Nitto Neo Gen Review: Bold New Offering for the Track and Street

Nitto is a well-known brand in the tire industry, producing high-performance tires for a variety of vehicles.

The Nitto Neo Gen is one of their all-terrain tire models designed for trucks, SUVs, and crossovers.

The Neo Gen was introduced in 2015 as an evolution of Nitto’s Terra Grappler line of all-terrain tires.

It aims to provide a balance of off-road traction and on-road comfort and handling.

Some of the key features of the Neo Gen include an aggressive tread pattern, rigid shoulder blocks, and a durable construction.

Nitto utilizes a specialized 3D siping technology on the Neo Gen to improve traction on wet, icy, and snowy roads.

The tire is designed for all-terrain purposes including highway driving as well as light to moderate off-roading.

It’s a versatile option for truck and SUV owners seeking an all-terrain tire for mixed surface driving.

Overall, the Neo Gen represents Nitto’s focus on delivering capable all-terrain performance in a quiet and comfortable on-road tire.

This review will take a more in-depth look at the tread design, performance, off-road capabilities, and other key factors of interest for drivers considering the Nitto Neo Gen tire.

List of Other Nitto Tire Reviews

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

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

• Nitto Crosstek 2 Review
• Nitto Ridge Grappler Review
• Nitto Terra Grappler G2 Review
• Nitto Trail Grappler M/T Review
• Nitto Recon Grappler A/T Review
• Nitto NT420V Review
• Nitto Mud Grappler Review
• Nitto Nomad Grappler Review
• Nitto Neo Gen Review

Tire Overview

The Nitto Neo Gen is an all-terrain tire designed for trucks, SUVs, and crossovers.

It features an aggressive tread pattern and sturdy construction to provide traction and durability for off-road adventures while maintaining responsive on-road handling and comfort.

Key features and specs:

• All-terrain design combines on-road refinement with off-road capability
• Computer-optimized tread pattern delivers excellent traction in mud, dirt, sand, and snow
• Tread blocks feature multiple sipes for increased grip on wet roads
• Rigid shoulder blocks enhance steering response and stability
• Durable 3-ply sidewall construction protects against punctures and damage
• Variable pitch tread blocks reduce noise on the highway
• Available in a wide range of popular sizes to fit trucks, SUVs, and crossovers
• Backed by a 60,000 mile treadwear warranty

The Neo Gen’s versatile capabilities make it a smart choice for drivers who venture off the beaten path on weekends but still need composed on-road manners during the daily commute.

Its aggressive tread and sturdy build provides the performance expected from an all-terrain tire.

Tread Design

The Nitto Neo Gen features an aggressive tread pattern optimized for all-terrain performance.

It has large, chunky blocks with deep siping to provide excellent traction on loose surfaces like dirt, sand, gravel, and mud.

The tread blocks have multiple edges and angles to grip the terrain, while the siping allows the blocks to flex and conform to uneven surfaces.

This helps maintain contact with the ground over rocks, ruts, and bumps.

The siping also provides extra biting edges for increased traction. As the tire rolls, the siping opens up to allow small stones and debris to exit rather than getting trapped in the tread.

This self-cleaning action helps prevent loss of traction over time.

Overall, the aggressive tread pattern and abundant siping of the Neo Gen allow it to tackle off-road conditions while still providing responsive handling and stability on pavement.

The tread design balances on-road comfort with off-road capability.

Performance

The Nitto Neo Gen tire delivers excellent performance in both dry and wet conditions thanks to its asymmetric tread pattern.

The outside shoulder features large, rigid blocks that provide solid handling and grip when taking corners at speed on dry roads.

The inner shoulder has more sipes and grooves to efficiently channel water out from under the tread, preventing hydroplaning on wet pavement.

Test drivers praise the Neo Gen’s quiet ride. The tread blocks are designed to minimize noise on the highway.

Additionally, the tire absorbs bumps in the road effectively for a smooth, comfortable ride quality.

The silica-reinforced compound helps maximize traction at a variety of temperatures. Reviewers found the Neo Gen provided reliable grip even in colder weather when some all-season tires start to lose their stickiness.

The tires also resist overheating on hot summer days. Overall, the Neo Gen delivers excellent dry and wet traction across a wide range of driving conditions.

Off-Road Capabilities

The Nitto Neo Gen excels when taken off the pavement and onto loose surfaces like gravel and dirt.

The tread design features aggressive shoulder blocks and staggered stepping stones that provide excellent traction and braking in low-grip conditions.

The tire clears mud and debris easily thanks to its self-cleaning channels and voids, allowing it to maintain grip even when the going gets messy.

On gravel roads, the tire’s stone ejectors prevent rocks from getting wedged in the tread while its rigid blocks remain stable.

Overall, the Neo Gen provides light truck, SUV, and Jeep owners with plenty of off-road control.

The tire is at home on forest service roads, two-tracks, desert trails, and mountain passes.

Drivers praise the tire’s composure over ruts, rocks, and other obstacles at both low and higher speeds.

If you frequently go off-roading and need a tire that can handle a variety of terrains, the Neo Gen is an excellent choice that balances traction, durability, and on-road manners.

It provides truck and SUV owners with go-anywhere confidence no matter how far they stray from the pavement.

Fuel Efficiency

The Nitto Neo Gen is designed with fuel efficiency in mind, featuring a tread pattern and rubber compound that aim to minimize rolling resistance.

This can lead to improved gas mileage compared to more aggressive off-road tires.

