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Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx vs Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 0 road tests and 326 + 251 owner reviews. How we score

Discoverer AT3 LT is ahead, 77–67

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Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx
Tire ACooper

Discoverer S/T Maxx

All Season

± 7

Tests – · none yet Owners 67 · 326 reviews

“Personally a huge fan of the Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx great on and offroad. Quite on road.”

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT
Tire BCooper

Discoverer AT3 LT

All-Terrain tire

± 7

Tests – · none yet Owners 81 · 251 reviews

“I got 80k (rotating every 10k) out of Coopers on my 2010 and have 40k on current 2019 SL ... Discoverer AT3 LT ... they are designed for heavier trucks... excellent noise, excellent in water. I got stuck in a grass field in the factory HT hancocks... same field few years later with coopers.. no issues.. never tried in snow but imagine they would do well...”

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 71

    Dry

    Discoverer AT3 LT +9
    80
    Why this score
    SourceDiscoverer S/T MaxxDiscoverer AT3 LT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online7386

    Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 70.2 (est.) + 40% × 73.4 = 71

    Discoverer AT3 LT: 60% × 75.4 (est.) + 40% × 86 = 80

    No road tests of dry for Discoverer S/T Maxx. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for Discoverer AT3 LT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 72

    Wet

    Discoverer AT3 LT +9
    81
    Why this score
    SourceDiscoverer S/T MaxxDiscoverer AT3 LT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 72 (est.)≈ 79 (est.)
    Reviews found online7385

    Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 71.9 (est.) + 40% × 72.8 = 72

    Discoverer AT3 LT: 60% × 78.7 (est.) + 40% × 85.3 = 81

    No road tests of wet for Discoverer S/T Maxx. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for Discoverer AT3 LT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 69

    Snow

    Discoverer AT3 LT +5
    74
    Why this score
    SourceDiscoverer S/T MaxxDiscoverer AT3 LT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online6776

    Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 67.4 = 69

    Discoverer AT3 LT: 60% × 72.3 (est.) + 40% × 76.1 = 74

    No road tests of snow for Discoverer S/T Maxx. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for Discoverer AT3 LT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 59

    Comfort

    Discoverer AT3 LT +14
    73
    Why this score
    SourceDiscoverer S/T MaxxDiscoverer AT3 LT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5575

    Discoverer S/T Maxx: 40% × 65.8 (est.) + 60% × 54.7 = 59

    Discoverer AT3 LT: 40% × 70 (est.) + 60% × 75.2 = 73

    No road tests of comfort for Discoverer S/T Maxx. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for Discoverer AT3 LT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 59

    Noise

    Discoverer AT3 LT +13
    72
    Why this score
    SourceDiscoverer S/T MaxxDiscoverer AT3 LT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online4880

    Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 47.5 = 59

    Discoverer AT3 LT: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 80.4 = 72

    No road tests of noise for Discoverer S/T Maxx or Discoverer AT3 LT. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 66

    Treadwear

    Discoverer AT3 LT +8
    74
    Why this score
    SourceDiscoverer S/T MaxxDiscoverer AT3 LT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 71 (est.)
    Reviews found online6678

    Discoverer S/T Maxx: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 66.2 = 66

    Discoverer AT3 LT: 60% × 70.7 (est.) + 40% × 78.2 = 74

    No road tests of treadwear for Discoverer S/T Maxx. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for Discoverer AT3 LT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 52

    Handling (owners)

    Discoverer AT3 LT +19
    71
    Why this score
    SourceDiscoverer S/T MaxxDiscoverer AT3 LT
    Reviews found online5271
Scores at a glance
CategoryCooper Discoverer S/T MaxxCooper Discoverer AT3 LT
Relative Score 67 77
Dry 71 80
Wet 72 81
Snow 69 74
Comfort 59 73
Noise 59 72
Treadwear 66 74
Handling (owners) 52 71

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Discoverer S/T Maxx

± 7

Discoverer AT3 LT

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Discoverer S/T Maxx

Pros

  • Aggressive all-terrain tread pattern that excels in dirt, gravel, sand, and moderate mud
  • Surprisingly quiet and smooth ride on the highway for such a rugged tire
  • Exceptional sidewall strength and puncture resistance against sharp rocks and debris

Cons

  • Faster-than-expected tread wear for some users, particularly on heavier duty or lighter vehicles
  • Subpar wet pavement traction, specifically in cold or greasy conditions
  • Stiff ride quality and potential handling vagueness or steering pull if pressures are not meticulously tuned
All owner themes in the Discoverer S/T Maxx review

Tire B Discoverer AT3 LT

Pros

  • Excellent towing stability with minimal sidewall flex under heavy loads
  • Surprisingly quiet and smooth on the highway for an all-terrain tire
  • Strong durability and wear resistance on rough gravel, rock, and dirt roads

