Tire Reviews: Nitto Terra Grappler G2

While Nitto's original Terra Grappler earned a solid reputation in the all-terrain (AT) segment, by the time it was phased out in 2014, it had spent over a decade on the market. As tire technology evolved, Nitto responded with a complete redesign: the Terra Grappler G2 —engineered to meet the demands of modern vehicles, including heavy-duty rigs like the 2018 Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 and our 2015 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro that it came stock from the factory with. Which makes sense as this tire are Made in Japan 🇯🇵 .

The G2 (we assumed) mean Generation 2 as there’s now (2025) a new version, the G3. We have not tested that yet but would love to. Nitto, if you’re listening, hit us up!

For Sprinter van owners running oversized 285/75R16 Load E tires, the G2 offers a compelling mix of on-road comfort and off-road traction. We found them to be much quieter then the overly popular BFGoodrich KO2 that you see on a lot of overland themed Sprinter vans out there. Nitto introduced a new tread compound that improves both grip and longevity—critical for high-mileage vans used in mixed driving conditions. Nitto backs the G2 with a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty for LT sizes like this one, ensuring long-term value for vanlifers and overlanders alike.

Our tires are specifically LT285/75R16 126/123Q 10 P.R.

But what does all that mean? Lets break it down:

LT: Stands for "Light Truck," indicating that the tire is designed for light truck use, which means it is built to handle heavier loads compared to standard passenger car tires.

285: Represents the tire's section width in millimeters. This is the measurement of the tire's width from sidewall to sidewall.

75: This is the aspect ratio, which is the height of the tire's sidewall expressed as a percentage of the tire's section width. In this case, the sidewall height is 75% of 285 mm.

R: Denotes the tire's construction type, with "R" standing for "Radial." Radial tires have layers of material that run radially beneath the tread. (I’ll be honest, I always thought this was ‘Rim’ as it’s always before the wheel size 🤦)

16: Indicates the diameter of the wheel rim in inches that the tire is designed to fit. (stock wheel size for Sprinter Vans)

126/123: These are the load index numbers. The load index is a numerical code associated with the maximum load a tire can carry. A load index of 126 means the tire in a single application can support up to 3,969 pounds (1,800 kilograms), while 123 means it can support up to 3,626 pounds (1,645 kilograms) in a dual wheel applications (for 3500 dually sprinters).

Q: This is the speed rating, which indicates the maximum speed at which the tire can operate under optimal conditions. A "Q" rating means the tire can handle speeds up to 100 mph (160 km/h) which is fine for a sprinter van but not exactly confidence inspiring as a KO2 in a similar size is rated at an S 112 mph (180kph).

10 P.R.: Stands for "10 Ply Rating," which refers to the tire's durability and load-carrying capacity. It does not mean the tire has ten actual plies; instead, it is a rating system used to indicate the tire's strength relative to a standard.

They Fit! 285/75R16 with just the mudflap relocation.

Price as tested was $285.00 per tire from TireRack. This is in-line with the cost of similar tires in that size and spec. While it’s not cheap, it can be found for about 10-15% off some of the more expensive tires in the same size.

The Terra Grappler G2’s tread and sidewall was completely re-engineered over the G1 to perform under load. Reinforced coupling joints between tread blocks enhance stability, while full-depth siping ensures consistent traction and wear, even as the miles stack up. On a loaded 4x4 Sprinter, that means less squirm, better steering response, and more dependable handling in both wet and dry conditions.

And yes, they were decent in the wet. We had a few heavy spring downpours and found they felt planted and had plenty of traction.

For off-road use, the G2 doesn’t disappoint. The staggered shoulder lugs and deep voids provide the grip needed to pull a 9,000-lb van through soft dirt, sand, or even moderate mud. It also carries the 3PMS (Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake) rating, making it a legit option for snow-covered mountain roads or icy campsites—key for any Sprinter adventure rig tackling four seasons.

Ride quality is another highlight. Despite its aggressive look, the G2 rolls surprisingly quiet and smooth on pavement thanks to variable-pitch tread blocks. This makes long highway stretches more tolerable, especially when you're logging hours behind the wheel of a converted camper van.

Visually, the Terra Grappler G2 looks right at home on a lifted Sprinter. The oversized tread blocks and signature sidewall designs—available in either a classic 'thunderbolt' or aggressive 'blade' pattern—add rugged appeal while still fitting within most 16-inch aftermarket wheel setups.

