Nitto Terra Grappler G3 vs Toyo Open Country A/T III tires

Your all-terrain tires are beginning to show signs of wear and tear? Upgrades are due? Nitto and Toyo offer great all-terrain options, but which brand should you go with?

Japanese tire producer Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. was established in 1945 and is well-known worldwide for its racing and performance tires. Nitto Tire USA Inc. was founded in 1949 and is a US subsidiary of Nitto Tire Co., which is based in Japan. Toyo acquired Nitto in 1979 and ensured Nitto continued to function as an independent brand.

Nitto's popular tire lines include Motivo high-performance summer tires, Ridge Grappler mud-terrain tires, and Terra Grappler all-terrain tires. The Nitto Terra Grappler G3 is the third generation of the Terra Grappler hitting the market in September 2024. With the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification, the Terra Grappler G3 improves on years of proven durability by incorporating cutting-edge technology.

Some of Toyo's best-selling tire brands are the Proxes Sport, Celsius, and Open Country all-terrain tires. The Toyo Open Country A/T III is an excellent all-terrain tire that offers an unexpectedly quiet ride on the pavement. The Open Country A/T is made specifically for light trucks and SUVs, providing the traction and toughness required for off-road.

However, that scarcely covers all. Let's examine the main differences between the Toyo Open Country A/T III and Nitto Terra Grappler G3, including traction, longevity, handling, and pricing, to determine which all-terrain tire is right for you.

Now let's dig a little deeper with this product comparison review of the Toyo Open Country A/T III and Nitto Terra Grappler G3. We'll be using SimpleTire's rating system, [SimpleScore] (https://simpletire.com/simplescore), to give you a quick overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each tire.

Nitto Terra Grappler G3 tires

Nitto’s newest and most advanced all-terrain tire, the Terra Grappler G3 has an advanced rubber compounding that offers improved performance in dry, wet, and light snow conditions. Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 features connect blocks (center 2 blocks) to offer increased wet and snow traction. While its computer-analyzed variable pitch tread blocks reduce tire noise generally observed at highway driving speeds, the 5-block arrangement in the middle area helps reduce noise, besides improving wet and snow traction. Its staggered and angled shoulder lugs, coupling joints, and full-depth dimple sipes provide excellent traction, while the strengthened block foundation provides rigidity to tread blocks to decrease flex. In addition, large shoulder and tread blocks with improved siping provide superior handling and stability in both wet and dry situations. The Nitto Terra Grappler G3 comes with a 55,000 mile limited manufacturer's tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes and a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for Hard Metric sizes.

On average, the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 sports an overall SimpleScore of 8.9 thanks to its great handling (8.9), superb longevity(8.9), and excellent traction (9.8).

Toyo Open Country A/T III tires

Toyo designed the Open Country A/T III to be tough enough to handle rugged terrain, with a damage-resistant cut-and-chip rubber compound, polyester casing, two steel belts, and a spiral wrap polyamide cover layer. The symmetric all-terrain tread has a high void ratio to readily remove stones, mud, and debris, ensuring there is always a clear part of the tire to dig in. The Toyo Open Country A/T III is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified for severe winter service. The Open Country A/T III's shoulder design, sipe pattern, and sturdy internal structure allow for rapid and precise cornering, braking, and steering responses. The Toyo's sophisticated tread compound offers superior wet-weather traction and damage resistance, and its computer-tuned tread pattern makes for an incredibly quiet ride on pavement. The Toyo Open Country A/T III comes with a 65,000 mile limited manufacturer's tread life warranty for P-metric sizes and a 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for LT and flotation sizes.

On average, the Toyo Open Country A/T III has an excellent SimpleScore of 9.3 thanks to its exceptional traction (9.8), outstanding handling (9.3), and great longevity (8.9).

Nitto Terra Grappler G3 vs Toyo Open Country A/T III tires on traction

All-terrain tires have an open tread design that increases the traction of the tires on- and off-road terrains. Many all-terrain tires can be used year-round because they are Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, which assure their great performance in winter conditions.

The Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 has an excellent traction score (9) thanks to its new rubber compound which offers improved wet and dry traction. It features connect blocks (middle two blocks) for better wet and snow traction. Its 5-block configuration in the central portion provides wet and snow traction while its full-depth dimple siping aids in good initial traction.

