Best For
- Crossovers and SUVs that mix pavement with light gravel or snow
- Family hauling with enough sidewall for driveway and washboard comfort
- Owners who want versatile all-season or touring coverage in this size
SUV / Crossover
235/55R18 Tire Size
Overall Diameter
28.18in
Affects ride height, gearing, and speedometer accuracy.
Section Width
9.25in
Affects traction footprint and steering effort.
Sidewall Height
5.09in
Influences ride comfort and off-road compliance.
Circumference
88.52in
Determines distance traveled per wheel revolution.
Revs Per Mile
716
Used for speedometer and gearing calculations.
Wheel Diameter
18in
Determines wheel compatibility and fitment.
235/55R18 sits in the crossover/SUV band: enough sidewall for daily comfort with more footprint than compact passenger sizes. Roughly 28.2" overall on an 18-inch wheel (~5.1" sidewall) suits mixed pavement, light gravel, and family hauling. Products indexed for this size include all-terrain, highway-terrain, performance, and winter options depending on actual coverage. Load range still varies by model — match placard requirements before towing or carrying heavy loads.
- Strong fit for crossovers and SUVs that mix pavement with light gravel or seasonal snow.
- Indexed products include 5 brands and 39 full-spec rows.
- Tradeoffs may include ride comfort, steering weight, clearance, speedometer change, or fuel economy depending on the jump from stock.
At a Glance
Nominal dimensions calculated from the 235/55R18 size code (235/55R18). Load range and speed rating come from indexed manufacturer products when available. Our OEM database records this size across 5 vehicle models and 15 factory configurations from model years 2009, 2015–2016, 2018–2026.
Rim Diameter Calculated
18"
Section Width Calculated
235 mm
Aspect Ratio Calculated
55%
Load Range Manufacturer
SL, XL
Speed Rating Manufacturer
H, T, V
Construction Standard
Radial
Applicable Tire Categories
Based on this size’s editorial category and exact-size product metadata. A size may support several uses without every product in the size belonging to every category.
Consider Another Size If
- You want a dedicated off-road tire package or taller flotation size
- Maximum fuel economy and the quietest highway commute matter most
- You need sharp low-profile performance handling
Real-World Impact
- Balanced ride height and everyday versatility
- Modest clearance gain vs smaller passenger sizes
- Heavier than compact-car tires; watch load range for towing
Verified Vehicle Examples
Documented OE or commonly associated platforms for 235/55R18.
-
Dodge
Challenger
SXT
2023
-
Kia
Sportage
EX
2015–2016
-
Saturn
VUE
Red Line
2009
-
Tesla
Model Y
All variants where equipped
2025–2026
-
Volkswagen
Tiguan
SE
2018–2024
-
Kia
Sportage
SX
2015–2016
Documented fitment mappings for research. Vehicle clearance depends on trim, wheel offset, suspension height, and tire model — confirm fitment before buying.
Real Tires Available in This Size
Indexed manufacturer models confirmed in exact size 235/55R18
Manufacturer-provided product/spec data from Michelin, Goodyear, BFGoodrich, Toyo, and Falken where available.
Touring
Advantage Control
235/55R18 · 100H
Touring
Celsius II
235/55R18 · 100V · Load Range SL
Touring
Extensa A/S II
235/55R18 · 100H · Load Range SL
Touring
Aklimate
235/55R18 · 100V · Load Range SL
Touring
Sincera SN250 A/S
235/55R18 · 100V · Load Range SL
Touring
Assurance Comfortdrive
235/55R18 · 100V · Load Range SL
Best Options by Use Case
All-Terrain
Best first stop for mixed daily driving, gravel, trails, and overland use.
Top pick
Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail
Highway / Touring
Better for road noise, towing stability, and long highway mileage.
Top pick
Michelin Primacy MXM4
Other options
- Michelin Latitude Sport 3
Performance
For sharper steering response, higher-speed ratings, and sportier road feel.
Top pick
Michelin Latitude Sport 3
Other options
- Goodyear Eagle Rs-A®
- Goodyear Eagle® F1 Asymmetric 6
Winter
Use dedicated winter tires when snow and ice grip matter more than tread toughness.
Top pick
Goodyear Ultra Grip® Performance + Suv
Other options
- Goodyear Ultra Grip® Performance Gen-1
- Goodyear Wintercommand®
Product Spec Comparison
Compare tread depth, weight, max load, pressure, and revs per mile for full-spec 235/55R18 products.