Lets talk about the elephant in the room… the size. We tested the Nitto in a 285/75R16 Load E. That’s a pretty large tire requiring a little inner plastic trimming on 2015-2018 4X4 NVC3 vans and a front and rear mudflap relocation on the 2019+ VS30. Also, many tires at this size typically throw errors with the Adaptive Cruise Control. For some reason, in our 2020 144 4x4 2500 test van, ours did not. 😱

Initial Results:

We tested this tire kind of two ways. One a 2015 4Runner TRD Pro and on a 2015 and 2020 Sprinter 4x4. Both 144 crew vans.

The Toyota 4Runner had the 31.5-inch, P265/70RR17 Nitto Terra Grappler

The Mercedes Sprinter had the 32.8-inch LT285/75R16 Nitto Terra Grappler

The first 10,000 were glorious! The tire tracked well, had minimum vibrations, wasn’t too loud and looked decent with those lightning bolts on the sidewalls.

Dry Performance was excellent. Very good grip, minimal tire screeching when going around corner.

Wet performance was really decent. The tread and sipes looked like they wre doing their job.

Sound was great compared to other AT tires. Much quieter over a BFG KO2. Brand new, you could feel that the tread needed to get set in. It wanted to wander a bit on ruts in roads like HWY 17 coming from Santa Cruz. Especially the P265 over the LT which is stiffer. The tire pressure you run can make a huge difference in how this tire handles and feels. We liked running 55PSI on the front and 65PSI on the rear with a decently loaded van. And they handled that well.

Off roading was decent. Was it as planted and aggressive as the KO2? No. But did it fail? No. It had good dirt and rock grip. It would however get a bit slick in places like muddy or wet dirt roads. Snow, this is where it performed about the same as a KO2. No bad but not really great or confidence inspiring. The tire treads did allow snow to pack in and create some grip. We had some snowy days in Utah and never got stuck with these. But we did get into some hairy moments when we had to brake in the snow and the tires would slide quite easily.

Long Term Results:

This tire was a very long term test where it was removed and stored for a couple years before being used again (yes, we love to test tires) At about 30,000 miles (15,000 miles 1 year + 15,000 miles second year) we have found that with tire rotations at every 5000 miles.

The Good

First off, we have even wear!!! No funky vibrations or wobbles. I can’t say how much this is important. Example, at 25,000 miles for a BFG KO2 we’ve found that they start wearing in weird ways (even with a good alignment) and are hard to balance.

Second, noise is low. Very low actually for an agresive AT tire. This has been one of the least noisy tires in the All Terrain category we have tested.

The load capacity was something we really liked here: 126/123 are the load index numbers on our tires showing we can can carry a max load up to 3,969 lbs (1,800 kgs) per tires. That’s 15,876 lbs. (7,197 kg). So if you’re a heavy build with a lot of water, fuel and batteries on board or wanting to tow, this rating is what you’re looking for.

The Bad

The tread still shows some sipping but most of the sipping that was deep and long now is broken into smaller lines. We’re assuming that’s one of the wear level indicators. But this is where this tires looses our confidence. The tire is rated for 50,000 miles. But at around 25,000-30,000 miles even though the

We have had these in the hot desert sun over a couple years of use and cycled the tires from a 2015 van to a 2020 van with no issues. But as you can see, the rubber is starting to look old due to age and cracking on the edges (dry Utah desert heat?)

Snow and wet conditions suffer as the tread goes down. This is to be expected. But it’s really evident in the snow as the tire gets older than 20-25,000 miles. The tire was great when new but really fell off when it wore down and the sipping started to disappear.

While we didn’t have any issues during our test, the sidewalls didn’t seem as burly as those found on other AT tires out there like the BFG KO2 or the Wrangler Dura Trac.

As mentioned above, the tires we tested have a "Q" rating, means the tire can handle speeds up to 100 mph (160 km/h) which is ok for a Sprinter van as the speed is limited to 90mph. With the larger tires you’re likely actually going around 94mph. So pushing the tires to their max rating. Tha't’s not exactly confindence inspiring for us and something we kept in the back of our mind while using these (on a closed course obviously).

One major callout with the above feedback is that the size 285/75R16 is much larger than the OEM size of 245/75R16. The largest downside of running a tire this large is the van’s ability to get up to speed much faster, and it’s impact on fuel economy. We didn’t mention this in our review as we didn’t feel it was fair due to it’s physical size differences. Mounted on the stock 16x6.5 steel wheels the larger tires did balloon a bit more and could benefit from an 8” wide wheel.

Tire width comparison — The width of the 245/75R16 compared to the 285/75R16 is obvious. almost 2” wider.

In short, the Nitto Terra Grappler G2 in 285/75R16 Load E is a well-rounded upgrade for any 4x4 Sprinter build, balancing durability, traction, and comfort with minimal compromise. It’s quieter than a KO2. The wear and balancing is far better than a KO2.

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