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Last updated 3/03/2025 - Originally published 3/03/2025
Written by SimpleTire, Expertly reviewed by Brett Antosh
Milestar Tires is a part of the Tireco family and makes tires for passenger cars, light trucks, ATVs/UTVs, trailers, CUVs, and SUVs. The portfolio of Milestar includes all-season, all-terrain, all-weather, rugged-terrain, UHP summer, and mud-terrain type of tires.
Starfire, on the other hand, is Cooper Tire’s associate brand and makes value-offering and durable tires. These tires are used on passenger cars, light trucks, CUVs, SUVs, and performance vehicles. The available tire types of Starfire include all-season and all-terrain.
Coming from the house of Milestar and Starfire, the Patagonia A/T R and the Solarus AP are the two solid all-terrain tires that are good for use on light trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. These tires are built for on- and off-road driving and are good for year-round use in dry, wet, and light snow conditions.
If you are looking for a set of dependable all-terrain tires, then this Patagonia A/T R vs Solarus AP tires comparison will help you decide which of the two is a better choice for your driving style and needs and is better in traction, handling, and longevity. We have also used our advanced tire rating system SimpleScore and other details, such as the warranty, prices, etc. to ease the selection of tires.
Milestar Patagonia A/T R tires
On the market since 2020, the Milestar Patagonia A/T R is a new-gen all-terrain tire that’s built with the price point buyers in mind. Advanced features and dependable on- and off-road performance abilities make the Milestar Patagonia A/T R a good choice for tire buyers. The all-season tread design and compound make it good at offering year-round traction and grip. It also comes backed by a tread life warranty to deliver a nice ownership experience and is additionally optimized for damage resistance, solid wet traction, enhanced mud performance, and better stability.
Overall, the Patagonia A/T R scores a 7.8 SimpleScore rating, thanks to its long-lasting tread life, responsive handling, and solid traction.
Starfire Solarus AP tires
The Starfire Solarus AP is also a good all-terrain tire that’s engineered for solid on- and off-road performance and is backed by a generous tread life warranty to assure peace of mind to its customers. The tire was launched in September 2019 and delivers year-round performance in both paved and rough conditions. The tire sports a great tread design and compound that contributes to the go-anywhere performance, ensuring confident driving on- and off-road. It is also optimized for confident driving in wet and slick conditions and has a slightly aggressive tread pattern.
Overall, the Solarus AP scores a 7.7 SimpleScore rating because of its long-lasting tread life, strong handling, and reliable traction.
Milestar Patagonia A/T R vs Starfire Solarus AP tires on traction
Let’s compare the traction performance of these tires and find out how they perform when it comes to maintaining consistent grip and biting the surface for confident rolling in diverse terrains.
The Patagonia A/T R scores a 7.6 SimpleScore in traction and offers commendable on- or off-road driving in dry, wet, or light winter weather. The all-season rubber compound, optimized with sharper edges, and a flat footprint increases traction. The offset tread blocks provide biting edges for increased on- and off-road traction, while the variable depth siping ensures enhanced traction and grip on wet and snowy surfaces. The angled tread notches boost traction in mud and light winter conditions, whereas the staggered step-down grooves and twin grooves around the center rib optimize water channeling for hydroplaning resistance and increased wet grip.
On the contrary, the Solarus AP earns a 7.5 SimpleScore rating in traction, assuring strong traction and grip year-round and on paved as well as rough roads. There are parallel grooves to facilitate water dispersion for increased wet grip and reduce the risk of hydroplaning. Similarly, the lateral grooves help in increasing the traction and grip in wet, light wintry, and off-road conditions like mud, dirt, sand, and rocks. For extra surefootedness on snow and wet roads, the tire features sipes spread across the tread.
In traction, it is the Patagonia A/T R that scores marginally better than the Solarus AP and leads.
ADVANTAGE: Milestar Patagonia A/T R
Milestar Patagonia A/T R vs Starfire Solarus AP tires on handling
Now, let’s try to understand how the Patagonia and Solarus tires perform on the handling front, and learn about their steering response, cornering, stability, and lane-changing abilities.
