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Last updated 5/21/2024 - Originally published 5/21/2024
Written by SimpleTire
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Nitto and Yokohama are the two popular Japan-based tire manufacturers. While Nitto was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Osaka, Japan, Yokohama was established in 1917 and has its headquarters in Hiratsuka, Japan. Their Ridge Grappler and Geolandar X-AT are two great all-terrain tires.
These manufacturers ensure that a high value is served to the customers and quality levels are never compromised, and that’s the reason why their tires like the Ridge Grappler and the Geolandar X-AT get admiration from the enthusiasts. While both the Ridge Grappler and the Geolandar X-AT tires are great, there has to be one out of these two that’s better, right? So, here we compare the Nitto Ridge Grappler vs Yokohama Geolandar X-AT tires using our SimpleScore to show you where each tire excels, and which one could be the right choice for you.
The Nitto Ridge Grappler was introduced in 2016 and is suitable for use on SUVs, Jeeps, and light trucks. This all-terrain tire is called the “Hybrid Terrain Tire” by the manufacturer as it provides the best of both worlds, allowing you to drive on- and off-road. Its symmetrical tread pattern ensures quieter and comfortable drives on paved roads and the aggressive lugs on this tread boost off-road performance. The tread is also engineered to withstand pressures while driving on rough roads and has elements to prevent it from damage.
Overall, the Nitto Ridge Grappler gets an admirable 8.1 SimpleScore rating, thanks to its great-handling performance, better on- and off-road traction, and a good tread life.
The Yokohama Geolandar X-AT is comparatively new in the market and has been introduced very recently. Without sacrificing on-road comfort, the tire offers great off-road driving. For optimum pressure resistance in off-road conditions, the tire sports Geo-Shield Technology and also gets elements that boost longevity, ride comfort, and off-road traction. The aggressive tread design of this tire provides increased strength and grip to deliver dependable performance in rough conditions.
Overall, the Yokohama Geolandar X-AT boasts a great 8.6 SimpleScore rating because of its long-lasting tread life, improved handling performance, and better traction performance.
All-terrain tires are used on- and off-road and therefore, they come with features that not only allow them to perform in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions on paved surfaces but also improve driving experience on rough conditions. Since all-terrain tires have a versatile use, traction becomes very important.
The Nitto Ridge Grappler boasts a great 8.4 out of 10 SimpleScore in traction and features shoulder and lateral grooves for optimum self-cleaning in light mud conditions, and increased traction. The tread of this tire also features staggered shoulder lugs for improved traction and the step block edges provide extra biting ability for more traction in varied conditions. Additionally, the deeper tread of the Ridge Grappler helps maintain surefootedness for enhanced traction performance.
Contrarily, the Yokohama Geolandar X-AT is nowhere behind in traction performance and scores an equal 8.4 SimpleScore rating. This Yokohama all-terrain tire features a specially engineered tread design that provides strength and grip on paved as well as rough surfaces. The aggressive center blocks of the Geolandar X-AT improve traction by firmly holding the surface on- and off-road, whereas the sipes and narrow grooves enhance traction performance in wet, light snow, and slick surfaces. All thanks to the dynamic shoulder blocks, the tire creates a good number of biting edges for a confident grip.
When it comes to traction, we found that both the Ridge Grappler and the Geolandar X-AT are equally good.
ADVANTAGE: Tie
While traction helps the tire grip and roll, handling in the case of all-terrain tires relates more to better steering response and controllability on paved surfaces as well as rough terrains.
With an 8.5 SimpleScore rating for handling, the Ridge Grappler gets a reinforced block foundation that increases rigidity and reduces flex so that the tire can hold its shape and roll without any lag on- and off-road. Likewise, its aggressive, wider footprint offers better steering response and stability for a seamless land change on paved surfaces. While the variable pitch tread pattern provides smooth highway rides, the shoulder and lateral grooves ensure water and mud dispersion for confident wet traction.
On the contrary, the Geolandar X-AT also scores an 8.5 to deliver a great handling performance. The wider footprint and uniquely arranged center tread blocks assure seamless lane-changing and provide a greater command to confidently maneuver in rough conditions. The dynamic shoulder blocks of this tire create biting edges for extra stability during highway drives. The solid sidewalls and multiple sipes additionally provide surefootedness for better steering response, cornering, and maneuverability.
When we compared the handling performance, we found that both tires performed at par, making the competition more interesting!
ADVANTAGE: Tie
No driver would want an all-terrain tire that wears down quality and therefore, longevity becomes an important criteria while buying tires. Let’s analyze how good these all-terrain tires from Nitto and Yokohama are on the longevity front.
Commencing with the Ridge Grappler first, the tire scores a good 7.6 SimpleScore rating on the longevity front. Thanks to its aggressive and durable tread pattern that reduces the wear rate and can withstand on- and off-road driving pressures. The reinforced block foundation further enhances the rigidity of the tire for increased resistance during milder off-road driving. The stone ejectors also promote longevity by preventing the tread from damage caused by stone and other sharper objects.
On the other hand, the Geolandar X-AT boasts a SimpleScore of 8.9 for longevity. This tire is offered with up to 45,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for LT-metric sizers and 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty on non-LT sizes. This highlights that the manufacturer is confident that the tire will serve longer. The elliptical contact area, flatter footprint, and longer tread life ensure longer and even wear. Furthermore, the Geo-Shield Technology improves the durability and puncture resistance of the tire to serve for more miles without any interruption, whereas the dual sidewall protectors also protect the tire from impacts for extended usability.
We found that there was a significant gap between the longevity scores of the tire and it was the Geolandar X-AT that excelled.
ADVANTAGE: Geolandar X-AT
Both the Nitto tires and the Yokohama tires belong to the all-terrain category and are engineered for on- and off-road use. While the Ridge Grappler from Nitto is strong on dry, wet, and off-road performance, the Geolandar X-AT offers better year-round usability and can be used in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions on highways or milder off-road surfaces. Both these all-terrain tires are not Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified and should not be used in moderate to severe winter weather conditions.
Furthermore, these tires are suitable for use on pickups, SUVs, and Jeeps. While the Ridge Grappler is offered in 16- to 24-inch rim sizes, the Geolandar X-AT is available in 15- to 22-inch rim sizes.
So, which tire should you buy? When comparing the overall SimpleScore of the Ridge Grappler and Geolandar X-AT, we found that the newer Geolandar X-AT was slightly better than the Ridge Grappler with an overall score of 8.6 versus 8.1. However, both tires have their abilities and distinctions, and therefore, you must compare them and select one that meets your driving preferences and needs.
As far as the pricing is concerned, the Ridge Grappler is available at a starting price of at least $222.00 per tire, while the Geolandar X-AT comes at a starting price of at least $221.99 per tire. This means there is a very marginal difference in the price of these tires and a set of four Nitto tires will cost you at least $888.00, while a set of four Yokohama tires will cost you at least $887.96.
Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Ridge Grappler if you:
Conversely, you should consider the Geolandar X-AT if you:
At first, the Ridge Grappler vs Geolandar tires might not look like a close comparison but when you look at the at-par scores of handling, traction, and the type of vehicles both of these tires cater to, they look like very close rivals. If you want to buy one of these tires, you must consider factors like how and where you drive, your driving expectations from an all-terrain tire, and whether or not longevity is an important purchase factor for you.
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.
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