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255/55 R18 Tires

Everything we know about the 255/55 R18 tire size: 8 independent tire tests conducted in this exact size, 61 owner reviews covering 1,467,808 miles of driving, and EU label data for the tires you can actually buy in it.

  • 61owner reviews
  • 1,467,808 milescovered on them
  • 8tests in this size
  • 649tires made in this size
255/55 R18 To scale, mm
Ø 738 255 140 18" 140

The quick answer

Owner picks are the highest weighted owner score in 255/55 R18; test winners come from the most recent independent test conducted in this size. The full evidence is below.

Independent tire tests in 255/55 R18

Tires behave differently as sizes change, so a test conducted in your exact size is the strongest evidence there is. Every test below was run in 255/55 R18 - 8 in total, newest first.

All Season tire tests

All Season tire tests conducted in 255/55 R18
Year Test Winner Tires tested
2024 Best All Terrain Tires Tested On Road, Off Road and Snow [2024] Falken Wildpeak AT AT3WA 7

Winter tire tests

Winter tire tests conducted in 255/55 R18
Year Test Winner Tires tested
2016 2016 AutoBild 4x4 Winter Tire Test Goodyear UltraGrip Performance SUV Gen 1 8
2011 2011 Auto Bild 4x4 Winter Tire Test Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D 8

The best rated 255/55 R18 tires

Rated only by drivers running this size. Each tire needs at least 3 reviews in 255/55 R18 to be ranked; the order weights a tire's score by how many reviews back it, so one glowing review cannot top a table.

Summer tires

The highest rated Summer tire in 255/55 R18 is the Continental Cross Contact UHP - 66% from 4 owner reviews in this size.

Summer tires ranked by owner rating in 255/55 R18
# Tire Owner rating Reviews Distance reviewed TR Score
1 Continental Cross Contact UHP 66% 4 65,000 miles 6.5
2 Pirelli Scorpion Verde 60% 4 538,045 miles 7.3

Want test data as well as owner opinion? Best Summer Tires →

TR Score is the tire's overall Tire Reviews rating out of 10, built from independent test results and every owner review of that tire - not just the reviews from this car. The owner rating column is this car only.

255/55 R18 EU tire label data

EU label values are declared for each individual size, so the figures here are exact for 255/55 R18 rather than a range across a model. 426 tires carry label data in this size. The most common load index is 109 (up to 1,030 kg per tire). Speed ratings on offer: Y (300 km/h), W (270 km/h), V (240 km/h), H (210 km/h), T (190 km/h), S (180 km/h), R (170 km/h), Q (160 km/h). 228 tires in this size carry the 3PMSF severe snow marking.

A Best wet grip

75 tires in this size hold the top EU wet grip rating, class A. The highest scoring on Tire Reviews:

A Lowest rolling resistance

The most fuel efficient choice: 8 tires in this size reach rolling resistance class A. The highest scoring on Tire Reviews:

68dB Quietest tires

The quietest 255/55 R18 tires are labelled at 68 dB external noise:

Label values come from the EU EPREL database and apply to the EU market versions of each tire. Wet grip and rolling resistance run from class A (best) to E; noise is the measured drive-by figure. A good label is a floor, not a verdict - the tests and owner ratings above tell you far more.

How long do 255/55 R18 tires last?

Across 12 end of life reviews in this size, a typical set of tires was worn out after 20,000 miles. Half of all worn-out sets lasted between 5,000 miles and 30,000 miles.

Distances are self-reported by drivers whose review marked the set as worn out; figures are medians, so a single unusual report cannot move them. Driving style and the car matter more than the size itself.

What does 255/55 R18 mean?

A 255/55 R18 tire is 255 mm wide, its sidewall is 55% of that width (140 mm) tall, and it fits a 18 inch wheel. That gives an overall diameter of roughly 738 mm.

255/55 R18 nominal dimensions
Section width255 mm
Sidewall height140 mm
Rim diameter18" (457 mm)
Overall diameter≈ 738 mm
Circumference≈ 2,318 mm
Revolutions per km≈ 431
Revolutions per mile≈ 694

Also written as

255/55R18 255/55 ZR18 255-55-18 255 55 18

Figures are calculated from the nominal size. A loaded, rolling tire runs a few percent smaller, and true widths vary slightly between makes.

Comparing two sizes? Use the tire size calculator →

Every tire reviewed in 255/55 R18

The complete record, including discontinued tires and tires with too few reviews to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. A further 43 tires have a single review each; they count toward the totals but are not listed.

All tires reviewed in 255/55 R18
Tire Season Owner rating Reviews Distance reviewed
Continental Cross Contact UHP Summer 66% 4 65,000 miles
Pirelli Scorpion Verde Summer 60% 4 538,045 miles
Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D Replaced by Dunlop Winter Sport 5 Winter 84% 2 10,000 miles
General Grabber AT3 Replaced by General Grabber AT3 Plus All Season 79% 2 50,000 miles
Maxxis Bravo AT771 All Season 71% 2 45,000 miles
Federal SS595 SUPER STEEL Summer 62% 2 47,000 miles
Pirelli Scorpion STR All Season 52% 2 42,000 miles

Reviews only cover part of the market: 649 tires are made in 255/55 R18. Browse every 255/55 R18 tire →

What drivers say about their 255/55 R18 tires

The most recent owner reviews fitted in this size, in their own words.

