Just got a 2021 4Runner OR and I’m closing in on 30k miles with the stock tires. After looking around, Michelin Defenders seem like the best option since I drive on pavement almost all the time and deal with crazy summer rainstorms.
I haven’t taken my 4Runner off-road yet, but I really want to soon. Will these tires hold up for light off-roading? I’m talking about sand, dirt, and maybe some mild mud. Or am I setting myself up for a bad time? What kind of terrain should I steer clear of with these?
For real off-roading—like deep mud, steep gravel, or rock crawling—you need AT tires. But for basic dirt trails, beaches, and forest roads, the Michelin Defenders should do just fine. Most 4Runner owners don’t do hardcore off-roading anyway.
If you’re open to AT tires that are still good on the highway, check out these options. Look at reviews to see how they perform in rain, dry conditions, and road noise:
Falken Wildpeak (very popular)
Toyo Open Country
Cooper Discoverer
If you get snow or ice, look for tires with the 3-peak snowflake rating. Good luck!
@Flint
I was actually considering the Toyo Open Country tires too. I live in Florida, so snow and ice aren’t a concern, but I do have a mountain trip planned later this year. My biggest worry was the highway noise and how AT tires handle the heavy summer rain here.
@Darwin
I’m in Seattle, and my Cooper Discoverer ATs do just fine in the rain. I also have full-time 4WD, which helps. Noise-wise, they’re not bad, but some AT tires are louder than others.
Avoid anything with big tread blocks like the BFG KO3s if you don’t want a lot of road noise.
Since you’re mostly on pavement and haven’t off-roaded much, I’d go with the Michelins. They’re great for traction, ride comfort, and noise. They won’t be that much worse off-road than AT tires, despite what some people say.
Buy for what you actually do 90% of the time, not the 10% you might do.
@Flint
To be fair, I’ve only had the truck for about 2000 miles, so I haven’t had much chance to off-road yet. But yeah, that’s pretty much how I was thinking about it too.
Darwin said: @Flint
To be fair, I’ve only had the truck for about 2000 miles, so I haven’t had much chance to off-road yet. But yeah, that’s pretty much how I was thinking about it too.
Makes sense! I don’t think you’ll regret getting the Defender LTX M/S.
@Darwin
I’ve got a 2021 ORP, and mine originally came with tires similar to the Defenders. I switched to Toyo Open Country, and I don’t hear extra road noise. The 4Runner is built well, so it doesn’t have that annoying drone like a Jeep.
I live in Portland, where we get a ton of rain, and I’m glad I swapped. The Michelins were fine, but the Toyos made a huge difference in mud, sand, and rocks. The 4Runner itself is super capable, so you can get by with highway tires, but ATs just give you more confidence.
@Darwin
I take my Camry off-road more than some of these guys with lifted F-150s.
Mostly dirt roads for Cub Scout campouts, but if it rains, I gotta take my wife’s Subaru with highway tires. So yeah, you can do a little off-roading even with regular tires, just gotta be smart about it.
I’ve got Michelin Defender M/S 2s on my 2011 Tacoma and Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/Ts on my 2024 4Runner. Both have under 5000 miles on them.
I’ve taken both on rough ranch trails and construction sites in Texas. The Defenders are okay unless there’s any moisture—then they start slipping a lot. The Baja Boss A/Ts feel way more solid off-road.
On pavement, both handle well in rain, but the Defenders are the best rain tire I’ve ever used on an SUV. They’re just not as tough as an AT tire. I’ve had Defenders get ruined from sidewall scrapes before.
Noise-wise, the Defenders are quieter right now, but after 30k miles, they’ll probably get louder. My Baja Boss tires make a low hum, but nothing annoying. No gas mileage difference compared to the stock Bridgestones either.
