Is there a difference in fuel consumption between off-road tires and highway tires?

[OEmilia]

Off-road tires of the same brand and specification consume more fuel than highway tires. Here are the differences between the two: 1. Appearance: Off-road tires have wide and deep tread grooves with a smaller contact area, providing greater traction. Their lateral tread pattern features continuous horizontal grooves and disconnected vertical grooves, making them suitable for medium or heavy-duty trucks with high traction requirements on general hard surfaces. Highway tires have softer sidewall materials, offering a quiet driving experience, while their intricate tread patterns ensure sufficient grip and drainage. 2. Fuel consumption: Due to the higher contact pressure and rolling resistance of off-road tire tread blocks, prolonged driving on hard surfaces accelerates tire wear, increases fuel consumption, and causes more noticeable vehicle vibration. Therefore, they are better suited for rugged, uneven roads, soft dirt paths, and off-road conditions. Highway tire treads are designed to enhance the elasticity of the contact patch, generating smaller tangential forces between the tire and road surface compared to off-road tires.

[KeiraMarie]

I've been driving off-road vehicles for over a decade and have gone through several sets of tires. Off-road tires do consume more fuel than highway tires. This is mainly because off-road tires have particularly deep tread patterns and harder tread surfaces, resulting in significantly higher rolling resistance on roads. Last week, I conducted a test: the same vehicle with highway tires consumed 8.7 liters per 100 kilometers on the highway, but when switched to all-terrain tires, the consumption jumped to 11.2 liters. However, the rubber compound of off-road tires is more wear-resistant, and the sidewalls are reinforced with puncture-resistant layers. Although they consume more fuel, they provide great peace of mind on rough roads. I remember my last self-drive trip to Western Sichuan—highway tires simply couldn't handle the gravel roads, while the off-road tires carried me steadily through the entire journey. I think the extra fuel cost is worth it.

[MacPaul]

As a frequent construction site visitor, I keep two sets of tires ready. Off-road tires perform exceptionally well on rural dirt roads, but the fuel consumption difference becomes quite noticeable during daily commutes. Take my pickup truck for example: the same 20km urban route consumes about 12 liters with highway tires, but exceeds 15 liters with off-road tires. At current fuel prices, that 3-liter difference means an extra 20 yuan per day for commuting! Moreover, highway tires provide quieter, more effortless rides on asphalt roads with noticeably lighter steering. Of course, when navigating muddy mountain roads during rainy seasons, switching to off-road tires becomes necessary - safety always comes first.

[PaigeAnn]

From an environmental perspective, the fuel consumption differences between tire types are quite interesting. Off-road tires, with their larger tread blocks and wider contact patches, have about 30% higher rolling resistance than highway tires. My hybrid SUV tests showed a 1.5L/100km fuel consumption difference at highway cruising speeds. Calculated over 500km, this means emitting an extra 7.5kg of CO2 - equivalent to the daily carbon absorption of two trees. So unless off-roading is truly necessary, using highway tires is friendlier to both your wallet and the environment. Many modern highway tires now incorporate silica compounds, offering wet traction nearly comparable to off-road tires.