84%
Falken Wildpeak AT Trail 255/55 R18 10,000 miles September 17, 2026

You may notice I drive a Dodge Charger and wonder why I’d run a mild all-terrain tire on a sporty sedan. Living in Colorado USA, the answer is simple: our weather can go from dry and 90°F to snow and ice within 24 hours. I needed a tire that works in summer heat, handles cold mountain roads above 10,000 feet, and doesn’t require swapping to dedicated winter tires. These tires truly do it all.

My Charger has the 5.7L V8 with active AWD and weighs about 4,400 lbs. On dry pavement, this is probably the tire’s biggest weakness. There’s noticeable sidewall roll from the 2-ply construction, especially with my slightly oversized setup (255/55R18 on steel police wheels). Compared to the stock (garbage) Goodyear Eagle RSAs, turn-in isn’t as sharp. Still, I’ve never slipped or spun in the dry, so I’d rate it an 8/10.

In wet conditions, these tires are excellent. Colorado often has melting snow and wet roads in the 40s–50s, and I’ve never lost traction. Cornering is confident, and even hard acceleration in RWD doesn’t cause spin. 9/10.

Snow performance is where the 3-Peak rating really shines. Despite having far more torque than the little Subarus and Toyotas that usually run these tires, traction is outstanding. At 8k+ feet, snowing hard and near 0°F, I expect to lose grip—but I don’t. When traction does break, recovery is smooth and predictable. Ice is more mixed; this isn’t a studded winter tire, and caution is still required. I ran Pirelli winters before and found them only marginally better. Snow is an 8.5/10, ice a 6/10.

Overall, I’d recommend these tires for drivers who see a lot of rain and snow and don’t want to switch winter tires. Road noise is minimal, tread wear looks great after 10k, and even light dirt and rocks were handled well (no mud—it’s still a Charger). If efficiency matters more, look at the Michelin CrossClimate 2 or 3. But for ruggedness, looks, and all-weather confidence, the Wildpeak AT Trail makes winter driving fun. Cheers.

72%
General Grabber AT3 255/55 R18 Volkswagen Crafter 20,000 miles September 6, 2026

Very happy with my Grabbers good grip and wear, being an AT tire. I was worried about road noise but pleasantly surprised on how quiet they were
Running them on my VWT5 on now on my New Crafter
Definitely recommend them

94%
Goodyear Fortera HL Edition 255/55 R18 Ford Territory 50,000 miles August 30, 2026

I have had these tires oem since buying my Ford Territory szII new 2015, i now have just covered 100,000klm ( 2 replacement sets) I rotate,balance and align (front and back ) every 10,000klm manly urban and hyway driving never have gotten any better than 50,000klm a set.
Would definately buy again as they have never let me down.

90%
Tigar Summer 3 SUV 255/55 R18 Audi 27,000 miles July 22, 2026

It was suggested by a friend. Performed amazingly well in different weather conditions especially on wet roads. would highly recommend, no wonder the great quality ; by the end it is a Michelin group product and also manufactured in Europe.

100%
Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D 255/55 R18 Mercedes Benz GLA 250 30 miles November 3, 2025
I have driven these in Ontario winters for the past 5 years very capable tire. The road noise, the tires growls a bit, but to be expected from a winter tread. I have had them installed on Mercedes GLA since new and replaced them this season. My tire installer suggested I could get one more season from my old Dunlops. Personal philosophy, the least expensive thing on our cars is our tires and brakes, why gamble. Great tires did definitely purchase again.
91%
Firemax Fm806 255/55 R18 Honda CRV 30,000 miles September 24, 2025
This is a tire thats just as good as michelin x ice or bridgestone blizzak but only a fraction of the cost. Ran it for 3 winters and I am very satisfied with its performance on ice and snow.
43%
Maxxis Bravo AT771 255/55 R18 Volkswagen Transporter 20,000 miles May 9, 2025
Worst tires i've ever had on my vw transporter 4x4. Very harsh ride no matter what i tried with tire pressures. Extremely noisy tires that gets worse as the tires wear. Although the tire wear is very good. That's the only positive thing i can say about them. I took them off before they were worn out and it was like a different van. Don't buy these tires you WILL be disappointed.
41%
Pirelli Scorpion Verde 255/55 R18 Mercedes Benz GLE 250d 4Matic 20,000 miles May 5, 2025
Worst tires you could buy if you drive your car in monsoon season or where there are a lot of standing water, dangerous is the least of what you'd expect, even Asian branded cheap tires has better aquaplanning resistance than this Pireli Verde. Lasted barely 20000 miles before tires started chunking and dangerous even for dry surfaces.

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Where this data comes from

Owner ratings are submitted through the review form on this site, naming the tire, the size and the distance covered, and are checked by hand before publication. Test results come from independent published tire tests indexed by size, and label values from the EU EPREL database.

About the TR Score

The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 using independent test results and the full body of owner reviews, so you can check a car-specific ranking against the wider evidence.

Who does the testing

Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.

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