Toyo's latest all-purpose Open Country UT tire is aimed squarely at pickup and SUV owners seeking the last word in safe, dependable on-road performance in all conditions.

The explosion in the popularity of off-road, all terrain vehicles has meant a corresponding increase in the call for specialist, 4x4 focused tires. Granted, there are already a wealth of options for those owners seeking to tackle genuine off-road challenges in their vehicles, but what about the vast majority who value these machines for their safety advantages, upright driving position and stylish good looks? Step forward Toyo, one of the world's premier tire manufacturers and the developer of the Open Country UT, tire designed to brush off the challenges associated with urban environments, and perfect for fitment to mainstream pickups, 4x4s and light trucks.

One of the traditional drawbacks of on-road tires designed for four-wheel drive vehicles has long been the need to major on performance, life or road noise, with the characteristics needed to excel in one area all too often necessitating compromise in the others. The Open Country UT is different, its functional tread design, special silica compound and multi-wave sipes all having been carefully developed to offer exceptional handling and braking performance, reduced road noise and fuel consumption, and long life in equal measure. 

The Open Country UT's tread pattern is highly innovative, with the size of the blocks and their distribution, variable pitch pattern, silent wall grooves and multi-wave sipes being responsible for its reduced noise at speed, ride comfort and ability to grip the road in all conditions. All work together to give a tire that's balanced and dependable, but it's also worth taking the time to delve into the science and the thinking behind some of specific design features mentioned above. Toyo's silent wall minimises the pipe resonance noise that characterises tires with dense tread patterns, a byproduct of the groove forming an unbroken 'pipe' of rubber when it makes contact with the road surface. Silent groove reduces this noise by disturbing the flow of air along the channel of tread, hence the criss-cross cuts that bisect the Open Country UT's tread pattern.

Their name might sound a tad technical and intimidating, but the role of multi-wave sipes is actually fairly simple to explain, even if the manner in which they go about it is rather complex. They work to decrease block movement when cornering and braking, allowing more tread to remain in contact with the road surface for longer, thus giving exceptional handling and stopping ability in the wet and dry. The rigid nature of the blocks themselves also decreases the likelihood of irregular wear over time, and this promotes a quiet, long lasting tire.

The benefits of the Open Country UT are more than skin deep however, with its complex construction and silica tread compound also playing a fundamental role in its ability to stick to the surface of the road in a manner more commonly associated with high performance rubber. The silica compound promotes improved wet weather performance, reduced wear and rolling resistance, while the spiral wound cap ply, high-tensile steel belts and double carcass ply result in enhanced high speed handling. There's more, with the hardened bead filler and toughened side-walls that form part of the tire's construction contributing towards improved steering response, turn in and 'feel.'

These innovations and construction methods result in a tire that really can tackle all terrain and conditions the average, road-bound four-wheel drive machine is likely to encounter. What's more, the Open Country UT has been extensively real-world tested against comparable products from Toyo's own range, with the popular Open Country HT having been selected as the most useful benchmark. The results have been impressive to say the least, with the UT having been proven to last longer, stop in a shorter distance in both wet and dry conditions (5% and 2% respectively), have a rolling resistance of 89 (an 11% reduction), and have better road holding and handling traits than its Toyo stablemate.

The Open Country HT promises to be a truly class leading tire, its sheer capability sure to make it a firm favourite with pickup and SUV owners across the country. It's also available in an impressive array of sizes and fitments, all of which can be found below. This, the myriad traits covered above, and the fact that it's made by Toyo, one of the world leaders in tire technology, makes the Open Country HT the obvious choice for those seeking a highly capable, supremely reliable four-wheel drive tire.

Sizes

• 16 inch
• 215/70 R16 100H
• 245/70 R16 111H XL
• 255/70 R16 111H
• 265/70 R16 112H
• 215/65 R16 98H
• 17 inch
• 265/70 R17 115H
• 225/65 R17 102H
• 235/65 R17 104H
• 245/65 R17 111H XL
• 255/65 R17 110H
• 265/65 R17 112H
• 275/65 R17 115H
• 285/65 R17 116H
• 235/60 R17 102 
• 18 inch
• 265/70 R18 116H
• 275/65 R18 116H
• 225/60 R18 100H
• 265/60 R18 110H
• 285/60 R18 116H
• 235/55 R18 104V XL