Radar Renegade-X Wins Car and Driver's Mud-Terrain Slot, Now in 34 Sizes

Most tires start small and stay that way. The Radar Renegade-X launched in 2023 with eight sizes and now comes in 34. That's more than four times the lineup, and Radar credits dealer demand for the growth.

Now the tire has some press to go with it. Radar says Car and Driver picked the Renegade-X as its off-road mud-terrain tire in the roundup 'Best Truck Tires, According to Experts,' published Sept. 10.

The three-tire podium

The guide named three tires, one per job. According to Radar, the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 took the highway pick, and the Vredestein Pinza A/T got the nod for on-road all-terrain use. The Renegade-X landed the mud-terrain slot for off-road driving. Radar says the roundup was developed with input from the tire information and testing group at Tire Rack.

Worth noting: the news comes from Radar, so this is the company's account of the pick. Read the original guide if you want Car and Driver's own reasoning.

What's on the tire

Radar designed the Renegade-X for pickups, Jeeps, SUVs and purpose-built off-road vehicles. Here's what the company lists:

• High-void tread: that means lots of open space between the lugs. Radar says it works with a rock crawl compound to bring traction on rock, mud and loose terrain.
• Sidewall lugs and stone bumpers: meant to resist trail damage.
• Steel belts with nylon reinforcement: Radar says they support high-speed stability.
• Rim protectors and high-turn-up 3-ply sidewalls: on every size. The rim protector is the ridge of rubber that stands guard over your wheel.

Sizes, ratings and a fancy pedigree

The 34 sizes span 15- to 26-inch rim diameters, so it covers a wide range of wheel setups. Most of the 17- to 26-inch sizes come in load ranges E and F, which are tire strength ratings, with 21/32-inch tread depth.

Radar introduced the Renegade-X in 2023 as the top of its extreme-terrain range. It was developed with Italian design house GFG Style. That's a lot of design pedigree for something whose job is to get covered in mud.

Rob Montasser, Radar's vice president of sales, said the pick backs up what dealers and users have reported about the tire's value. The Renegade-X is sold through Radar's authorized distributor network. The source gives no pricing, so you'll need to check with a distributor.

Why you might care

If you're shopping for mud-terrains, the size count is the practical part. A 34-size lineup across 15- to 26-inch rims raises the odds that your rig's wheel diameter is covered, whether you're running a small-wheel build or a big-rim truck. The uniform sidewall and rim protection across every size also means you aren't trading armor for fitment.

As with any roundup pick, treat it as one data point. Check the load range, tread depth and size you need against what your rig actually does, then talk to a distributor.

Eight sizes to 34 in a couple of years is a big jump for a mud tire. Now it has a trophy to go with all that rubber.

Source: Tire Review Magazine. Photo by Obi on Unsplash.