The independent tread blocks allow the tire to flex and deform more easily as it rolls, reducing energy loss.

Nitto also uses a specialized rubber compound that maintains flexibility to limit drag on the road.

Together, these design factors help the Neo Gen provide low rolling resistance, allowing it to potentially improve MPG by 1-2 miles per gallon compared to mud terrain tires according to some owners.

The fuel economy benefits are most noticeable at highway speeds.

While not a specialized fuel maximizer tire, the Neo Gen strikes a balance between off-road traction and on-road efficiency.

Drivers report seeing a slight bump in MPG around town and on the highway versus more aggressive options.

For those who spend time both off and on-road, the improved fuel economy over rugged tires is an appealing advantage of the Neo Gen.

Warranty

The Nitto Neo Gen comes with a standard manufacturer’s warranty that covers defects in materials and workmanship.

This includes:

• A 45,000 mile treadwear warranty – If the tire wears evenly down to the treadwear indicators (2/32″) before reaching 45,000 miles, Nitto will replace the tire on a pro-rated basis.
• A 3 year workmanship and materials warranty – Covers defects in how the tire was made. If the tire has a defect that causes it to become unserviceable during normal use within the first 3 years, it will be replaced free of charge.
• A 1 year road hazard warranty – Covers damage from road hazards like nails, glass, and potholes. If the tire becomes damaged and unrepairable within the first year, it will be replaced for a prorated charge based on the tread depth remaining.

The warranty only applies to the original purchaser and covers the original equipment tire.

Proper maintenance and care is required to maintain the warranty, and damage from improper use, wear, or accidents is not covered.

Overall, the Neo Gen comes with Nitto’s standard new tire warranty that provides assurance against premature defects or failures.

Pricing

The Nitto Neo Gen is available in a wide range of popular sizes to fit most vehicles. Prices will vary depending on tire size, sales promotions, and retailer.

Here are some example retail prices for common sizes:

• 215/50R17 94V – $152 per tire
• 225/45R18 95V – $167 per tire
• 245/40R19 98V – $198 per tire

The 215/50R17 94V size starts around $152 at retail stores but can be found for as low as $130 per tire when on promotion from discount tire retailers like TireRack.com.

Larger sizes like the 245/40R19 98V have retail pricing around $198 but can be purchased online for $175 or less.

When shopping, it pays to check multiple sources as prices can vary widely. Online retailers tend to offer the lowest prices while also running frequent promotions.

Retail stores may match or come close to online pricing when asked.

Overall, the Nitto Neo Gen delivers an impressive blend of performance, quality, and value with retail pricing that’s competitive for its category.

Taking advantage of online deals or negotiating at local tire shops can help get these tires at even more budget-friendly pricing.

Competitors

The Nitto Neo Gen competes with other all-terrain tires designed for light trucks and SUVs. Here’s how it stacks up against some top competitors:

Toyo Open Country A/T III – The Open Country A/T III is one of Toyo’s most popular all-terrain tires. It features an aggressive tread pattern with lots of siping for traction. While a solid overall tire, the Neo Gen edges it out slightly in off-road performance and wet braking. The Open Country A/T III tends to be a bit cheaper than the Neo Gen.

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 – Arguably the most popular all-terrain tire on the market, the BFGoodrich KO2 offers excellent overall performance. It has a tread life warranty of 50,000 miles, better than the Neo Gen’s 40,000 mile warranty. The KO2 also seems to have a slight edge in mud and snow traction. However, the Neo Gen provides a smoother, quieter ride on-road. The KO2 is usually more expensive than the Neo Gen.

Goodyear Wrangler AT Adventure with Kevlar – Goodyear’s top all-terrain tire offers great traction and handling. The Kevlar-reinforced sidewalls make it very tough and durable. Compared to the Neo Gen, the Wrangler AT Adventure generates more road noise and seems to wear faster. It’s also on the higher end for pricing among all-terrain tires.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT – Cooper’s Discoverer AT3 XLT focuses on balancing off-road capability with a comfortable highway ride. Like the Neo Gen, it uses a symmetric tread pattern. While capable off-road, the Neo Gen seems to have a slight edge in mud and rock crawling grip. The Discoverer AT3 XLT is usually a bit less expensive than the Neo Gen.

General Grabber ATX – From General Tire, the Grabber ATX is an affordable all-terrain tire with solid performance. It doesn’t match the Neo Gen’s traction in extreme conditions, but provides good overall grip for more casual off-road driving. The Grabber ATX also lacks some of the design refinements of the Neo Gen that contribute to its smooth, quiet highway ride.

Conclusion

The Nitto Neo Gen offers a good balance between off-road traction and on-road comfort.

Its aggressive tread pattern provides plenty of grip for mud, dirt, and gravel, while the silica-reinforced compound ensures a quiet and smooth ride on pavement.

Fuel efficiency is also quite good for an all-terrain tire.

Some key pros of the Neo Gen are the durable construction, capable off-road performance, and long 65,000 mile warranty.

The aggressive tread does come with some road noise, which is typical for an all-terrain.

The tread life is also not as long as a highway tire, but acceptable for the category.

Overall, the Nitto Neo Gen is a great choice for pickup trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps that are used for both daily driving and weekend adventures off the beaten path.

It provides a good blend of off-road traction and on-road manners. For buyers wanting more extreme off-road grip, a dedicated mud-terrain tire may be preferable.

But for light to moderate off-road use, the Neo Gen offers an excellent balance.

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