tested

The rapid increase in the popularity of 4x4 and SUV vehicles on the market and on the roads has seen a new generation of drivers taking to the tracks to explore the capability of their vehicles.

While we generally recommend upgrading the highway tyres that come on your new 4x4 with a set of Light Truck (LT) construction tyres for durable dependability on harsh outback roads and terrain, LT tyres do come with some compromises that might not be for everyone.

While the heavier duty construction of an LT tyre, be it a mud-terrain (M/T) or an all-terrain (A/T) design, makes it stronger and less susceptible to damage and punctures, it also makes the tyre heavier, and that has a negative effect on the ride and handling of the vehicle. As LT construction tyres are heavier and stiffer in the sidewalls, this results in a firmer ride, more road noise and increased fuel consumption.

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Bridgestone has recognised a gap in the 4x4 tyre market for an all-terrain tyre that offers a more rugged tread than OE highway tyres but retains passenger car (P) tyre construction to maintain lighter weight and OE levels of ride quality. As a result Bridgestone has introduced the A/T 002 tyre to its iconic Dueler range.

The Bridgestone Dueler A/T 002 is a tyre for users who want to upgrade to a more aggressive tread pattern for occasional off-road use but don’t want to sacrifice the ride and handling qualities of their vehicle. Bridgestone says it is designed for vehicles that see 80 per cent use on the road and 20 per cent use off road.

While it is a mild design in terms of off-road tyres, the A/T 002 features hexagonal tread blocks with an design that is optimised for good traction and braking performance on a range of surfaces, including on road, gravel, sand, and light to medium mud applications. Bridgestone says that the staggered shoulder tread design extends to the sidewall of the A/T 002, creating a seamless integration between the face of the tyre and sidewall to deliver better traction in sandy, snowy and muddy conditions.

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To put the Dueler A/T 002 to the test, Bridgestone equipped a fleet of Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X 4x4s with the new rubber and let us drive them through the streets and highways of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, including a run along the spectacular Teewah Beach and back into town.

Around the suburbs any difference between the Dueler A/T 002 and the D-MAX’s OE tyres was impossible to pick; they were quiet and responsive, doing everything you would expect of a tyre around town. After dropping air pressures down to 22psi, we engaged 4x4 and hit the sand. The Dueler A/T 002-clad Isuzus made light work of the run, both on the hardpack sand and the softer sand further up the beach.

The drive back into town included some 100km/h highway driving and, just as it had performed when driving around the suburbs, the A/T 002 felt quiet and stable at higher speeds. For those who expect to do more than 20 per cent off-road driving, Bridgestone still offers its LT construction mud-terrain and all-terrain tyres, and the popular Dueler A/T 697 is now exclusively available in LT construction, with the passenger-spec version of this tyre now replaced by the new A/T 002.

Where so-called Rugged Terrain tyres have bridged the gap between all-terrain and mud-terrain tyres, Bridgestone’s new Dueler A/T 002 fills the space between the highway tyres that come on most new 4x4s and heavier duty LT all-terrain tyres.

Pricing

The Dueler A/T 002 is available in a wide range of sizes to suit most popular 4x4s and SUVs, initially in 19 sizes but growing to a range of 30 sizes in 2025.

The A/T 002 is priced between $270-$480 depending on size. For comparative purposes, a 265/65R17 A/T 002 is listed at $342 on the Bridgestone website, while the same size A/T 697 is $345 (fitted, balanced and including scrap fees).