First impressions: Kumho Road Venture AT52s

After a few good years on the Kumho Road Venture AT51s, it felt like the right time to level up. My 105 Series LandCruiser has been a trusty old workhorse for a while now, mainly pulling fire trail duty, the odd beach run, and a few good camping trips a year. The AT51s were perfect for that sort of life, good on fuel, not too noisy, and just aggressive enough off-road to get the job done without drama.

But times change. A few more camping mods, a bit more weight on board, and the big girl was starting to sit a little lower and feel a little heavier. With a Fraser Island trip on the cards, and the original tyres getting down towards their last legs, it was the perfect excuse to not just step up a size, but step into Kumho’s next-gen offering: the Road Venture AT52.

I rolled into Katoomba Tyre Service to get a fresh set bolted on and straight away, there were a few things that stood out.

First drive: Quieter, grippier, and more planted

The most obvious improvement? Noise. Or lack of it. The AT51s were already pretty civilised for an all-terrain, but the AT52s take it a notch further. Rolling out of the shop and heading down the highway, the first thing I noticed was just how quiet and smooth they were, especially for something that still looks tough enough to belong on a proper 4X4.

Grip was the next surprise. The 105 isn’t exactly a featherweight, and with the rooftop tent, a big camping setup, and general ‘Cruiser-life clutter, it tends to get a bit floaty through fast bends. Especially in the wet. But straight away, the AT52s gave it a much more planted feel. There are obviously a few factors at play there (I did bump up a size in diameter and width), but even taking that into account, the way the tyres held on through corners, particularly on damp blacktop, was a big confidence boost.

Off-road, the early signs have been just as promising. I’ve punted them through a few local rutted fire trails and some fast-flowing fire trails, and they’ve been everything you’d hope for. The tread blocks self-clean nicely when things get sticky, the side-biters dig in when the ruts get a little deeper, and the sidewalls feel tough enough to cop a bit of abuse without flinching.

It’s worth pointing out, though, this isn’t a full review. It’s early days yet, just a couple of weeks into running them. I’ve got a K’gari trip coming up where I’ll be racking up some proper kilometres and putting them through their paces on a couple hundred kays of beach and whatever else K’gari throws my way. So we’ll revisit this once they’ve had a real flogging.

The tech behind the tyre

Kumho has put some serious work into the new AT52, and a lot of the improvements show up in real-world driving. Here’s the quick lowdown on what’s going on under the tread:

• Enhanced traction tread design with deeper lateral grooves and heaps of high-density siping for better wet weather grip and off-road clawing.
• Extreme side-biters that have double the depth compared to the old model, offering more sidewall protection and better shoulder traction.
• Wear-resistant compound using a complex carbon black blend, which Kumho reckons improves tread life by up to 20% over the AT51, while resisting cuts, chips and irregular wear.

It’s also carrying a Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating (3PMSF), meaning it’s certified for severe snow conditions. Not exactly critical for K’gari I admit, but handy if you’re planning some Vic High Country adventures or just want a tyre that’s not going to leave you wanting.

Where they fit (and where they don’t)

Let’s be clear the Kumho AT52 is still very much an all-terrain. If your 4X4 has a coffee machine stashed in the back and you’re chasing comfort, decent on-road manners, and enough off-road grunt to get you through beaches, fire trails, snow, and the odd muddy track, then these are absolutely a tyre you should be considering.

But if you’re the sort of operator who’s eyeing off chromoly suspension arms, gearing up for rock crawling weekends, and happy to sacrifice a bit of highway refinement for maximum low-pressure grip, then you’ll want something more aggressive. Horses for courses.

Early verdict

First impressions? Bloody good. The Kumho Road Venture AT52 feels like a solid evolution of the old AT51. Quieter, grippier, and more confidence-inspiring both on the road and off it.

They seem like a smart pick for the touring crowd, the family campers, the beachgoers, and anyone chasing a tyre that doesn’t beat you up on the highway just to get a bit of extra bite off-road. The real test will come after a few thousand kays, a heavy load or two, and a few sandy, salty adventures and we’ll report back once K’gari has had its say.

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