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Achilles Desert Hawk XM/T

The Achilles Desert Hawk XMT is a All Terrain and Off Road All Season tyre designed to be fitted to SUV and 4x4s.

5.9
Tyre Reviews Score Based on User Reviews
Limited Confidence View Breakdown
Dry Grip
71%
Wet Grip
42%
Road Feedback
55%
Handling
54%
Wear
61%
Comfort
66%
Buy again
54%
Snow Grip
50%
Ice Grip
40%
15 Reviews
55% Average
196,920 miles driven
1 Tests (avg: 3rd)
Achilles Desert Hawk XMT

Achilles Desert Hawk XMT

All Season Economy
BETA
5.9 / 10
Based on User Reviews · Limited Confidence · Updated 23 Feb 2026

The Tyre Reviews Score is the most comprehensive tyre scoring system available. It aggregates professional test data from multiple independent publications, user reviews, and consistency analysis using Bayesian statistical methods, weighted normalisation, and recency-adjusted scoring to produce a single, reliable performance rating.

Learn more about our methodology
Score Components
Professional Tests
Weight: 80%
Tests: 1
Publications: 1
Period: 2016
User Reviews
Weight: 15%
Reviews: 15
Avg Rating: 54.8%
Min Required: 5
Consistency
Weight: 5%
Score Std Dev: 2.36
History Points: 10
Methodology & Configuration
Scoring Process
  1. Collect Test Data: Gather results from professional tyre tests across multiple publications. Minimum 1 test(s) required.
  2. Normalize Positions: Convert test positions to percentile scores using exponential weighting (factor: 1.2).
  3. Apply Recency Weighting: More recent tests are weighted higher with a decay rate of 0.95.
  4. Incorporate User Reviews: Factor in user review data (minimum 5 reviews). Weight: 15%.
  5. Bayesian Smoothing: Apply Bayesian prior (score: 7, weight: 1.5) to prevent extreme scores with limited data.
  6. Calculate Final Score: Combine all components using normalization factor of 1.1. Max score with limited data: 9.5.
Component Weights
Test Data
80%
User Reviews
15%
Consistency
5%
All Configuration Parameters
ParameterValueDescription
safety_weight 0.7 Weight multiplier for safety-related metrics
performance_weight 0.55 Weight multiplier for performance metrics
comfort_weight 0.4 Weight multiplier for comfort metrics
value_weight 0.45 Weight multiplier for value-for-money metrics
user_reviews_weight 0.15 How much user reviews contribute to the final score
test_data_weight 0.8 How much professional test data contributes to the final score
consistency_weight 0.05 How much score consistency contributes to the final score
recency_decay_rate 0.95 Rate at which older test results lose influence (higher = slower decay)
min_test_count 1 Minimum number of professional tests required
min_review_count 5 Minimum number of user reviews required
score_version 1.9 Current version of the scoring algorithm
score_normalization_factor 1.1 Factor used to normalize raw scores to the 0-10 scale
confidence_factor_weight 0.2 How much data confidence affects the final score
position_penalty_weight 0.2 Penalty applied for poor test positions
gap_penalty_threshold 12 Score gap (%) that triggers additional penalties
min_metrics_count 2 Minimum number of test metrics needed per test
limited_data_threshold 2 Number of tests below which data is considered limited
single_test_penalty 0.75 Score multiplier when only one test is available
critical_metric_penalty 0.7 Penalty for poor performance on critical safety metrics
critical_metric_threshold 70 Score below which a critical metric penalty applies
position_exponential_factor 1.2 Exponent used to amplify position-based scoring
position_exponential_threshold 0.9 Position percentile below which exponential scoring applies
gap_multiplier_critical 3 Multiplier for critical gap penalties
max_category_weight 2 Maximum weight any single category can have
max_score_limited_data 9.5 Score cap when data is limited
bayesian_prior_weight 1.5 Weight of the Bayesian prior in smoothing
bayesian_prior_score 7 Prior score used for Bayesian smoothing
evidence_test_multiplier 1.9 Multiplier for test evidence in confidence calculation
evidence_metric_divisor 3 Divisor for metric count in evidence calculation
evidence_review_divisor 10 Divisor for review count in evidence calculation
combined_penalty_floor 0.2
Data Sources
TestPublicationDateSizePositionMetrics
2016 All Terrain and Off Road MT Tyre Test Drive Out 2016 265/75 R16 3/10 0 metrics
1
Tests
3rd
Average
3rd
Best
3rd
Worst
Latest Tyre Test Results
Although Achilles - a budget brand, the ability of these tyres on the roads is impressive, especially considering the price. Achilles is not very stable behavior on the roads, but firm sidewall eventually allowed them to enter the top three.

