Last updated on June 11th, 2024 at 10:38 am
| Tire type | All-Terrain Tire |
| Price range | $172-$250 |
| Run-flat | No |
| Vehicles type | SUVs, Jeep, Pickup, and Light trucks |
| Driving conditions | Dry, Wet, Mud, and Snow |
General Tires has been serving the tire market for more than a century. They are known for their high-quality tires at very affordable rates compared to the other top brands.
This General Grabber AT3 is an example of that; the tire is comparatively very good and costs less than most all-terrain tires.
The tire is also new and competes with tires like BFGoodrich All-terrain T/A KO2 and Falken Wildpeak AT3W.
As of 2024, this Grabber AT3 is available in limited sizes, although it was launched with various tire sizes. However, it’s hard to find sizes other than the OE sizes. The tire fits and performs well with SUVs, light trucks, and Pickup vans. Its capability to handle heavy weights also offers great value to load-lifting drivers.
After reading reviews and based on surveys, the tire has been appreciated by its drivers, so let’s find out how it performs in real-world conditions firsthand.
Pros
- Perfect tire for an off and on-road duet
- Smooth and comfortable rides on city streets and on-roads
- Aggressive design and strong belts to deal with extreme off-road conditions
- 3PMSF-certified tire to handle harsh winter terrains
- Heavy weight lifting tire for long run highway drives
Cons
- Available in very limited sizes
- Looses balance after 100MPH
- It comes with no treadwear warranty
Tread, Compound, and Internal Structure
The robust tread design and compound make this tire driveable through extreme off-road conditions while being smooth on city streets. The tire features an individual tread block with multiple sipes and gripping edges, which allows it to deliver safe grip and traction in dry, wet, and slippery conditions.
The open shoulder blocks and groove channels distribute water to provide hydroplaning resistance and self-cleaning assistance from sticking mud, rock, and debris off roads.
For durability and an improved tire lifetime, the robust large sidewall ribs and stacked deflection ribs on the sidewalls are unaffected by sharp rocks and deflating materials, resulting in a reliable and secure on- and off-road drive.
Now, let’s talk about tire performance in natural conditions.
Wet Road Performance
Hydroplaning on water
Overall, the tire has no problems dealing with wet conditions and rainy situations. Due to the multiple tread grooves and open design, it handles deep water quite easily.
In dealing with deep water, the water never stays on the tire’s tread area. Instead, it floats through the tire, making its way toward the shoulders. Due to the open shoulders, the water goes outside the tire, resulting in no chance of hydroplaning.
Traction and grip in rain
Similar to deep water, in rainy situations, the tire grips and provides proper traction without impacting the brakes or the tire’s speed. Even at high speed, the tire grips properly to the ground and achieves a far smoother and safer experience than other all-terrain tires.
Dry Road Performance
Fast track and highways
The tire is designed to tackle the hot conditions of the city and off-terrains, which is why it doesn’t get hot or drop performance after hours of driving. The tire is great for driving on highways and long routes; even with heavy weights, it delivers excellent performance.
The performance below 100MPH is perfect; however, going above that, even on H-rated tires, the tire does not support as well as it does below 100. It might be different with no weight over tires, as we experience this problem with heavy weights on tires.
Steering response in hot conditions
The handling response is great but not as smooth as performance tires. You won’t feel that the car is out of control, but it won’t give you the joy that high-performance tires provide. So, if the point is to pass through corners at normal speed, then this tire will do the job. If you want to experience the heat on fast-track corners, then you better switch to high-performance summer tires.
Winter Terrain Performance
Quick stop time
This tire is also great in light snow, ice, and deep snow conditions. Although it might not be as good in deep snow conditions as it is in light snow. It does the job and keeps you safe from work to home.
The brakes and acceleration are not the best factors for this tire, so you can not expect some astonishing results, especially on snowy terrains. Driving at a high pace, the tire will struggle to take hold, especially in deep snow conditions. Also, the brakes will take longer to stop, as it is not a specific winter terrain tire.
Handling and Response
For general purposes, this tire is perfect even in deep snow conditions; however, to enjoy snow terrain, it won’t be as responsive as winter terrain tires. The handling will be smooth and reliable as long as you stay within speed limits. So overall, the tire is great to drive even in winter conditions, along with other on and off-road conditions.
Mud Terrains drive
Mud and Dirt Drive
Just as the tire looks, it drives aggressively in mud and other off-road situations. The tread blocks and shoulders are specially designed to tackle extreme conditions, making it perfect for rugged off-road conditions.
