Hankook Dynapro AT2 Review: Suffers in the Rain

Since its inception, the Korean tiremaker Hankook focused on producing high-quality tires that don’t break the bank. In recent years, the company even started competing with premium tires from Michelin, Bridgestone, Pirelli, and Continental. And, one category where they succeeded in giving the premium competition headaches is the all-terrain one.

The Dynapro family of tires is already very popular with truck and SUV drivers in North America, but also around the world. Owners love how long these tires last, especially given the lower price than what you’d get on premium products. Moreover, the Dynapro family has shown to be very good for off-roading, especially in terms of toughness and durability.

That leads me to the newest addition to the family, the Hankook Dynapro AT2. The Korean tiremaker made some significant improvements to the new tire when compared to the predecessor. However, the competition also worked hard to improve its tires.

For instance, Goodyear set a new benchmark with the Wrangler Adventure with Kevlar, a tire that works tremendously well in almost every driving scenario. Furthermore, Continental’s TerrainContact A/T set a new benchmark for road dynamics in the all-terrain category, while the Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3 and Michelin LTX A/T2 pride themselves on being very balanced in most conditions. And, let’s not forget the revered BF Goodrich T/A KO2, which still embarrasses a lot of all-terrain tires on extreme terrains.

To compete favorably to these tires, the Dynapro A/T 2 should either excel in some category or offer a balanced set of qualities. Moreover, customers in 2020 expect that an all-terrain tire will provide them with safe driving on the road, comfortable and quiet ride, good off-road traction, and excellent durability.

And, if one can get all those qualities at a lower price point, than all the better! In terms of pricing, the Dynapro AT2 sits much lower than the premium competition from Goodyear, Michelin, Bridgestone, and Continental. The tire is also cheaper than the BFGoodrich T/A KO2, which is an old model by now. For a set of four tires, this means that you will save up to $200! This might prove to be attractive to buyers, especially since truck and SUV tires can cost a pretty penny.

But how does the tire perform in the real world? Well, that’s what I’ll try to answer in my detailed Hankook Dynapro AT2 review. Below, we’ll talk about various qualities of the tire, including on-road dynamics, off-road traction and durability, treadlife, and comfort. Before we do that, though, let’s see what features Hankook implemented in the tire to make it a viable option.

What are the features of the Hankook Dynapro AT2?

According to Hankook, the Dynapro AT2 delivers “a superior blend of all-around performance in the All-Terrain segment.” The company also states that the tire strikes a perfect balance between off-road traction and on-road drivability.

To achieve these things, the engineers utilized a specially-formulated tread compound. The rubber was designed with fuel economy in mind, but also cut- and -chip-resistance. The tread is molded into a symmetric tread pattern with rigid tie bars in the shoulders. This design stabilizes the tread and gives the tire better ride comfort, but also superior handling.

Furthermore, the aero Shoulder Technology quietens the tread growl and limits noise coming into the cabin. The tech utilizes stepped block edges, which significantly reduce the airborne noise coming from the tread pattern. The Block-chain control system further reduces noise by utilizing a tie bar inside the shoulder blocks.

For better wet performance, Hankook instilled high-dispersible silica into the rubber. This material enhances grip and traction in rainy conditions by sticking to the surface better. Also, the rubber is aided by the open shoulders and wide grooves, which help to reduce hydroplaning resistance and further increase traction.

The tread is also full of multi-directional grooves and waved sipes, which increase the biting edges of the tire. This design helps with traction on wet surfaces, but also for increased snow traction. Ultimately, the independent tread blocks increase traction on off-road terrain and snow. The Dynapro AT2 comes with the 3PMSF (Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake) symbol. This rating signifies that this tire works better on snow and ice than all-season tires with the M+S symbol.

The internal construction of the tire is tougher than the usual all-terrain tire. It features a three-ply casing, which should additionally resist punctures when compared to two-ply casings. Here, it is also additionally supported by two high-strength steel belts and two nylon cap plies for better highway capability and durability.

What are the maintenance indicators?

Hankook utilized the regular tread wear indicators (TWI’s) on the Dynapro AT2. These are an industry-standard thing, and you can find them on almost every new tire. Some highway and touring tires have better maintenance indicators, which can show you a complete picture of the tread depth. However, manufacturers still don’t utilize these in their all-terrain tires.

That’s because, without sufficient tread depth, the tire won’t be able to provide the driver with usable traction in rainy weather or snow-covered surfaces. When there is not much tread left, the tire loses the ability to channel water and starts hydroplaning. And, on all-terrain all-season tires, the minimum tread depth is 2/32-inch.

The TWI’s are narrow rubber bars built into the grooves of the tire. These bars are recessed when the tire is new, but you can still see them upon close inspection. As the tread wears down, the TWI’s become more visible. And, when the tread depth reaches 2/32-inch, they will be completely flush with the surface. At this moment, you should immediately replace your tires.

Fortunately, the Dynapro AT2 is an extremely durable tire. First of all, the three-ply casing ensures that the tire won’t get punctured easily, even when driving very sharp rocks. Also, the cut- and -chip-resistance tread compound ensures that you won’t damage the tread when driving over hardpacked surfaces.

Ultimately, the treadlife of this tire is among the best in the all-terrain category. You should easily get around 60,000-miles from these tires. Even better, Hankook provides a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty on P-metric and LT-metric sizes, which is amazing.

How does it behave on a dry tarmac?

The steering is very responsive steering for an all-terrain tire, especially a three-ply one. The Dynapro AT2 also communicates well with the driver and provides a good steering feel.

That said, straight-line tracking isn’t its forte – you’ll need to make slight corrections with the steering wheel to stay in line.

On the positive side, traction is very good – you won’t get too much wheelspin. Also, the cornering grip is comparable to the best all-terrain tires out there, and the highway stability is okay.

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

The Dynapro AT2 provides good traction on wet roads, but I would still like to see further improvements. For instance, the tire struggles to keep traction during hard acceleration in the rain, especially on RWD pickup trucks.

Moreover, while the handling on wet pavement leaves a lot to be desired, understeer is an issue at lower speeds more than you’d expect, especially when you compare the tire to other premium all-terrain products.

With that being said, how is it on snowy roads?

Fortunately, the Dynapro AT2 redeems itself on snow-covered roads. It’s not a winter tire, but it should satisfy the needs of drivers that don’t encounter very harsh wintry conditions.

Traction on snow and slush is very good – you certainly won’t get stuck anywhere. Furthermore, the handling is good, and the braking distances aren’t very long. Ice traction is worse, though, but that’s the case with most all-season tires.

Is it suitable for off-road driving?

The Dynapro AT2 is no Goodyear Wrangler or BF Goodrich T/A KO2, but it can still satisfy the average truck or SUV driver. Traction on hardpacked surfaces is excellent, and you can even attack some mud terrain. However, don’t expect professional-grade performance from this tire – it’s only made for casual off-roading.

Is it comfortable and refined?

The ride is stiffer than other road-focused all-terrain tires, but it’s not overly intrusive or uncomfortable. Actually, you might prefer it to the soft nature of some all-terrain tires. Also, there is a noticeable tread growl, but that’s something that we’ve come to expect from all-terrain tires.

You can see more Hankook Dynapro AT2 review here: Video created by GreenRaMM

Should I buy the Hankook Dynapro AT2

Well, for me, the below-average wet traction ruins the whole experience. I really wanted the Dynapro AT2 to succeed, especially given the low price. Moreover, the tire fares well in all other tests, and I especially like how durable it is.

That said, if you want to save money, it might be a good option for you. Just don’t forget to drive slightly more cautiously on wet pavement, and you should be fine.