There are a LOT of light trucks and SUVs on the road these days, as they’ve taken over as vehicles for families that might have been driving minivans, sedans or station wagons 30 years ago. Since trucks and SUVs have become such a dominant part of the automotive market, there are plenty of options for all-season tires for these vehicles, at all kinds of price points.

When it comes to affordable all-season tires for light trucks and SUVs, the Mastercraft Stratus HT presents a great value. It’s a tire that’s designed for capable highway performance, year-round traction, and long wear, and is loaded with features that make it a tire that punches far above its weight class, considering price.

But that’s not just us talking – let’s take a closer look with this Mastercraft Stratus HT review.

Features and Benefits

Here are a few of the design features that make the Mastercraft Stratus HT such a strong performer:

• Symmetric, all-season tread pattern is designed for confident, dependable traction in wet or dry weather
• Wide circumferential grooves channel standing water away from the tire’s contact patch to avoid tendency to hydroplane in wet weather
• Solid center rib improves straight-line stability on the highway, road manners, and steering response
• Angled and lateral grooves work with circumferential grooves to divert water and boost wet-weather grip
• Dense network of sipes provide hundreds of extra biting edges that boost contact with the road and dig in for wet-weather traction
• Advanced tread formulation is designed for durability and long, even wear
• Tread grooves are designed to minimize airflow between tread blocks, decreasing road noise
• Tread pitch is computer tuned and randomized to cancel frequencies and keep road noise low
• Backed by a 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty
• M+S rated by tire industry for mud/snow traction

Pros and Cons

So, is this the right tire for your ride and budget? Before you decide, let’s take a look at some of the tire’s strengths and weaknesses:

PROS:

• Quiet, forgiving ride
• Generous tread life warranty
• Handling is consistent and predictable

CONS:

• Should not be used in moderate to severe winter weather conditions
• Not meant for extended off-road driving
• Can be more expensive than some competitor’s tires

SimpleTire’s view on Mastercraft Stratus HT tires

There are so many choices for light truck all-season tires at this price range, but we really feel that the Mastercraft Stratus HT is just a great all-around value for this kind of tire. If you aren’t familiar with Mastercraft, they’re a sub-brand of Cooper Tires (now under the Goodyear umbrella), one of the most trusted names in American tire makers for decades. The Stratus HT delivers refined ride quality and surprisingly low noise on most pavement surfaces, along with handling and cornering that, while they might not be stellar, are predictable and consistent. It’s a tire that’s durable enough for hauling and towing, and that’s backed by Mastercraft’s 50,000 mile treadwear coverage.

No, the Mastercraft Stratus HT doesn’t perform well in deeper snow – but most all-season tires don’t, to be real honest. It is certified with the M+S rating for mud/snow traction, though, meaning that you’ll do fine with this tire when there’s an inch or two of the white stuff on the roads.

All in all, we at SimpleTire feel that the Mastercraft Stratus HT is a tire that’s going to do right by you in the long run and you won’t regret it.

Vehicles the Mastercraft Stratus HT is a good replacement tire for

While not used as original equipment, the Mastercraft Stratus HT is a good replacement tire for CUVs, SUVs, and light trucks like the:

• Chevrolet Suburban
• Dodge Durango
• Ford Maverick
• GMC Yukon
• Honda Pilot
• Hyundai Veracruz
• Kia Telluride
• Jeep Gladiator
• Nissan Titan
• RAM 1500
• Toyota 4Runner
• Volkswagen Tiguan