FAQ
Is 235/55R18 good for SUV and crossover use?
235/55R18 works well for SUV and crossover use when you need a bit more footprint than a compact passenger tire without jumping to a tall truck flotation size. Overall diameter is about 28.18" with ~5.09" of sidewall on an 18-inch wheel. Confirm load range if you tow or haul regularly.
What vehicles use 235/55R18 tires?
235/55R18 is commonly seen on or upgraded to by owners of trucks, SUVs, and crossover platforms that can clear this diameter. Exact factory fitment depends on trim, wheel offset, and suspension height — confirm clearance and load requirements before treating it as a direct replacement.
What load ranges are available?
Indexed products for 235/55R18 include load ranges such as XL and SL, depending on brand and model. Load capacity still comes from the load index and inflation table on the specific tire — not the size code alone. Match the load range to your GVWR and intended payload or towing use.
Which brands make 235/55R18 tires?
Indexed master-database coverage for 235/55R18 includes BFGoodrich, Toyo, Falken, Goodyear, and Michelin. Availability still varies by load range, tread type, and season — check the product cards and full-spec table on this page for models currently listed.
How does 235/55R18 compare to 235/60R18?
235/55R18 measures about 28.18" overall versus 29.10" for 235/60R18 (-0.9" / -3.2%). The shorter size usually trims rotational mass and can raise the speedometer reading relative to actual speed, with less ground clearance. Always check fender clearance and load rating before switching.
What is the load capacity of 235/55R18?
Load capacity depends on the exact tire, load index, and inflation pressure — not the size code alone. Check the manufacturer load table and your vehicle placard when setting pressure or carrying heavy loads. If multiple load ranges exist for this size, choose the one that meets or exceeds the placard requirement.
Formula & Methodology
Every dimension on this site is computed in code from the tire size label — we do not scrape or hand-copy manufacturer spec sheets for overall diameter or circumference.
- Parse the size label. Metric sizes (e.g. 275/70R18, LT265/75R16) and flotation sizes (e.g. 33x12.50R15) are parsed into section width, aspect ratio, construction type, and bead-seat wheel diameter.
- Derive nominal dimensions. Sidewall height = section width × aspect ratio ÷ 100. Overall diameter = wheel diameter + 2 × sidewall height. Rolling circumference = π × overall diameter. Revs per mile = 63,360 ÷ circumference (inches per mile). Revs per km uses the same circumference converted to millimetres.
- Compare two sizes. Diameter, width, sidewall, and circumference deltas are signed differences between parsed specs. Speedometer error assumes the cluster is calibrated to the reference tire: true speed = indicated speed × (new diameter ÷ reference diameter). Static ground clearance change uses half the overall-diameter delta at each axle.
Rim diameter shown on this page is always 18" — the bead-seat diameter encoded in 235/55R18.
Safety & Fitment Limitations
- Calculated dimensions are nominal planning baselines from the size code — mounted tires can differ with tread depth, inflation, rim width, and production tolerance.
- Always confirm 235/55R18 against the door placard or owner’s manual, including load index, load range, and speed rating for your vehicle.
- Changing diameter affects speedometer accuracy, gearing feel, ABS/traction calibration, and clearance at fenders, control arms, and the spare well.
- Vehicle examples and product cards are not a guarantee of fitment. Verify wheel diameter (18"), offset, and suspension setup before buying.
Sources & Review
Dimensions are calculated from the tire size label; product rows and fitment mappings come from documented manufacturer and OE sources where available.
- Curated tire-size dataset. Production tire labels, vehicle categories, and optional load/speed ratings maintained in our internal catalog. Only field-valid sizes that round-trip through the parser are published.
- ISO / ETRTO service-description tables. Load index → maximum load (kg) and speed rating symbol → maximum sustained speed (km/h) mappings embedded in our rating resolver, aligned with widely published ETRTO reference values.
- Nominal tire geometry formulas. Overall diameter, sidewall, circumference, and revolutions per mile are calculated from the size code using standard metric and flotation geometric relationships — the same relationships used across the tire industry for nominal sizing.
- Documented OE fitment mappings. Vehicle make, model, trim, and year-range associations linked to specific tire sizes in our fitment data. These are representative applications for research — always confirm against your door placard.
Next step: compare 235/55R18 before changing tire sizes
Compare 235/55R18 against nearby sizes like 235/60R18, 225/65R17, 245/60R18 to check diameter change, speedometer impact, clearance, and fitment tradeoffs.