GENERAL TIRE unleashed its Grabber AT3 and ATx all-terrain tyre range onto the Australian market in November, the duo taking the fight to the likes of the BF Goodrich A/T KO3, Cooper Discoverer, Falken Wildpeak AT3, Goodyear Wrangler, and many more.

The South African-made hoops are said to offer exceptional off-road capability and durability, balanced with impressive on-road performance, claims GoAuto was keen to prove for itself – and that importer and General Tire owner Continental was happy to oblige.

Fitted to our 2023 Toyota HiLux Rogue in 17-inch format, the more aggressively patterned Grabber ATx tyres will be put to task over the changing seasons ahead, tackling everything a typical owner would expect to encounter in regular use – and beginning with a long-haul tarmac trip from Melbourne to Adelaide and back.

General Grabber says the patented Duragen Technology utilised in its Grabber range will improve the lifespan of the tyre regardless of the terrain on which its driven. Noting that the tread pattern favours off-road use, it was expected there would be some downsides to an extended on-road trip, though we’re pleased to note these are few.

Acoustic performance is surprisingly good with less thrum than we expected on the open road. In fact, we’d go so far as to say the Grabber ATx are no louder than the OEM rubber. There is no vibration to speak of and ride comfort is as good as can be expected from the robust tread design, and again almost on par with the factory rubber.

General Tire has balanced well the tyre’s ride comfort and grip characteristics, the Grabber ATx offering above average dry weather steering and stable braking performance, even over patchy surfaces.

The dry summer conditions gave us no opportunity to experience the Grabber ATx in the wet, but we’ll keep you posted in later updates as to how the tyre performs in the rain.

We’ll also keep you updated as to how the wear rate progresses, noting that the tyres will be operated at the manufacturer’s placard pressures unless driven off-road.

The tyre’s initial sipe depth was measured at 14mm at the time of fitting, giving us a good datum from which to offer ongoing updates. After 1600km on the blacktop, wear is negligible, which bodes well for durability moving forward.

At fitment, Continental told GoAuto that we can expect the General Tire Grabber ATx tyre to offer “exceptional durability”, in no small part because of its Light Truck specification casing.

This design is not found anywhere else in Continental’s Australian tyre range and is said to offer further benefits including enhanced puncture and damage resistance, bolstered load-carrying capacity, and deeper tread depth when compared with its nearest rivals.

“The design of these tyres provides Aussie drivers with the confidence they need when tackling the vast array of unpredictable conditions our landscape presents,” said Continental Tyres and General Tire head of east region Asia Pacific Mitchell Golledge.

Pricing starts from $232 depending on tyre size and fitment costs. More information is available at the General Tire website.

Visit GoAuto again soon to discover how the General Tire Grabber ATx performs off-road.