Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 vs Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT tires

Pickup trucks, SUVs, and crossovers are everywhere on American roads today. Those are the family vehicles that have taken over the role that used to be filled by minivans (and by big station wagons a generation before that). They’re comfortable, refined, practical, and dependable and are a far cry from the trucks of the 1980s or 90s. Many of those trucks and SUVs are, of course, equipped with 4WD drivetrains. Of course, if you want to get the most out of a 4WD vehicle and find yourself going off the pavement now and then or having to contend with difficult winter conditions, all-terrain tires are the only thing for it.

All-terrain tires have evolved as much as trucks and SUVs have in the last quarter-century. Unlike many older designs, modern, premium all-terrain tires offer low noise, capable and predictable handling, a forgiving ride, and long treadwear. In other words, they benefit from many of the advances made in all-season and Grand Touring tires, making them just as at home on the pavement or for long Interstate trips as they are on a backwoods dirt road full of ruts and obstacles.

Today, we will look at the Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 vs Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT. These are both popular premium all-terrain tires with a long heritage of quality and performance behind them, and both are loaded with great features and innovations. In the course of this head-to-head comparison, you’ll see us make frequent reference to the SimpleScore numbers for each tire. If you aren’t familiar with SimpleScore, it’s the system the SimpleTire team devised to give you an at-a-glance view of a tire’s capabilities and value. We look at reviews, specs, and other data points and distill that into a numerical value for handling, traction, longevity, and an overall average SimpleScore for any given tire. For the Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 and Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT, the SimpleScore numbers are as follows:

Yokohama Geolandar AT G015

• Traction: 8.6
• Handling: 8.6
• Longevity: 8.5
• Overall average SimpleScore: 8.5

Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT

• Traction: 8.2
• Handling: 8.3
• Longevity: 8.5
• Overall average SimpleScore: 8.2

As you can see from those SimpleScore rankings, the Yokohama and the Goodyear are tires that are pretty closely matched in terms of performance and value. The SimpleScore numbers, though, hardly tell the whole story of what you can expect with a tire, with all of its strengths and weaknesses. In this comparison, we will do a little compare-and-contrast with the Goodyear and the Yokohama, give you a better idea of what both tires are about, and see which tire comes out on top by the end.

Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 tires

The Geolandar family of all-terrain tires has been in the Yokohama lineup for a long time, and the Geolandar AT G015 is one of the latest iterations. It has innovative features give it excellent performance in mud, loose dirt, gravel, sand, and snow, ensuring its civilized and composed appearance on the highway.

The Geolandar AT G015 starts with Yokohama’s proprietary Enduro tread compound, incorporating long-chain polymers and silica for dependable year-round traction and damage resistance. Its contact patch is redesigned for a long, flat, wide footprint that helps ensure even wear and great handling and braking performance. Its all-terrain tread is designed to excel in mud, loose dirt, and snow (earning the Geolandar AT G015 the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification for severe winter service). Built-in Edgetec grooves help to eject mud, snow, and debris out of the tire, so there’s always a clear section of the tire to dig in as the wheel turns. A tread depth of a full 12/32” and a dense pattern of sipes give the Geolandar AT G015 an added measure of traction and confidence in mud and snow.

Yokohama’s Endurocore construction system means the Geolandar AT G015 is durable and stable at highway speeds. And speaking of highway speed, the tread pitch of the Geolandar AT G015 is randomized and computer-tuned to cancel out certain frequencies and resonances, keeping road noise to a minimum. Yokohama covers the Geolandar AT G015 with a 60,000 mile manufacturer’s treadwear warranty for P/E metric sizes and a 50,000 mile manufacturer's tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes. SimpleTire’s Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 price starts at $144.99 per tire. Select sizes of the Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 have an outlined white letter sidewall that looks great on various trucks and SUVs.

Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT tires

The Goodyear Wrangler family of tires has been one of the most well-regarded lines of all-terrain tires for decades, and the Wrangler Workhorse AT is featured as OEM for several light trucks. Like the Yokohama, the Goodyear is designed for durability and offroad performance but has some key differences.

The Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT is designed with a damage-resistant tread formulation that stays flexible for great traction at subfreezing temperatures; like the Yokohama, the Wrangler Workhorse AT has the Three Mountain Snowflake Certification rating for severe winter service. The aggressive all-terrain tread of the Wrangler Workhorse AT is a different pattern than that of the Yokohama. It includes open shoulders and multi-angle grooves to encourage good drainage and resistance to hydroplaning and easy expulsion of snow, dirt, and debris.

Internal construction details of the Wrangler Workhorse AT include a 2-ply polyester casing, a twin steel belt package, and a nylon cap layer to ensure high-speed stability. Goodyear covers the Wrangler Workhorse AT with a 50,000 mile manufacturer’s treadwear warranty. Like the Yokohama, the Wrangler Workhorse AT tread pitch is computer-tuned to help keep road noise minimal. SimpleTire’s prices on Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT tires start at $174.99 per tire.

Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 vs Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT tires on traction

How do the Yokohama and the Goodyear fare regarding traction SimpleScore numbers? The Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 gets a solid SimpleScore of 8.6 vs 8.2 for the Goodyear. Both tires excel in winter traction with the 3PMSF rating and tread formulations designed around traction as a goal. However, the Edgetec groove system gives the Yokohama a bit of a boost in mud and snow, as does the thick network of sipes that multiplies the tire’s surface area (and traction) with hundreds of biting edges to dig into snow or mud. Self-cleaning of mud and debris is important for any all-terrain tire; otherwise, the tire might just spin with tread grooves that are filled up and a slick surface that can’t get a good grip – and the Edgetec groove system does a better job of ejecting mud, snow, and debris as compared to the Goodyear. Our call:

ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Geolandar AT G015

Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 vs. Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT tires on handling

This one is pretty clear-cut, with SimpleScores of 8.6 for the Yokohama vs 8.3 for the Goodyear in the handling department. The tread design of the Yokohama is a little less aggressive than that of the Goodyear (and, ironically, delivers better traction). Still, it’s also designed for enhanced handling on or off the pavement. That network of sipes also helps with handling properties, and the solid center rib at the center of the Yokohama’s tread gives it great straight-line stability on the highway and a boost in steering response. Our call:

ADVANTAGE: Yokohama Geolandar AT G015

Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 vs. Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT tires on longevity

This one’s a bit of a paradox. You’d think that Yokohama’s 60,000 mile manufacturer's tread life warranty vs. 50,000 miles for Goodyear would give Yokohama the edge regarding durability and longevity. Still, the two tires are tied with SimpleScores of 8.5. The durability of Goodyear’s tread compound helps close the gap on that somewhat, making them both exceedingly capable tires when it comes to dependable service and longevity.

ADVANTAGE: Tie

When to use each

So, do you need all-terrain tires like the Geolandar AT G015 or Wrangler Workhorse AT? Let’s ask these questions instead – do you have the kind of winter weather that dumps several inches of snow on the ground and that snow stays on the roads for days? Do you often find yourself towing a trailer or hauling heavy loads? Do you have a 4WD equipped truck or SUV that you take off the pavement? If the answer to any of those is yes, then you’re probably a pretty good candidate for all-terrain tires because, in any of those scenarios, all-season tires are likely to be unable to get the job done. The best part about tires like the Yokohama and the Goodyear is that on the highway; they deliver a refined and forgiving ride and compliant road manners without the noisy drone that used to be associated with all-terrain tires.

Which one should you choose?

Here’s where it gets down to the nitty-gritty. The Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT and Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 are capable and durable tires on or off the pavement. They even are comparable when it comes to price points. Either tire would make a great choice for your truck or SUV, but the Yokohama shows some clear advantages over the Goodyear in real-world performance and SimpleScore rankings. Things like Endurocore construction, the Enduro tread compound, and the innovative combination of solid center rib, angled grooves, and sipes on the Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 give that tire a clear edge over the Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT in performance and value. If it were our decision, we at the SimpleTire team would go with the Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 for a top-quality, premium all-terrain tire.

Still unsure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help. Our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.