Shopping for new tires and wondering if BFGoodrich is worth your money? You’re asking the right question, but here’s the thing: there’s no simple yes or no answer. The quality you’ll get depends entirely on which specific tire you’re buying. This guide breaks down what’s actually good, what’s terrible, and what you need to know before spending hundreds of dollars on a set of BFGs.
The BFGoodrich Brand: Racing Legend Meets Corporate Reality
BFGoodrich has earned serious street cred over its 150-year history. The company pioneered the first tubeless tire in 1947, fitted Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis in 1927, and still dominates off-road racing events like the SCORE Baja 1000. That racing pedigree isn’t just marketing fluff—it’s real.
But here’s what most people don’t know: BFGoodrich isn’t an American company anymore. French tire giant Michelin bought the brand in 1988 and now uses it as their “performance-value” option. Michelin keeps the premium positioning for itself, while BFGoodrich targets buyers who want aggressive looks and lower prices but are willing to accept trade-offs in comfort and refinement.
This corporate strategy explains everything. When you see a set of BFGoodrich tires priced $200 cheaper than comparable Michelins at Costco, that’s not a happy accident. It’s intentional market segmentation. You’re getting a different product tier, and sometimes that difference matters a lot.
The All-Terrain T/A KO2: An Icon With Serious Problems
The KO2 is BFGoodrich’s most famous tire. It’s everywhere—on Jeeps, trucks, and SUVs from coast to coast. Its popularity stems from legitimate strengths: tough sidewalls with CoreGard technology borrowed from Baja race tires, excellent off-road traction (scoring 9.3/10 in dirt and 9.1/10 on rocks), and undeniably aggressive looks.
But popularity doesn’t equal quality. The KO2 suffers from three major, well-documented failures that should make you think twice.
Quality Control Nightmare: Balancing Issues
Here’s a problem that’ll drive you nuts: countless owners report their KO2s are impossible to balance properly. We’re not talking about one-off defects. Forum after forum is filled with stories of persistent highway vibrations at 65-70 MPH that no amount of balancing can fix.
The issue? Multiple reports point to tires that are literally out of round—they change shape after heat cycles. One tire shop employee noted they’d regularly see KO2s requiring an obscene 10 ounces of weight to balance, indicating poor manufacturing consistency. This isn’t a performance trade-off. It’s a quality control failure that creates a real risk you’ll get defective tires.
Dangerous Wet Weather Performance
This is the KO2’s most serious flaw. Owners describe its wet pavement performance as “absolutely terrifying” and report losing traction on wet roads at essentially zero miles. One Reddit user called their KO2’s rain performance “not great” after switching from them specifically due to safety concerns.
Professional testing confirms these complaints. The tire’s aggressive, high-void tread pattern—great for off-road grip—becomes a liability on wet pavement. It lacks modern siping and water evacuation channels, leading to hydroplaning risk and abrupt, unpredictable breakaway characteristics at the limit.
If you live somewhere it rains regularly, this tire poses a genuine safety hazard.
Premature Sidewall Cracking
The irony here is brutal: BFGoodrich markets the KO2’s sidewalls as super tough, yet owners consistently report major sidewall cracks with less than 40,000 miles. Some tires show dry rot, cracking, and splitting within just three years of purchase.
Tire dealers identify this as “weather cracking” or “ozone cracking.” While the KO2’s sidewall structure resists impacts well, the rubber compound itself ages poorly when exposed to sun and ozone. Your “tough” tire might look like it’s 10 years old after just three.
How the KO2 Stacks Up Against Competitors
| Feature | BFGoodrich KO2 | Falken Wildpeak AT3W | Goodyear DuraTrac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet Traction | Poor—widely documented weakness | Superior water evacuation | Good |
| Snow Performance | Good (3PMSF rated) | Good, but KO2 is better | Excellent—significantly better |
| Sidewall Durability | Excellent—stronger sidewalls | Good | Poor—known for shredded sidewalls |
| On-Road Comfort | Good—quieter, better manners | Fair—noisier on pavement | Fair—can be noisy |
| Warranty | 50,000 miles | 55,000 miles | Varies by size |
The Falken AT3W solves the KO2’s wet traction problem but trades off some on-road quietness. The Goodyear DuraTrac crushes it in snow and mud but has weak sidewalls—the exact problem the KO2 was designed to fix.
The All-Terrain T/A KO3: BFGoodrich Finally Gets It Right
Here’s the smoking gun: BFGoodrich spent a decade collecting data on KO2 failures and engineered a replacement specifically to fix them. The KO3 isn’t just a refresh—it’s an admission that the KO2 was fundamentally flawed.
