How Long Do Chevrolet Tires Last?

‍Does Chevrolet Produce Tires?

No, General Motors does not produce tires for any of its vehicles. In fact, most automakers outsource tire making to one of the big manufacturers, such as Michelin, Goodyear, Firestone, or Pirelli. These tire companies can produce better tires for less money, so automakers simply choose the tire that works best and order it to the factory.

The last time GM considered making its own tires was in 1972. The company eventually abandoned the idea and decided instead to work with tire companies whenever a specialized set was required. It has worked directly with tire companies in the past and continues to do so today.

What Kind of Tires Does Chevrolet Use?

Chevrolet uses several different tire kinds and brands along its line of vehicles. The most common tires you’ll find on new Chevy vehicles are made by Goodyear, Continental, Bridgestone, Hankook, Maxxis, and Michelin. The tire you get will depend on your climate, the vehicle you choose, and the trim level.

Chevrolet Tire Life Expectancy

There are several factors that contribute to the life expectancy of your Chevy tires. The first and most obvious is tire type. Some tires, regardless of who makes them, have a shorter life than others. Summer tires are known for wearing out faster than all-season tires, as they use softer rubber compounds than the others.

Mud tires are also notorious for degrading rapidly. These tires have soft rubber to absorb and mold to uneven terrain and big tread voids. When combined, mud tires (on Chevy trucks or otherwise) have less road contact and softer material, which wears them down rapidly. This is true regardless of what vehicle they’re used on.

Another factor that contributes to tire life is road conditions. Driving on the highway most of the time will cause your tires to wear out in less time, though this is partially an illusion. Highway driving is less damaging to tires than street or off-road driving. But since you cover more miles faster, it will appear as though they wore out quicker.

Longest Lasting Chevrolet Tires

Generally speaking, all-season (or A/S) tires last the longest. A/S tires have a special blend of rubber that’s designed to stay supple during cold weather but also to stay rigid enough when it’s hot out. Also, these tires have a good tread balance between void spaces and tread blocks, which gives them good road contact and slows down wear.

All-season tires can be found on almost all Chevrolet vehicles in many areas. These tires include the Michelin Pilot Sport and others, and the exact tire make and model will vary between years, models, and locations.

Chevrolet all-season tires, produced mainly by Michelin and Goodyear, are long-lasting and generally get between 30,000 and 60,000 miles before needing replacement. However, the longest-lasting tires offered by Chevy are made by Bridgestone, as the company is known for innovation and using the highest quality material.

Chevrolet Tire Quality Issues

We spoke to an experienced Chevrolet dealership technician and asked about his observations and how long he expects tires to last. He said that generally speaking, Bridgestone tires fare well over time and provide the best lifespans. There have been some anecdotes about surface-level cracking on Michelin tires, but these seem to only affect certain models.

But for the most part, General Motors does an excellent job choosing tires for its vehicles. Owners and technicians rarely report any problems, and the average tire lifespan is about 40,000 miles.

Chevy Tires and Trim Levels

The most reliable way to predict what tires you’ll get is to look at the trim level of your vehicle. This is usually how GM determines what tire to put on a vehicle. For example, lower model trucks tend to get Goodyear Wrangler Radial A/S tires, whereas the higher trim levels are found with Bridgestone Duelers or General Grabber A/T tires.

The same rule applies to cars, as one trim gets a Pirelli highway tire, and a performance car gets a much costlier street tire. Off-road trims are often equipped with specialized all-terrain tires or off-road tires, which have a shorter lifespan despite additional tread depth.

Chevrolet Tire Lifespan by Vehicle Type

So, how long can you expect the tires to last on different kinds of Chevy vehicles? The answer varies widely, as GM has dozens of tires they use on different vehicles. Generally speaking, Chevrolet tires on cars (sedans, coupes) last longer than tires on trucks and SUVs.

The Chevrolet vehicles with the shortest tire lifespan are high-performance levels of the Camaro and Corvette, along with off-road trucks. Performance car tire lifespan is hard to predict, as it varies dramatically between drivers.

Chevy Sedan Tire Lifespan

Basic Chevy cars, like the Malibu, have a very high tire life expectancy. These vehicles are usually equipped with all-season tires, which have a long lifespan as it is. All-season highway tires stand up well to the road conditions most often encountered by these cars.

You can expect the tires on your front-wheel-drive Chevy car to achieve 30,000 to 50,000 miles before the tires need to be replaced. In other words, this translates to three to six years of service life. This is higher than trucks and SUVs.

Chevy SUV Tire Lifespan

The tire lifespan of Chevy SUVs varies between models. Crossovers and compact SUVs like the Equinox have a long tire lifespan, and owners can expect between 30,000 and 40,000 miles out of their tires. Some owners get many more miles out of their factory tires, and it all depends on road conditions and tire type.

Larger SUVs like the Tahoe and the Suburban are built on pickup truck platforms and thus experience performance and tire lifespan almost identically to the trucks. These vehicles have an average tire lifespan of 25,000 to 50,000 miles, with the average being about 35,000 to 40,000 miles.

Chevy Truck Tire Lifespan

The lifespan of Chevy truck tires is hard to predict, as the trucks get a much wider range of tire options. Generally speaking, the lifespan of Chevy truck tires is between 20,000 and 50,000 miles. This number is reduced for 3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks due to their greater weight. Additionally, owners of 2500 and 3500 trucks tend to engage in hauling activities that wear out tires.

Mud tires have the shortest lifespan on Chevy trucks. These tires are known to wear out before 30,000 miles, especially if they’re driven extensively on hot pavement. All-terrain (A/T) tires fare better overall and have a lifespan past 30,000 miles in most cases. All-season truck tires, especially when used on a two-wheel-drive truck, have the longest lifespan.

As a general rule, the bigger the truck, the shorter the tire lifespan. This isn’t universally true, but it can help you get a better idea of what to expect. GM techs are used to replacing off-road tires on the same truck once per year or more, as they go bald quickly under normal driving conditions.

Chevy Bolt Tire Lifespan

The Chevy Bolt is notorious for burning through tires rapidly. This is due to its high starting torque, as electric vehicles don’t have a tire-saving power band like most conventionally-powered autos.

Usually, the Chevy Bolt can be found with Michelin Energy Saver A/S self-sealing tires. These are great tires, to begin with, but even the best tires can’t hold up against electric cars forever. It’s essential for Chevy Bolt owners to rotate their tires regularly, or the drive wheels will wear unevenly and necessitate the replacement of all four tires.

How to Increase your Chevy’s Tire Lifespan

Luckily, increasing the life expectancy of your tires is a fairly easy task. The most important thing to do is to follow the manufacturer’s recommended tire rotation intervals, especially if you have an electric vehicle. Tires should be rotated every 3,000 to 5,000 miles to evenly distribute tire wear.

Additionally, make sure to get an alignment every two to three years (or more often if you drive a lot). This will keep your steering straight and help reduce uneven tire wear.

If you’re looking to spend less on tires, opt for all-seasons instead of summer tires or mud tires. These may cost more upfront, but it’s worth it if you get another 10,000 to 20,000 miles out of your tires before they’re toast.