Review and test Yokohama GEOLANDAR A/T G015: are you looking for a tyre for a 4x4?

The world of off-road vehicles is booming, not SUVs (although them too, but for different reasons). I mean the classic true 4x4s -with a transfer case, little electronics- and that has led many people to have a 4×4 in their garage for weekend outings, off-road trails or simply taking the dog for a ride.

I myself decided to buy a 4×4 as a second vehicle and after looking into which model was the one that convinced me the most (there are real debates about which 4×4 to buy), I finally settled on a Land Rover Discovery 300 Tdi from 1994. And then the following question arose for me: which tyres should I fit?

The idea behind the base was simple: that they perform well in snow (3PMSF), that they perform well off the asphalt and that allow me to drive on the road all year round without compromising the tyre or safety. Where I live the climate is mild, it doesn’t snow (although I do mountain trips with snow), winter temperatures are above 10 degrees and summers don’t usually exceed 30 degrees. After analysing several all-year A/T tyre models, I found the Yokohama GEOLANDAR A/T G015 very well balanced.

Over the coming months we will analyse these A/T tyres in depth, with special attention to their behaviour in extreme conditions (snow, heavy rain, mud, mountains) and normal all-year road driving. At the end of the winter season we will tell you how they performed in cold weather, and we will do the same after the summer.

Yokohama GEOLANDAR A/T G015

It is an all-season tyre for SUVs/4x4s that has the 3PMSF certification -allowing it to be used safely in snow-, as well as a C rating for grip on wet surfaces, an F rating for fuel efficiency, all with a noise level of 70 dB (class B). Among its features, its symmetrical tread with reinforced shoulders stands out, something to keep in mind when driving off-road.

The compound of the tyre allows it to remain flexible in both snow and rain, highlighting a tread with 3D Triple sipes and EDGETEC grooves placed in different areas of the tyre that aim to grip the snow securely. They have also placed special emphasis on designing the tread to evacuate water efficiently and thus avoid loss of grip due to aquaplaning.

According to the manufacturer, they are optimised for vehicles that carry weight while also offering good durability.

The test in data

To put all the above data to the test and check whether they really meet the intended uses, over these months we will fit them on a Land Rover Discovery 300 Tdi. The test data are as follows:

• Vehicle: Land Rover Discovery 300 Tdi (’94)
• Tyre size: 235/70 R16 (equivalent to the original 205/80 R16)
• Test location: Galicia / Asturian mountains / Portuguese mountains
• Route type: Mixed road-urban (50%), off-road trail (25%) and snow/mud very low grip conditions (25%).

Shortly we will have the first article ready analysing the Yokohama GEOLANDAR A/T G015’s winter performance and our first impressions.

Photos | Diego G. Moreira / Yokohama Tyres