On the flip side, the Toyo Open Country A/T III boasts an outstanding traction score of 9.8 thanks to its staggered lugs at the shoulder which wrap around the sidewall for better lateral traction, and its dense pattern of 3D sipes earns the Open Country A/T III the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification for its extreme winter traction prowess. Additionally, the advanced tread compound of the Toyo provides outstanding wet-weather traction.

In terms of traction, the Toyo Open Country A/T III has a superior score than the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 (9.8 vs 9).

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Open Country A/T III

Nitto Terra Grappler G3 vs Toyo Open Country A/T III tires on handling

The interlocking tread elements give a good grip on pebbles and mud while maintaining reliable handling on smooth roads. They blend the open-tread design of off-road tires with the superior handling of street tires. Let’s see the handling scores of the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 and the Toyo Open Country A/T III.

The Nitto Terra Grappler G3 sports a great handling score of 8.9 thanks to its lateral tread and shoulder blocks. Large shoulder and tread blocks with improved siping provide superior handling and stability in both wet and dry situations.

On the other hand, the Toyo Open Country A/T III excels in handling, earning an outstanding handling score of 9.3 thanks to its symmetrical tread pattern.

When it comes to handling, the Toyo Open Country A/T III outperforms the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 (9.3 vs 8.9)

ADVANTAGE: Toyo Open Country A/T III

Nitto Terra Grappler G3 vs Toyo Open Country A/T III tires on longevity

All-terrain tires have a different, softer rubber formula that provides grip on uneven ground, but it comes at the cost of longevity, therefore longevity could be a matter of concern when you buy all-terrain tires. Let’s take a look at the longevity scores of the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 and the Toyo Open Country A/T III.

The Nitto Terra Grappler G3 has an aggressive lug tread with large grooves for efficient self-cleaning of pebbles, mud, dirt, and debris. The staggered and concave shoulder lugs provide stone ejection while also protecting the tire. While the coupling joints of the Terra Grappler G3 provide improved circumferential stiffness to improve rigidity and stone ejection capabilities, its strengthened block foundation provides rigidity to tread blocks, reducing flex. The longevity score is 8.9 and carries a 70,000 mile limited tread life warranty.

Similarly, the Toyo Open Country A/T III also gets an equal longevity score of 8.9 and offers a 65,000 mile limited tread life warranty. The Toyo Open Country A/T III has an advanced tread compound that provides damage resistance. Its high void ratio, aggressive lug tread, and wide grooves provide good self-cleaning of mud and debris while also protecting the case from damage.

When it comes to longevity, the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 and the Toyo Open Country A/T III have equal scores.

ADVANTAGE: TIE

When to use each

If you frequently take your truck off the paved path, you need all-terrain tires that are tough enough to do the task. It's quite beneficial if your tires have the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification if you reside in an area of the country that experiences severe winter weather. The Nitto Terra Grappler G3 and Toyo Open Country A/T III are two great options for all-terrain tires that deliver dependable performance. However, all-terrain tires are probably not the greatest choice for folks who only drive on highways and paved roads, or, who enjoy serious off-roading.

Which one should you choose?

Which all-terrain tire is ideal for your vehicle? There is no confusion when we consider the SimpleScore of the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 and the Toyo Open country A/T II as the Toyo outscores the Nitto. However, the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 has certain features that make it an all-terrain tire you'll want.

Comparing the prices of the 285/60R18 tire size, the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 costs around $281 per tire, and four such tires cost $1124, while the Toyo Open Country A/TIII costs around $305 per tire and four such tires cost $1220 (a difference of $96).

Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 if you:

• Drive a Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-250 Super Duty, Jeep Wrangler, or SUV like the Cadillac Escalade
• Want better mileage warranty (70,000 vs 65,000 miles)
• Want a long-lasting all-terrain tire at a lesser price

Conversely, you should choose the Toyo Open Country A/T III if you:

• Drive a vehicle like the Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Cherokee, Ford Ranger
• Want better traction (9.8 vs 9)
• Want superior handling (9.3 vs 8.9)

Both the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 and the Toyo Open Country A/T III are strong, long-lasting, and loaded with cutting-edge features and innovations. They also share the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake rating and a generously limited manufacturer's tread life coverage. Both tires perform admirably on pavement thanks to their low noise levels, comfortable rides, and reliable, consistent handling and control. However, the one you buy will ultimately depend on your vehicle, how and where you drive, and the features that matter most to you in terms of handling, traction, longevity, and price.

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.