Commencing with the Patagonia A/T R, the score for handling is 7.8, which means both on the highways as well as in rough conditions, the tire remains responsive. While the sidewall is reinforced to absorb the cornering pressures and keep the tire in shape for seamless maneuvering, the staggered step-down grooves provide optimum stability and handling. The wider shoulder blocks and flat contact patch ease lane changing and maintain surefootedness while driving in rough conditions. Additionally, there are sipes on the tread that provide extra hold on wet and slick roads for improved braking performance.
Comparatively, the Solarus AP scores a 7.7 SimpleScore in handling, which is decent enough to prove that the tire offers a strong response. The flat and wide footprint makes the rides stable while the ribs make maneuvering on the highways easy. Likewise, the shoulders and sidewalls are optimized to provide improved cornering and solid stability. For improved braking, there are sharper tread blocks and sipes spread across the tread. The circumferential grooves restrict the filming of water on the road, assuring more confident rides.
Again, in handling, it is the Patagonia A/T R that surpasses the Solarus AP by a small margin.
ADVANTAGE: Milestar Patagonia A/T R
Milestar Patagonia A/T R vs Starfire Solarus AP tires on longevity
Let’s find out which of the two tires resist wear better and can serve longer in our longevity analysis.
The Patagonia A/T receives a great 8.1 SimpleScore in longevity and is covered by a 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. The tire is built tough to resist highway driving and off-roading impacts and ensure long-lasting wear. The tread blocks and rubber compound are reinforced to slow down the wear rate, while the flat contact patch and robust inner casing keep the tire in shape for long-lasting wear.
On the other hand, the Solarus AP scores an 8.2 rating in the longevity area. The tire is backed by a 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, very similar to its peer. To handle and wear at a slow rate in conditions like dirt, mud, sand, gravel, and rocks, the tire is offered with reinforced tread blocks and strong inner constructions. Additionally, the flat and wide footprint is optimized for an even and longer wear.
It is in the longevity area, the Solarus AP wins by a small margin and surpasses the Milestar Patagonia A/T R.
ADVANTAGE: Starfire Solarus AP
When to use each
Both, the Patagonia A/T R and Solarus AP fall in the all-terrain tire category and they should be used in dry, wet, and light winter conditions. These tires are good for use on paved roads as well as for occasional off-road driving. If you do off-roading a lot, then consider buying a set of mud-terrain tires. To mention, these tires are not Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified and should not be considered for driving if the temperatures in your region remain consistently below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coming to the rim sizes, the Patagonia A/T R and the Solarus AP are offered in 15- to 20-inch rim sizes. This means both tires are compatible with a wider set of Jeeps, SUVs, and pickup trucks on the market.
Which one should you choose?
Looking at the overall SimpleScore, the Patagonia A/T R is better than the Solarus AP as it scores a higher 7.8 rating against the Solarus AP’s 7.7 SimpleScore.
When it comes to the price, the Patagonia A/T R is available at a starting price of at least $143 per tire, while the Solarus AP is available at an initial price of at least $119 per tire. This means, a set of four Patagonia tires can be bought at a price of at least $572, while a set of four Solarus tires can be purchased at a price of at least $476.
Based on SimpleScores, you should choose the Patagonia A/T R if you:
- Drive a vehicle like the Ford F-150 or Jeep Wrangler.
- Need a tire that’s better in traction (7.6 vs 7.5).
- Need a tire that’s better in handling (7.8 vs 7.7).
- Want a tire that’s better in ride comfort and offers quieter rides.
- Are comfortable paying more to buy a set of overall better tires.
- Need a tire that’s backed by a 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
On the other hand, you should consider the Solarus AP if you:
- Drive a vehicle like the Toyota 4Runner or GMC Canyon.
- Need a more affordable tire.
- Need a tire that’s backed by the same 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty as its competitor.
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.