The improvements are significant and targeted:
Better Wet and Snow Traction: New tread pattern with “Mud-Phobic” bars and improved siping. The center lugs now feature five sipes instead of the KO2’s three. Clear water evacuation paths replace the KO2’s maze-like design that promoted hydroplaning.
Longer Tread Life: New compound engineered to handle the higher torque and heavier weight of modern trucks that would shred KO2s prematurely.
Manufacturing Upgrades: This is the big one. BFGoodrich invested in state-of-the-art equipment and CNC-machined molds (replacing older cast molds). The result? Tires that are more uniform, easier to balance, and less prone to being radially out-of-round.
These aren’t minor tweaks. They’re capital-intensive manufacturing solutions to systemic quality problems.
KO3 vs. the Competition
The KO3 enters a market that didn’t wait around. When tested head-to-head against the new Falken Wildpeak AT4W, the results are mixed:
- KO3 wins: Deep snow braking and acceleration
- AT4W wins: Ice braking (12% shorter stopping distances), wet and dry braking, overall on-road comfort and quietness
The KO3 is a far better and safer tire than the KO2, but it’s now one option among several excellent all-terrain tires, not the automatic choice.
Passenger and Touring Tires: Avoid the Advantage Control
BFGoodrich leverages its “tough” image to sell mainstream touring tires. Unfortunately, that image doesn’t translate to actual quality.
BFGoodrich Advantage Control: A Warranty Scam?
This tire comes with a 75,000-mile tread life warranty. Sounds great, right? Here’s the problem: real-world owner reports tell a completely different story.
Multiple owners report both sets of their Advantage Control tires worn out between 30,000 and 40,000 miles. Another owner’s tires were “trashed” at 55,000 miles on a Ford Fusion. These aren’t isolated incidents—they represent a pattern.
Think about what this means: if you buy tires with a 75,000-mile warranty but they only last 35,000 miles, you’re paying nearly double the actual cost per mile. One user suggested BFGoodrich is “gambling that most people won’t file tire warranty claims,” and the evidence supports that theory.
Beyond tread life, owners describe the Advantage Control as the “loudest all-season ever” with a ride that’s “like crap.” Professional testing from Tire Rack confirmed these complaints, noting the tire “could use less tread noise,” had “vague steering,” and “missed some of the refinement” of competitors. It felt “discomposed” over bumps and lacked damping.
The verdict: This is a bad tire and a terrible value. Spend the extra money on a Michelin Defender instead. The Michelin will actually deliver the longevity, comfort, and refinement the BFGoodrich falsely advertises.
BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A: Actually Decent
This “on-road all-terrain” tire targets CUV and light SUV owners who want aggressive looks without hardcore off-road capability. It carries a 60,000-mile warranty.
Owner reviews are more positive here. People find it quiet, a solid step up from stock tires, and capable enough for fire roads and light trails. Tire Rack testing confirmed a cushioned ride over rough impacts and good winter performance.
The catch? Professional testing also revealed the tire “needs a significant increase in dry and wet traction to stay competitive.” Even in newer touring-focused products, BFGoodrich’s DNA includes potential on-road wet handling weaknesses.
Ultra-High Performance Tires: One Aging Loser, One New Winner
The g-Force line tells two completely different stories.
g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS: Outclassed and Outdated
This all-season UHP tire was once competitive. Now it’s aging badly and thoroughly beaten by modern rivals.
The problems: Users report it’s “not good at all in the snow” and “outclassed in dry performance.” Professional testing consistently cites noise as a major flaw—”there’s too much tread growl” across multiple reviews.
Quality concerns mirror other BFGoodrich products: owners report blowouts, bubbles on the inside sidewall, cracks across the center tread, and catastrophic warranty failures (tires “almost done at 17k miles” despite a 45,000-mile warranty).
How it compares to modern competitors:
| Feature | BFGoodrich COMP-2 A/S PLUS | Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 | Continental DWS06 Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet Grip | Excellent—superior handling | Excellent | Excellent |
| Dry Grip | Good—but outclassed | Best-in-class | Excellent |
| Ride Comfort | Poor—harsh ride | Excellent | Excellent—much smoother |
| Noise Level | Poor—loud tread growl | Significantly quieter | Good (but louder than Michelin) |
The COMP-2 A/S PLUS is a one-trick pony in a category now defined by well-rounded excellence. It sacrifices comfort, noise control, and dry performance for wet grip—a trade-off modern tires don’t require.
g-Force Phenom T/A: Finally, an Excellent BFGoodrich Tire
This new UHP summer tire is genuinely impressive and proves BFGoodrich (via Michelin’s R&D) can still engineer class-leading products.
