Perhaps the most popular off-road and all-terrain tire out there is the All-Terrain T/A KO2 from BFGoodrich.
And why shouldn’t it be with its illustrious and long-lived career in the toughest, roughest and most challenging terrain any tire may ever see? Just because the BFGKO2 (as it’s often called for short) is long in the tooth doesn’t mean it’s lost its bite–the latest iterations still embrace that rough-riding, adrenaline thrilling but dependable blue ribbon Baja-style performance from yesteryear.
The BFG KO2 consistently is our most demanded all-terrain tire for our 4x4, SUV and pickup truck customers. And with the recent release of the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3, we’re excited to see where this fantastic tire model will go.
Did you ever wonder about where this all got started? We did. So we did some digging and asked our friends over at BFGoodrich for the details!
(By the way, did you know that the T/A stands for “Traction Advantage” and the KO stands for “Key Off-Road?)
SHOP BFGOODRICH ALL-TERRAIN TIRESBFGOODRICH ALL-TERRAIN T/A KO TIRES
It all began nearly half a century ago when drivers and consumers started paying attention to light trucks and four-wheel-drive capable vehicles. The temptation of exploring off-the-beaten-path ran nicely parallel with the boom of the outdoor recreation craze in the 1970s.
The embracing of natural beauty and conservation of the 60s coupled with an increase in leisure time, more disposable income, increasing desire to travel and boom in outdoor tech (Patagonia and North Face blew up at this time) resulted in lots of people looking to take their cars to places they never had before.
This naturally meant that ordinary people needed tires that could work both on and off-road. Previously, tires were either strictly for paved or unpaved surfaces with no go between. This was fine for commercial, work or forestry specific vehicles but your uncle’s Ford Bronco needed to take him into the city to his white-collar job or your wife’s Chevy Blazer to the market. Versatility wasn’t a consideration in tires.
“By 1976, customers were looking for a tough all-terrain tire that was also civilized for on-road use. That consumer need still exists today,” says Brandon Sturgis, Product Manager of BFG’s CUV, SUV, LT and Off-Road tires division.
BFGoodrich decided they could address this need. They traveled to Baja, Mexico in 1975 to begin testing a new concept tire. If it could stand up to Baja’s grueling terrain, it could stand up to anything anywhere else. Just one year later, they released the BFGoodrich Radial All-Terrain T/A® and tested its moxie in the SCORE Baja 1000 desert race. It didn’t win, but it did succeed in its task, and the following year it took eight wins at the Baja 500 and Baja 1000.
What followed was perhaps the most impressive pedigree of any off-road tire with 86 overall wins in SCORE Baja over the next 40 years–more than any other tire manufacturers combined!
BFGoodrich released the All-Terrain T/A KO in 2000 and 14 years later, the much beloved All-Terrain T/A KO2.
The original BFG All-Terrain T/A tire has been retired since the 1980s but you can easily see its original purpose (on and off-road versatility with extreme performance) continues on in its successors.
Are BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires good?
BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires are excellent. They have nearly half a century of race-proven pedigree and an enormously loyal customer following.
Top benefits of BFG All-Terrain tires, including the KO2 and KO3 models, are their appealing tread pattern, impressively durable sidewall, good wear and of course their extreme performance in all-terrain conditions.
Like most all-terrain tires, they are not meant to be utilized in poor weather conditions. All-terrain tires are not substitutes for a dedicated weather tire and in fact, do not perform as well as a winter tire. Since the T/A KO line of tires does so well in most other areas of concern, it’s normal to see average performance in one category (here being wet and winter conditions) as a negative.
Where are BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires made?
BFGoodrich Tires maintains two manufacturing plants in the United States, one in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and one in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Most tires available in North America (US, Mexico and Canada) are sourced from these two plants but some sizes (usually lower volume, less popular sizes) come from other global BFGoodrich manufacturing centers in Thailand and Brazil.
The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 is an internationally available tire, and so it is produced not only in the United States but also in BFGoodrich’s Brazil and Thailand plants.
BFGOODRICH ALL-TERRAIN T/A KO2 TIRES
The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 is a much beloved tire in the off-road and light truck community for over a decade. They feature prominently in enthusiast magazine articles, online discussion forums like Reddit and on YouTube channels. It leads the pack on our best all-terrain tires blog.
BFGoodrich released the BFG KO2 in 2014 and it still remains exceedingly popular.
