All-Terrain tyres can completely change the way an SUV looks and drives. However, there are compromises. AT tyres can be noisier, heavier and may even reduce fuel efficiency compared to regular Highway Terrain tyres. So, what happens when you put a set on a Mahindra XUV500?
An XUV500 owner from Bangalore recently switched from regular HT tyres to Continental CrossContact AT2 tyres. He has now driven around 1,200 km on the new rubber and has shared his experience. And some of the results have surprised him.
The owner, Ashish Kumar, has used the tyres extensively in Bangalore and has also completed a road trip from Bangalore to Pondicherry and back. This meant the Continental AT2s were subjected to city traffic, smooth highways, rain, broken roads and even highway stretches undergoing construction. Here’s what he discovered.
This was perhaps the biggest surprise. One of the usual disadvantages of switching to an All-Terrain tyre is increased road noise. The more aggressive tread pattern that helps an AT tyre on loose and broken surfaces can also make it noisier on tarmac. Ashish, however, says the Continental CrossContact AT2s are extremely quiet. In fact, he says they are considerably quieter than his previous tyres. According to him, almost no tyre noise makes its way into the XUV500’s cabin. For an All-Terrain tyre, that’s impressive.
The second major difference became apparent during his Bangalore-Pondicherry trip. The XUV500 felt stable at highway speeds, and the tyres handled good as well as broken stretches comfortably. Parts of the highway were under construction, which gave the owner an opportunity to experience the tyres over rougher surfaces as well.
The XUV500 remained planted and the tyres dealt with bad roads extremely well. Steering feedback has also increased considerably after moving from HT to AT tyres. Ashish says you can feel much more of the road through the steering wheel. Humps, corners and changes in the surface are communicated more clearly to the driver. He also feels more confident while taking corners and sharper turns.
Compared to regular Highway Terrain tyres, the Continental AT2s feel slightly stiffer. The steering has become heavier as well, particularly while manoeuvring the XUV500 and making tighter turns. This is something buyers moving from HT to AT tyres should keep in mind.
There’s also more road feedback reaching the steering wheel. Enthusiastic drivers might appreciate this, but somebody accustomed to a lighter, more isolated steering feel may take some time to get used to it.
Ashish was expecting another compromise after installing the AT tyres: lower fuel efficiency. That hasn’t happened so far. During his first 1,200 km, the XUV500 has returned around 12-13 kmpl in city driving. On the highway, he managed approximately 15 kmpl. That’s something he wasn’t expecting after switching to the more rugged tyres.
Of course, fuel efficiency depends heavily on driving style, speed, traffic, tyre pressure and several other factors. So these figures are best treated as this particular owner’s experience rather than what every XUV500 owner can expect.
There is another reason why SUV owners switch to All-Terrain tyres: looks. And this is one area where Ashish is particularly happy. He says the CrossContact AT2s have given his XUV500 a much more muscular and macho appearance. What’s interesting is that he managed to achieve this without increasing the tyre size.
Owners often install wider tyres or larger wheels to give an SUV a broader stance. The more aggressive profile of the Continental AT2 appears to provide a similar visual effect while allowing him to retain the stock tyre dimensions. That also means avoiding some of the complications that can come with aggressive tyre upsizing.
Ashish expects to extract around 70,000-80,000 km from the Continental tyres. However, it is much too early to say whether they’ll actually achieve that figure. At just 1,200 km, the tyres are still practically new. Their long-term performance will depend on factors such as driving conditions, tyre pressures, alignment, rotation intervals and driving style. It would be interesting to revisit these tyres after 30,000-40,000 km to see how the tread and performance hold up.
Going by his first 1,200 km, Ashish is extremely happy with the decision. He particularly likes the low road noise, highway stability, grip, bad-road ability and the tougher stance the tyres have given his XUV500. The slightly stiffer ride and heavier steering are the two noticeable compromises. For someone driving almost exclusively on smooth highways, regular HT tyres may still make more sense.
But for SUV owners who regularly encounter broken roads and want something tougher without making their vehicle unbearably noisy on the highway, the Continental CrossContact AT2 appears to strike an interesting balance. Ashish certainly thinks so. After experiencing them in the city, on highways, in rain and over broken roads, he says he would happily recommend the tyres to friends planning to move from HT to AT rubber.