Questions and Answers for the Achilles Desert Hawk XMT

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September 1, 2017

What pressure do these run at? (265-75-R16) 10 ply laid E

The tyre pressure for the Achilles Desert Hawk XMT is vehicle and load specific. The correct tyre pressure for your vehicle can usually be found on a sticker in the door shut of the driver's door, or in the manufacturer's handbook.
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Top 3 Achilles Desert Hawk XMT Reviews

Given 51% while driving a Nissan Navara D23 2,3TDI 190HP (265/50 R20) on mostly town for 30,000 spirited miles
Last for ages! Had for 2 years have been really dangerous in wet weather even light rain, towing a 1ton trailer in slight rain, vehicle slips. Whenever it is raining I have to put the truck in 4 wheel drive. Reaplcing due to this, still heaps of tread left. Off road though tyres are second to none
March 19, 2023
Given 28% while driving a Vauxhall Astra GTC (245/40 R20) on a combination of roads for 4,000 average miles
Horrible tyre all round, would not recommend anyone buy
March 30, 2023
Given 62% while driving a Jeep XJ Cherokee (315/75 R15) on mostly country roads for 25,000 spirited miles
Make no mistake, these are not the best daily-driver tires. The large lugs are good for deep snow, mud, rocks, soft dirt, but with no siping makes them poor for packed road snow and wet traction. These get me from home to off-road location and back, but I change the way I drive when on the highway. If you know what you are buying, and are honest with how they will be used, these are great tires for the cost. My 2000 Jeep XJ goes the same places as guys running 37s and 38s, and they have out lasted much more expensive tires, running the same off-road areas.
March 7, 2023

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Latest Achilles Desert Hawk XMT Reviews