Due to the open shoulder and groove channels, mud never sticks to the tread in mud terrain. This makes it more responsive and grippy in dry sand and wet mud conditions, and the brakes and comfort in these conditions are phenomenal as well.
Reliability in off-roads
The tire is very reliable when it comes to handling and treadwear. The edgy blocks provide a great handling response, and the shoulder ribs and robust construction properly tackle deforming obstacles. All of that results in safe driving and a durable tread life that will last for many miles in the future.
Drive Quality
Comfort on and off roads
Previously, it was not wise to expect a comfortable ride with all-terrain and off-road tires. However, that has changed since new all-terrain tires have very comfortable tread performance. An example of that is this General Grabber AT3 tire. Like many new tires, this tire is also very comfortable in both on- and off-road conditions, which allows it to deal with aggression more smoothly.
Cabin noise
Similar to comfort, the tread noise of this tire is more than expected. No matter which terrain you drive, this tire will deliver one of the finest noise control among all-terrain tires. The tire’s properly distributed blocks and void ratio allows it to drive quietly, even on higher-pace highway roads.
Fuel Efficiency
This is a heavy tire, so it might drop your car’s mileage per gallon; it is pretty evident that heavy tires capable of handling high loads will take more gas than ordinary touring or performance tires. Compared to other all-terrain tires or similar tires in this category, this tire has moderate consumption. Some tires take much more fuel than this General tire and also handle lower weight than this tire.
Durability and Tread life
Unlike top all-terrain tires, this tire does not have a treadwear warranty, so most drivers are hesitant about buying it. Although it has lower rates than other tires, durability is one of the top factors drivers look for before purchasing new tires.
Although this tire has no warranty, it is more or less the same regarding tread life compared to a tire with a 50K miles treadwear warranty. The tire can easily reach 50K miles and still be driveable for more than 10-15K miles.
Comparison with competitive tires
General Grabber AT3 VS General Grabber ATX
Both of these general tires are in the same category as all-terrain tires. However, the General Grabber AT3 is less renowned than the General Grabber ATX, and the number one reason for that is the Grabber AT3’s availability in very limited sizes.
Again, when it comes to performance, the General Grabber ATX is a far better performer than the Grabber AT3. ATX has better off-road and on-road performance and better winter terrain rides. One negative point about this tire is that it is pretty expensive compared to the General Grabber AT3. The General Grabber ATX also comes with a 60K miles treadwear warranty, which is too much compared to the zero-mile warranty of the Grabber AT3.
The General Grabber AT3 is not all bad; it is better than the Grabber ATX in terms of comfort and smooth on-road drives. Also, its affordable rates make it a competitive tire for budget-friendly drivers.
General Grabber AT3 VS Toyo Open Country AT3
Another excellent, even the best, all-terrain tire of this time is the Toyo Open Country AT3. Similar to the General Grabber ATX comparison, this Toyo Open Country is almost better in every performance metric compared to the General Grabber AT3 tire.
The Open Country AT3 is better on dry, wet, snow, and mud terrain conditions; its smoothness and comfort are even better than those of the Grabber AT3 tire. Regarding reliability, the Open Country AT3 has a 60K miles treadwear warranty.
The difference in performance might not be so huge, but there is hardly anything that the General Grabber AT3 and Toyo Open Country AT3 cannot do. When it comes to price, the Toyo tire is far more expensive than the Grabber AT3, which is why budget-friendly drivers may want to compromise a little on performance and save a lot of money.
General Grabber AT3 VS BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO3
The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 is a new tire launched in 2024. It has more advanced technology and higher-grade performance than its predecessor, the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tire. The BFGoodrich tire is more expensive than the General Grabber AT3 tire but performs better.
Similar to previously compared tires, this BFGoodrich tire is also better for almost every aspect of driving. However, because none of these tires are cheaper than General Grabber AT3 and better by a few points, drivers usually go with General Tire.
If General Grabber AT3 has a treadwear warranty and is available in various sizes. In that case, this tire will give a tougher time to even the new tires launched recently in the all-terrain tires category.
Ending Note Recommendations
The General Grabber AT3, due to its reasonable rates and proper all-terrain performance, has been one of the top tires for SUVs and light truck drivers. Its ability to handle off-road conditions and provide quieter and smoother rides makes it a proper tire for everyday street drive and aggressive off-road drive. Although limited sizes make it hard to find in the correct wheel sizes, once you find one, you might not want to switch from these general tires for a long time.
