Best 35 Inch Tires for Daily Driving – Good, Better, Best

Looking to upgrade to bigger tires on your Jeep or truck?

Here’s the thing – it’s your daily driver, so you don’t need extreme off-road vibes. You want something that works smoothly on regular roads without all the aggressive tire noise.

The problem is that once you step into the 35-inch tire zone, you’re usually dealing with all-terrain (AT) or mud-terrain (MT) options. True road-focused tires in that size are rare.

AT and MT tires come with rugged tread patterns and reinforced sidewalls that are champs for off-road adventures but less ideal for everyday street driving.

But don’t worry, there are 35-inch all-terrain tires that can handle both street and off-road use with ease.

What are the best 35 inch tires for daily driving?

Before we pick the best 35-inch tire for daily driving, let’s figure out exactly what you need.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

If you never go off-road and stick to the street, the Michelin Defender LTX M/S 35-inch tires are your best bet. These all-season road tires are quiet, comfortable, and handle light snow, mud, dry pavement, and wet roads with ease.

All-Terrain Tires for Light Off-Roading

If you occasionally venture off-road or do some light trailing but still prioritize daily driving comfort, you’ll want something that’s quiet on the road but still performs well off-road. For that, I recommend three all-terrain tires:

  1. BFGoodrich ALL TERRAIN T/A KO2
  2. Falken Wildpeak A/T3W
  3. Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015

These are your top options.

The BFGoodrich ALL TERRAIN T/A KO2 has a tread depth of 15/32 inches and strong 3-ply sidewalls, making it a long-lasting option that can easily reach 80,000 miles with some off-roading mixed in. It’s seriously durable.

The Wildpeak A/T3W is my top pick for daily driving. With a tread depth of 19.7/32 inches, it might not be as tough as the BFGoodrich T/A KO2, but it excels in wet conditions and delivers a quiet, comfortable ride on the street. I’d rank it highest for daily use because of its quiet performance and excellent wet-road handling.

If noise is a deal-breaker and you want something even less aggressive, the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 is your budget-friendly option. It’s less aggressive than the others and strikes a great balance between all-terrain capability and highway comfort – quiet, smooth, and affordable.

So without further ado let’s get to the main roundup review. 

I have compared these tires with all the other popular tires in the market to help you understand why I put them on my list.

1- Falken Wildpeak A/T3W

As I mentioned in my short review, my top pick for the best 35-Inch Tires for daily driving is the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W.

It’s a full-fledged all-terrain tire, but despite that, it offers a smooth and quiet ride, much like an all-weather tire.

A Quick Note on All-Terrain Tires

All-terrain tires are my go-to choice. 

Whether you’re always on the road or occasionally venture off, traction and grip are essential, and all-terrain tires provide more of both than standard road tires. 

When you encounter mud, sand, or rough terrain, you’ll really appreciate their benefits. Unlike mud tires, all-terrain options don’t generate excessive noise—unless you’re driving a luxury vehicle, of course.

What Matters in 35-Inch Tires for Daily Driving?

When choosing 35-inch tires for daily driving, what do we prioritize? 

Ideally, we’re looking for quiet, comfortable tires with a long tread life. That means a tire that’s smooth and silent on the road while offering a very long tread wear life.

For these reasons, the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is my recommendation. 

Not only is it quiet and comfortable, but it also has an impressively long tread life. You can easily get 70k+ miles out of these tires if you mostly drive on streets or highways.

Alternatives to the Wildpeak A/T3W

If you’re looking for something even quieter, consider the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 or the Kumho Road Venture AT52. These tires are designed with tread patterns that are 80% similar to highway tires, which makes them nearly as quiet as standard road tires. 

However, their off-road capabilities are limited, and they tend to wear out faster, especially if you take them off-road. These budget options sacrifice durability to achieve that low noise aspect.

So go for the Wildpeak A/T3W. It’s quiet,comfortable and you can get 70k+ miles out of this tire if you only do street or highway driving most of the time.

Why Choose the Wildpeak A/T3W?

The Wildpeak A/T3W strikes a perfect balance. Its tread blocks are aggressive enough to handle off-road terrain without compromising on-road comfort. The tread design isn’t as aggressive as tires like the BFG KO2, Nitto Ridge Grappler, or General Grabber A/TX, but that’s intentional. 

The tread blocks are tightly packed, reducing vibration and road noise while maintaining decent off-road performance. The only downside is that deep mud performance is slightly compromised.

