Five Common Truck and SUV Tire Selection Mistakes

Pickup and SUV owners spent over $2 billion on off-road and oversized tires in 2025 according to SEMA market data. However, with only 26 percent of truck accessorizers actually driving off-road, Nexen Tire America is highlighting five common purchasing mistakes that lead consumers to select over-spec’d off-road tires at the expense of highway comfort and safety.

“A tire may look ready for extreme off-road use, but the right recommendation depends on how much time the vehicle spends on pavement, towing needs, and ride comfort,” stated John Hagan, Executive Vice President of Sales at Nexen Tire America.

Nexen’s 5 Common Tire Selection Mistakes:

• Selecting Primarily for Appearance: Heavy mud-terrain (M/T) features increase road noise, rolling resistance, and vehicle weight on daily commutes.

• Treating A/T, R/T, and M/T as Interchangeable: Upgrading from All-Terrain (A/T) to Rugged-Terrain (R/T) or Mud-Terrain (M/T) does not improve all performance parameters, particularly wet pavement braking.

• Equating Mud Traction with Wet-Road Grip: Mud evacuation requires deep voids, whereas wet-weather stopping power relies on tread stability, siping, and contact patch size.

• Buying for the Extreme Scenario: Outfitting a daily commuter with aggressive M/T tires for occasional trail use compromises year-round driving dynamics.

• Treating Load Range as a Toughness Rating: Higher ply/load ratings support heavy payload and towing, but add unsprung weight and stiffen ride quality when unnecessary.

For service advisors and tire retailers in Canada, Nexen offers an online guide to better equip professionals and, consequently, prevent customer dissatisfaction related to noise or premature wear.