All-new Goodyear Wrangler AT SilentTrac tested

GOODYEAR has developed a new all-terrain tyre called the Wrangler AT SilentTrac, which it recently unveiled at an on- and off-road drive day at the Norwell Motorplex in Queensland.

Available in a wide range of sizes (23, in fact) in both Passenger (P) and Light Truck (LT) constructions, as its name suggests the tyre has been designed to offer quiet and smooth on-road performance thanks to a thick rubber layer under the tread that absorbs vibration, as well as an angled-block tread design.

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The new Wrangler AT SilentTrac also provides improved mileage performance compared to its predecessor, the Wrangler AT/SA, thanks to more wearable rubber volume and an optimised cavity shape.

Despite its on-road bias, Goodyear claims tough off-road performance, thanks in part to the tyre’s ‘DuraWall’ technology, which consists of a robust compound and thick gauge layer to provide resistance against cuts and punctures when driving in off-road terrain.

Goodyear let 4X4 Australia sample the new tyre at an on- and off-road event held at the Norwell Motorplex in Queensland. The off-road drive loop was short but included some steep climbs and descents, as well as a mud section, while the on-road component included a high-speed dry-road handling test and a run on the facility’s wet skidpan.

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For the dry component of the on-road test, the new Wrangler AT SilentTrac was fitted to a current-model Toyota Prado, which we sampled back-to-back with an identical vehicle equipped with a competitor’s tyre, such was Goodyear’s confidence in the performance of its new product. For the wet skidpan test, the new tyre was fitted to a current model Hilux, and drivers were timed around a set course that involved tight turns and heavy braking.

While the off-road test wasn’t really long (or difficult) enough to properly gauge the performance of the new tyre in the dirt, the on-road tests certainly highlighted good handling and steering response in both wet and dry conditions, as well as good braking performance.

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Obviously, it was impossible to test mileage claims in a one-day test, but with more rubber per tyre, Goodyear’s improvement claims in this regard make sense.

The new Wrangler AT SilentTrac is available in a much wider range of sizes than its predecessor, suitable for 4x4s fitted with 15-inch rims through to 18-inch rims, and covering most popular 4x4 wagons and utes. There are 14 sizes with a ‘P’ construction and nine with an ‘LT’ construction.

Prices for the new tyres range from $199 to $379, depending on size and construction.

Goodyear Wrangler AT SilentTrac available sizes

15-inch
- LT 30x9.50R15 104R
- LT 31x10.50R15 109R
- 225/75R15C 110/108S
- 235/75R15 109T
- 255/70R15C 112/110S

16-inch
- LT 205R16 112/110T
- LT225/75R16 115/112R
- 235/70R16 106T
- 245/70R16 111T
- LT 245/75R16 120/116S
- 255/70R16 111H
- 265/70R16 112H
- LT 265/75R16 123/120Q
- LT 285/75R16 126/123Q

17-inch
- 225/65R17 102T
- 225/70R17C 112/110S
- 255/65R17 110T
- 265/65R17 112H
- 265/70R17 116H
- 275/65R17 115T
- LT 285/65R17 121/118H

18-inch
- 265/60R18 110H
- LT 285/60R18 122/119S