The lateral grooves in the Wildpeak A/T3W’s tread pattern allow air, water, and debris to pass through without obstruction, improving aerodynamics and reducing noise. 

This design also gives the tire excellent resistance to hydroplaning, making it superior to the BFGoodrich T/A KO2 on wet roads. Water moves easily from the center of the tread to the sides, increasing contact between the rubber and the road for ensuring optimal grip and traction in wet conditions.

If you’re primarily looking for a tire for daily driving, I’d say the Wildpeak A/T3W is the best choice. Its wet road performance is exceptional, which is key because, let’s face it, roads are often wet. If you want a tire that gives you confidence on rainy days, this one is unmatched.

Full-Depth Sipes for Longevity

Another feature that sets the Wildpeak A/T3W apart is its full-depth sipes. These small, thin channels on the tread blocks enhance wet and snow traction while also reducing noise. 

Sipes are crucial for good performance in winter conditions and for keeping your tires quiet on the road.

What’s even better is that the Wildpeak A/T3W comes with full-depth sipes, meaning the sipes remain even as the 90% tread wears down. This ensures the tire stays flexible and quiet for its entire lifespan. 

The BFGoodrich T/A KO2 also has full-depth sipes, so both tires maintain their performance even after 30k miles, unlike cheaper all-terrain or mud tires that become stiff and noisy as they wear.

The Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is a top-rated 35-inch tire in America, and for good reason. It has received excellent reviews for its longevity, dry and wet traction, snow performance, and overall comfort.

Manufactured in Japan, it combines excellent handling with long-lasting durability, making it a fantastic choice for daily driving.

2- Michelin Defender LTX M/S – 100% On Road, 0% Off-road

Available size: 35×12.50R20
Rim size: Only 20 inches

A lot of vehicle owners love to put big, knobby tires on their pickups, SUVs, and crossovers—and you’re probably no different. But since you’re looking for the best 35×12.50R20 tires for daily driving, you might not want something too aggressive.s

Maybe you’re someone who drives long hours for work and hates the loud noise that some tires make from constant road contact. You’re not interested in off-roading; you just need a quiet, comfortable tire for the road—one that still comes in a 35-inch size.

Let me introduce you to a tire that fits your needs perfectly: the Michelin Defender LTX M/S.

This tire is an all-season, completely road-focused tire. Its design prioritizes comfort, minimal noise, and long tread life, while also offering excellent wet and snow traction. These qualities are the main reasons I recommend this tire for daily driving.

Now, because the Michelin Defender LTX M/S is a highway terrain, all-season tire, it’s not made for any kind of off-roading. 

So that means if you don’t have a plan to say bye-bye to the beaten path, you’ll need a second set of all-terrain or mud tires. However, I have a doubt anyone interested in 35-inch size tires will ever decide to spend 0% time off-roading. 

Even so, I wanted to include a 35-inch all-season tire on this list that could perform well on hilly rural roads, suburban streets, and flat highways. That’s why I selected the Michelin Defender LTX M/S.

So why did I choose the Michelin Defender LTX M/S instead of another all-season?

This is a highly popular tire, known for its excellent grip and traction in wet, snowy, and light muddy conditions. It also comes with a 50,000-mile tread warranty, which isn’t common for tires in this size. In fact, 35-inch all-season highway tires are rare, and Michelin offers one of the few options in this category.

The Defender LTX M/S delivers a soft and quiet ride. Even after a full day of driving, you won’t be bothered by road noise, because this tire keeps it at virtually zero. Whether you’re navigating hilly back roads, suburban streets, or smooth highways, this tire will get you to your destination without the usual tire noise.

In terms of fuel economy, the LTX M/S is also a better choice than many of its competitors. Weighing just under 59.1 pounds, this 34.5-inch tire is relatively lightweight for its size. That lower weight reduces the strain on your engine and improves fuel efficiency. The Michelin Defender LTX M/S also excels in steering response, cornering stability, and braking performance. With a tread depth of 13.5/32nds, it has plenty for an all-season tire.

Another key feature is its M+S rating, which means it’s suitable for light mud and snow. The same applies to BFGoodrich’s KO2, but keep in mind that these tires are only reliable in light mud. For deep mud, I’d still recommend mud-terrain tires for better confidence and traction.

The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is one of the best-selling tires out there. On Discount Tire alone, it has over 12,000 reviews—the most I’ve seen for any tire on that site. And we know not everyone leaves a review after buying something, so imagine how many vehicles are out there driving on these tires.