The Phenom T/A’s standout feature is its excellent and predictable wet handling. In head-to-head track testing against the popular Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, the Phenom was demonstrably superior. It “lost traction more predictably and the slides were easier to recover,” while the Firehawk “gave up grip sooner, did so more abruptly.”
Testers found the Phenom “easier to manage” at the limit and were “properly impressed with how it held in the rain.” This focus on predictability makes it safer, more confidence-inspiring, and ultimately faster in real-world conditions.
The verdict: The g-Force Phenom T/A is an excellent tire and great value in the UHP summer category. If you’re shopping for summer performance tires, put this on your short list.
Understanding BFGoodrich Warranties and Safety
BFGoodrich offers a standard manufacturer’s limited warranty covering defects in workmanship and materials for the life of the original tread or six years from purchase, whichever comes first. This would theoretically cover issues like the sidewall cracking and dry rot reported on KO2 and g-Force tires.
Note that this warranty explicitly does not cover road hazards like punctures or cuts. You’d need separate road hazard protection for that.
Mileage warranties are model-specific. Based on the Advantage Control’s dismal real-world performance versus its 75,000-mile warranty, treat these claims with extreme skepticism. Don’t make them the primary basis for your purchasing decision.
Regarding safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn’t issue five-star ratings for tires like it does for vehicles. Recent searches didn’t find major widespread safety recalls specific to BFGoodrich in 2023-2024.
However, the brand isn’t infallible. BFGoodrich issued major recalls in the past, including 841,000 tires in 2012 for tread belt separation and 129,000 commercial tires in 2015 for sidewall ruptures.
The absence of official recalls for the KO2’s balancing issues or the Advantage Control’s tread life failures doesn’t mean these aren’t real, widespread problems. It means they’re classified as quality control and in-service performance failures, not manufacturing-related safety defects that would trigger an official NHTSA recall.
The Bottom Line: Which BFGoodrich Tires Are Actually Good?
Here’s your buying guide based on what you drive and what you need.
For Truck and SUV Owners (Off-Road Focused)
Avoid: The All-Terrain T/A KO2. It’s a bad tire by 2025 standards for anyone who spends most time on pavement. The “terrifying” wet traction is a genuine safety risk, the balancing problems create a high defect rate, and premature sidewall aging undermines its core marketing promise.
Buy: The All-Terrain T/A KO3. This tire fixes every major KO2 flaw. It’s specifically engineered for better wet and snow traction and manufactured with new equipment to eliminate quality control defects.
Also Consider: The Falken Wildpeak AT4W. It may be better if you prioritize on-road comfort, low noise, and superior braking on wet roads and ice.
For Daily Drivers (Cars, CUVs, Sedans)
Avoid: The BFGoodrich Advantage Control. It’s a bad tire and terrible value. The 75,000-mile warranty isn’t credible given the volume of reports documenting complete wear-out at 30,000-40,000 miles. The ride is noisy and unrefined.
Buy Instead: A Michelin Defender or equivalent premium touring tire. The BFGoodrich is cheaper upfront, but that’s false economy. The Michelin will deliver actual long-term longevity, comfort, and refinement.
For Performance Enthusiasts
Avoid: The g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS. It’s an aging, noisy product with durability concerns that’s completely outclassed by modern all-season competitors like the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 and Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus.
Buy: The g-Force Phenom T/A (if you want summer tires). It’s excellent, offering outstanding value and performance. Its superior and predictable wet-weather handling makes it safer and more confidence-inspiring than primary competitors.
What This All Means for Your Wallet
Are BFGoodrich tires good? Only specific ones, and only if you buy the right product for your needs.
The brand’s legacy and racing credentials are real, but they don’t guarantee quality across the entire product line. BFGoodrich operates in a weird middle ground—cheaper than Michelin, but not cheap enough to justify the quality compromises and durability concerns that plague several key products.
Your money is better spent in one of two directions: either buy the genuinely excellent BFGoodrich products (KO3, Phenom T/A) or spend a bit more for the Michelin equivalent that delivers the premium experience BFGoodrich’s marketing promises but doesn’t always deliver.
Don’t get seduced by aggressive tread patterns, 150-year heritage marketing, or too-good-to-be-true warranty numbers. Look at the specific tire model, read real owner reviews, check professional testing, and make your decision based on documented performance—not brand reputation.
Your safety and your budget depend on it.
