Off road tyres are designed primarilyfor use off road and have the capability of dealing with harsh terrain such as snow, sand, gravel and mud. Off road tyres tend to have reinforced sidewalls with specially designed, more aggressive tread patterns to deal with the demands of uneven surfaces.
Yes, most off-road tyres can be used on the road however it is recommended that aggressive off-road patterns should be used predominately on rough terrain where it is designed to perform best. Generally off-road tyres do not perform as well as a conventual SUV tyre on road surfaces.
For those who spend roughly equal amounts of time on and off road an all-terrain tyre such as the Dunlop GrandTrek AT20, provides the best of both on and off-road tyre technologies allowing you to switch seamlessly between terrain.
Compared to more fuel-efficient tyres designed for road use, such as the Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV, off-road tyres will not be as fuel efficient on road surfaces due to the nature of their design however, off-road the benefits of grip and handling outweigh the fuel consumption on the road. For the fuel-efficient off roader, a good middle ground between these tyres would be an all-terrain tyre that is geared to perform both on and off road.
Like regular road tyres, the pressure of your 4x4 tyres is determined by the recommended tyre pressure stated in your vehicle handbook from the manufacturer. To learn more about tyre pressures visit our guide.