Final Thoughts

This tire provides an incredibly smooth and quiet ride, which is why I’ve chosen it as the best 35-inch tire for daily driving. However, it’s worth noting that the 35-inch option is only available for 20-inch rims.

3- Toyo open country mt

Next up, let’s talk about a tire from another popular category: the Toyo Open Country M/T, a favorite among mud tires.

If you spend 70% or more of your time off-roading or frequently drive through muddy, rocky, or rural terrains along with regular pavement, this tire could be the perfect choice for you.

However, for daily driving with 35-inch tires, all-terrain options are usually the better fit. I’m only bringing up this mud tire for one reason: a lot of people love the unbeatable traction and rugged look that mud tires provide. Plus, no one wants the embarrassment of getting stuck in wet grass with a 4×4!

That said, mud tires are quite different from all-terrain ones. They have wide, open lugs and stiff rubber compounds, so they’re definitely going to be noisier. This is why I had a hard time finding a mud tire as quiet as an all-terrain tire. But I’ve found a great option with the Toyo Open Country M/T.

This 35-inch tire comes in a range of sizes, with widths from 11.5 to 15.5 inches and rim diameters from 15 to 22 inches, so you can pick the size that fits your vehicle best. For the purposes of this review, I’ll be focusing on the most popular size: 35×12.5R20.

The Toyo Open Country M/T is designed to handle pavement just as well as it handles muddy, snowy, or rocky roads—or even when there are no roads at all. It’ll reliably get you where you need to go.

Compared to other mud tires, the tread pattern on the Toyo Open Country M/T isn’t overly aggressive. Too much aggressiveness can kill road comfort and create harsh noise. But Toyo has struck a good balance here, giving this tire just the right amount of aggressiveness for both on-road and off-road performance. That’s one of the reasons I love this tire. While I’ve included it in my other mud tire reviews, it’s my top pick for mud tires.

In terms of noise and vibration, this tire is almost comparable to an all-terrain tire. Its half-depth sipes and tread block design help minimize noise and increase comfort on highways.

However, once half the tread wears down, the sipes will be gone, and it will start to behave like a typical mud tire when it comes to noise.

The good news is that if you primarily use these tires on pavement, you’ll get much longer tread life than with regular tires, thanks to their tough construction that’s built to withstand abuse.

Even with its deep 21/32-inch tread, the Toyo Open Country M/T is lighter than the Wildpeak A/T3W. Each tire weighs 73 pounds—3 pounds less than the A/T3W, which weighs 76.1 pounds. This tread depth is impressive, making it one of the deepest treads you’ll find on mud tires.

Final Thoughts

The Toyo Open Country M/T is a great option for street, highway, and pavement driving. They ride smoothly and wear well on the road, but they can be somewhat dangerous in rain and deep snow. I love the aggressive look, but more importantly, they kick ass both at off-road traction while still maintaining solid on-road performance.

4- BFGoodrich ALL TERRAIN T/A KO2

The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 is the most popular all-terrain tire model in the USA, brought to you by the well-known American brand BFGoodrich, a subsidiary of Michelin.

The BFGoodrich KO2 35-inch diameter tire is available in rim sizes ranging from 15 to 22 inches, making it ideal for those looking to modify their vehicle with bigger tires on smaller wheels.

You may have already read my review of the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W, and you might wonder why I ranked the A/T3W higher than the more popular BFG KO2. The KO2 is undeniably a great tire—it’s quiet and comfortable—but when it comes to choosing a 35-inch tire for daily driving, the Wildpeak A/T3W has some distinct advantages.

First, let’s compare the tread patterns.

The KO2 features a very aggressive tread design, as it’s M+S-rated (Mud and Snow), meaning it’s engineered to handle mud and snow with ease. In contrast, the Wildpeak A/T3W has a cleaner, more balanced tread design, making it quieter than the KO2.

Does that mean the KO2 is noisy?

Not at all. In fact, most KO2 users report that it’s a relatively quiet tire, especially considering it’s an all-terrain model and quite large at 35 inches. Naturally, it won’t be as quiet as a standard all-weather tire, but it’s still impressively quiet for its class.

However, when it comes to wet grip and rain performance, the Wildpeak A/T3W excels. In wet conditions, the Wildpeak significantly outperforms the KO2, especially in terms of hydroplaning resistance and overall traction. So, while both tires perform equally well in dry conditions, snow, and light mud, the Wildpeak A/T3W takes the lead in wet weather.

The Key Difference: Tread Design

The Wildpeak A/T3W features lateral grooves that are uninterrupted from one side to the other, allowing water and air to flow freely through the tire. This not only reduces road noise but also improves hydroplaning resistance, making it safer in wet conditions.

