Review: Yokohama Geolander A/T-S

I will start by saying I hadn’t planned on writing this review, but a few friends and readers had asked about our experience with the Geolander A/T-S that I thought it would be good to get it up on the site.

We purchased our 2000 Subaru Forester (used) in 2010 to provide a fuel-efficient alternative to taking our 1998 4Runner on outdoor adventures. Shortly after our purchase, it was time to replace the worn-out tires. Due to our desire to travel with the Forester on Idaho’s logging roads, we wanted more of an all-terrain tire vs. a passenger radial. As is the custom these days, we went online to read reviews. After reading reviews on TireRack.com and ExpeditionPortal.com, we finally settled on the Yokohama Geolander A/T-S. The A/T-S seemed to have everything we wanted in a mild all-terrain tire; good all-season traction and a quiet ride.

The Geolander A/T-S features Yokohama’s patented Dual Interlocking Pyramid Sipes and Multi-Stepped Grooves to provide improved traction while also improving durability. Yokohama utilizes a proprietary natural and silica-based rubber compound for the tread, which helps contribute to longer life and even tread wear. Aggressive side-wall protectors and a 3-ply carcass help protect the tire from cuts and abrasions.

Dry Pavement Traction

The Geolander A/T-S tires really lived up to the hype when it comes to dry pavement traction. The tires performed well in both in-town and highway travels, and we never noticed any issues with cornering or stopping.
Rating – 4 out of 5

Wet Pavement Traction

Wet roadways are really where the Yokohama Geolander A/T-S shines, thanks to the natural and silica rubber compound and interlocking sipes I mentioned earlier. Even in a heavy downpour and standing water on the roadway, I experience little to no hydroplaning.
Rating – 4 out of 5

Off-Pavement Traction

Due to our Forester’s lack of significant ground clearance, we typically stuck to Forest Service and BLM roads while exploring the backcountry. The A/T-S handled these (typically) gravel roads with ease, even at higher speeds. This is not a very aggressive all-terrain tire, and we did experience issues when the roads were muddy and rocky. We did not find this to be that big of an issue as the Forester was more of our “fair-weather” vehicle.
Rating – 3 out of 5

Winter Traction

For as well as the A/T-S tires did on dry and wet pavement, the disappointed us when the snow began to fall. The tires struggled to find traction with as little as a skiff of snow on the ground. The tires performed so poorly we thought there was something wrong with our Forester’s all-wheel drive! It was so bad that we were forced to share the 4Runner, keeping the Forester at home, when the city hadn’t plowed the streets. This is, quite possibly, the worst tire/vehicle combination I have ever driven in the winter.
Rating – 0 out of 5

Ride Quality

We typically run a touring radial on our Subarus, and we were impressed with the A/T-S’ overall ride quality. We found the noise to be slightly higher than that of our touring radials, but it wasn’t bad, considering it is an all-terrain. We did notice a tendency for the tires to “wander” a bit when traveling over uneven pavement.
Rating – 4 out of 5

Tread & Tire Life

Over the year we owned the Forester after we installed the tires, we noticed minimal tire wear. We believe Yokohama offers a 50,000-mile warranty for this size of tire, and feel that we could have easily seen that amount of life had we kept the Forester.
Rating – 5 out of 5

Conclusion

We live in the Rocky Mountains, and as such will heavily weight our recommendation based on the winter traction. The tires performed well in most driving conditions, but we cannot recommend the Yokohama Geolander A/T-S tire to anyone to anyone with a small SUV or crossover who sees any amount of winter driving. I am sure the tire would do perfectly well in warmer regions, or on a more substantial vehicle, but we found the Geolander A/T-S tires to be downright dangerous in the winter!

Vehicle & Tire Specifications

Vehicle Tested On Tire Size Tested Load Range Approved Rim Width (in) Section Width (in) Overall Diameter (in) Tire Weight (lbs.) Max Load (lbs.) Tread Depth (1/32")

2000 Subaru Forester  P215/60R16 SL 6 – 7.5 6.7          26.2 24.7 1521 12

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Author

Beau Johnston is an engineer, writer, and photographer who is dedicated to proving you can find a balance between work and life. He is the Co-Founder and Publisher of Living Overland, and when he isn't working, you can find him exploring National Parks, fly fishing, and camping with his wife (Krista) and their two dogs.

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