Mastercraft offers affordable tires that are very similar to their Cooper or BFGoodrich counterparts. Their premier off-road tire, the Courser MXT, is a great option if you plan on spending a lot of time off the highway and are on a budget.
Quick Facts
- Type: Mud-Terrain LT
- Sizes: 15-20″
- Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG): N/A
- Speed Rating: Q
- Warranty: 5-Year
- Price: $$$
What Sets It Apart
The Mastercraft Courser MXTs make a lot of compromises. They have better on-road performance than a hardcore mud-terrain, but they lack the comfort and handling that a good highway tire will give you. They are great off-road, but they lack the extra tread that a true competition tire has.
They are about as close to an all-terrain as a blocky mud-terrain can be, which is great if you want something that’s just a little bit more hardcore than the ATs your Jeep came with but still need to commute to work. The thing that really elevates this tire is the price. They are a really great value; they aren’t exactly cheap, but they are inexpensive for being so good off-road.
Comfort and Performance
You buy this tire to go off-road, and it performs great where the pavement ends. It has a very aggressive tread that can find grip in sand and snow. The “Side Biter” will give you extra traction if you have to air down and help you stick to rocks if you are climbing a mountain.
The Courser MXTs actually do better than other mud-terrains on wet pavement and ice. Pavement performance is often one of the first things sacrificed in favor of digging through the mud, but Mastercraft cut deep sipes into the tire that will eject water even if the tire is worn down.
When you are driving on the road, though, you will notice some of the more serious shortcomings. It’s not uncommon for a more off-road-oriented tire to make noise on the pavement, but these MXTs make a lot of noise. Along with the noise, you’ll need to get used to the heavy steering feel as well. They are heavy tires and offer very little to help with cornering. They aren’t meant for the track, so it’s not surprising, but you will probably wish the on-road performance was a little better.
Safety and Durability
The Courser MXTs are perfectly safe. Your stopping distances will be a bit longer, and you won’t be able to swerve as easily, but not any more than any other off-road oriented tire. You don’t have anything to worry about, although we suggest taking a few laps around an empty parking lot just to get used to the extra heft.
These tires do wear down a bit more quickly than we’d like. There are other mud-terrain tires at the same price point that will last longer. The Kumho Road Venture MT71s, for instance, are decent performers off-road that will out-last the Mastercraft offering here. The Kumhos won’t get you through a blizzard as well, though, so it’s up to you whether that tradeoff is worth it.
Mastercraft does offer a fairly standard warranty at least. It’s nothing special; you get 5-years to notice problems that came from the factory. Cooper, who owns Mastercraft, offers much more robust warranties. It’d be nice if they shared.
Who It’s For
If you are taking a good look at the BFGoodrich All-Terrains because you want that mix of on-road performance and serious off-road performance, but you are on a stricter budget, give these MXTs a look. They aren’t as good. However, they definitely won’t leave you stranded on the trial, and they will get you to the mall.
The short of it is that if you own a Jeep or other 4×4 and want to off-road every weekend, you can’t go wrong with a tire like this. Take a look at the Kumho Road Ventures as well. Get the Kumhos if you do more rock and trail scraping. Get the Mastercrafts if you do more mud bogging or snow driving.