Given 21% while driving a Holden Colorado Utility (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 17,400 average miles
Had these for 28,000km and I can only say they are offroad ONLY. On the blacktop they are very noisy and the grip is poor at best. After 28kkm they are at about 30% tread so that means only around 40kkm total life. They get noisier as they wear. Offroad they are good. Sand, mud & rock seem to be quite ok.
March 16, 2020
Isuzu (265/50 R20 Q) on mostly motorways for 500 spirited miles
I have just recently purchased an Isuzu D-Max 4 x 4 with these Dessert Hawks fitted, driving in the rain I had to make a sudden maneuver to avoid a collision and the entire back of the ute fish tailed, immediately I decided to replace them for road tyres. New Zealand is always wet
September 25, 2019
Check out how the BEST all seasons tyres perform against premium summer and winter tyres!
Given 81% while driving a Toyota hilux (265/75 R15) on mostly town for 25,000 average miles
I've been running a set of these in 31/10.5/R15 for the last year and the only complaint I have is they are shocking on wet bitumen like the slightest turn of the wheel and you are sliding about. In saying themat tho after about 30 minutes of driving the tyres handle slightly better in the rain. I've been through bug holes without a problem. I've snatched mates up hills you can't walk up on foot. The amount of grip these tyres have is unbelievable, you add that with the self cleaning and they are unstoppable. I'll defin buy them again. I've done 25,000 ks on them and still have around 50% tired left on them. I would have more but let's just say they wear a lot when spinning the wheels on bitumen.
November 29, 2018
Given 33% while driving a Nissan Navara 3.0L V6 (265/65 R17) on mostly country roads for 15,000 spirited miles
I had a set of xmts on my stx450 navara and they were deadly with he slightest hint of rain on the road, they lasted me 20,000km before they came off my Ute because they were getting worse and worse and knobs had started coming off after 15,000km
I puke never buy these again and I urge people for their own safety to steer clear
April 26, 2018
Given 30% while driving a Toyota hilux (225/45 R17) on mostly country roads for 3,000 spirited miles
These tires literally fall apart when put into any situation that you would need mud tires. Fast gravel grip is ok.
March 21, 2018
Given 96% while driving a Ford F 150 (235/65 R15) on a combination of roads for 3,000 average miles
I've had these on my truck now for a year. They are great tyres! Very good traction in the mud, self cleaning works well. They ride smooth with little noise, good handling on wet or dry pavement. Show little signs of wear. I would purchase them again.
June 23, 2017
Given 100% while driving a Toyota FJ Cruiser (305/70 R17) on a combination of roads for 20 spirited miles
If you need a tire to take you anywhere your vehicle is capable of going, this is the tire that will get you there. I've driven thousands of miles on the open road across terrain from rough pot-holed city streets to mud, sand, gravel, snow and 12000 feet above sea level crossing the Rocky Mountains and exploring desolate regions of Southern Utah in winter, at times making my own road. I would have have trusted my life to these tires when help would either have taken days to reach me or not at all. I rarely run a set of mud terrain type tires more than a couple of years (averaging 15,000 miles/year) and when it's time for my next set I will be reordering these. I only wish the raised black letter outlines came in white so I wouldn't have to paint them myself.
December 3, 2016
Given 61% while driving a Jeep Wrangler 4.0 (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 4,000 average miles
Tires are a good value for the money. I have about 4000 miles on them, no sign of wear yet. Tires size 31-10.50 r 15, are on 97 Jeep Wrangler, no lift, fairly stock setup, 4cylinder 5 gear. For an aggressive mud tire, they are surprisingly quiet on highway, with reasonable handling manners at 50- 60 mph. As good as any Goodyears or BFGoodrich I've had in past.
Good grip in dirt / gravel, seem to clear ok in moderate mud. Looking forward to seeing how they run in snow soon; I live in northern New England.
October 9, 2016
Given 81% while driving a Ford Ranger (265/70 R15) on mostly country roads for 45,000 average miles
I had these tyres on my fully loaded work vehicle. I do a lot of miles on the highway and when I get to the work site I do a lot of driving off road, mostly in mud.

These tyres handled very well in all conditions. Grip is fine in the dry, never had any problems.

Tyres were excellent on wet roads and really seem to disperse water - you can see jets of water being thrown out the side as it drives along. Never had any problems with traction in the wet.

They work very well off road. Driven slowly in mud they manage to grip the surface without breaking it. So forward traction is maintained and the wheels did not bog in or sink. When full of mud they cleaned themselves very quickly.

They are noisy on the highway.

I frequently drive over stakes and nails on work sites but had no problems with punctures.

The thing I liked most was the fantastic life of the tyres. I got over 45,000 miles (70,000km) out of them in some very hard conditions. When I replaced them they still had some good useable tread left.

Yes - I replaced them with another new set of Achilles X-MT. I have had a few brands and these have been the best so far. I even managed to sell my old set for a decent amount of money because they still weren't worn out!
July 17, 2016
Given 38% while driving a Toyota hilux (265/65 R17) on mostly country roads for 25,000 spirited miles
Not bad wear. Good off road traction and good in the dry but very scary in the wet. I've had the back end step out on me around corners too many times. Even pulling out to overtake in the wet can end up with me just spinning the rears. Even in a gutless old hilux. I'm looking for another tyre now
April 28, 2016
Given 29% while driving a Nissan (225/45 R17) on mostly motorways for 0 average miles
Brought a set of 20" Achilles xmt mud tyres they were down right dangerous on the road in the wet.The car would fish tail if I turned the steering wheel side to side

July 14, 2015
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