What are the top-rated off-road tires for the Chevrolet Colorado?

For your situation, I gotta be honest... I had a pretty bad experience jumping straight to the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 265/70R17. They look sick, but the E-rating felt super harsh on my Colorado Z71 and I lost like 2 MPG instantly. Plus, they were kinda sketchy on wet pavement iirc.

Here is what I recommend instead:

* Falken Wildpeak A/T3W 265/70R17: These are way better for daily driving. They're quieter on the highway and actually grip in the mud. Seriously, just watch for minor rubbing at full lock tho.
* Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac 265/70R17: If you want more aggressive sidewalls for those jagged rocks, these are great, but unfortunately they get really loud once they wear down.

Id definitely talk to a pro shop about the 265/70 size since it's a tight fit without a level kit. Good luck!

Seconding the recommendation above. Ngl, the E-rated tires are overkill for a mid-size like the Colorado and will literally ruin ur ride quality. In my experience over the years, the extra weight makes the suspension feel super stiff and u lose that snappy acceleration.

If u want to stay within that $1,100 budget and keep things comfy for a daily driver, check out the General Grabber A/TX 265/70R17 SL or the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme RF12 265/70R17. Both come in a Standard Load (SL) or P-rating, which is way lighter than the ones mentioned before... plus they're usually around $180-$210 per tire, so ur well under budget!!

About the rubbing?? A 265/70R17 is basically a 31.6-inch tire. On a stock Z71, ur gonna be real close. Most guys I know had to do a tiny bit of trimming on the front plastic liner or add a small leveling kit to avoid rubbing at full lock. If u don't wanna mess with that, just stick to the factory size tbh. Basically, go for a C-rated or SL tire to save ur MPG and ur ears on the highway!!

Can vouch for this

TL;DR from this thread: steer clear of E-rated tires like the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 265/70R17 if u wanna keep ur ride smooth and mpg decent. Basically, everyone agrees they're too heavy for a Colorado. For a budget-friendly hidden gem under $1,100, i'd seriously look at the Toyo Open Country A/T III 265/70R17. They're lightweight, way cheaper than the big names, and actually hold up on rocky trails without the annoying hum!

To add to the point above: that rubbing issue is definitely something you want to be ready for! I remember helping my brother-in-law with his truck and we spent half a Saturday with a heat gun and a utility knife just trying to make things clear. It was actually kind of fun to do ourselves, but man, it makes you realize how tight those tolerances are! Everyone seems to agree that those heavy duty tires are just too much for a mid-size truck and I totally agree... keeping it light keeps it fun to drive! I think I heard somewhere that the heavier weight can even mess with your braking distances too? Not 100% sure but it makes sense to me since there is so much more mass spinning around. Stick with the lighter stuff everyone is suggesting and you will be so much happier on your commutes! Honestly, the Z71 is such a fantastic truck, you really dont want to ruin that smooth ride by going too overboard with the rubber.

Ive been through a few sets on my Colorado over the years and honestly, the biggest lesson I learned was that sticking to a lighter weight tire is the way to go for this truck. In my experience, jumping to a heavy duty setup made the ride so stiff that I actually hated driving it on the highway. I tried some aggressive ones a while back and while they looked tough, the hit to my fuel economy and the constant hum was just too much for a daily driver. I eventually settled on a lighter P-rated tire that still had a bit of a beefy shoulder and it was a night and day difference. Much snappier and way quieter for those long trips. I did go with that 265/70 size and yeah, it definitely rubbed the liners a bit at full lock. I ended up just trimming the plastic back a little with a utility knife and it worked out fine. Tbh, if you arent doing extreme rock crawling every weekend, you might find that a high-quality all-terrain in a standard load is plenty of protection without ruining the ride quality. Its all about that balance, especially when youre using it for work or errands during the week.

Jumping in here with a quick question before you drop the cash. Are you planning on keeping the suspension totally stock, or are you thinking about a leveling kit soon? The reason I ask is that the 265/70R17 size is notorious for rubbing the front wheel liners on a stock Z71 at full lock. If you're a DIYer, it's a super easy fix with some minor trimming, but it's something to prep for. Since you're looking for that balance of rock protection and daily comfort, here are two options that haven't been brought up yet: - Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S: This is my top pick for a "hidden gem." It’s way lighter than an E-rated tire, so your MPG stays solid, but it still handles forest roads like a pro. Plus, it's one of the quietest tires I've ever run.
- Nitto Terra Grappler G2: These have great sidewall patterns for that aggressive look but are designed specifically to minimize that highway hum you're worried about. Honestly, if you're doing the install yourself or ordering online, make sure to find a shop that does Road Force balancing. These mid-size trucks can be sensitive to vibrations at highway speeds!!!