Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar

Tires tested:
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar (Off-Road Maximum Traction)

Vehicles used:
2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4x4

While it may be the lowest speed tire evaluation we'll participate in this year, the Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar ® experience was a demonstration that put many of the tire's off-road capabilities to the test. Our experience challenged the tire's ability to generate start-up traction & maintain momentum by combining some of the tasks normally associated with rock crawling, hill climbing & mud bogging.

In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar, Goodyear invited several Tire Rack team members to join them at a compact off-road course complete with rock beds, log crossings & mud pits added to the l&'s natural rolling topography. Our test vehicles were 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4x4s equipped with automatic transmissions & 17"x7.5" wheels fitted with LT285/70R17 Load Range D-sized tires aired-down to an off-road friendly 12 psi.

The Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar features a silica rubber tread compound molded into an asymmetric tread design that combines off-road traction with on-road h&ling. Goodyear's advanced mud-flow geometry tread design enhances self-cleaning capabilities while shoulder blocks (which alternate being stepped in & out) & a wraparound tread design on the upper sidewalls increase traction in mud, ruts & rocks. The tire is Goodyear's first off-road tire incorporating a DuPont Kevlar sidewall reinforcement to enhance cut & puncture resistance in an area of the tire that dem&s extra toughness when driving off-road (increasing sidewall cut & puncture resistance by about 35% compared to the original Wrangler MT/R). The Kevlar also helps stabilize the sidewalls when drivers return to the pavement for the ride home.

The Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar tires felt at home on the off-road course, showing they could corner on dirt, steer out of ruts in the mud, ascend a moderate blue-sky climb & competently track across a bed of large rocks. While one of the questions was whether the tire's asymmetric tread design would pull the vehicle straight in muddy & slippery conditions, the tire repeatedly showed it could establish straight-ahead momentum from a dead stop when put to the task.

We also had a brief opportunity to drive the Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar on asphalt streets. While our speeds didn't exceed 45-mph on the aired-down tires, the Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar showed it didn't ab&on on-road capabilities to establish its off-road competence.

Our experience with the Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar confirmed to us that it has earned its position as Goodyear's ultimate offering for off-road driving & is worthy of consideration by serious light truck enthusiasts.