Mastercraft Courser CXT Review: An In-Depth Look at All-Season Performance

The Mastercraft Courser CXT is the flagship tire from Mastercraft Tires, a brand that specializes in producing affordable performance tires.

As Mastercraft’s most advanced tire, the Courser CXT is designed to deliver a premium driving experience with its innovative tread pattern, quiet ride, and long wear life.

In this review, we will take a close look at the features and performance of the Courser CXT to see how it stacks up against other touring all-season tires.

Key factors we will examine include tread design, wet and dry handling, ride comfort, noise levels, treadwear warranty and value.

By evaluating all aspects of the Courser CXT’s performance, we aim to provide a comprehensive review to help consumers make an informed decision about whether this tire is right for their vehicle.

List of Other Mastercraft Tire Reviews

If you’re interested in exploring other Mastercraft tire options, check out our comprehensive reviews of their various offerings.

Mastercraft’s commitment to quality and performance shines through in their diverse range of tires.

• Mastercraft Courser Trail HD Review
• Mastercraft Courser Trail Review
• Mastercraft Courser Quest Plus Review
• Mastercraft Courser MXT Review
• Mastercraft Courser CXT Review
• Mastercraft Avenger GT Review

Tire Overview

The Mastercraft Courser CXT is an all-season touring tire manufactured by Cooper Tire.

This tire line is available in a wide range of popular sizes to fit sedans, coupes, minivans and crossovers.

The Courser CXT is designed as a grand touring all-season tire, made for long highway journeys in varying weather conditions.

Key features include:

• All-season tread design with independent tread blocks and stable shoulder blocks for responsive handling and traction in dry, wet and wintry conditions
• Silica-enhanced tread compound for enhanced grip and wear resistance
• High-void tread pattern to efficiently evacuate water and resist hydroplaning
• Comfortable ride thanks to the isolated tread blocks that minimize vibration and noise
• 65,000-mile treadwear warranty

There are several models available in the Courser CXT line:

• Courser CXT – the standard all-season model
• Courser CXT Plus – enhanced wet traction and treadlife
• Courser CXT Sport – optimized for sportier driving dynamics
• Courser CXT Trail – rugged tread pattern for light off-road and gravel use

So whether you’re looking for a comfortable highway tire, maximum treadlife, sporty handling or light off-road use, there is a Courser CXT variant to match your needs.

Tread Design

The Mastercraft Courser CXT features an aggressive tread pattern designed to provide excellent traction and performance on and off-road.

The tire uses an asymmetric tread design, with larger shoulder blocks on the outside of the tire for stability and smaller siping blocks on the inside for better handling.

The larger shoulder blocks grip the road better, preventing slippage during cornering or sudden maneuvers.

They also provide great traction in muddy, snowy, or loose dirt conditions. The staggered shoulder lugs help eject stones and debris to resist damage to the tread.

The smaller siping blocks on the inside of the tread provide many biting edges for increased grip on paved roads.

This helps improve wet braking and handling. The numerous sipes also allow the tread blocks to flex independently, conforming to the road surface for a smooth on-road ride.

Overall, the unique asymmetric tread delivers superb traction and grip in all sorts of conditions, from dry pavement to muddy trails.

Drivers get confident handling and control both on and off the beaten path.

Performance of Mastercraft Courser CXT

The Mastercraft Courser CXT performs well across a variety of conditions thanks to its asymmetric tread design and circumferential grooves.

Dry Performance

Dry braking and handling are optimized due to the triple circumferential grooves and high-rigidity tread blocks.

The asymmetric pattern provides even wear while maintaining responsive handling through corners. Steering feel and feedback are precise.

Wet Performance

The asymmetric tread pattern enhances wet weather handling by channeling water away quickly.

The circumferential grooves prevent hydroplaning on wet roads. Owners report excellent wet braking with short stopping distances.

The tire maintains composure through rain and light snow.

Off-Road Capability

While not an aggressive off-road tire, the Courser CXT provides sufficient traction for light off-roading and gravel roads.

The tread blocks offer grip and stability on loose surfaces, though deep mud and sand performance is limited.

Noise levels increase slightly on rougher terrain. Overall, the tire balances on-road comfort with respectable off-road capability.

Ride Quality of Mastercraft Courser CXT

The Mastercraft Courser CXT provides a very smooth and comfortable ride on the road.

The tires absorb small bumps and imperfections in the pavement, so you don’t feel them while driving.

This helps reduce road noise and vibration for a quieter cabin.

For off-road use, the deep tread blocks and sidewall construction provide excellent cushioning and shock absorption.

Hitting bumps, rocks, and ruts is less jarring thanks to the flexible sidewalls that compress to dampen impacts.

The tread pattern helps disperse water, snow, mud, and debris to further smooth out the ride off-road.

