Truck and SUV drivers didn’t always have an abundance of choices in the tire market. They could either go with highway tires that are tuned to be comfortable, grippy, and reliable for on-road usage. Or, they could opt for the off-road route with muddy-terrain options for relentless overlanding adventures at the cost of on-road practicality. But things have changed for the better, and tires like the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark claim to offer the best of both worlds.
In this review, we’ll look at its features, pros, cons, and how it performs in various on- and off-road scenarios. Let’s get started!
Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark — Features
The Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark is an all-season all-terrain tire that’s designed to offer promising traction on- and off-road.
At first glance, you can tell that this tire is built to be rugged. The sturdy sidewalls not only provide immense off-road strength and durability but also add to the tire’s aggressive aesthetic.
Its tread pattern is designed to be fit for all types of terrain, whether it’s dry tarmac or deep mud! You’ve got shoulder blocks to find traction on soft off-road surfaces and an optimized tread pattern to minimize tread growl on the highway. It’s truly an all-rounder and it shows!
In the off-road world, the tire’s wide shoulders, open and deep grooves help keep mud and water out of the contact patch. This not only improves traction on muddy terrain, but also enhances the tire’s wet traction through improved hydroplaning resistance.
Since it’s an all-season tire, its biting edges are not only designed to tackle mud, but also light snow.
But let’s see if these theoretical design features translate to real-world performance!
Dry Road Performance
The Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark is an excellent performer on dry tarmac. It’s easy to drive and responds well to your steering inputs. You won’t be missing out on stability or straight-line tracking even at highway speeds. Handling remains predictable and satisfying, and braking performance is also on par with the competition.
Overall, it’s a promising daily driving tire for all your city commute and touring needs. It even comes with a 45,000+ miles treadwear warranty for added reliability!
Wet Performance
The Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark doesn’t falter in the rain. Thanks to its deep, open grooves and aggressive biting edges, the tire remains sticky even during heavy downpours. Hydroplaning resistance is excellent, and the tire never shows any significant signs of over or understeer.
Braking performance could be a bit better, but the stopping distances are safe enough in wet conditions (unless you drive unreasonably fast, of course). Most all-terrain tires struggle in the rain, so it’s a great sign that the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark remains reliable even on wet pavement.
Winter Performance
Being an all-season tire, the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark certainly packs reasonable amounts of winter capabilities. It offers decent traction levels and directional stability on light snow. Braking distances aren’t too shabby either, which is mostly all you need in the winters.
However, the tire won’t be a reliable choice in extremely snowy conditions. The tire doesn’t offer enough cornering grip or stability on ice or thick layers of snow. You might need to look at proper winter tires if that’s how the weather gets where you live.
This isn’t a weakness of the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark per se, since any all-season tire would have severe traction issues in extreme winters.
Off-Road Capabilities
Since the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark felt like such a well-rounded tire on dry/wet roads and even on light snow, we didn’t expect much from it in the off-road realm. However, Goodyear seems to have succeeded in making this tire one of the most balanced truck tires out there in terms of on- and off-road practicality.
Sure, any proper MT tire beats the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark in off-road conditions. But keeping the tire’s price and on-road potential in mind, its off-road capabilities are a breath of fresh air! We found it to be superbly grippy on hardpacked surfaces (gravel and dirt) with decent stability, handling, traction, and control.
Even most light-mud tracks shouldn’t be a problem for this tire, though deep mud and clay could pose some challenges. The tread is also sturdy enough to deal with the roughness of the off-road realm such as chips and gravel, so the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark is a pretty capable off-road tire.
Ride Quality
While the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark is designed to be a rugged truck tire, they haven’t ignored ride comfort and quietness. The tread pattern is optimized for tread growl reduction. The tire still gets a bit loud at highway speeds, but it’s nothing too intrusive.
You’ll also feel your fair share of bumps and potholes in regular city driving, but the ride is pretty plush on a well-built highway even at higher speeds.
Conclusion
The Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark isn’t an extraordinary performer in either off-road conditions or the highway. However, its uniqueness comes from the fact that it’s the jack of all trades — being completely usable in on- and off-road conditions alike. You can’t find such a combination in many tires out there, especially with such an impressive treadwear warranty. If you’re looking for a worthy upgrade for your light truck or SUV, the Goodyear Wrangler TrailMark definitely deserves to be shortlisted!