Nexen Roadian ATX vs Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT tires

Founded in 1942, the South Korean tire manufacturer Nexen derives its name from a combination of two words - ‘Next’ and ‘Century’. A fairly popular name in the US, Nexen has a wide portfolio of capable tires under different categories like all-season, all-terrain, winter, ultra-high-performance (UHP), all-weather, highway, UHP all-season, mud-terrain, touring, and sport. On the other hand, we have the age-old American brand, Cooper, which is now owned by Goodyear. Just like Nexen, Cooper, too, manufactures tires for passenger cars, CUVs, minivans, SUVs, and light trucks.

Among many all-terrain options available, we pick the Roadian ATX from Nexen and the Discoverer Road+Trail AT from Cooper as two formidable all-terrain options, second best to the top-tier brands. Both tires are engineered to solve the historic dilemma of ‘trail vs. highway,’ but they do so with different approaches. The Nexen Roadian ATX, an evolution of the award-winning AT Pro series, emphasizes high-tech durability with its 3-ply sidewall construction and side biting lugs for confident venturing into sharp, rocky terrains.

In contrast, the Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT utilizes the brand's proprietary ‘EnduraGuard’ technology to ensure the tire maintains a stable, quiet footprint even under the stress of heavy hauling. Both carry the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) certification for severe winter weather performance, but which one makes more sense?

Let’s stack both tires in this Nexen Roadian ATX vs Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT comparison and evaluate their traction, handling, and longevity performances in SimpleScore. It’s our proprietary scoring mechanism that rates each tire on a scale of 0 to 10 for the traits mentioned above. Let’s delve into the details.

Nexen Roadian ATX tires

Introduced in June 2022, the Nexen Roadian ATX is a versatile all-terrain tire designed to bridge the gap between daily commuting and weekend off-road adventures. Featuring an aggressive tread pattern with wide grooves and multi-directional sipes, it excels at evacuating water, slush, and light mud to deliver reliable all-weather traction and sharper handling response.

Its advanced rubber compound and reinforced internal structure handle uneven terrain effortlessly while maintaining a stable contact patch on dry roads for improved highway comfort and enhanced braking. Backed by a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Roadian ATX assures a longer service life.

Securing an overall SimpleScore of 8.6, the Nexen Roadian ATX returns consistent traction, grip, handling, and durability on and off the road.

Get Nexen Roadian ATX tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT tires

The Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT is designed for drivers who frequently transit between highways and dirt and gravel trails. Utilizing EnduraGuard Design, it features a durable internal construction that helps the tire maintain its shape and integrity over rough conditions. For highway refinement, Cooper's Road Glide Technology ensures a smooth fit between the tire and the wheel, significantly reducing road noise for a quieter cabin.

The Discoverer tire is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) certified, boasting advanced Winter Grip Technology with connected center lugs that provide enhanced stability and handling on snowy surfaces.

Boasting an 8.8 overall SimpleScore, this balanced tire delivers an excellent tread life and solid year-round traction.

Get Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Nexen Roadian ATX vs Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT tires on traction

Traction is one of the key qualities that one looks for in an all-terrain tire. When you balance your rides across highways and trails, you need a tire with dependable traction that improves both safety and off-road confidence. Both all-terrain tires are very close to each other in traction.

With a traction score of 8.6, the Nexen Roadian ATX helps you tackle mixed driving conditions. The tire features deep grooves and aggressive tread blocks, along with emerging 3D sipes that help to improve its performance on snow, mud, and wet surfaces. The Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification of the tire shows its ability to navigate moderate to severe snow conditions. The sidewall lugs further improve grip when you drive off-road.

The Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT performs equally well in traction, earning the same SimpleScore of 8.6. Thanks to the thick interlocking tread blocks and Winter Grip Technology, the Cooper all-terrain tire improves traction when you drive through loose terrain and snow. The traction shoulders extend down the sidewall, which helps the tire maintain grip on uneven surfaces, including dirt and gravel trails.

With neck-and-neck performance, the traction tussle ends in a tie.

ADVANTAGE: Tie

Nexen Roadian ATX vs Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT tires on handling

When you buy an all-terrain tire, handling is a crucial parameter to consider. The larger tread blocks and rugged constructions determine the overall steering feel and control the stability of your rides. The competition continues to be fierce, but one tire manages to sneak a win here.

At 8.6, the handling score of the Nexen Roadian ATX looks great as you get a balanced experience while driving both on and off the road. The reinforced 3-ply construction of this tire improves rigidity, which helps when you are cornering or towing. Your steering response also remains predictable, thanks to the symmetrical tread pattern, while the optimized tread layout gives a composed feeling when you drive at high speeds.

The Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT scores 8.3 in handling, and you’ll experience a refined ride with this tire. With its EnduraGuard construction, the Cooper tire can retain its shape even when you travel over rough terrain. The interlocking tread blocks improve stability as you cruise along highways.

The Nexen Roadian ATX is a better choice in terms of handling, as it earns a higher score in this parameter.

ADVANTAGE: Nexen Roadian ATX

Nexen Roadian ATX vs Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT tires on longevity

While buying an all-terrain tire, drivers often look for tires that last long. You’d seek a tire with even treadwear so that you can reduce the frequency of replacements. The gap widens here as one of the tires offers incredible tread life, while the other looks on.

Backed by a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Nexen Roadian ATX returns a superb longevity score of 8.9. Thanks to its 3-ply construction, the tire lasts longer and enjoys better resistance to punctures. The new rubber compound keeps delivering traction even when your tire keeps wearing.

Boasting an exceptional 9.8 longevity score, the Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT is backed by a 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. The durable internal construction of the tire, along with its rugged tread blocks, resists cracks, cuts, and tears when you drive through off-road. The optimized tread pattern wears evenly, which helps you achieve excellent mileage.

With an outstanding score, the Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT beats the Cooper comprehensively in longevity and registers its first win.

ADVANTAGE: Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT

When to use each

All-terrain tires are suitable for you if you regularly switch between paved roads and rough terrains. These tires provide stronger traction and last longer, helping you drive in different conditions round the year.

If you are looking for sharper handling and strong durability in off-road conditions, the Nexen Roadian ATX will be a suitable choice. It works well for drivers who frequently deal with snow or trails but still want stable rides on highways. However, if you want a longer tread life and a more refined drive for daily commutes, the Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT would be a better pick. It works well if you spend most of your time on highways but occasionally venture into trails.

Which one should you choose?

When you choose one of these all-terrain tires, consider what matters more to you. The Nexen Roadian ATX would be the right choice if you are looking for better handling (8.6 vs. 8.3) along with a more rugged feel on off roads. The Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT would be the suitable pick for you if you want better longevity (9.8 vs. 8.9) and a refined ride.

For the 225/60R18 104H XL tire size, the Nexen Roadian ATX tire costs around $223, which brings the price of four such tires to about $892. On the other hand, the price of each Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT is $235, which means four such tires would cost you approximately $940 (a difference of $48).

Based on SimpleScore, you should buy the Nexen Roadian ATX if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, Hyundai Palisade, or the Toyota Tundra
• Want better handling (8.6 vs. 8.3)
• Need stronger off-road durability
• Prefer a more affordable yet capable all-terrain tire
• Want an all-terrain tire with a longer mileage warranty on non-LT sizes (70,000 vs 65,00 miles)

On the other hand, you may consider buying the Cooper Discoverer Road+Trail AT if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Ford F-150, RAM 1500, and the Jeep Wrangler
• Want an exceptional tread life (9.8 vs. 8.9)
• Prefer a quieter highway ride

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.