Cons

  • Subpar performance in heavy snow, ice, or deep mud for some users
  • Occasional reports of balancing difficulties or initial cold-weather tire thumping
  • Isolated incidents of sidewall splitting or premature wear
All owner themes in the Discoverer AT3 LT review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx

Positive

The community generally praises the Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx for its exceptional dual-purpose performance, offering low road noise and strong traction across various off-road conditions like mud, rocks, and sand. Users note good handling while towing heavy loads, though some mention a slight softness or different feel during cornering that does not negatively impact overall safety. While initial purchase costs can be high, overall satisfaction is very high with many loyal repeat customers.

bobistheoilguy.com ·2019-06-30

“Interesting, I'm considering a Cooper Discoverer A/T3 Sport or Discoverer S/T Maxx in 245/70r16 for my Nissan. All of the reviews are excellent and have been recommended from friends using both types, one on little Suzuki Jimny and one on GC 2.7 diesel. According to them they are great both on pavement and off road, with GC driver being long time off roader.”
r/ToyotaTundra ·2 upvotes ·2026-10-10

“Personally a huge fan of the Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx great on and offroad. Quite on road.”
duramaxforum.com ·2012-09-10

“I have 285/75-r16 on my f-150 and love them. I've put them through hell (rocks, mud, sand, rim breaking in half and truck skidding down the road on it) and the have held up amazing. My old set of cooper st's last around 60k and still had a little life left. Ill never run any thing but coopers now. and for the record i had that tire checked out by 3 different tire shops and they all said it was fine.”
Top themes
#on and off road traction#low road noise#heavy towing performance#durability and toughness#cornering feel#aggressive appearance

Based on 11 community posts

Tire B

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT

Mixed

Community sentiment regarding the Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT is mixed with a positive lean. Drivers appreciate its wet and snow traction, low noise, and strong tread life under heavy loads, though some report irregular wear and persistent balancing or vibration issues after accumulating mileage.

clubfrontier.org ·2 upvotes ·2023-02-26

“I got 80k (rotating every 10k) out of Coopers on my 2010 and have 40k on current 2019 SL ... Discoverer AT3 LT ... they are designed for heavier trucks... excellent noise, excellent in water. I got stuck in a grass field in the factory HT hancocks... same field few years later with coopers.. no issues.. never tried in snow but imagine they would do well...”
hdrams.com ·1 upvote ·2026-01-17

“I ran a set of 295/70r18 Discoverer AT3 LT’s for about 25k miles. I had seen lots of negative reviews but figured that I would be OK with them for my needs ( I drive in snow 4 - 5 times per year). Initially I was happy with the tires as they performed well in the snow and the rain but after 10k miles they developed a balance issue and started to wear irregularly. I had never experienced anything like it before. I actually purchased new shocks but never installed them. As I drive a lot of miles I just never had any time to deal with chasing the vibration / balance issue and just replaced the tires with Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent. I now have about 20k miles on the Bridgestone’s and they are still ride very smooth and are wearing great.”
wanderthewest.com ·2020-07-08

“I have the Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT tires on my 2010 Tundra with Hawk. They are E series tires. Found this link that discusses the differences between the LT and XLT. Really like my LT's. The increased tire mileage would probably be a good thing of the price difference isn't too great. Paul”
Top themes
#Wet traction performance#Treadwear and longevity#Heavy load handling#Balancing and vibration#Snow traction capability

Based on 5 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx B · Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT
CategoryAll SeasonAll-Terrain tire
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available3014
Rim diameters16″ – 20″16″ – 18″
Tread depth19/32″16 - 17/32″
Treadwear warranty—60,000 mi
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White LetteringBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering
Max pressure35 - 80 psi50 - 80 psi
Sizes in common1111

Which one should you actually buy?

Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT

Winner: Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT — better handling, comfort and noise. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT scores 71 vs 52 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT scores 73 vs 59 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want a quieter cabin

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT scores 72 vs 59 on noise.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT scores 80 vs 71 on dry.

Tire A · Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx
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Tire B · Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT
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Discoverer S/T Maxx or Discoverer AT3 LT?

Which is better in the wet, Discoverer S/T Maxx or Discoverer AT3 LT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT, 81 vs 72 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Discoverer S/T Maxx or Discoverer AT3 LT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT, 80 vs 71 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Discoverer S/T Maxx or Discoverer AT3 LT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT, 74 vs 69 on our snow score.

Which is quieter, Discoverer S/T Maxx or Discoverer AT3 LT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT, 72 vs 59 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, Discoverer S/T Maxx or Discoverer AT3 LT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT, 73 vs 59 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Discoverer S/T Maxx or Discoverer AT3 LT?

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT, 74 vs 66 on our treadwear score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology