Kenda Highlights PLT Lineup, Reinforces Strategy

American Kenda Rubber Industrial Co. Ltd. recently highlighted its latest passenger, light truck and off-road tire lines at the 2026 SEMA Show.
Nov. 10, 2026
3 min read
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Key Highlights

  • Kenda is positioning its Klever portfolio around enthusiast drivers, aiming to extend that appeal to broader consumer markets.
  • The Klever A/T Trail sits between traditional all-terrain and highway-terrain tires and is designed for light trucks, CUVs and SUVs.
  • The Klever A/T2 targets value-conscious SUV, light truck and 4x4 drivers, while the Klever M/T2 expands Kenda’s mud-terrain offering.
  • Kenda’s Slate Auto partnership includes an original-equipment Klever S/T EV tire and about five accessory tire options.
MTD
Brandon Stotsenberg (pictured), vice president of automotive, said Kenda continues to focus on serving the enthusiast market while expanding its product portfolio for everyday drivers.

Brandon Stotsenberg (pictured), vice president of automotive, said Kenda continues to focus on serving the enthusiast market while expanding its product portfolio for everyday drivers.

American Kenda Rubber Industrial Co. Ltd. recently highlighted its latest passenger, light truck and off-road tire lines at the 2026 SEMA Show.

Focusing on enhanced brand presence of its Klever portfolio, the company displayed a variety of tires to reinforce its position as a performance-driven player that values both original equipment and replacement tire investments.

Ryan Lewis, the company’s marketing manager, said that while Kenda covers a broad range of tires for cars and trucks, bicycles, power sports, lawn and garden and other applications, its core audience is enthusiasts.

“We can maximize our resources if we lean enthusiast,” said Lewis. “We’re focusing on that segment and letting that filter down to the broader consumer.”

Kenda recently expanded sizes of the Klever A/T Trail, now offered in about 35 total sizes. The tire “is between a traditional A/T and an H/T,” according to Brandon Stotsenberg, vice president of automotive.

Positioned as an “all-terrain, four-season solution for light trucks, CUVs and SUVs,” the A/T Trail provides “rugged off-road capability, refined on-road performance and certified winter traction,” according to officials.

MTD
Kenda’s continued investment in the A/T segment is fueled by growing customer demands, including ride noise, enhanced comfort and increased durability performance.

Kenda’s continued investment in the A/T segment is fueled by growing customer demands, including ride noise, enhanced comfort and increased durability performance.


 

The company also highlighted the Klever A/T2, a “50/50 on and off-road tire” that is available in over 50 sizes. A product specifically for “value-conscious SUV, light truck and 4x4 drivers,” the tire is engineered to deliver all-terrain performance, all-weather capability and added durability.

Kenda’s continued investment in the A/T segment is fueled by growing customer demands, including ride noise, enhanced comfort and increased durability performance.

“Consumers are seeking tires that perform very well in winter conditions and wet conditions, so Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification across a broader range of sizes is key,” said Stotsenberg.

While focusing on core manufacturing enhancements of its tires, the company proves the on and off-road performance of its products through various racing activations “from podium to pavement.”

The tiremaker also displayed the Klever M/T2, a traditional mud-terrain tire that accelerates the company’s investment in the growing mud-terrain category.

MTD
The tiremaker also displayed the Klever M/T2, a traditional mud-terrain tire that accelerates the company’s investment in the growing mud-terrain category.

The tiremaker also displayed the Klever M/T2, a traditional mud-terrain tire that accelerates the company’s investment in the growing mud-terrain category.


 

Company officials said the Klever name has earned a broader recognition from the Klever R/T, and the company is focusing on the light truck segment for this product. Moving forward, Stotsenberg said they may develop an R/T tire with metric sizes as consumers continue to value “premium performance and price” along with tire “aesthetics.”

In a new partnership, Kenda recently announced it will supply the Klever S/T EV tire as original equipment for Slate Auto's new electric pickup truck, a customizable vehicle that will begin production this month. 

Kenda's Klever S/T has been “developed specifically to meet the unique performance, efficiency and durability requirements of Slate’s highly anticipated electric vehicle,” according to Kenda officials. 

The company will also supply about five “accessory tires” for the Slate vehicle, allowing customers to tailor the vehicle to their desired performance uses. The vehicle can also be customized into a work truck, an SUV or a standard truck.

While the company manufactures the majority of its tires for the U.S. market at its production facility in Vietnam, Kenda officials said the company is working hard to maintain the quality of its products while adapting to fluctuating market conditions, such as tariffs.

The tiremaker also concentrates its design, development and testing efforts for a variety of products at the Kenda American Technical Center in North Canton, Ohio.

“We’ve worked very hard with our engineering team and Slate’s chassis team on this new project,” said Stotsenberg. “It’s been a collaborative engineering process for this vehicle, and we’re excited for it to come out.”

About the Author

Aden Graves

Aden Graves

Associate editor

Aden Graves is MTD's associate editor. A graduate of Kent State (Ohio) University's award-winning School of Media and Journalism, Graves holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and another bachelor's degree in communication studies.

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