Overall, the ride quality of the Mastercraft Courser CXT is very impressive.

The tires excel at absorbing impacts and reducing harshness whether on the highway or climbing over rocks.

Passengers will appreciate the smooth and comfortable ride.

Durability of Mastercraft Courser CXT

The Mastercraft Courser CXT has a treadwear warranty of 80,000 miles, which is impressive for an all-season touring tire.

Owners report getting upwards of 50,000 miles out of a set before needing to replace them.

While not the absolute longest lasting tire, the Courser CXT does provide good durability for the price.

The tire construction uses two steel belts for puncture resistance. Owners have noted that the CXT holds up well to the occasional nail or screw without any tire damage.

The sidewalls are also rigid enough to resist curb scrapes. The tread compound is durable and resistant to chipping on gravel roads or tearing on sharp turns.

Overall, the Mastercraft Courser CXT provides reliable durability for everyday driving conditions.

Most drivers should get several years of use before needing to replace their tires.

Pricing

The Mastercraft Courser CXT provides excellent value compared to other touring all-season tires.

At around $$110 per tire, the Courser CXT is very competitively priced against other major brands like Michelin, Bridgestone, and Continental.

When analyzing cost per mile, the Courser CXT continues to shine. Mastercraft engineered the tire to provide long treadwear, with most drivers experiencing around 60,000 miles before needing replacement.

With the average pricing, that comes out to approximately 1.8 cents per mile.

Comparable tires often run over 2 cents per mile, making the Courser CXT a great value purchase.

The long treadwear also means fewer replacement tires over the life of your vehicle.

Considering you may go through 3 sets of competitive tires in the same lifespan, the savings add up.

Overall, if you want an affordable touring all-season tire without compromising performance and ride quality, the Mastercraft Courser CXT is a top value choice.

Warranty

Mastercraft backs the Courser CXT with their standard treadwear warranty, mileage warranty and workmanship and materials warranty.

The Courser CXT is covered by Mastercraft’s 50,000 mile treadwear warranty.

This warranty provides for free replacement during the first 2/32″ of treadwear, and pro-rated replacement after that until 50,000 miles.

So if your tires wear out unevenly or prematurely within the first 50K miles, Mastercraft will replace them.

There is also a 60-month or 60,000 mile warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship.

If any tire has a defect that would render it unserviceable during normal use, Mastercraft will replace it free of charge during the first 2/32″ of treadwear, and on a pro-rated basis after that.

One thing the warranty does not cover is damage from road hazards like cuts, snags, bruises or impact breaks.

So if you get a nail in your tire or curb rash the sidewall, that type of damage would not be covered under the warranty.

Overall the Courser CXT comes with Mastercraft’s standard new tire warranties which provide good protection against premature treadwear and defects.

Just be aware that damage from potholes, curbs and other road hazards would not be covered.

Pros and Cons

The Mastercraft Courser CXT has several notable pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• Excellent wet traction and hydroplaning resistance due to the asymmetric tread design
• Quiet and comfortable ride quality thanks to the serrated shoulder blocks
• Durable construction with two steel belts for enhanced stability and puncture resistance
• 50,000 mile treadlife warranty (with some limitations) provides peace of mind

Cons

• Handling and dry braking scores are just average, not best in class
• Lack of an all-season tread compound means traction could suffer in winter conditions
• Higher price tag than some rival touring all-season tires

Overall, the Mastercraft Courser CXT is a solid premium touring tire that excels in wet weather traction and hydroplaning resistance.

Ride comfort is another strength. The treadlife warranty is generous if you are looking for longevity.

On the downside, the Courser CXT’s dry performance doesn’t stand out, and it lacks winter weather versatility.

The higher price is also a drawback versus rival options. Weigh the pros and cons against your priorities to decide if the Courser CXT is the right fit.

Conclusion

The Mastercraft Courser CXT is a tire best suited for drivers looking for a comfortable daily driver that can handle various road conditions and moderate towing needs.

While it may not have the most advanced tread design or track-tuned performance of an ultra high performance tire, it strikes an excellent balance for the average crossover, SUV, or light truck owner.

The CXT’s all-season tread compound provides reliable wet and winter traction, while the symmetric tread pattern helps minimize road noise for a smooth, quiet ride.

The tire is clearly built for longevity, with sturdy construction and a 65,000 mile treadwear warranty. For a mid-range tire, the CXT performs admirably across different conditions.

Overall, the Courser CXT is a great choice for buyers wanting an affordable, long-lasting tire for highway driving and light off-roading.

It offers a comfortable ride and capable handling for daily commutes and family adventures.

While it doesn’t excel at any one thing, it also doesn’t have any major flaws.

For the average driver looking for a durable, all-purpose tire, the CXT checks all the boxes.

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