The BFGoodrich KO2 has been the default all-terrain on 4Runners and Tacomas for almost a decade, and now it's being phased out for the new KO3. If you're staring down a tire purchase in 2026, the question is simple: is the KO3 worth the premium over the discounted KO2 stock that's still floating around, or should you grab the old reliable while it's cheap? Here's the honest builder's answer.
What actually changed with the KO3
This isn't a clean-sheet redesign. The KO3 is an evolution of the KO2, and BFG didn't pretend otherwise. The headline numbers from their own testing: roughly 15% better tread wear, 20% better gravel-road durability, and improved snow traction. Those aren't marketing fluff numbers you'll never feel — gravel chipping and tread life are exactly where the KO2 left people wanting more.
The tread itself got reworked. You get serrated shoulder blocks for mud bite, full-depth 3D sipes that keep siping as the tire wears (instead of disappearing at half tread like a lot of ATs), and redesigned mud-phobic bars between the lugs so the tire slings mud out faster. In practice that means it cleans out quicker in slop and feels a touch grippier on rock when you air down.
The thing you'll notice first: road noise
If you've run KO2s, you know the hum. By around 25,000 miles a set of KO2s can drone loud enough to annoy you on the highway. The KO3 uses an optimized tread pitch sequence specifically to cut that down, and reviewers consistently report it's noticeably quieter new. For a rig that splits time between the commute and the trail — which is most 4Runners and Tacomas — that's a real quality-of-life win.
KO3 fitment on a 4Runner
The popular move on a 6th gen 4Runner is LT285/75R17, which comes out to about 33.8" tall and 11.2" wide. Guys are already running that size on a ReadyLift 2.5" SST lift with 17x8.5 +35 wheels (Method 703s are a common pick) without major rubbing. That's a clean, balanced setup — a true 34" tire that doesn't require cutting or a massive lift.
One thing to plan for: the LT285/75R17 in load range E weighs about 63 lbs per tire. That's a heavy tire. You'll feel it in acceleration and at the pump, and you should budget for a re-gear if you're going this route and want to keep the responsiveness you're used to. It's not unique to the KO3 — any E-rated 34" AT is going to be a boat anchor — but don't pretend the weight isn't there.
KO3 fitment on a Tacoma
On a 4th gen Tacoma, the two sizes people are actually buying are 285/70R17 and 285/75R17. The 285/70R17 (roughly 32.7") is the easier fit — owners are running it on 17x8 +15 wheels on a stock-suspension TRD Off-Road with good results and minimal rubbing. If you've got a leveling kit or coilovers and want the bigger 33.8" 285/75R17, that works too, but expect to address the front fender liner and maybe trim depending on your offset.
Same weight warning applies. The KO3 is offered as an E-rated tire, and at around 50–63 lbs depending on size, it hits a Tacoma's drivability and fuel economy harder than the stock tires you're pulling off. It's the price of admission for a real all-terrain.
Should you actually pay more for the KO3?
Here's where it gets practical. The KO3 is the better tire — quieter, longer-wearing, better in snow and on gravel. There's no real argument there. The only knock is price: because the KO2 is being discontinued, you'll find closeout deals on it, and the gap can be meaningful when you're buying five tires.
The way I'd call it:
- Buy the KO3 if this is a fresh set you'll run for years, you do real highway miles, and you wheel in mixed conditions (snow, gravel, mud). The wear and noise improvements pay you back over the life of the tire.
- Grab discounted KO2s if you find a genuinely cheap closeout set, you're already happy with how KO2s behave, or you're putting tires on a rig you plan to sell or change direction on soon.
- Look elsewhere entirely if you wheel hard mud or rock more than 20% of the time — a dedicated mud-terrain or a more aggressive hybrid like a Falken Wildpeak or Toyo Open Country will outperform either KO for that use. The KO line has always been a do-everything AT, not a specialist.
For the average 4Runner or Tacoma that sees pavement Monday through Friday and dirt on the weekend, the KO3 is the safe, smart pick. It's the same tire that earned the reputation, just better in the exact spots the KO2 got criticized for.
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