On the other hand, the BFGoodrich KO2’s tread design doesn’t allow water or air to move as freely. This can lead to more slipping on wet roads, which is a common complaint among KO2 users. While it’s still a great tire, especially for off-roading, it’s clear that the BFGoodrich KO2 isn’t as effective as the Wildpeak A/T3W in wet conditions.

That said, the BFGoodrich KO2 still stands out among other all-terrain tires for its minimal noise and strong traction. BFGoodrich’s advanced tire compounds deliver a firm grip and excellent durability. The KO2 has proven its reliability, handling everything from high-pressure highway drives to low-pressure off-road adventures, without fail.

What About Daily Driving?

If you’ll be driving mostly on pavement, especially in rainy conditions, I’d recommend the Wildpeak A/T3W. While the BFGoodrich KO2 offers superior off-road performance, the Wildpeak A/T3W is the better choice for daily driving.

However, one key advantage of the BFGoodrich KO2 is its lighter weight compared to the Wildpeak A/T3W. For example, the KO2 in LT 315/70R17 weighs in at 67.1 lbs, while the Wildpeak A/T3W weighs 76.1 lbs. This lighter weight can help maintain fuel efficiency, whereas the heavier Wildpeak A/T3W might cost you a bit more in gas mileage.

But keep in mind that the Wildpeak A/T3W offers more tread depth (19.7/32 inches) compared to the BFGoodrich KO2 (15/32 inches). So the weight difference is understandable, given the Wildpeak A/T3W’s deeper tread.

Why Is the BFGoodrich KO2 So Popular?

The BFGoodrich KO2 stands out because of its center tread design, which is much more highway-friendly. The densely packed center tread blocks create a smooth ride on hard surfaces. When you lower the tire pressure, these blocks act like shovels in mud and sand, giving the tire excellent off-road traction.

In addition, the side lugs on the BFGoodrich KO2 are widely spaced, improving traction on various terrains, making it an exceptional performer off-road.

Final Verdict

The Wildpeak A/T3W edges out the BFGoodrich KO2 in noise reduction and performance in rain and snow. However, in terms of quality, weight, and longevity, the BFGoodrich KO2 is arguably the best 35-inch tire for daily driving. If used primarily on pavement, this tire can easily last 100,000 miles, even though it officially comes with a 50,000-mile warranty.

5- YOKOHAMA GEOLANDAR A/T G015

Next up, we have the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015, an all-terrain tire that’s budget-friendly. If you’re working with a tighter budget, this tire can definitely help you save without compromising too much on quality.

But the main reason I chose the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 for my list of the best 35-inch tires for daily driving isn’t just its price—it’s the tire’s unique tread design.

At first glance, the tread looks more like a highway tire, even though it’s classified as an all-terrain tire. In my opinion, it functions more like a hybrid between a highway tire and an all-terrain tire, which is great if you’re someone who mainly drives on paved roads with the occasional light off-road trip.

If you’re looking for a reliable daily driver and don’t spend much time off-roading—maybe just the occasional trail—you won’t need an overly aggressive tread. In that case, the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 is an excellent choice, as it’s much more road-friendly compared to other all-terrain tires.

The tread design makes it very quiet on the highway, as it’s closer to an all-season pattern than a traditional aggressive all-terrain tread. It’s not as rugged as an A/T tire, but it’s far from the plain look of an all-weather tire, striking a balance between performance and comfort.

While the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 doesn’t scream “off-roader,” it excels in on-road driving and handles light off-road adventures just fine. Plus, it significantly reduces road noise. In the 35×12.50R20 size, this tire weighs just 61 lbs, which is relatively light for this size, even lighter than the BFGoodrich KO2, which comes in at 67.1 lbs. The tread depth is also solid at 16/32, which is slightly deeper than the BFGoodrich KO2.

However, when it comes to wear life, Yokohama tires tend to wear faster compared to some other brands. If you’re mostly driving on streets, highways, or pavement, though, you should be worry-free, as this tire performs best in those conditions.

If you’re after durability, tires like the Wildpeak AT3W, BFGoodrich KO2, and Toyo Open Country are known to last longer.

That being said, the Yokohama G015 rolls smoothly, makes very little road noise, and handles nicely on streets. It performs similarly to an all-season tire, so if you keep it on the road for most of its life, the tread will last longer.

One final note: the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 is like a more affordable Japanese version of Michelin—offering great value for its price.

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