SHOP BFG ALL-TERRAIN T/A KO2 TIRESIt has consistently been Discount Tire’s number one selling all-terrain tire. Frequently, customers come in asking for it specifically. Whether your truck is for work, play or just showing off, everyone loves its robust tread pattern, longevity, strength and extreme capability. The 50,000-mile warranty isn’t anything to sneeze at, either.
Compared to the original model, the KO2 boasts a 20% tougher sidewall using BFG’s CoreGard Tech, an increase in overall rubber thickness and sidewall composition that resists bruising and splitting (no matter the terrain). An optimized contact patch and locking 3D siping helps this tire last as long as possible, too.
Many light truck and off-road enthusiasts opt for the KO2 specifically for its three-peak mountain snowflake rating, which signifies that it can perform in severe weather conditions. You'll find it makes our list for the best all-terrain tires for snow but Discount Tire strongly recommends drivers in winter regions equip dedicated winter tires to their vehicles for the highest level of safety possible.
BFGOODRICH ALL-TERRAIN T/A KO3 & THE FUTURE
BFGoodrich officially released the All-Terrain T/A KO3 in May 2024.
Some eager buyers were disappointed to find limited sizing available initially. BFGoodrich maintains that due to the high volume of new tires on the market, BFG wanted to make sure only quality tires were produced.
“A phased approach ensures we can deliver the highest quality product with the highest service levels,” explains BFGoodrich Product Manager Brandon Sturgis. 13 replacement sizes have been offered since its release in May and another 17 sizes were added in August. Five more sizes will be released in October 2024, 52 more sizes in 2025 and finally 19 more in 2026.
Everything about the KO3 is an improvement over its KO2 predecessor, in traction, toughness and wear. BFGoodrich didn’t hold back with its new tread pattern and new all-terrain tread compound that delivers impressive longevity and durability (even on difficult, gravelly terrain). Brandon points to the new tread compound used by the KO3: “[It’s] our most modern all-terrain tread compound designed to improve wear, gravel road durability, and snow traction with [the] KO3 compared to KO2.”
Drivers who need all-terrain tires will be thrilled with the 3-ply polyester casing with steel belt and nylon cap plies that work in tandem with multiple stone ejectors to handle rocky, difficult terrain. Easily scoop mud and sand away using thick sidewall lugs and pliant sidewalls.
Smooth forward motion and weight distribution are achieved using an optimized independent block structure for even stronger directional grip than the KO2.
Mud-phobic bars and a serrated shoulder design improves upon the KO2s already noteworthy mud and snow traction. Thick, multi-directional siping slits yield amazing wet and wintry condition handling and grip by capturing snow particles and water. The new temperature adaptive silica tread compound further boosts traction in these conditions, even in low temps. And like the KO2, of course, it sports the three-peak mountain snowflake severe weather badging.
This tire is even traceable via its RFID symbol that offers theft protection.
The KO3 also includes a 50,000-mile warranty and 60-day satisfaction guarantee.
SHOP BFG ALL-TERRAIN T/A KO3 TIRESWhen we asked BFGoodrich what driving factors and design focus were in mind for their All-Terrain T/A KO tires, Brandon Sturgis told us:
“Over the five different generations of our All-Terrain, I would say the main driving factor for improvements has come from the vehicle evolutions. Pickup trucks and SUVs have come a long way since the mid 1970s, and we needed to ensure each of our new tirelines met customer expectations as these vehicles have evolved. The increase in GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating), increase in torque, and increase in towing capacity are just some of the considerations over the past 48 years that are still on our minds today with the launch of the KO3.”
Tire manufacturers are now better equipped to give customers what they want and need. Computer modeling has improved and vehicle data (including power, weight, drive axle and so on) is incorporated into the replacement tire design market too. All this data allows for better performance in all categories such as wear, traction and durability.
Ready to roll?
Brandon is most excited to see all the years of hard work that went into developing the All-Terrain T/A KO3 come to fruition (so is Discount Tire)! BFG has been working on the KO3 since 2019 with a large team of passionate individuals who worked to bring drivers a tire that could do it “All”.
Ready to get your tire shopping journey going? We’re ready to help. Feel free to drop in, or save time and shop, buy and book online to save time!
If you don’t know where to start, we recommend Treadwell, our smart tire buying guide that matches you with the best tires for you and your vehicle in less than a minute. It’s the same tool we use to help you find the best tires in-store!
START WITH TREADWELLFor more information on this and other tire and wheel services, check out our YouTube Channel or reach out to us on X, Facebook and Instagram.