What the tyre needs
| Common sizes | 225/65 R17, 235/55 R19, 265/65 R17, 265/60 R18, 265/55 R20, 275/60 R20, 285/45 R22 |
|---|---|
| Cold pressure | 32–38 psi |
| Load and speed | Compact SUVs typically need a load index of 100–104 with H or V rating. Large SUVs such as the Land Cruiser, Patrol and LX need 110–116, often with S, T or H rating on H/T and A/T tyres. Many European SUVs specify XL tyres. Never go below the placard load index on a heavy SUV. |
| Replace every | Most SUV tyres last 35,000–55,000 km in the UAE. Heavy SUVs wear tyres faster, especially if pressures are allowed to drop. Replace at about five years regardless of tread, and check the spare as well. |
| Price per tyre | AED 350 – AED 1,400 |
Recommended tyre types
- Highway-terrain (H/T) tyres for mainly tarmac driving
- SUV touring tyres for compact and crossover SUVs
- All-terrain (A/T) tyres for regular sand and gravel tracks
- Performance SUV tyres for Range Rover Sport, Porsche Cayenne and similar
Cars in this class
Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado, Toyota RAV4, Toyota Fortuner, Nissan Patrol, Nissan X-Trail, Lexus LX, Mitsubishi Pajero, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sportage, Range Rover, Haval H6
Why SUVs need different tyres from cars
An SUV needs tyres built for weight and height. A Land Cruiser or Patrol weighs 2.6–2.8 tonnes before passengers, roughly double a Corolla, and its higher centre of gravity puts more load on the outside tyres in corners and roundabouts.
That is why SUV tyres carry load indexes of 100–116 rather than the 88–98 typical on sedans, and why SUV-specific patterns use stiffer sidewalls. A passenger car tyre in the right size but the wrong load index will flex too much, overheat and wear the shoulders, which is a real failure risk in a UAE summer.
Common SUV tyre sizes in the UAE
Compact and mid-size SUVs such as the RAV4, X-Trail, Sportage, Tucson and Haval H6 use 225/65 R17, 225/60 R18 or 235/55 R19. These sizes are widely stocked and comparatively affordable.
Large body-on-frame SUVs use bigger sizes. The Prado runs 265/65 R17 or 265/60 R18; the Land Cruiser 300 uses 265/65 R18 or 265/55 R20; the Patrol uses 265/70 R18 or 275/60 R20; and the Lexus LX uses 265/55 R20 or 265/50 R22 on higher trims.
Luxury SUVs such as the Range Rover, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE often use 20–23 inch wheels, sometimes with different widths front and rear. Those sizes are more expensive and are covered on our luxury vehicles page.
H/T or A/T: matching the tyre to how you drive
Choose highway-terrain tyres if the SUV spends 90% or more of its time on tarmac, which is true for most SUVs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. H/T tyres such as the Michelin Primacy SUV, Bridgestone Dueler H/T or Yokohama Geolandar H/T are quieter, more fuel efficient and brake shorter on the road.
Choose all-terrain tyres if you regularly drive on sand tracks to camps, farms or desert spots such as Al Qudra, Al Faya or Liwa. A/T tyres have tougher sidewalls and deeper, more open tread, at the cost of some road noise and a slightly shorter tread life on tarmac.
- Daily city and highway use: H/T or SUV touring
- Occasional graded sand tracks: H/T with reinforced sidewalls, or mild A/T
- Regular dune driving: A/T, see our off-road page
- Towing boats or caravans: check the higher placard pressure and load index
Pressure, heat and the full-size spare
SUV placards usually specify 32–38 psi cold, and many give a higher figure for a full load. Underinflation on a heavy SUV is the main cause of the summer tyre failures seen on UAE highways, because the sidewall flexes on every rotation and heat builds faster than it can escape.
Most large SUVs in the UAE carry a full-size spare, under the rear floor on the Land Cruiser and Patrol or on the tailgate on older Pajero and Prado models. Those spares sit in heat and sand for years. Check their pressure monthly and their DOT date annually, and replace them at around six years even if unused.
Brands we recommend
- Michelin — Michelin is the safest long-term buy for most UAE drivers: it typically outlasts rivals by 10,000–15,000 km and holds its grip and shape well in 45–50°C summers.
- Bridgestone — Bridgestone is the world's largest tyre maker by revenue and a strong premium choice for UAE heat, especially on Toyota and Lexus vehicles that often leave the factory on Bridgestone.
- Pirelli — Pirelli is the go-to brand for high-performance and luxury cars in the UAE, with the sharpest dry handling of the premium brands and OE fitments on Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes.
- Continental — Continental makes the best wet-braking tyres of the major brands and some of the quietest, which suits European cars and anyone who drives the UAE's highways at night or in winter rain.
- Yokohama — Yokohama is a Japanese mid-to-upper brand best known in the UAE for its Geolandar 4x4 tyres, especially the Geolandar A/T G015 on Patrols and Land Cruisers.
- Toyo — Toyo is a Japanese brand with a strong following among UAE 4x4 owners, thanks to its tough Open Country tyres for Patrols, Land Cruisers and pickups.
- Hankook — Hankook is the strongest-value brand for most UAE drivers: its Ventus tyres come close to premium performance at AED 300–700 per tyre in 16–18 inch sizes, around 30–40% below Michelin.
- Falken — Falken is a Japanese mid-range tyre brand owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, and in the UAE it sells for roughly AED 330–650 per tyre in common 16–18 inch sizes.
Tyre sizes by model
- Toyota 4Runner
- Toyota Alphard
- Nissan Ariya
- Nissan Armada
- Lexus GX
- Lexus LBX
- Mitsubishi Airtrek
- Mitsubishi ASX
- Hyundai Alcazar
- Hyundai Casper
- Kia Bongo
- Kia Carens
- Mercedes-Benz B-Class
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class All-Terrain
- BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
- BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer
- Land Rover Defender
- Land Rover Discovery 5
- Honda Acty Truck
- Honda Avancier
- Ford Bronco
- Ford Bronco Sport
- Chevrolet Blazer
- Chevrolet Blazer EV
Other vehicle types
Sedan · Coupe and Sports Car · Off-Road 4x4 · Hatchback · Pickup Truck · Luxury Car and Luxury SUV · Electric Vehicle (EV)