BFGoodrich KO3 vs. Falken WildPeak AT4W - Which New Off-Road Tire Is Better For Your Rig?
July 2, 2024
Should You Buy The BFGoodrich KO3 or Falken WildPeak AT4W For Your Off-Roader?
Table of Contents
- Does The KO3 or AT4W Have Better Style?
- Pricing Comparison - KO3 vs. AT4W
- Are the KO3 and AT4W Tires Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake Rated?
- Tread Life Comparison: KO3 vs. WildPeak AT4W
- Performance Features and Capabilities - KO3 vs. AT4W
- Downsides Of The BFGoodrich KO3 and Falken AT4W
- Final Results: Is The KO3 Or AT4W Better?
- Shop BFGoodrich and Falken Tires In Our Store
This is the comparison we've all been waiting for - in the last couple months, both BFGoodrich and Falken have shaken up the off-road tire game with the releases of their new KO3 and AT4W tires, respectively. After driving each tire for weeks now, including testing them out in the wild, we finally have the results we need to give the official answer to which tire you should buy: the BFGoodrich KO3 or the Falken WildPeak AT4W.
First, a disclaimer - all opinions are our own and are made for off-road enthusiasts like you. With that in mind, the KO3 and AT4W are two undisputed newcomer heavyweights - let's see which one comes out on top at the final bell!
Does The KO3 or AT4W Have Better Style?
If you're wanting your rig to look more aggressive, both the KO3 and AT4W have an off-road aggressive look, although you will get more aggressive-looking tires if you choose an M/T tire. But, these tires can still make a huge difference in making your rig look better. They both offer deep treads and aggressive sidewalls, but the AT4W has a significant advantage over its BFGoodrich counterpart.
The KO3 sidewall has a sharp design to be sure, but it ends short so BFG can throw its brand on there, whereas the AT4W sidewall goes down further. With the added bonus of a better-looking sidewall, the AT4W is going to be winning the first point in this face-off.
AT4W 1, KO3 0
Pricing Comparison - KO3 vs. AT4W
If the AT4W looks better, does that mean it costs more? To find that out, we took a look at our store and looked at the most popular sizes to give these tires a fair comparison.
For all three sizes, BFG is going to cost you a little bit more. For some sizes, it was only $50. For others, it was almost $200. To find the correct tire size for your rig, you can use our guides, where all you do is tell us your vehicle, and we give a perfect fitment for it and see what your tire difference is. In almost all cases, though, the KO3 is going to be a bit more expensive, which is why the AT4W is taking a 2 to 0 lead in the battle.
AT4W 2, KO3 0
Are the KO3 and AT4W Tires Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake Rated?
So many people care about 3-peak ratings, and for good reason - they're probably one of the most reliable ratings to figure out how well your tires can hold up in winter weather. However if you're one of these types of drivers, you may not like what we're about to say.
The three-peak snowflake rating doesn’t have any standardized team or testing requirements, which means that when a company creates a tire, they can in-house test their tire and give results that meet the standard numbers so they can claim that badge. There isn’t a team that goes around and tests for companies, meaning that companies can forge results.
That doesn't mean that we're calling out either BFGoodrich or Falken and saying that they forged their results; in fact, both these tires have 3-peak ratings, and they both performed great in the snow, so we can confidently say that both companies are legit in handing out these badges. With this knowledge, though, make sure to see the real-world results of a tire before purchasing it, as the badge may not tell the whole truth.
Tread Life Comparison: KO3 vs. WildPeak AT4W
The AT4W has a longer warranty of 65,000 miles compared to the KO3 warranty of 50,000 miles. But that doesn't mean that AT4W gets the point. After driving both the tires for the last couple of weeks, they both are wearing at the expected rate.
But, after talking to the BFG marketing team, we learned an insider's secret. The engineers prioritized many things on the KO3, tread life being one of them. They wanted to ensure the customer got the most out of their tire, and from the results we got so far, it looks like the KO3 is going to take you farther than the AT4W. So the KO3 wins this point. But that comes with a cost.
AT4W 2, KO3 1
Performance Features and Capabilities - KO3 vs. AT4W
How well does each tire perform? To be honest, both tires' overall performance is awesome, and we have had little to no problems along with others that are testing them as well. The biggest problem that both tires have is gravel. Both tires can handle great on gravel; they both just like to throw gravel a whole bunch.
If your tire is going to be sticking out further than the fender, both these tires grab ahold of the rocks and throw those rocks like their life depends on it. So unless you stop at the end of the gravel road and pick out the rocks, when going from gravel to pavement as you're picking up speed, the inside of your rig is going to sound like a warzone for a little bit as the rocks get flung out of the tire.
Downsides Of The BFGoodrich KO3 and Falken AT4W
We can go on and on about how good these tires are, so it’s quicker to tell you what is bad about both of them.
Because BFG wanted a tire that would last a long time, they took a huge hit in the wet department. Now, they do perform better in the rain than the KO2, and they aren't the worst option. But the AT4W definitely performs better when driving through the rain.
That doesn’t mean the AT4W is perfect, though. These things are heavy, meaning your gas mileage is going to take a hit. We did some testing and were expecting a huge decrease in MPG but found out it wasn't that bad. We were going from 23 MPG to around 20 from the stock tires to AT4W. So a decrease, yes, but that's not that bad. We also found that the AT4W is a little louder than the KO3.
Final Results: Is The KO3 Or AT4W Better?
So, we've reached the end results: the KO3 is going to be quieter, lighter and last longer, but won't be as good in wet and snow performance, while the AT4W is going to be heavier, sturdier, and better in wet and snow performance.
Our final verdict is that they both are great tires, which at the end of the day is what we all wanted to see as consumers. Unless you stick them in a head-to-head like we are doing, and go down to the finest details, you're gonna love these tires no matter which one you pick. But for our purpose, we do about 90% highway and gravel riding and 10% overlanding and adventuring. We like a tire that performs a little better on the road, so we are giving the point to the KO3.
Final Score: AT4W 2, KO3 2
Shop BFGoodrich and Falken Tires In Our Store
Now that we’re tied up, what tire should you buy? If you have a bigger truck or rig and want the most performance out of an A/T tire that you can get, the AT4W is your go-to tire. These tires' performance is just amazing. Even if your rig is smaller, as long as you know your gas mileage is going to drop a little, this tire is great for you. Through snow, rain, gravel, anything we threw at this tire, it handled. We wish our MPG wouldn't take such a hit because most of us here at TB drive our overlanding vehicles as our daily drivers.
But that does lead to the KO3. The KO3 is nothing short of amazing too - they are quiet, light, look aggressive, and perform great. For those that don’t have bigger vehicles or need a tire for a 90% on-road and 10% off-road lifestyle, this tire is the best for you.
Regardless of which tire you picked, we have plenty of them in our store right now, so head over there, pick out your favorite setup, and we'll get it shipped to your door fast. Of course, if you have any further questions on which tire is best for you, let us know and we're happy to help!
