• Research
  • Tire Dealer of the Year
  • On the Rise
  • Multimedia
  • Podcasts
  • Digital Magazine
  • About US
    1. Industry News
    2. Consumer Tires

    On- and Off-Road Performance: Falken Completes its WildPeak Light Truck/SUV Tire Line

    May 16, 2016
    1673299219882 Onandoffroadperformancefalkencompletesitswildpeaklighttrucksuvtireline

    When the Falken brand was born in 1983, it catered to the performance market. The brand made a name for itself on vehicles like the Mazda RX7, Datsun 200 Series and Toyota MR2.

    Falken now competes in nine segments, from niche to broad-line. That includes the light truck and SUV segment under the WildPeak name. Falken Tire recently completed the line by launching the WildPeak A/T3W and its first aftermarket M/T tire.

    The A/T3W is not a next generation tire, according to Drew Howlett, light truck and SUV tire product manager for Falken Tire, a division of Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc.

    “We have discontinued our previous A/T01 completely. The A/T3W is a completely new design.”

    Comparing the two, the A/T3W has superior wear, wet traction and winter performance, he says. In addition, the new tire’s aesthetics are a lot more aggressive.

    “Our tire is really a true all-terrain tire. It’s still made for off-road capability and on-road as well. Some people might call it an R/T (for rugged-terrain) because we went a little more aggressive on the sidewall, but we know that’s what the consumer wants.”

    The WildPeak A/T3W is available in 54 LT and P-metric sizes. All of them are backed by a 55,000-mile limited tread wear warranty.

    Falken Tire designed its M/T with help from extreme off-road enthusiasts “just to get their feedback because we really didn’t want to have another M/T tire,” says Howlett. “Some of the enthusiasts really wanted a hard core off-road tire.

    “Getting their feedback helped us find that sweet spot between a dedicated, sticky, rock crawling tire and a tire for someone who’s going to use their M/T on a lifted, full-size truck that may be driving on the road quite often.”

    The WildPeak M/T is available in 25 Q-rated LT sizes ranging from 30x9.50R15LT to LT305/55R20.

    There are no immediate plans to add to the WildPeak H/T (OE on the 2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk), A/T3W and M/T lineup, says Howlett. “We feel those three products are going to meet the needs of a majority of customers.”    ■

    About the Author

    Bob Ulrich

    Bob Ulrich was named Modern Tire Dealer editor in August 2000 and retired in January 2020. He joined the magazine in 1985 as assistant editor, and had been responsible for gathering statistical information for MTD's "Facts Issue" since 1993. He won numerous awards for editorial and feature writing, including five gold medals from the International Automotive Media Association. Bob earned a B.A. in English literature from Ohio Northern University and has a law degree from the University of Akron.