The Kumho Road Venture RT: more capable than an all-terrain, but more forgiving than a dedicated mud-terrain - and built to be a major money saver. I put it to the test.
I was invited to attend a test event for the Kumho Road Venture RT, deep in the California desert. There, along with other journalists, influencers and dealers, we witnessed the capability and balance in an abbreviated series of controlled tests. Built as a competitor for tires like NITTO Nomad Grappler - the Road Venture is aiming at the mid market, and seems to have real potential.
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Not long ago, off-road tires only came in a few flavors. The idea that you could get a tire that can perform well on medium off-road challenges, quietly on the highway and deliver good street performance - was folly. Having a good looking tire that looks aggressive on your crossover, or mild off-road vehicle (while performing like a regular all-season tire) was a myth. Now, it's becoming a reality for many tire manufacturers. From cheap knock-offs to the top of the performance tire-spectrum, these intermediate tires are starting to hit the market.
What makes the Kumho Road Venture RT unique?
After testing the Kumho Road Venture RTs on silty desert sand, small mud bogs, wet and dry pavement, and even some high-speed tarmac, I came away impressed - Kumho clearly did their homework. For drivers wanting their crossover, SUV, or pickup to look more aggressive without sacrificing street manners, this tire is worth considering.
According to Kumho: The Road Venture RT uses multi-functional S-SBR and carbon black compounds for better wear resistance and chip protection. Its design includes aggressive side biters, wave shoulder grooves to eject stones, and a spider-web casing for added durability. Interlocking center blocks help maintain straight-line stability, while varied pitch patterns reduce both tread and road noise.
Available starting in September 2025, the Road Venture RT will launch in 27 sizes ranging from 17” to 22” rims, with more sizes coming in 2026. It also carries an impressive 50,000-mile limited treadwear warranty, road hazard coverage, and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
Testing the tire
During the 105-degree test event, we used modern Toyota Tacomas and Ford Broncos. While I would have preferred a crossover in the mix, these two vehicles were adequate for the four planned events: a desert trek, a wet/dry pavement handling course, a higher-speed highway run with obstacles, and a mud pit.
Only the desert run used both vehicles, while the other tests stuck with one or the other. I would have liked more variety, especially since the desert run also mixed 2WD and 4WD Tacomas. Driving the 2WD was fine, but I didn’t get to compare it directly with a 4WD due to time constraints.
With that being said, I was impressed with how quickly the Kumho hooked up on the loose sand, and in the deep mud. It isn't as fast at self cleaning as some, but the mud flung off the lugs without much effort. It was very effective on the dirt roads with grip, but (most of all) it was a very good street tire during the tarmac testing. Flex in hard corners was minimal. While flexibility was not compromised, it was never harsh.
For tire comparisons, Kumho only brought Nitto, which has a similar tread design and overall look. Notably absent were premium rivals from BFGoodrich, Goodyear, and Michelin. Still, I appreciated that they didn’t pad the test with bargain-bin knockoffs that would have failed immediately.
Final thoughts
While not all pricing is available at the time of this writing, Kumho aims to be mid-pack, undercutting the premium brands but costing a few dollars more than the budget knockoffs. With that in mind, there were no specifics about heavy-duty applications, sidewall thickness, or finding out about the lack of a snowflake designation (for winter driving). Still, they did show off the siping and tread positioning, which is helpful for snow and wet.
In time, I hope to seriously put these tires to the test in multiple terrain scenarios. It would be great if more information about the tire's specifics were made available, but I got a pretty good idea about the potential of this tire. That is to say: it looks like the Kumho Road Venture RT could be ideal for the person who needs the "do everything" tire, but mostly drives on tarmac.
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the Reviews section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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