Jay J.Are A/T or M/T Tires Better?
For a daily-driven Bronco that spends weekends on forest roads or rocky trails, I recommend a quality all-terrain (A/T) tire. Choose a mud-terrain (M/T) if deep mud and loose, heavily rutted routes account for a substantial share of your driving. Neither category guarantees better grip on wet pavement, ice or every rock surface; individual tire construction matters.
What Is the Difference in the Tread?
A/T tires usually have smaller, more closely spaced blocks and more siping, balancing pavement behavior with off-road traction. M/T tires have widely spaced shoulder lugs and voids designed to dig into soft ground and eject packed mud. Avoid assuming fixed percentages of tread void apply to all tires in each category; manufacturers do not use a single standard ratio.
Are Mud-Terrains Too Loud Daily?
M/T tread patterns often generate more highway hum, and large tread blocks can feel less settled as they wear. That matters in a Bronco with a removable roof, where tire noise is easy to hear. If you commute every day, prioritize a highway-friendly A/T and check reported road noise for the exact tire model and size.
Which Tire Is Better in Bad Weather?
For mixed pavement and winter travel, favor an A/T with appropriate wet-grip performance and, for severe snow, the three-peak mountain snowflake marking where available. The marking indicates a standardized snow-traction test, not dedicated ice-tire performance. In icy conditions, a suitable winter tire can outperform either off-road category. M/T tires can work in deep loose snow but their large unsiped blocks may grip poorly on packed snow or ice. See our Bronco snow driving guide.
Are Mud-Terrains Better on Rocks?
Not automatically. Strong sidewalls, tire compound, pressure, tread pattern, wheel clearance and driver technique matter. Some M/T tires grip broken rocks well with aggressive lugs, but a capable A/T can be the better choice for dry slickrock and long mixed-surface trail days. Select tires around the terrain you drive most, not their marketing category.
Why Did the Factory Sasquatch Tire Say M/T?
Earlier Sasquatch Broncos used the Goodyear Wrangler Territory M/T; that name has caused confusion because the tire's behavior is closer to a multi-surface off-road tire than an extreme mud specialty. Later Ford model years use rugged-terrain tire descriptions for some Sasquatch configurations. Check the specific model year rather than assuming the same Goodyear tire is standard on every Bronco.
Which Tire Would I Put on My Bronco?
For 80% highway, 20% trails: a road-friendly A/T. For frequent rocky desert trips: a durable A/T with sidewall protection. For repeated deep mud and soft, rutted access roads: an M/T, accepting the greater highway noise and possible wet-road compromise. Before moving to 35s or 37s, confirm wheel width, clearance, load rating and spare compatibility.
Source: Tire Rack's truck tire category guide, including A/T, R/T, and M/T use cases.